Andy Serkis is closely working with Imaginati Studio to create a video game for the "Planet of the Apes" franchise. Dubbed "Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier," it will be based on the cinematic versions since "Rise of the Planet of the Apes."
The upcoming game will be published by The Imaginarium, Serkis' own motion capture studio which also helped him play a convincing chimp in the movies, as well as other otherworldly characters in past projects. The studio now has a video game specific department called Imaginati, which is responsible for "Last Frontier." Serkis played the ape Caesar — the first monkey that was gifted with sentience.
According to IGN, the game is set a year after the events of "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" and will focus on a tribe of apes that have made their own home in the mountains to avoid the human-ape war. However, these apes soon become desperate as winter comes, and they run out of resources to sustain themselves. Hence, they are forced into unknown territories, which eventually leads them to human settlements.
"Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier" will rely heavily on the motif of the film which showcased the more human aspect injected into them, as compared to previous iterations in the franchise. The game's entirety will be choice-based; it will put players in difficult situations and will be faced with decisions that will test their mettle and moral acumen. The outcome of the game heavily relies on the player's decision and promises multiple endings.
This type of gameplay is reminiscent of what Telltale Games is popular for. However, the developers want a faster-paced narrative where players will have to make decisions much more frequently. The story is meant to help players empathize with both humans and apes, and both factions' primary purpose is survival.
"Planet of the Apes: Last Frontier" has no final release date, but will be available at the end of 2017.
