Dinosaurs have long captured our imaginations, from their awe-inspiring size to their primal ferocity. In the gaming world, a wave of upcoming dinosaur horror games seems to be a part of a growing trend. With games like Deathground, Instinction, Tempus Triad, Clawed, and more in development, fans of the giant prehistoric creatures are in for a delightfully dangerous time when they start rolling out. But what exactly is the cause of this Triassic trend?
The Appeal of Dinosaur Horror Games
The explanation is pretty simple. Dinosaurs are the perfect antagonists for horror games. They’re fast, powerful, and utterly relentless. These are qualities that make them ideal for creating heart-pounding gameplay. Unlike supernatural monsters or zombies, dinosaurs are grounded in reality, which makes their threat feel more immediate and visceral. Their tremendous size is, of course, a plus. While being chased by a killer animatronic or a ghost is scary enough, there is just something special about being hunted by a 12-foot-tall theropod that you know will devour you if it catches you.
The more we learn about dinosaurs, the more terrifying they become. For example, in the early 2000s, it became a popular belief that the T. rex, despite its huge size, was actually an ambush predator. While the tyrant lizard kings would be scary enough to encounter due to them still holding the record for the most powerful bite to exist on Earth, the thought of being jumped by one makes them all the more terrifying. That’s not even scratching the surface of what dinosaur horror games could take advantage of. A pack of hungry Utahraptors or a sprinting Carnotaurus would be equally as scary.
Dinosaur Horror Games of the Past
While the recent trend of dinosaur horror games is curious, this wave isn’t the first. One notable example is Dino Crisis, released by Capcom in 1999. Often referred to as the “dinosaur version of Resident Evil,” this game combined survival horror elements with intense action as players navigated a research facility overrun by genetically engineered dinosaurs. The game was praised for its innovative gameplay, and it has thankfully risen from extinction thanks to GOG’s video game preservation program. Now, PC users can sit back and enjoy a bit of prehistoric nostalgia or experience the first two games for the first time.
Another standout dinosaur horror game of the past is Jurassic Park: Trespasser, released in 1998 by DreamWorks Interactive (now Danger Close Games). While not a traditional horror game, it leaned heavily into survival elements as players explored a dinosaur-infested island with minimal weapons and no health indicators. While the game was ambitious, technical issues and clunky controls overshadowed its positive aspects. Thankfully, the game still managed to grow a cult following. Despite its flaws, it and the Dino Crisis games became influential in the realm of dinosaur-themed horror.
Where is Jurassic Park: Survival?
In keeping with Jurassic Park, a dinosaur horror game is in development that takes place in the world of that beloved franchise. Jurassic Park: Survival is being developed by Saber Interactive and will put players in the role of a doctor stranded on Isla Nublar directly after the events of the original 1993 movie. A teaser trailer for the upcoming title was revealed at The Game Awards in 2023. Since then, not much else has been heard about the game. This has led fans to believe that the game was canceled. Thankfully, that is not the case. We just don’t know when we’ll hear or see more involving the game.
A Dinosaur Fan’s Delight
As a fan of both scary things and dinosaurs, this is a trend that I’m extremely happy about. I’ve believed that dinosaurs have been underutilized in the horror game world. Any carnivore or even a very territorial herbivore would make a perfect monstrous antagonist. With game development getting more advanced, we can now have an abundance of dinosaur horror games with in-game AI as smart as the Velociraptors in Jurassic Park. Speaking of, I just hope at least one of these upcoming games gets the raptors right. I don’t want to see any more glory stolen from the Deinonychus and put under a false name.
