The Lost World: Jurassic Park (console game)

For the other games based on The Lost World: Jurassic Park, see The Lost World: Jurassic Park (video game).
The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Developer(s) DreamWorks Interactive (Amblin Partners) (PS)
Appaloosa Interactive (SAT)
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts (PS)
Sega (SAT)
Composer(s) Michael Giacchino
Series Jurassic Park
Platform(s) PlayStation, Sega Saturn
Release date(s)

PlayStation

  • NA August 27, 1997
  • EU September 1, 1997
  • JP December 4, 1997

Sega Saturn

  • JP October 23, 1997
  • NA September 30, 1997
  • EU November 6, 1997
Genre(s) Action
Mode(s) Single-player

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is an action-adventure video game developed by DreamWorks Interactive (under Universal Interactive Studios) and Appaloosa Interactive, and published by Electronic Arts and Sega for the Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn, respectively, in 1997. The Lost World: Jurassic Park is based on the film of the same name, which in turn is based on the novel by Michael Crichton. In 1998 a special edition of the game was released for the Sony PlayStation as a Greatest Hits title and featured several modifications to the gameplay.

Gameplay

The game features a side-scroller perspective. There are 5 characters in all throughout the course of the game, each with their own special abilities and attributes. During gameplay, the character must complete all levels to sequentially gain access to the next character. In each level of the game there are “DNA bonuses” that can be collected for access to new characters and storyboard art for that particular character. If every bonus is gained a secret ending to the game will be accessible.

Plot

The plot varies with every character, each one struggling to survive on InGen’s “Site B” populated by over 20 species of dinosaurs in an environment of escalating chaos.

The playable dinosaur's chapters consist of traversing various parts of the island, defending against other predators as well as InGen Hunters.

The "Human Hunter" chapters are largely based in more urban environments including an underground complex, a geothermal center and an InGen lab. Though objectives are never elaborated on, the Hunter's goal is to eliminate any dinosaur threat. The final chapters involve Sarah Harding the "Human Prey", and escaping the island by means of a cargo ship.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings59.67%[1]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM6.67/10[2]
Game Informer5.5/10[3]
GamePro[4]
Game RevolutionC[5]
GameSpot5.6/10[6]
IGN5/10[7]
OPM (US)[8]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[9]

The Lost World: Jurassic Park was released mixed to negative reviews, it currently holds a score of 59.67% on GameRankings. Multiple critics noted that the game suffered from poor control,[7] incredibly high difficulty,[6] and a lack of a save function.[5] Additionally, GameSpot commented regarding the T-Rex as a playable character, "on the back of the game's box it says in really big letters: "You're The T-Rex." The whole truth is you only get to be the T-Rex for seven of the 30 levels."[6]

Despite the negative reviews there were a number of elements in the game that received praise. The Lost World: Jurassic Park was one of the first games to feature a full orchestral soundtrack recorded specifically for the game, noted by critics as a high point in the game.[5][6] The sound design was also well received, with GameSpot even stating that it was "definitely one of the few reasons you will enjoy playing The Lost World".[6] Many also agreed that the in-game graphics were some of the best available upon its release. The dinosaurs in particular were considered to be highly lifelike with Game Revolution stating that "despite the game's many problems, every PlayStation owner should rent the game just to experience its graphics".[5]

Soundtrack

The Lost World: Jurassic Park is notable for being the first video game to feature a fully orchestrated soundtrack.[10][11] The music was composed by Michael Giacchino who was hired by Dreamworks Interactive to create a synth score to show to the game's producer Steven Spielberg. Spielberg was impressed by his music and to the surprise of everyone involved he assumed it would be fully orchestrated. Reviewers expressed so much enthusiasm for playing a game with a live orchestral soundtrack the Dreamworks would get Giacchino to use an orchestra for his later scores for the Medal of Honor games.[12] The Lost World: Jurassic Park's soundtrack was released separately on CD by Sonic Images on February 24, 1998.[13]

Special Edition

On September 23, 1998, the game was released for the Sony PlayStation under the Greatest Hits banner as The Lost World: Jurassic Park - Special Edition. Unlike most greatest hits releases this was not a straight repackaging of the original game. Instead the Special Edition featured several modifications to the gameplay designed to address concerns raised by critics on the games initial release. Several of the game's mechanics that were modified included the difficulty level with mid level checkpoints, stronger player characters, and the inclusion of level select codes in the manual.[14][15]

The Special Edition also featured an additional level that allowed players to play as the T-Rex much earlier than before.[14][15]

Other versions

For the other games based on The Lost World: Jurassic Park, see The Lost World: Jurassic Park (video game).

A number of other games were released under the title The Lost World: Jurassic Park for other systems, as well as an arcade game and a pinball game. These games were developed separately by different companies and featured completely different gameplay styles.

References

  1. ↑ "The Lost World: Jurassic Park for PlayStation". GameRankings. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  2. ↑ "The Lost World: Jurassic Park". Electronic Gaming Monthly. 1997.
  3. ↑ "The Lost World: Jurassic Park (PS)". Game Informer (53). September 1997. Archived from the original on 1999-09-21. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  4. ↑ Scary Larry (September 1997). "Review: The Lost World: Jurassic Park (PS)". GamePro. Archived from the original on 2007-07-07. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Dr. Moo (October 1997). "The Lost World: Jurassic Park Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on 1997-10-22. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 MacDonald, Ryan (1997-09-24). "The Lost World Jurassic Park Review (PS)". GameSpot. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  7. 1 2 IGN Staff (1997-08-26). "Lost World: Jurassic Park (PS)". IGN. Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  8. ↑ "The Lost World: Jurassic Park". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. 1997.
  9. ↑ Walk, Gary Eng (1997-09-26). "The Lost World: Jurassic Park Review". Entertainment Weekly (398). Retrieved 2014-04-12.
  10. ↑ Corn, Adam. "The Lost World: Jurassic Park ~Original Soundtrack from the Playstation and Saturn Games~". Soundtrack Central. Retrieved 2015-01-22.
  11. ↑ "Biography". Music by Michael Giacchino. Retrieved 2015-01-22.
  12. ↑ "Official Playstaion Magazine interviews Michael and Scott Langteau (producer) on Medal Of Honor: Underground". Music by Michael Giacchino. 2002. Retrieved 2015-01-22.
  13. ↑ "Michael Giacchino Jurassic Park: The Lost World [Playstation OST]". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-01-22.
  14. 1 2 DreamWorks Interactive (1998). The Lost World: Jurassic Park Special Edition. Playstation. Electronic Arts.
  15. 1 2 IGN Staff (1998-09-17). "Jurassic Park Special Ed./Moto Racer 2 Ship". IGN. Retrieved 2014-04-12.

External links

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