Primal Carnage: Extinction

Last updated
Primal Carnage: Extinction
Primal Carnage Extinction logo.png
Developer(s)
Publisher(s) Circle 5 Studios
Engine Unreal Engine 3
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4
ReleaseMicrosoft Windows
  • WW: April 3, 2015
PlayStation 4
  • NA: October 20, 2015
  • EU: November 24, 2015
Genre(s) First-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Primal Carnage: Extinction is an asymmetrical multiplayer game released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4. It features human versus dinosaur combat. Players choose which team to play on, and each team has a set of characters divided into classes. The game is a sequel to the 2012 Windows game Primal Carnage , which was developed by Lukewarm Media. Like its predecessor, it features similar first-person shooter human gameplay and third-person dinosaur gameplay.

Contents

The sequel began as a complete rebuild of the original game and was to be released as a free update. However, Circle 5 Studios took over development from Lukewarm Media, and announced that the update would instead be released as a separate game known as Primal Carnage: Extinction, co-developed by Pub Games. It was released for Windows on April 3, 2015. The PlayStation 4 version, developed by Panic Button, was released on October 20, 2015.

A remastered version titled Primal Carnage: Evolution for the PlayStation 4 was announced on September 28, 2023, aiming to bring the console release up to date with the Steam version of Primal Carnage: Extinction.

Gameplay

Primal Carnage: Extinction is an asymmetrical multiplayer game similar to its predecessor, Primal Carnage . The game pits humans against dinosaurs, with team members on both sides divided into character classes. Gameplay is viewed from a third-person perspective when playing as a dinosaur. Playing on the human team switches the game to a first-person shooter. Humans have an array of weapons to use, while dinosaurs roar to activate a number of different abilities, although a waiting period exists in between the use of such abilities. [1] [2] Playable creatures include Carnotaurus , Dilophosaurus , the fictional Novaraptor, Pteranodon , and Tyrannosaurus . [3]

Game modes include Team Deathmatch and Get to the Chopper. In the latter, human players try to reach a helicopter and escape while dinosaur players try to stop them. Other modes include Survival, in which humans face off against a growing number of dinosaurs; and Free Roam, allowing players to explore a level without objectives. [1] [2]

Development and release

The original Primal Carnage was developed by Lukewarm Media and released for Microsoft Windows in 2012. [4] [5] As of 2014, the company was working on a complete rebuild of Primal Carnage, replacing its game code for a less-glitchy gameplay experience. The rebuild, referred to as Primal Carnage 2.0, was initially planned as a free update. [5] Circle 5 Studios took over the Primal Carnage series later in 2014, following disagreements within Lukewarm Media over a planned prequel game known as Primal Carnage: Genesis . The new company consisted of a modding community dedicated to the original game. [6] [7]

Circle 5 announced in October 2014 that the free update would instead be released as a separate game, Primal Carnage: Extinction, which would serve as a sequel. Owners of the original game could purchase the sequel for a discount. [5] In addition to a Windows version, it was also announced that the game would receive a PlayStation 4 port. [5] [8] Primal Carnage: Extinction was co-developed by Circle 5 along with Pub Games, based in Australia. [6] [7] [9] Like its predecessor, the game was created using Unreal Engine 3. [2]

The Windows version officially released on Steam April 3, 2015, after exiting the Early Access phase. [10] [11] The PlayStation 4 version was developed by Panic Button, [4] and was published through the PlayStation Network. It was released in the U.S. on October 20, 2015, [12] followed by a European release on November 24. [13]

Reception

The PlayStation 4 version of Primal Carnage: Extinction received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to Metacritic. [14] The Windows version, upon its official launch in April 2015, was heavily criticized for technical problems that were still present after months of Early Access. On TechRaptor, Georgina Young said that, "the concept is awesome," but, "bugs and glitches are rampant," calling the game "virtually unplayable" on MacBook Pro (the game does not officially support Mac) and giving it a 2.5 rating out of 10. [16] The PlayStation 4 version was also criticized for glitches. [1] [2]

Matt Adcock of Push Square wrote that "anything with dinosaurs in it should be more entertaining than this". He praised the dinosaur animations but opined that the environments lacked "pizazz", while stating that the humans looked too cartoonish. [1] Rosario Salatiello of Multiplayer.it was critical of the artificial intelligence and found the use of Unreal Engine 3 to be outdated. Salatiello concluded that the game would have benefitted from more time in development. [2] PlayStation Official Magazine – UK called it a "flimsy-feeling team shooter that squanders an appealing premise in a mess of poor controls and design". [15] Writing for Blast Magazine, Grant Bickelhaupt called it, "a thoroughly good time," however, the balancing was criticized, with the human gameplay described as "punishing." The review gave Extinction 2.8 stars out of 5, [17] with poor ratings in the story and lasting appeal categories.

