Jurassic World: The Game is an interesting, and visually updated version of Jurassic Park Builder with the same fundamental framework. The graphics have gotten much better, there is no longer a need to constantly move items, such as rocks, out of the way, and there is now a singular food type that covers both meat and vegetation.
The purpose of both games is to make as much money as possible by multiplying the amount of dinosaurs you have and evolving them while simultaneously expanding the park across the entire island. Players need to increase the number of buildings and support structures and ensure a steady income to keep the park growing- all while loosely following the plot of the Jurassic World movie with story snippets and goals popping up as missions to complete.
Players also gather DNA and use it to create more dinosaurs. Once grown in the hatchery you may place them, and if you have 2 leveled to their max, you may combine them to boost the level, and later in the game you can combine varying species such as a Stegosaurus and a Triceratops into a Stegoceratops.
Next comes the battle arena, and this is where the two games diverge.
Scrubbing the Mosasaurus...
The battle arena is an interesting concept done much better in games such as Pokemon. You have to level up (evolve) dinosaurs and tackle opponents in both story mode and actual other players in online fights.
The game's story mode always sets you at a disadvantage, perhaps to heavily encourage purchasing IAP packs, and the real-world opponents seem to have no proper matchmaking, as I was pitted against people 10 plus levels beyond my highest level dinosaur, guaranteeing a loss.
Provided you find a match on relatively even terms, the system is fairly well thought out. The battle system is a 4 way Rock-Paper-Scissors game with the 4 types of dinosaurs. Carnivores get a 50% damage boost towards Herbivores, and take 50% less in return. Herbivores get the same towards Pterosaurs, Pterosaurs towards Amphibians, and Amphibians towards Carnivores to complete the circle.
Players (at least in story mode) always go first, giving you the option to attack, defend, or save a move for the next turn. This goes back and forth until one side loses all their dinosaurs (up to 3 each). It is a nice addition to the simple park builder, and adds some nice distraction while waiting for everything else to finish.
Cooking T. Rex meal...
This is actually the best part of the game- the individual dinosaur models. From the park's main screen you can click on the holding pens for each dinosaur and inspect the models. This is definitely where the budget went, because the models are downright stunning. Even more interesting is how they change as you level them up. Each evolution alters the look of the dinosaur into more and more into colorful and feathered creatures.
Look at these screencaps of the Jurassic Park icon, the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Just amazing. They also have a small set of actions they perform when you tap on them. The T-Rex here will shake as if being pestered by bugs, snap its jaws, and let out the now famous roar that sounds like it was ripped straight from the film.
Aside from constant server disconnections this game's biggest flaw is the IAPs. Jurassic World: The Game is designed with an insanely aggressive IAP system meant to prey upon player's impatience in hopes of receiving money in the grandest scheme of "pay-to-win" gaming. Buildings and dinosaur money income is both timed and amount capped.
Players can only make a limited amount in a set time period, any longer and no more money is generated, any shorter and you don't make the maximum. Forcing players to be either constantly attentive and engaged, having immense patience for months of play, or to rely on the incessant pop-ups for the IAPs to buying the way to the next level.
The park building is slow enough I believe I saw a snail evolve right on past some of the construction. This sluggish speed is made worse by the non-stop IAP ads, pop-ups occurs after every battle, after every free pack use, and after each story level is completed, causing a lot of annoyance and irritation. Boiled down, Jurassic World: The Game was engineered specifically to steer players with its "Freemium" spending to speed up the game play, although it is a highly addictive builder/battler game- and I feel if this game was designed as a Premium (paid for game) it would've been much more enjoyable overall.
No comments:
Post a Comment