What can we expect from the return of not one, but two iconic and beloved franchises from the same studio? Straight from the corridors of Ubisoft Montreal, gamers can expect a flurry of triple-A titles on the horizon. TGL recently had the opportunity to sit down with some of the members of Ubisoft Montreal and talk a little about what the fans can expect from games like Far Cry 3 and Rainbow Six: Patriots.

Here’s how we got on…

The Gaming Liberty: Do you think there’s one specific work ethic that sets Ubisoft aside from the competition? If so, what would it be?

Yannis Mallat (CEO): The Ubisoft Group focuses on creating the best experiences in the High Definition and Mainstream game segments, all the while offering quality, consumer-centric online experiences. Our success stems from the passion, dedication, perseverance and vision from every single creator in the studio. And we are very proud to work with seasoned teams who passionately and diligently work together to bring every franchise to the next level.

Creativity being at the core of everything we do, we believe that it is by being receptive to employees new ideas for storylines, game play features or even new IP’s we can continue delivering quality games experiences to consumers. With that in mind, we strive to offer them the proper tools and a stimulating environment to encourage their growth within the company.

TGL: Far Cry 3 is an Ubisoft title that many gamers are very eager to get their hands on. The return of a critically acclaimed title – what are your hopes and aspirations for it? Could you tell us a little about the development progress made since FC2, and what fans can expect this time around?

Dan Hay (Producer of Far Cry 3): The Aspirations are huge. We’re creating a monster title with Far Cry 3; we set out to make something you couldn’t put down.

You can expect a great shooter experience, and a hell of a lot of fun in an open world where you’ll encounter insane enemies brought to life with great character performances. We’re giving you cool places to explore and interesting things to do with a wide range of weapons and vehicles to use. We’re giving you thrilling “wow” moments and so much more that we can’t wait to share with you.

In a nutshell, you find yourself in a remote part of the world with your buddies just looking to have a good time. Very quickly: the party is over and your world gets turned upside-down. What we’re doing with FC3 is giving the player the chance to live that experience… that moment-in-time. Do they have the skill to go through a harrowing life experience and come out the other side? What do they learn from it, how do they grow?  This is a very real, gritty and insane experience where you’re trapped with dangerous people that will test your limits.

TGL: Rainbow 6 has always maintained a niche market for those that wanted a more “serious shooter”. What do you think sets Rainbow 6 aside from contemporary shooters?

Richard Rouse (Narrative Director): The Rainbow 6 franchise has always been differentiated by its core gameplay, which emphasizes not only quick decision making and precision shooting, but also observation and planning. We call it the “Observe, Plan, Act” loop and we’re one of the few modern-world shooters than emphasizes that type of gameplay. We are not a run and gun shooter.

Further setting us apart is that you have a team at your command. Not that you have to micro-manage them, but that you’re leading the way, not them. It’s one of the few games where you really lead a team, instead of just following other characters through a map.

But that said, we make sure to balance our tactics with intuitive controls. We want to put the player in charge of making choices, but not necessarily bogged down in micro-management of everything that happens. With this iteration, we think we’re hitting a good balance.

And of course, Rainbow 6 has also always been known as the definitive counter-terrorism game. The Rainbow team is an elite group that takes on really challenging situations. They operate in the “normal” urban world where there are civilians (i.e., not in war-zones) and they try to maintain a low profile. An operation is successful if no one even realizes they’ve been there.

And finally, in the newest chapter, Rainbow 6 Patriots we’re doing some really unique things with the story and narrative that you’ve never seen in a Rainbow title before. The game’s mature storyline explores an ultra-realistic what-if scenario inspired by real events and characters.

TGL: Thanks to the recent release of the “target gameplay” video for Rainbow 6 Patriots – fans of the franchise now have a strong direction of where the game is going. Patriots seems to embody a more emotional and visceral connection between the player and the narrative this time around. Can you tell us a little about the morality in the game and just how that will impact on the players progress throughout the campaign?

Richard Rouse: You hit nail right on the head about the visceral connection we want between the players and the story. Part of it is that theme of patriotism, with the True Patriots thinking they are fighting to restore a just society to their home country. But we also have the Rainbow leaders, James Wolfe and the player character Mark Barlow, fighting to defend their own country. You can’t help but become invested.

It’s also visceral because this isn’t the old type of terrorism that Rainbow is used to dealing with. In the world of Rainbow 6 Patriots, the terrorists aren’t playing by the old rules. It’s not about taking hostages, making demands, or negotiating. This new breed of terrorist is all about devastating attacks that strike without warning.

To stop them, Rainbow will have to push themselves farther than ever before. For the first time, collateral damage is unavoidable. Rainbow’s job is to attempt to minimize it. We want players to not just play the game for the great gameplay and engaging story, but also to think about the situations and react to the difficult decisions the Rainbow 6 team will make, such as sacrificing one to save one hundred. These are situations where there’s no clear “right” answer and that’s what makes them so compelling.

TGL: Thanks guys!

Far Cry 3 releases next year while fans of Rainbow Six will have to wait until 2013 to get their hands on the game. You can check out a gameplay video of Far Cry 3 below, and don’t forget to check out the latest “target gameplay” video for Rainbow Six: patriots too.