Far Cry 3 developers 'going very primal in multiplayer'

Far Cry 3's single-player campaign focuses on tropical islands that slowly make their inhabitants go insane, and according to an interview on CVG with Ubisoft Massive, the studio making the game's multiplayer component, the developers are trying to bring that same feeling to multiplayer gaming.

Creative director Magnus Jensen said, "We're going very primal in multiplayer," referring to the way Ubisoft Massive is bringing the campaign's mind-altering elements into competitive gameplay. One is the Psych Gas, a team support weapon that makes all players on the map — whether friend or foe — appear as enemies. Weapons like the Psych Gas and a napalm strike are unlocked through teamwork, like capturing objectives or reviving teammates.

"At first it's an ego thing," said Jensen, "but then you notice how much better your score is overall, how much better the game flows and how much more fun it is."

Ubisoft Massive is also developing Far Cry 3's co-op mode with insanity in mind, with four playable characters who are "as unhinged as any of the characters that players will meet in the single-player [campaign]," according to Jensen. He said the co-op campaign is completely separate from the single-player mode, with unique characters and its own story that takes place six months prior to the events of the main campaign. The characters are working on a cruise ship, and its captain makes a deal with the islands' pirates before leaving the foursome to rot. They "sort of snap," according to Jensen, and set out to hunt him down.

"It's a different story but what it does bring is the same insanity," said Jensen.

Far Cry 3 launches on Dec. 4 on PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.