Jurassic World Aftermath
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''Jurassic World Aftermath'' is a 2020
virtual reality Virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world. Applications of virtual reality include entertainment (particularly video games), e ...
stealth game for the
Oculus Quest The Oculus Quest is a virtual reality (VR) headset developed by Oculus, a division of Meta, Inc., released on May 21, 2019. Similar to its predecessor, Oculus Go, it is a standalone device that can run games and software wirelessly under an ...
and
Oculus Quest 2 Meta Quest 2 (initially sold as Oculus Quest 2) is a virtual reality (VR) headset developed by Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook, Inc.). It was unveiled on September 16, 2020 and released on October 13. As with its predecessor, the Oculus Qu ...
. It is based on the '' Jurassic Park'' franchise. It was developed by Coatsink Software and published by
Oculus Studios Reality Labs is a business of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook Inc.) that produces virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware and software, including virtual reality headsets such as Quest, and online platforms such as Horizon W ...
. It takes place on the island of
Isla Nublar ''Jurassic Park'', later also referred to as ''Jurassic World'', is an American science fiction media franchise created by Michael Crichton and centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park An amusement park is a park that ...
, two years after the events of the 2015 film '' Jurassic World''. For much of the game, the player is hunted by
velociraptor ''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a genus of small dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 75 million to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the p ...
s while proceeding through a facility on the island. ''Jurassic World Aftermath: Part 2'', a continuation in the form of paid
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
(DLC), was released on September 30, 2021. A non-VR version for
Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
, titled ''Jurassic World Aftermath Collection'' and containing both parts, was released on November 10, 2022. A VR version of ''Jurassic World Aftermath Collection'' is scheduled for the
PlayStation VR2 The PlayStation VR2 (PS VR2) is an upcoming virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 5 home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment set to be released February 22, 2023. History Sony's first PlayStation VR was released ...
in 2023.


Gameplay

''Jurassic World Aftermath'' is a
stealth game A stealth game is a type of video game in which the player primarily uses ''stealth'' to avoid or overcome opponents. Games in the genre typically allow the player to remain undetected by hiding, sneaking, or using disguises. Some games allow th ...
played from a
first-person perspective A first-person narrative is a mode of storytelling in which a storyteller recounts events from their own point of view using the first person It may be narrated by a first-person protagonist (or other focal character), first-person re-teller ...
. It takes place on
Isla Nublar ''Jurassic Park'', later also referred to as ''Jurassic World'', is an American science fiction media franchise created by Michael Crichton and centered on a disastrous attempt to create a theme park An amusement park is a park that ...
, two years after the events of '' Jurassic World'', and prior to the events of '' Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom''. The player takes control of Sam, a silent security expert who is sent to the island to infiltrate its ruins and obtain information. His plane crashes on the island after an encounter with a '' Pteranodon''. The player is aided by an offscreen partner named Dr. Amelia "Mia" Everett, who is injured following the plane crash and stays behind. From her location, she provides the player with mission objectives and updates. For much of the game, the player moves through a facility while being hunted by
velociraptor ''Velociraptor'' (; ) is a genus of small dromaeosaurid dinosaur that lived in Asia during the Late Cretaceous epoch, about 75 million to 71 million years ago. Two species are currently recognized, although others have been assigned in the p ...
s, the primary enemies. The player must use stealth and distractions to avoid the raptors, who can be lured away with the use of an alarm or radio. Two other dinosaurs, ''
Dilophosaurus ''Dilophosaurus'' ( ) is a genus of theropod dinosaurs that lived in what is now North America during the Early Jurassic, about 193 million years ago. Three skeletons were discovered in northern Arizona in 1940, and the two best preserve ...
'' and ''
Tyrannosaurus ''Tyrannosaurus'' is a genus of large theropoda, theropod dinosaur. The species ''Tyrannosaurus rex'' (''rex'' meaning "king" in Latin), often called ''T. rex'' or colloquially ''T-Rex'', is one of the best represented theropods. ''Tyrannosa ...
'', also briefly appear as enemies. The player cannot fight against any of the animals and must instead avoid them. Sound is emphasized in the game, as listening to the environment is often necessary to proceed with success. Running creates noise which can attract the raptors, making slow movements necessary.
Minigame A minigame (also spelled mini game and mini-game, sometimes called a subgame or microgame) is a short game often contained within another video game. A minigame contains different gameplay elements, and is often smaller or more simplistic, than t ...
s and
puzzle-solving A puzzle is a game, problem, or toy that tests a person's ingenuity or knowledge. In a puzzle, the solver is expected to put pieces together ( or take them apart) in a logical way, in order to arrive at the correct or fun solution of the puzzl ...
also make up aspects of the gameplay. The island's facility has doors leading into five different areas, and a switch must be activated to access each area. The final two areas are absent from the game and are included in the DLC, titled ''Jurassic World Aftermath: Part 2''. It includes new mini-games and dinosaur interactions, and concludes the storyline.


