Far Cry Primal is set to get more brutal when it gets is free update on April 12 that comes with a Survival mode.
The new mode will be available to play on all difficulty levels, but the main raison d'etre is the same: gamers will feel the cold threat of permadeath looming about them. This means that should you die in Survival mode, all your progress will be lost and you must resume the game from the beginning.
As reported on Ubisoft's blog, you can get a second chance via another life that is "replenished at certain completion points."
In Survivor Mode, you have to always be mindful of your stamina gauge: certain moves will deplete it in a heartbeat, and when it hits zero you will feel weaker and will be slower. The only way to get it back up is by sleeping.
The helpful mini-map was removed in the harsh Mode, and the fog of war is more unforgiving than ever.
The good news is that Far Cry Primal still allows fast-travel during the Survival Mode, at the expense of stamina and food resources. Other popular titles, such as Fallout 4, deny the player the possibility of using fast-travel in the hardcore live-once mode.
Players will lose some of the abilities that defined the gameplay in Far Cry Primal. Did you use to rain death upon your enemies with the help of your owl? Not anymore. Used to craft ammo instantly and destroy your foes from afar? The ability was lengthened to a few seconds, making combat even more tactical.
The developers tweaked Takkar's cold sensitivity, as well. In the new mode, building campfires is paramount to your survival. A small help comes from the improvement of the Hunter vision, so braving through the night will be (slightly) less daunting.
Take a closer look at the game and at the behind-the-scenes details by reading our coverage.
Important reworks are visible in the beast-taming area, as well. Even if the possibility to get a NPC furry companion is still there, the process will take longer and pose more dangers to your safety.
"The beasts you're going to control are going to get less powerful," game Director Thomas Simon notes.
Both bears and sabretooth tigers will put a good fight before bowing to you.
"You're going to have to fight them up to the moment that they are at half-life, then bait them and tame them," Simon explains.
An important detail is that animal companions that get killed during combat stay dead, meaning that you have to keep an eye on them during combat and actually work as a team.
The developing team did thin out the enemy encounters for Survival Mode, adding some balance to the mix.
Simon points out that no new Achievements or Trophies will be available, since this is a free update. Instead, the developers offer four new Ubisoft Club challenges to fearless players.
Simon affirms that by engaging in the "most insane challenge possible", aka "activating Survivor mode, playing on expert difficulty and activating permadeath" will come with a worthy reward once you complete the game.
He was kind enough not to spoil the surprise for hardcore gamers who probably accomplish it in no time. Check out the video below to hear Simon describe the new Far Cry Primal mode.
