Five Reasons You Should Return to Jurassic Park

Between the intriguing stories and an island filled with dinosaurs galore, Jurassic Park has always been a series worth returning to; the folks at Telltale games would definitely agree. I had the privilege of speaking with Telltale Video Production Artist Nick Herman at PAX East, who also showed me a demonstration of the upcoming game. A spiritual successor to the point-and-click adventures of yesteryear, this fresh version of Jurassic Park is a game hardcore fans and newcomers alike should definitely sink their jaws into. To support this claim, here are five reasons why I'd highly recommend returning to Isla Nublar, regardless of the dangers you'll face.

1. Rich, vivid world will pull you right in.

Telltale put great detail into every last location, and it shows. Even near the beginning of the demo, I started to feel sucked in by the impressive atmosphere this game had to offer. The environmental effects were astonishing, making me feel as if I were actually on the island during a dark rainy night, right before the park collapses. Familiar locations will jump out at the player, along with a few newer settings we haven't yet explored. The dinosaurs -- which I'll also touch on later -- seem to burst right out from the screen, perfectly meshed with the surroundings they're given. This latest recreation of Jurassic Park in the virtual world should be, without a doubt, the best simulation of an actual journey on Isla Nublar.

2. Creative new story with interesting characters.

Remember Nedry and the lost embryo can in disguise? We really have no idea what transpired after Nedry's (possibly) unfortunate demise, which is one of the first concepts Telltale's new game touches on. One key character in the game is Nima, the assumed "plan B" in the same organization, whose goal is to recover the missing can. Should be simple enough, so long as she also survives the terrible derailment of the park.

"Everyone kind of wonders what happened with that," said Nick as we began to discuss the basics. "She's like a mercenary, sent to get the can."

Chief Veterinarian Gerry Harding is another key character in the game, along with his daughter Jess. You'll see them more than anyone else, as you continue to lead Nima closer to accomplishing her hidden goals. The best part in all of this? None of them even realize the park is being shut down, as operations continue to unwind.

3. Unique gameplay we need to see more often.

Adventure games are rarely released nowadays, but it's even rarer to see one pulled off so well. As I sampled the demo, I never felt overwhelmed by the controls or amount of options, nor did I feel bored or disinterested. Between different settings you're allowed to jump through using the D-pad and the multiple tasks to complete on each screen, you'll have quite the invigorating journey ahead of you.

"The game will have you jumping from different places and things," stated Nick.  "It has quick time events where it's super action based, very high tension. You know, dinosaurs trying to eat people basically. It’s broken up by some puzzle segments."

Some moments will involve more tension than others, especially if it's a matter of life or death. At one point I had to stop everything and, out of complete curiosity, see what happened if I failed to hit the required amount of buttons while attempting to dash away from an angry T-Rex. The result? I watched as Gerry was crushed, all as Jess had to stand and watch. The game was still friendly at this point, allowing me to return and try again. I'm guessing once the story progresses, we won't be so lucky.

4. Did we mention the dinosaurs?

Of course, you can't have Jurassic Park without dinosaurs. Even at the beginning of the game, we're tossed into a heated scenario involving a Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus Rex, which initially started as a more simplistic endeavor. The scene begins with Gerry and Jess coming across a Triceratops lead astray; your goal is to return the dinosaur to its cage, without completely ticking off the alpha in the group. Unfortunately this is Jurassic Park we're talking about, so these endeavors don't stay "simplistic" forever. Right after you proceed to anger the alpha Triceratops, everyone's favorite resident T-Rex is then, as usual, tossed into the equation. Thanks to these prehistoric encounters, your tame adventure evolves into a hurricane of potentially deadly interactions, requiring you to push the right buttons in a very precise manner to survive. Ladies and gentleman, I give you "high tension" scenario number one.

The dinosaurs I had an opportunity to see were breathtaking, with realistic animation and memorable sound effects like the ones from the movie. Fuzzy waves of nostalgia flew my way as I first heard roaring from infamous T-Rex, right as it started to trample towards Gerry and Jess. But even this is just a sample of what the game will have in store for us, hopefully containing a healthy combination of both the dangerous and docile species we adore.

5. Puzzles and choices add to the overall experience.

We all love seeing the dinosaurs in action as Jurassic Park is torn to pieces, but what about those moments in between? Telltale definitely adds a great amount of puzzle solving aspects to this game, making it an easily enjoyable interactive experience as the action continues to unfold.

"When I play Heavy Rain, I like figuring stuff out in order to progress the story and turn the page," said Nick shortly after I finished the demo. "You were out of place and you had to get back in; it just provides a nice calm before the eventual storm."

And Telltale wasn't kidding when they said a great amount of influence stems from Heavy Rain, another game where every choice will either lead you down another path or complete your undoing. The amount of choices to be made in this adventure will definitely add to the overall experience, allowing the player to be involved with different events every time they play, or eliminated in a way they didn't think was possible before.