Development and release

''Jurassic World Aftermath'' was developed by Coatsink Software, based in the U.K. Coatsink conceived the game in 2019, after approaching
Universal Pictures Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...
about developing a ''Jurassic World'' game. The game was revealed in September 2020, and was published by
Oculus Studios Reality Labs is a business of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook Inc.) that produces virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware and software, including virtual reality headsets such as Quest, and online platforms such as Horizon W ...
on December 17 the same year. The game is reminiscent of a scene in the first '' Jurassic Park'' film, in which characters use stealth to avoid raptors in a kitchen. Brian Gomez, an executive producer for Universal Games and Digital Platforms, said: "There were countless hours spent trying to balance the velociraptor because she was just so damn good. AI really rogressedto the point where it was very few of us that could actually survive her. And I think we finally got to the point where, when you first start, you're probably going to die a lot. You're going to die a lot until you start learning her behavior and … reading her body language and audio cues". The game uses
cel-shaded Cel shading or toon shading is a type of non-photorealistic rendering designed to make 3-D computer graphics appear to be flat by using less shading color instead of a shade gradient or tints and shades. A cel shader is often used to mimic th ...
animation, similar in appearance to a comic book. This was done in order to produce dinosaurs with a less-threatening appearance, in an effort to appeal to a wider audience. Gomez said: "We wanted it to still be scary and affecting and immersive, even if it wasn't filmic — like photo-realism. But we also didn't want it to be so intimidating and so scary … ora huge portion of the ''Jurassic'' audience that doesn't want a totally visceral R-rated horror experience".
Jeff Goldblum Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum (; born October 22, 1952) is an American actor and musician. He has starred in some of the highest-grossing films of his era, such as ''Jurassic Park'' (1993) and ''Independence Day'' (1996), as well as their sequels. ...
and
BD Wong Bradley Darryl Wong (born October 24, 1960) is an American actor. Wong won a Tony Award for his performance as Song Liling in ''M. Butterfly'', becoming the only actor in Broadway history to receive the Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, Outer Crit ...
recorded dialogue for the game, briefly reprising their roles as Dr. Ian Malcolm and
Dr. Henry Wu Dr. Henry Wu is a fictional character in the '' Jurassic Park'' franchise. He is introduced in Michael Crichton's 1990 novel '' Jurassic Park'', which began the franchise. He also appears briefly in the novel's 1993 film adaptation, and plays a ...
. The characters are heard, but do not make a physical appearance.
Laura Bailey Laura Bailey is an American voice actress. She made her anime debut as Kid Trunks in the Funimation dub of ''Dragon Ball Z''. Her other anime credits include Emily / Glitter Lucky in ''Glitter Force'', Tohru Honda in ''Fruits Basket'', Lust in ...
provides the voice for Dr. Amelia "Mia" Everett. ''Jurassic World Aftermath: Part 2'', also developed by Coatsink, was released on September 30, 2021, as paid
downloadable content Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enabli ...
. The game was originally meant as a single release, but the development team switched to remote work as the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
began, and this disrupted the team's schedule. Rather than delay the entire game, the team chose to split it into two parts and release the latter when it was ready. As a result, the storyline had to be rearranged significantly. The ending for the first half was initially a scene meant to occur at a different point in the game. The later release for ''Part 2'' allowed the team to incorporate more features than originally planned. This included a second interactive encounter with a ''T. rex''. Prior to the delay, there were only plans for a second ''T. rex'' appearance in the form of a cutscene. Goldblum and Bailey reprise their roles for the game's second part. A
Nintendo Switch The is a hybrid video game console developed by Nintendo and released worldwide in most regions on March 3, 2017. The console itself is a Tablet computer#Gaming tablet, tablet that can either be docking station, docked for use as a home video ...
port, titled ''Jurassic World Aftermath Collection'' and containing both parts, was released on November 10, 2022. The Switch version lacks virtual reality gameplay. Coatsink stated that the game was ported to a non-VR console "to allow people without access to VR, or who suffer from motion sickness from VR, to play too". A VR version of ''Jurassic World Aftermath Collection'' is scheduled for release in 2023, on the
PlayStation VR2 The PlayStation VR2 (PS VR2) is an upcoming virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 5 home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment set to be released February 22, 2023. History Sony's first PlayStation VR was released ...
.


