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Far Cry Primal is getting a free Survivor Mode

Adds permadeath, removes the mini-map, and neuters beast-taming.

Far Cry Primal is getting an all new super difficult Survival Mode upon its next update on 12th April.

The 12th April update will also add support for 4K textures on PC.

This new mode will make things much, much harder - though its ruleset can be applied to any difficulty should you wish. As detailed on the Ubisoft Blog, it will offer permadeath, meaning one game over ends your entire run. There will be an option for a second chance, should you desire another life that is "replenished at certain completion points."

Beyond that, your actions in Survivor Mode are dictated by a stamina gauge that depletes with certain moves. You'll be slower and weaker when it runs out and it can only be replenished by sleeping.

Furthermore, there's no mini-map this time out and fog of war will be strengthened.

Unlike Fallout 4's version of Survivor Mode, Far Cry Primal will still offer fast-travel, but it consumes stamina and food to use.

Your abilities will be weakened too, as you'll no longer be able to rely upon your owl to do your dirty work for you, and crafting ammo will take a few seconds rather than being instantaneous. You'll also be susceptible to the cold, so building campfires is a priority in this wild world. Your Hunter vision will be increased a bit, so this should help players brave the dim, dangerous night.

Beast-taming will be neutered as well. You'll still be able to tame beasts, but they'll be less efficient and more dangerous animals will be more difficulty to train. "The beasts you're going to control are going to get less powerful," said game director Thomas Simon. "The most powerful beasts you control, like sabretooths and bears, will not let themselves be tamed so easily. You're going to have to fight them up to the moment that they are at half-life, then bait them and tame them."

More damningly, fallen beasts will be gone for good, so you won't be able to rely on respawning animal companions to help you through the adventure.

On the plus side, enemy encounters will be thinned out a bit, so you'll have to treat each encounter with more gravity.

Simon noted that the new update will include four new Ubisoft Club challenges as the developer was unable to add new Achievements or Trophies to a free update. "If you go for the ultimate challenge - activating Survivor mode, playing on expert difficulty and activating permadeath - you have the hardest and most insane challenge possible for the game, and there's a special reward at the moment you complete the game. I won't spoil it," the director teased.

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