Are you disappointed by the lack of a new Dino Crisis game, twenty years on from Dino Crisis 3? Capcom may have sidestepped the franchise in favour of Exoprimal, but Deathground could deliver the saurian survival horror game that Dino Crisis fans have been craving. The game’s latest trailer, revealed at Gamescom, certainly gives me hope. And it’s got fuzzy Velociraptors too.
It’s typical. You wait for one Dino Crisis-inspired action-horror and then three come along at once. Between Deathground, Compound Fracture and Instinction, Dino Crisis fans could end up being spoilt for choice.
But, going by this new trailer, Deathground could absolutely be worth the wait. Developed by Jaw Drop Games, it has you roaming around evading AI-controlled dinosaurs, in both single-player and multiplayer modes.
Dino Crisis aside, the trailer also has a definite Alien Isolation vibe. Stealth is a significant factor so, in multiplayer, your survival could depend on how well your squadmates can hold it together. Let’s face it, the moment Jurassic Park’s Alan Grant saw Lex waving that torch around, he should have just cut his losses.
That’s not to say you should make a break for it right away. Like Creative Assembly’s survival horror game, weapons look to be in short supply and running could make enough noise to alert any dinosaurs in the area.
Speaking of the game’s dinosaurs, there are feathered raptors on display. Jurassic Park was fantastic but current wisdom is that Velociraptors did, in fact, have some pretty noticable plumage.
Deathground’s trailer also offers a glimpse of what appears to be a T-Rex – although I’ve no idea how you’re supposed to deal with that. I’ve never entirely got over Tomb Raider’s original tyrannosaur encounter.
Pointy trauma aside, I’m still eager to see just how intelligent Deathground’s dinos actually are. Jurassic Park: Trespasser made a similar boast but it never quite worked out. But if this is indeed Alien: Isolation with dinosaurs, Dino Crisis fans could be in for a treat.
There’s no Deathground release window as of yet. Deathground began life as a Kickstarter and has missed its original 2021 release window. The developers may have overestimated the work involved, though it’s not their first game, having previously made rhythm-action FPS Gun Jam.
In the meantime, while it definitely isn’t Dino Crisis, Exoprimal is worth a brief dabble. Here are the best Exoprimal settings for your PC, and if you need help to tackle the Exoprimal final boss, we’ve got you covered.