The Trailer for the “Jurassic Park: Survival” Game Made Me Kind of Sad

The upcoming Jurassic Park: Survival video game was announced at the recent Game Awards 2023. And while I can see a whole lot of fans being excited, I have to say that watching the trailer made me feel a bit sad.

Jurassic Park: Survival will take players back to the world of the original Jurassic Park movie. The events of the game will pick up just a mere day after the movie’s finale. You will play as InGen scientist Dr. Maya Joshi, who was left stranded on Isla Nublar during the evacuation process. Trying to find a way off the dino-infested island, Maya will need to “outsmart, escape, and interact” when it comes to the dinosaurs she will encounter.

The trailer features a whole lot of cinematic visuals as we see Maya trying to radio for help while being chased by a very persistent Dilophosaurus. She finds herself in the iconic kitchen, runs through the giant gate, and ultimately finds herself needing to use a flare against the T. rex.

I mean, I get that the game wants to use nostalgia, but I think the creative team went overboard with the situations Maya found herself in the trailer. The sequence of events felt forced and gave off self-insert character vibes instead of allowing Maya to organically journey through the familiar island. I do hope that the actual gameplay offers something different. As of right now, it’s reminding me of 2014’s Alien: Isolation.

The alpha in-game footage has Maya running towards a boat while being chased by a Velociraptor and making her way through narrow corridors while a Dilophosaurus tracks her down. Apparently, the raptor that’s after Maya is the same one that Tim and Lex managed to trap in the freezer during the first movie.

The trailer also made me feel sad because it made me look at the state of the long-running franchise. I don’t think I have ever witnessed a franchise where each installment was trying to recreate the magic of the original movie. I mean, what is the Jurassic Park/Jurassic World franchise without the first Jurassic Park movie from 1993? Why does the franchise continue to get milked in the live-action department with results that always fall short of the original?

Sigh!

The trailer really made me get all up in my feelings. 

Don’t get me wrong, I understand a video game like this being created. But I think the nostalgia bait is a bit too much. It’s giving 2011’s Jurassic Park: The Game from Telltale Games and we all know how those episodes turned out. 

Developed by Saber, Jurassic Park: Survival is planned for release on the PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. A specific release date hasn’t been shared yet. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw it hit shelves sometime in late 2024. There’s still a lot of time before the game’s debut. So my feelings toward it might change down the line.

You can learn more about the title by visiting the official website and by following the team on Twitter (@jpsurvival).

Are you excited about playing the first-person Jurassic Park: Survival video game?

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Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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