Trailer Reaction - Jurassic Park: Survival
If you're part of the Jurassic Park fandom, you'll likely welcome "Jurassic Park: Survival" with open arms. As a fan of the franchise myself, I am genuinely excited about this game and look forward to seeing what Universal and Saber Interactive (known for Space Marines 2, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, Evil Dead: The Game) will be able to deliver following the promise of this exiting trailer.
Return to Isla Nublar
Set somewhere near Costa Rica, the game will transport players to Isla Nublar, the iconic island purchased by John Hammond for his secret passion project gone wrong. The narrative of the game promises to be rooted in the original film timeline, more specifically during the chaos of the island's evacuation. The familiar setting is instantly recognisable from the trailer: the abandoned complex, eerie atmosphere, rainstorm, out-of-order electric fences, and the omnipresent threat of dinosaurs now roaming freely. As a player, you will assume the role of InGen scientist Maya Joshi, a member of Jurassic Park bio-research facility who has been left behind. Your mission is simple, urgent, and immediate: survive and escape the dinosaur-infested island.
Nostalgia Meets Modern Gameplay
The trailer of "Jurassic Park: Survival" heavily leans into early 90s nostalgia, recreating cult scenes from the film such as the intense kitchen sequence with the velociraptors, Maya waving a red flare to distract a T-Rex, or a face-to-face encounter with our venom-spitting friend, the good old dilophosaur. For those of us who watched the film as children, these moments are deeply anchored in our psychies and memories. Seeing the reenactment (or revisitation) of these scenes is both exciting and emotional - I am looking forward to experiencing these key narrative landmarks as a player!
“Despite the terror, I came to share Hammond’s dream. I wanted it to be real, to be right there. I think millions of other people share that dream, of going back to the original ‘93 park.” - Oliver Hollis-Leick, Creative Director at Saber (IGN interview - link)
As for any game trailers relying on cinematics more than gameplay showcase, it's difficult to appeciate what will be in the final product - it's unclear if these cult scenes will be part of the game experience, or are included to create hype around the game - either ways, Oliver Hollis-Leick has confirmed the revisitation of classic decorums and settings from the film, as well as locations only mentioned in passing in the original storyline. I am pretty certain we will end up in that kitchen, tracked down by a few clever raptors. Everything should be fine as long as they don't know how to open doors, right? Right?! Oh, shhh....
While there isn't a wealth of information about the game mechanics, the trailer hints at a first-person survival experience with minimal interface and clutter. This design aims to enhance immersion, allowing players to feel fully present in the action and the world of Jurassic Park. The inclusion of familiar landmarks and the - at least suggested - presence of characters like Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ian Malcolm will also strongly appeal to Jurassic Park fans and the intersectional demographic of gamers passionate about monster / horror / survival / thriller games.
A Progressive and Inclusive Approach
One noteworthy aspect of "Jurassic Park: Survival" is its commitment towards diversity and representation. The lead character is a female scientist from a minority background - a choice reflecting the evolving culture of the franchise since its fairly retrograde depiction of female characters with the "Jurassic World" strand... I am delighted to see this happening, and look forward to learning more about the character of Maya.
Intense Gameplay
It would be fair to assume the gameplay of "Jurassic Park: Survival" will be intense, stressful, rich in jump scares, and gifted of time pressure elements (remember the last boat leaving the island?). I also anticipate receiving guidance and directions over walkie-talkies, using a stained map to navigate through the island, cursing our torchlight running out of battery, using Tim's night vision goggles, and getting support from an expert dino hunter in times of need (I think I will keep your shotgun, thank you very much!).
"The island is full of different types of terrain, many of them quite challenging. The player will need to use caution and planning in some cases, checking routes in advance. There will also be times when the player will need to move very carefully through an environment to avoid the attention of certain predators. Maya, the main character, is neither superhuman nor an action hero. There are real risks for her around every corner and the player will need to use a mixture of intelligence, grit and patience to survive the island’s many challenges." - IGN interview
It would also be easy to imagine the collection of Easter egg props and accesories owned by the charactes of the film as we progress throught the different levels of the game, and the possibility of unlocking the skin of our '93 heroes as a completion bonus - and more.
The success of "Jurassic Park: Survival"could also pave the way for more escape titles set in the JP franchise, revisiting the decline of the Hammond empire across multiple games... Who knows?
Release Details
There is no set date for the release "Jurassic Park: Survival" - yet, it feels certain the game will not be available in 2024. However, the studio is aiming to distribute the title across all consoles and PC (and already encourages players to add the title to their wishlist).
Will you be playing "Jurassic Park: Survival"? I know I will. I can't wait to learn more about the game, characters, storyline, and when it will be finally excavated! Let's hope we will not have to wait for another 65 millon years...
Na, na, na, na, na...
Trivia: This is not the first "Jurassic Park: Survival" game to date. A previous project was developed by Savage Entertainment until it was cancelled in 2001. The studio pitched the game as a third-person Tomb Raider-like adventure with a Die Hard feel... More info here.
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Game and media credit: Jurassic Park Survival © 2024 Universal City Studios LLC and Amblin Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Jurassic Park Survival is developped by Saber Interactive.
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