“Apocalypse Now” Video Game Launches Kickstarter

Francis Ford Coppola, the director of films like Patton, The Godfather, and Apocalypse Now, is teaming up with a team of game developers to make “an immersive, psychedelic horror RPG” based on the latter film.

The Kickstarter for the game is now live, and will feature people who have worked on games like Fallout: New Vegas, Pillars of Eternity, The Witcher, Neverwinter Nights 2, Wasteland 2, Torment: Tides of Numenera, Everquest, DC Universe Online, PlanetSide, PlanetSide 2, Star Wars Galaxies and others, according to the donation page. 

Coppola released a personal statement on the project, saying that he’s going the crowdfunding route to make the game a reality “because the traditional game publisher system won’t let this happen.” It’s not his first time seeing a film of his get turned into a game – he wasn’t a fan of the Godfather adaptation – but it is the first time, apparently, he’s been directly involved.

It’s worth noting that the developers say Apocalypse Now, although it takes place during the Vietnam War, will not be just an average shooter. They’re going the survival horror route in order to force gamers to make decisions that make the story their own, as well as to really drive home just how horrific war can be.

For those who haven’t seen it, Apocalypse Now depicts the Vietnam War, and all of the horrors involved, through the eyes of Captain Benjamin Willard as the film follows his mission to assassinate Colonel Walter E. Kurtz.

“You are Willard and your actions will determine his fate,” the developers say, though just how much you can actually alter the story remains to be seen.

They’re asking for $900,000 to make the game for “a variety of platforms,” which will likely include PS4, Xbox One and PC. A $25 pledge guarantees you a digital copy of the game.