E3 2002
Dr. John Hammond had a dream for a
theme park that went horribly wrong. Those who don’t know the history may be
doomed to repeat it.
Universal Interactive and Blue
Tongue Software have a nice little simulation heading for store shelves in the
fourth quarter of this year with plans for release on PlayStation2, Xbox and PC
platforms. The name of the game is Jurassic Park, and it is based on the
original concept of the movie.
There are 12 missions in this game
that will challenge players to maintain the order of the park. Visitors are
stranded and threatened, and you must rescue them before they become dino chow.
The player interface is kept
simple, which will allow players to build their theme park from the ground up.
You will be able to control virtually every aspect of this park, from the shape
of the island to the price of admission.
Other game features include
multiple camera angles, including a zoom to let you see these prehistoric
creatures up close; different vehicles to control – like an helicopter; a
complex AI; 10 original musical tracks performed by the Melbourne Symphony, plus
two musical scores from John Williams’ movie soundtrack; and lush environments.
Think of games like Microsoft’s Zoo
Tycoon and you have the basic idea of one aspect of this game. But where this
game truly differs is in providing close-up action of the 25 different
dinosaurs. You may see two species tangle, with one killing then feeding off the
victim. The animation is excellent. But with all that red meat, it’s little
wonder that these creatures are cranky.
Of course you can control behavior
with the right chemical mix in the food. However, as in the movie, should you
not keep your exhibits happy, life can quickly go from peaceful theme park to
house of horrors in a hurry.
Jurassic Park is a good-looking
game that provides a nice twist on the classic world-building model.
Look for it to be released in the
fourth quarter of this year.
