Jun 7, 2011 15:01 GMT  ·  By

Ubisoft showcased a major surprise at its E3 2011 press conference in the form of Far Cry 3, a new installment in the French company's prestigious series, which received plenty of details as well as a batch of screenshots and a gameplay video.

Ubisoft made quite a few announcements at its E3 gathering, but Far Cry 3 was completely unexpected, as the company managed to keep a tight lid on the title up until now, when it showcased the title to the world.

“Far Cry 3 brings something new and unexpected, while still building upon the foundations of excellence that are inherent to the Far Cry brand,” said Dan Hay, producer at Ubisoft Montréal. “Whether you’re already a fan of the Far Cry series or jumping into the franchise for the very first time, you’re going to be blown away by the gritty story and epic adventure we’re going to deliver.”

Far Cry 3 is currently being developed by Ubisoft Montreal, with the help of Ubisoft Shanghai together with Massive Entertainment, and depicts the story of Jason Brody, who is stuck on a mysterious island filled with all sorts of factions and characters.

"With Far Cry 3, players step into the shoes of Jason Brody, a man alone at the edge of the world, stranded on a mysterious tropical island. In this savage paradise, where lawlessness and violence are the only sure thing, players dictate how the story unfolds, from the battles they choose to fight to the allies or enemies they make along the way. As Jason Brody, players will slash, sneak and shoot their way across the island in a world that has lost all sense of morality."

Far Cry 3 won't connect to the original or the second title in the series, so people shouldn't worry about jumping into the series with this new title, but it does bring back the secluded island location that first appeared in the first Far Cry, developed by German studio Crytek.

Ubisoft also presented, alongside the details about the game, a batch of impressive screenshots, as well as a gameplay demo that showed off the first portions of the game.

Far Cry 3 is set to appear in 2012 for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and you can check out the screenshots and gameplay video below.

Photo Gallery (5 Images)

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