Jurassic Park

"In the jungle, the mighty jungle..."

There's an unwritten rule that decrees that all video games based on movies should of the most poorly designed slop to ever be unleashed upon the gaming masses. With a slew of crappy Batman, Superman, and other movie game franchises idling on the market, it's no wonder why so many gamers have come to the sad realization of that the memories of their cherished movies are being tarnished by the drivel that's being sold to them. Yet game developers don't seem to take the hint, opting for potential profit over quality and gamers' wants. However, these sad circumstances didn't always hold true. A long time ago, games based on movies kicked more ass than most other franchises, treating the young to a quality gameplay involving the movie they held so dear. One of these rare gems was Jurassic Park, a remarkable game based on an equally remarkable film.

It's a dark and stormy night on Isla Nublar. Unbeknownst to most of humanity, a massive covert operation is taking place on this remote island. It is of the utmost secrecy, with only the top experts in the field privileged enough to learn of the operations true nature. The project on this island has nothing to do with the black market, illegal goods, governmental cover-ups, or anything you might expect. Instead, the entire facility is devoted to a single purpose: the cloning and raising of dinosaurs in the modern world. With the latest in genetic engineering technology, scientists have managed to recreate the monstrous beings that used to walk the Earth unimpeded. The operation known as Jurassic Park runs smoothly…until the power goes out. With little technology standing between humans and dinosaurs, the battle for survival has begun anew.

Deep in the lush jungles of the island, Dr. Alan Grant sits in the darkness of his jeep, waiting for the power to come back on. But as a flash of lightning lights up the night sky, he realizes that there's a Tyrannosaurus Rex peering down at him through the pouring rain. Before the good doctor can make a run for it, the mighty beast attacks the car, chewing through its metal casing and throwing it asunder. When Dr. Grant finally awakens, he's left stranded in the middle of the jungle with only his wits to see him through the ordeal unscathed. He'll have to traverse the dangerous foliage and make the long trek back to civilization on his own. He'll have to wander through lonely overgrown paths, around flimsy tree branches and past the territories of the dinosaurs that now roam freely around the island. Considering that he's nothing more than a mere human, Grant will be constantly hurt by tough terrain, brutally long drops and plenty of other natural hazards that lay ahead. With only a mere handful of guns, grenades, and rockets at his disposal, it'll be a long journey back to safety.

Meanwhile, things are going quite differently in another secluded area of the island. In a fortified enclosure, a lone velociraptor yearns to be free of its human-imposed captivity. When the power goes out, it provides the dinosaur the freedom it needs, letting it escape from its holding pen and stalk through the island uninhibited. Unlike Dr. Grant, this sleek predator can run and jump with almost supernatural ability, allowing it to move more freely throughout the hazardous jungle. Unfortunately, the predator does come with its own vulnerabilities. In order to maintain its health, the raptor must constantly hunt down and consume prey. Thankfully, the island is strewn with wild dinosaurs and hapless Jurassic Park employees just begging to be annihilated. When some potential meat has been spotted, the raptor can use its razor-sharp teeth and toes to rip the defenseless prey limb from limb. And when the grisly deed is done, the raptor will move on to the next area, slowly but surely tracking Dr. Grant's scent all the way back to civilization.

This epic struggle of man and dinosaur is presented with fine style and substance. Isla Nublar is rendered with lush green jungles, consisting of detailed flora and fauna. You can almost feel the thick underbrush or the mossy tree branches that make up the jungle, or the way the murky river water flows through some of the levels. While Dr Grant is nothing more than a survivor, he is portrayed with a fair amount of attention and detail, bestowing his movie version garb right down to the red bandana and white traveling hat. The same could be said with the other human inhabitants of the island, even if they are faceless and serve little purpose besides raptor fodder. But the real beauty lies with the dinosaurs. All of the prehistoric beasts, from the menacing raptors, to the terrifying Tyrannosaurus Rex, and all the way down to the tiny Compys, all of the clones are presented with pelts of various color and scaly detail. When you blend these graphics with some decent music and realistic sound effects, you've got the makings for an impressive presentation.

Why? Why can't movie-based video games be like this anymore? What happened within the last ten years that made these games go from this kind of quality to the slop being served to us now? I don't know. But at least I can look back and enjoy this game for what it offers. Sure, Jurassic Park is a short game, but it's still a sweet and savory morsel. It takes the story that movie fans know and love, adapts it for the gaming audience, and pours on some quality platforming action deed worthy of any Sega classic. Not only does this game fulfill the need to play as a badass action hero, it allows you to step into the shoes of something far more deadly and sinister, granting you that coveted ability to become one of the most feared predators of a bygone age. While the both Jurassic Park movie and video game franchises have been battered with crappy sequels, nothing will ever beat the original, lest it be on the Sega Genesis or the silver screen.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/17/05