Credit: Universal PicturesNext year will be a big one for the Jurassic Park franchise, as the seventh film in the long-running series, Jurassic World: Rebirth, will be roaring into movie theaters.
Billed as the start of “a new Jurassic era”, the film stars Scarlett Johansson as covert operations specialist Zora Bennett, who’s tasked with securing genetic material from the three largest dinosaurs to have ever existed in a remote equatorial region where a “sinister, shocking” secret awaits.
But there’s another sequel in development: the first-person action-adventure video game “Jurassic Park: Survival”. Though we’ve heard little since the trailer premiered last December (except for some insightful details shared with IGN), we already know more about the game than we do Jurassic World: Rebirth, which is scheduled for release in July, 2025.
“Survival” doesn’t have a release date yet, but at least we have a trailer and an official website. Between the two, and the IGN exclusive, there’s already a lot to sink our teeth into, even if we continue to grow impatient waiting for the gameplay trailer. And there are many intriguing things about the game that have us salivating like a hungry Dilophosaurus.
It takes place 24 hours after the original Jurassic Park, inviting fans back to Isla Nublar to experience the aftermath of the dinosaur breakout. Players will assume control of stranded InGen scientist Dr. Maya Joshi, who must use ingenuity and all the available resources to outsmart, escape, and interact with iconic dinosaurs from the film and new species.
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“A fully realized Isla Nublar” will also allow players to visit familiar locations like the park gates and the Visitor Center, as well as never-before-seen locations only hinted at in the 1993 film, thus expanding the lore of Jurassic Park. But one aspect of the game that has fans particularly excited is the level of violence, which will undoubtedly outdo all six films.
The official website states that, while the rating is “pending,” the game “may contain inappropriate content for children.” On the Steam profile, it’s described as featuring “mature content “intense science fiction terror with death and violence from dinosaurs against humans and against other dinosaurs”, as well as “infrequent swearing in the dialogue.”
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Exactly how violent the game is remains to be seen. Fans are already comparing it with 2014’s “Alien: Isolation” in terms of style, which is a fitting comparison given everything we know. However, it’s likely “Survival” will also follow suit in terms of violence–and “Isolation” has plenty, especially when the main character is killed by the Xenomorph.
Which leads us nicely onto our main point. As is the case with almost any game, “Jurassic Park: Survival” will see the player/Dr. Maya Joshi killed over and over and over, whether it’s by dinosaurs or human villains hinted at on the website, or other dangerous things on the island. As such, the upcoming sequel will be the most violent entry in the franchise.
Of course, players will do everything they can to avoid becoming dinosaur food, but as we’ll be dealing with the likes of Dilophosaurus and T-Rex, we’ll quickly become the most-killed character in the Jurassic Park franchise. And if the developers really want to immerse fans, they’ll want to avoid neutering the violence in the same way the Jurassic World films did.
Watch the official trailer for “Jurassic Park: Survival” below:
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Here’s the official synopsis:
Return to Isla Nublar the day after the events of the beloved 1993 Jurassic Park film in an original adventure 65 million years in the making.
Survive thrilling first-person action as InGen scientist Dr. Maya Joshi, who was unable to evacuate Isla Nublar, in this single-player action-adventure game and discover a never-before-told story.
Through thrilling encounters, experience the wonder and danger of dinosaurs, each with their own distinct and adaptive behaviors brought to life by John Hammond’s vision.
The game is expected to be released on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime in 2025.
Do you think “Jurassic Park: Survival” will be particularly violent compared with the films? Let us know in the comments!