This ain’t your mama’s Tarzan.
Fun Train, the team behind The Exorcist: Legion VR, has revealed a new episodic VR series based on acclaimed American fiction author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 1912 classic, Tarzan of the Apes. Revealed earlier today at an absolutely packed San Diego Comic-Con, Tarzan VR is a single-player VR game that places users in the shoes (bare feet?) of the legendary fictional character as they set off on a series of adventures that take place over the course of five episodes.
“Who hasn’t wanted to swing like Tarzan at some point in their life?” said Douglas Nabors, Fun Train CEO. “Stonepunk Studios is crafting an imaginative world that demonstrates a faithful but unique vision for the Tarzan franchise. We can’t wait for people to experience it.”
“We are especially pleased to partner with Fun Train and Stonepunk Studios to develop our first TARZAN virtual reality game” said Jim Sullos, President of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. “Using this new technology, we believe we have entrusted the best team to develop an exciting game that reimagines Tarzan for a whole new generation.”
According to Fun Train, Tarzan VR will feature a variety of gameplay elements that range from exploration and combat, to athletics and creature interaction. Throughout the five-part journey, players can expect to swim, jump, fight, and swing their way through five open-world environments. Each of these areas is located in various geographical locations and feature their own unique set of weapons as well as challenges.
Here’s a quick break-down of all five episodes based on a release sent by Fun Train:
Issue 1 – The Great Ape: Jane has been abducted by a group of invaders, and Tarzan must seek the wisdom of The Great Ape in order to find the trail of her mysterious captors.
Issue 2 – Jagged Edge: Tarzan begins his pursuit of Jane’s captors and must make his way across the dangerous Cliffs of Kombatu where one misstep leads to certain doom.
Issue 3 – The Dead of Night: As night draws in, the jungle swamp poses all manner of hidden dangers. Tarzan continues to pursue his quarry across the Sargos Swamps, and must face a familiar and deadly predator from a lost era.
Issue 4 – Undertow: The secret gate to an undersea temple lays buried in the ocean depths. There is only ONE way for Tarzan to continue his journey… straight down!
Issue 5 – The Valley of Eden: In this grand finale, TARZAN MUST RALLY HIS ALLIES IN THE SHADOW OF AN ERUPTING VOLCANO! Only the strange fruit found in the heart of the Valley of Eden can save the life of Tarzan’s true love.
Throughout their adventure, players will have access to Tarzan’s “jungle skills,” which include Call of the Wild, Earth Vision and Fish Eye. It’s unclear at this time what these skills will actually do, but based on the names provided one can only assume these abilities will enhance the player’s effectiveness in-game. If I had to guess, Call of the Wild will allow players to request the assistance of local wildlife, while Earth Vision may activate some form of enhanced detection; I can’t even begin to imagine what Fish Eye does.
Based on the images provided, Fun Train is going for a more serious approach with their VR iteration of the legendary character, one that doesn’t shy away from violence. While previous imaginings paint the King of the Jungle as a “white knight” of sorts, it appears as though this Fun Train’s isn’t afraid to get his hands a little dirty.
Developed by Stonepunk Studios, Tarzan VR will release episodically later this year on HTC Vive, Oculus Rift S, PlayStation VR, and Valve Index.
Featured Image Credit: Fun Train
