Summary
Survival horror games are enjoying something of a renaissance recently. The successful re-imaginings of the earlyResident Evilgames, theDead SpaceRemake, and the upcomingAlan Wake 2have seen renewed interest in a genre that was beginning to lose its way a little. Developer Great Ape Games' maiden title,The Lost Wild, sees the player seemingly stranded on an island populated by dinosaurs. The game is already giving seriousDino Crisisvibes, and for fans of Capcom’s long-dormant franchise, this is more than a little bit exciting.
The concept of dinosaurs terrorizing humans is far from an original one, but despite its simplicity, it has rarely been successfully brought to life in video game form. Capcom’sDino Crisisseries, which debuted in 1999, captured the hearts of fans by merging the claustrophobic and atmospheric gameplay of the earlyResident Evilgames with a dinosaur outbreak. The project arriving right at the peak ofJurassic Park-inspired dinosaur popularityaided its cause and ensured it was well received. This was followed by two sequels, and while the former proved to be far stronger than the latter, the series nevertheless built a cult following in the years since the third and final game was released in 2003.
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The Lost Wild Could Fill the Void Left By Dino Crisis
Footage released so far ofThe Lost Wildshows off an ambitious game steeped in atmosphere. The player will be tasked to survive and fend for themselves using any tools and resources they can find throughout the island. They will be able to explore abandonedresearch facilities that look like they were pulled straight fromJurassic Park, as well as lush greenery and wilderness, with danger lurking around every corner. Continued exploration of the island and its secrets will help players unravel the game’s central mystery. Considering developer Great Ape Games has no other titles to its name, it definitely isn’t looking to start small.
Dinosaurs will obviously be the main threat for the player, and stealth gameplay will likely play a big part, with players able to distract and confuse the huge creatures as well as use non-lethal weaponry to try and temporarily take them down. It doesn’t look like all-out combat will be an option, which, given the circumstances, seems to be a pretty realistic take, and should giveThe Lost Wilda grounded, human appeal, compared to morerecent dinosaur-themed games, such asExoprimal.
In an age that is rife with remakes and sequels, many fans have been crying out forDino Crisisto receive the remake treatment, but so far, despite rumors, nothing has materialized. Capcom has stopped short of ruling such a project out altogether, but it feels like the longer it goes without any concrete news, the less likely it is to happen. With theResident Evilseries as popular as it has ever been right now, as well as recent releases in theStreet FighterandMonster Hunterfranchises, the Japanese video game company certainly isn’t short of options when it comes to upcoming projects.
The lack of activity for theDino Crisisseries presents a unique opportunity forThe Lost Wildto become the apex predator when it comes to dinosaur survival-horror games. Despite the game only being scheduled for a PC-only release at launch, success on that platform could well see a console version follow shortly afterward.Fans ofDino Crisis, as well as theResident Evilseriesand survival horror in general, should keep a keen eye on this one.