Reception

''Jurassic World Aftermath'' received "mixed or average" reviews according to
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
. Critics stated that the game would appeal to fans of the '' Jurassic Park'' franchise. The graphics and sound were generally praised. Harry Baker of ''
UploadVR UVR Media, LLC (formerly UploadVR, Inc. and Upload, Inc.) is an American media company that operates ''UploadVR'', a virtual reality-focused trade publication website. The company was founded as UploadVR in 2014 by Taylor Freeman, Will Mason, ...
'' wrote: "Despite not being photo realistic, there's something about the comic book-inspired look that almost helps immersion — instead of being hung up on how everything looks compared to reality, you're immediately immersed in a terrifying comic book world littered with dinosaurs". Eric Hillery of
Bleeding Cool Bleeding Cool is an Internet news site, focusing on comics, television, film, board games, and video games. Owned by Avatar Press, it was launched by Rich Johnston on March 27, 2009. Avatar Press also publishes an associated magazine, ''Bleeding ...
wrote that the graphics are "more than enough to make the idea of being eaten or jump-scared downright unpleasant, but without bringing the type of gore that some users might find traumatizing". Ethan Anderton of '' /Film'' was critical of the cel-shaded animation, calling it his only major disappointment with the game. He concluded that while he would prefer "a little more variety in the puzzle gameplay as the story progresses and gets more challenging, it's the thrill of being hunted on the abandoned property of Jurassic World that makes this virtual reality experience a solid experience". Nicholas Sutrich of
Android Central Future plc is an international multimedia company established in the United Kingdom in 1985. The company has over 220 brands that span magazines, newsletters, websites, and events in fields such as video games, technology, films, music, photogr ...
called it "the Jurassic game I've always wanted to play", praising the simplicity of the gameplay and story. However, he criticized the AI, stating that the raptors mostly behave like guards patrolling an area, rather than the intelligent animals depicted in the films. Alex Perry of Mashable opined that the game's premise of sneaking past raptors was "irritating and tedious", and stated that the game "harkens back to an archaic era of stealth game design where detection means failure". Perry concluded that the kitchen scene in the first film "is a classic, to be sure, but it doesn't work as the basis for an entire video game. Only the most devoted ''Jurassic Park''-heads should go anywhere near this game". Baker also found the gameplay to be repetitive. Eric Switzer of TheGamer praised the stealth gameplay and compared it to '' Alien: Isolation'', while writing that ''Aftermath'' "engages your body better than any other non-workout VR game I've played". Francesco Destri, writing for ''
IGN Italia ''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
'', praised the game for its tension and variety of gameplay. Benjamin Bullard of
Syfy Wire Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...
stated that the game has an appropriate level of anxiety like the films, and wrote: "It's fun to feel that first 'gotcha' fright of being snuffed out by a clever raptor, though the brutal difficulty of escaping, once you've been spotted, means you'll be setting out from a previous checkpoint more than once". He concluded that the game is "half a day well spent…so long as you don't mind a good cliffhanger". Hillery considered the game too short, at approximately three hours. Some reviewers criticized objects throughout the game that are not interactive. Others complained of the game's abrupt ending and the need to purchase DLC. Baker stated that the game felt "rushed, repetitive and oddly-paced" because of the ending, and wrote that "it does feel like this game was originally meant to release as one whole portion, not two". Switzer praised the game's second part, calling it "so much more dynamic and engaging" and stating that the climax "makes the entire journey worth it". Baker enjoyed the game's final two hours, calling them "the best of the entire experience, Part 1 included", but he stated "everything leading up to that feels like a retread". He found ''Part 2'' to be "laboriously repetitive" and was critical of the overall story. Sutrich praised the additions in ''Part 2'', but found the gameplay linear. He was disappointed by the minimally interactive environments, but applauded the voice acting, calling Goldblum's performance "superb". Baker, however, was critical of his voice acting: "Given Goldblum is usually full of charisma, it's telling that his sections mostly fall flat here, just like Part 1". Reviewing the Switch port, Lowell Bell of ''
Nintendo Life Gamer Network Limited (formerly Eurogamer Network Limited) is a British mass media company based in Brighton. Founded in 1999 by Rupert and Nick Loman, it owns brands—primarily editorial websites—relating to video game journalism and oth ...
'' praised the audio but found the gameplay repetitive. He concluded that ''Jurassic World Aftermath'' worked better as an immersive VR game, while calling the reworked Switch controls "a little clunky and dull" by comparison.


References


External links


Official website
{{Jurassic Park video games 2020 video games Jurassic Park video games Meta Quest games Nintendo Switch games Stealth video games Video games developed in the United Kingdom Video games set in Costa Rica Video games set on fictional islands