No doubt fueled by the impending 2022 release of Jurassic World Dominion, there have been a plethora of dinosaur based indie video game titles both announced and releasing. Some of these titles have already been released, and some even have demos you can dive into yourself. Everything from shooters and slashers, to horror and strategy, by the end of 2022 there’ll be a dinosaur video game for everyone.
Instinction
Instinction looks to tell the story of a human protagonist on an island of dinosaurs. It looks like a lot of dark environments from the screenshots, meaning perhaps an entry into the dinosaur horror game genre. The graphics appear to have an almost cinematic quality. The developer, Hashbane Interactive, describes it as an action-adventure game with combat and exploration. Aside from a brief teaser trailer, there isn’t a lot of information available for Instinction yet. It will release on both PC and consoles.
Primal Dominion
This is one of the titles I am looking forward too most because of it’s extensive multiplayer. There is a story campaign that is both singleplayer and co op, as well as a multiplayer game mode. The campaign mentions elements of dinosaurs and horror, which is a genre I think dinosaurs really could be used more in. I’ve checked out the multiplayer myself thanks to the currently ongoing pre alpha multiplayer test. I battled it out with in 3-way combat, Rangers versus Mercenaries versus dinosaurs! You can start with smaller dinosaurs, including the famous raptor, and work your way up to Tyrannosaurus Rex if you can get a killstreak going. The environment looks amazing, and I enjoyed the 3-way combat, though mercenaries and rangers did seem to be carbon copies. This could change drastically obviously, being a pre-alpha test. The test is still going on now if you want to check it out.
Fossilfuel
Probably the title I am most interested in, Fossilfuel is a dinosaur horror shooter. It is an open world game where you fight through dinosaurs and enemy soldiers in what the developers describe as “Jurassic Park meets Half-Life”. There is already VR support and a Raptor Isolation DLC which promises a more horror-focused experience. Given the Isolation part of the name, I think Alien Isolation fans are the target demographic. There is a demo for the game on Steam to try it out for yourself before you drop the $19.99 USD. So far it has a Mostly Positive rating with 59 reviews.
Age of Jura
For you city builder fans out there, there is a colony sim with dinosaurs coming from Mystic Era Games. Age of Jura puts you in charge of a tribe of humans, trying to build their civilization in a world they share with dinosaurs. This is a real time strategy game where your human civilization competes with the dinosaurs for territory across multiple islands. Slated for a 2022 release, there isn’t a lot of information available for Age of Jura. One interesting developer video shows a mosasaurus, implying oceanic gameplay.
Dinos Reborn
Dinos Reborn looks to be a singleplayer open world dinosaur survival game. It looks very much like ARK in story and general execution, but the graphics have a different look from the trailers. There does also seem to be more of an emphasis on hunting with the mention of analyzing tracks, observing habits, etc. Dinos Reborn is unreleased, so there isn’t much to share on it yet. The developer, HardCodeWay, is looking at a 2022 release, promising new survival mechanics, unique campaign assistance, and a surprising view of the world. I would like to see some co op as sharing open worlds with friends is something I really enjoy in games. I also enjoyed ARK, and hope to see the survival genre evolve a little bit with Dinos Reborn.
Raptor Territory
Casual chaos is a great way to describe Raptor Territory. You can join matches of up to 52 players! If you’re an actual dinosaur fan or science buff, you will probably appreciate this game more than most. There are different maps and different game modes, and a lot of mechanics mimic actual animal behaviors. The mechanics are actually fun and interesting too. For example, when matches start, there are multiple teams. As each team Is eliminated, that team is then dispersed among the other teams. This simulates joining a new pack, and also keeps you in the game and still able to win. Another example is the Conquerors of the Nest game mode where you claim territory by putting down nests. You take territory by destroying your opponent’s nests. It all seems very well thought out and enhances the gameplay. At $12 USD, you can grab your fully feathered deinonychus and start tearing everything apart inexpensively and easily. There are just two attacks, and the only microtransactions are cosmetics and emotes. RedClaw Productions is on a quest to make science fun, and they’re off to a great start with Raptor Territory.
Full disclosure, I was provided a copy of Raptor Territory by the developer.
Project Ferocious
Project Ferocious is a dinosaur survival shooter from indie developer OMYOG. It takes place on a mysterious island in the pacific, filled with prehistoric creatures. The eye-catching feature for the game to me is the promise of destructible environments. What you might destroy – or how you might destroy it – seem interesting to me. A mention of vehicles for land and sea imply a large, open world to explore. No release date yet, so details are a little light so far.
Deathground
Deathgrounds is a co op dinosaur horror survival game from Jaw Drop Games. You can battle AI powered dinosaurs as a hunter or survivalist for riches, and solo or with a team. There are weather effects, dynamic objectives, and random spawn and extraction points to make each game different. It has a very Aliens vibe to it, from the movies and the game Alien Isolation. No release date announced yet, but the successful Kickstarter mentioned around late 2021.
As you can see, all dinosaur video game fans are about to have the cash in their wallets go extinct over the next year or so. Dinosaurs are growing in popularity again it seems, and I’d like that to extend beyond the mainstream Jurassic franchise. There is so much potential to unlock with dinosaurs, I’m glad to see indie developers finally giving them their due.
Which game are you most excited about? Have I missed any indie titles that you think belong here? Let me know in the comments.
