Jurassic World Evolution is a business simulation video game developed and published by Frontier Developments. Based on the 2015 film Jurassic World, the game was released on 12 June 2018, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. In the game, players construct a dinosaur park on Las Cinco Muertes Archipelago, a group of five islands also known as the "Five Deaths". The game features more than 40 types of dinosaurs; their genes can be modified to introduce new features. Players are given contracts to fulfill by three divisions, Science, Security and Entertainment, allowing them to progress. A sandbox mode set on Isla Nublar, the setting of the film, can be unlocked.
The game was created by a development team of approximately 100 people with a budget of around £8 million. Its development began in 2016, after NBCUniversal approached Frontier Developments about creating a game to accompany the theatrical release of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. To do this, Frontier staff inspected different dinosaur models and reference materials sent by Universal, watched the Jurassic Park films, read the novels and fan theories. The team consulted paleontologist Jack Horner when they designed the dinosaurs. Jeff Goldblum, Bryce Dallas Howard and B. D. Wong reprised their roles from the Jurassic Park film series, voicing remarks to players and contributing to the game's narrative.
Announced at Gamescom 2017, the game received a generally mixed critical reception. Critics praised its dinosaur designs and graphics, but the game's contracts, simulation and management gameplay were less well-received. The game's tutorial and learning curve were also criticized. Seven months after its initial release, the game had sold two million copies through digital and physical sales, making it the most successful game launched by Frontier. The game was supported with free updates and downloadable content upon release.
Gameplay
Jurassic World Evolution is a business simulation game that allows the player to construct a Jurassic World dinosaur theme park with attractions and research facilities. Players must build an Expedition Center, which sends paleontologists to fossil dig sites to obtain dinosaurs' DNA material. DNA sequencing unlocks new dinosaurs and updates their statistics, such as lifespan and resilience. With enough DNA content, players can use the Hammond Creation Lab to breed and incubate dinosaurs. Players can also improve the dinosaurs' genes by integrating DNA from modern species with that of the dinosaurs to fill their gaps and allow them to evolve. Modifications to the dinosaurs' DNA change their base statistics, as well as everything from their level of aggressiveness to their appearance. The game features a terrain tool which allows players to modify the environment by planting trees and creating water sources.
Dinosaurs are the game's main attraction and income earner. The game features approximately 40 dinosaur species at launch. Players can name each dinosaur after they are incubated. Players need to build enclosures to contain dinosaurs for visitors' viewing. The needs of different dinosaurs, like the type of food they eat and the extent of the social interactions they require, must be met to keep them healthy and satisfied. Dinosaurs, controlled by artificial intelligence, will interact with each other and the environment. For instance, carnivores will attack carnivores of a different species, and they will hunt down herbivores. Players also need to construct various entertainment rides, as well as amenities like restaurants and shops to please the guests. An example of tourist attractions is the Gyrosphere or the monorail from Jurassic World. Players can also use the game's photo mode to take pictures of dinosaurs, which help the park to earn money and publicity. Each entertainment facility and amenity comes with its own management system. Players are able to set and adjust entry fees as well as the number of staff present in each facility. Dinosaurs can be sold to earn additional income.
Various emergency situations may happen in the park, including power failures, unpredictable weather, and dinosaur breakouts, which must be addressed by players to ensure guests' safety and happiness. Players can build an ACU Center and a Ranger Station, which are responsible for maintaining the park's security. They can sedate escaped dinosaurs, medicate sick dinosaurs, resupply dinosaur feeders, transport dinosaurs, fix fences, and more. Players can also control vehicles from a third-person perspective such as helicopters and 4x4 trucks to complete these tasks. Emergency shelters to protect the guests, as well as other security structures like power network redundancies and storm warning centers, can be built. Many of these security facilities can be upgraded to strengthen their efficiency when dealing with emergencies.
Gameplay modes
In the career mode, the player's goal is to develop five-star parks across the fictional islands of the Las Cinco Muertes Archipelago. Dr. Ian Malcolm assists players throughout the game. Players will meet other key figures representing the three branches of the park's development: Entertainment, Security, and Science. Each of these characters tries to convince players to develop the park in accordance with their advice. They give players "contracts" to complete which include a series of goals and objectives. These contracts add narrative to the game, as well as provide rewards and reputation in their respective domains. Players are advised to keep a close eye on their reputation within each division. If a player's reputation within a division gets too low, that creates a sabotage in the player's park that will need to be attended to immediately. For instance, the park's power could be shut down allowing dinosaurs to break out, or a disease could be introduced to infect them. These divisions all feed into the parks' ratings. The five islands, each with different characteristics and challenges, will gradually unlock with sufficient positive park ratings.
Isla Nublar — the island featured in Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, and Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom — is the setting for a sandbox mode that is separate from the game's career mode. The sandbox mode is unlocked once a four-star park rating is achieved on Isla Matanceros, the starting island. Once this is accomplished, everything players have unlocked in career mode, such as building upgrades and dinosaurs, will transfer over to the sandbox; anything locked in career mode remains in the sandbox. In sandbox mode, players have unlimited funds, and they can set the weather and time of day at their parks. Challenge Mode, available in an update after the game's release, involves playing with adjustable levels of difficulty and limited money, in addition to other differences like fees and penalties against players.