In a later review for GameGrin, Ryan Davies wrote, "A simple, but fun, FPS that could have been so much better. The dinosaurs are certainly fun, but it won't take long for you to grow tired of the game at large," giving it a score of 6/10. [18] HookedGamers awarded the game a Fun Score of 6.8, [19] praising the dinosaur sound design, saying that it "gives the game an added boost." When describing the game as a whole, the reviewer docked points for clipping issues and having few game modes, noting that, "it does lack that little bit of polish that would make it a great game," but summing up with, "Primal Carnage: Extinction is still worth your time, especially if you love dinosaurs." CanadianOnlineGamers praised the game's dinosaur animations, sound design and music, scoring the game a 70/100 [20] and called Extinction, "A fun dino romp for fans of these giant (and not-so-giant) lizards. It doesn't really bring anything else new to the table in the team deathmatch genre, but what it does bring, it does it well."

Related Research Articles

<i>Primal Rage</i> 1994 arcade video game

Primal Rage is a fighting game developed and released by Atari Games for arcades in 1994. The game takes place on a post-apocalyptic version of Earth called "Urth". Players control one of seven prehistoric beasts, that battle each other to determine the planet's fate. Matches feature many of the conventions of fighting games from the era, including special moves and gory finishing maneuvers. Ports were released for home video game consoles and personal computers. Efforts to perfectly emulate the arcade original have been unsuccessful due to the use of an unusual copy protection method. Toys, comics, a novel and other merchandise tie-ins were produced. More than 1.5 million copies of the game were sold.

<i>FlatOut 2</i> 2006 video game

FlatOut 2 is a 2006 action racing video game developed by Bugbear Entertainment and published by Empire Interactive. It is the sequel to the 2004 game FlatOut.

<i>Destroy All Humans!</i> Video game series

Destroy All Humans! is an open world action-adventure video game franchise that is designed as a parody of Cold War-era alien invasion films. Destroy All Humans! and Destroy All Humans! 2 were released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox; Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed was released for the Wii; and Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. A remake of the original game and its sequel were developed by Black Forest Games and were released in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

Far Cry is an anthology franchise of first-person shooter games, all of which have been published by Ubisoft. The first game, Far Cry, was developed by Crytek to premiere their CryEngine software, and released in March 2004. Subsequently, Ubisoft obtained the rights to the franchise and the bulk of the development is handled by Ubisoft Montreal with assistance from other Ubisoft satellite studios. The following games in the series have used a Ubisoft-modified version of the CryEngine, the Dunia Engine, allowing for open world gameplay. In the present, the franchise consists of six mainline games, a standalone expansion, and several spin-offs; additionally, the first game, initially developed for Microsoft Windows, saw a number of ports to video game consoles, which changed several elements and are therefore considered standalone releases.

<i>Primal Carnage</i> 2012 video game

Primal Carnage is an asymmetrical multiplayer game developed by Lukewarm Media and released by Reverb Publishing. The game pits a group of armed humans against predatory dinosaurs in various combat scenarios. Human gameplay takes the form of a first-person shooter, whilst the dinosaurs are controlled from a third-person perspective. Lukewarm Media, an indie development team, announced the game in February 2010, and eventually released it on October 29, 2012. Primal Carnage received "mixed or average reviews" according to Metacritic.

<i>Call of Duty: Ghosts</i> 2013 first-person shooter video game

Call of Duty: Ghosts is a 2013 first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. It is the tenth major installment in the Call of Duty series and the sixth developed by Infinity Ward. It was released for PlayStation 3, Wii U, Windows, and Xbox 360, on November 5, 2013. The game was released with the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

<i>Primal Carnage: Genesis</i> Unreleased video game

Primal Carnage: Genesis was a survival and first-person shooter game planned for the PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Windows. It was announced in March 2013 by developer Lukewarm Media, as a prequel to their 2012 asymmetrical multiplayer game Primal Carnage. Unlike the original game, Primal Carnage: Genesis would be a story-driven, single-player game divided into four episodes. It would be set on an island featured in the original game, and would explain the creation and subsequent escape of the island's genetically engineered dinosaurs.

<i>TowerFall</i> 2013 action video game

TowerFall is an action indie video game created by Maddy Thorson through her company Maddy Makes Games. In the game, players control up to four archers in a multiplayer platform fighter. It was released on the Ouya microconsole in June 2013 and was later ported to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, OS X, and Windows as TowerFall Ascension and to the Nintendo Switch under its original title of TowerFall.

<i>MotoGP 14</i> 2014 video game

MotoGP 14 is a video game developed by Milestone.

<i>Ark: Survival Evolved</i> 2017 video game

Ark: Survival Evolved is a 2017 action-adventure survival video game developed by Studio Wildcard. In the game, players must survive being stranded on one of several maps filled with roaming dinosaurs, fictional fantasy monsters, and other prehistoric animals, natural hazards, and potentially hostile human players.

<i>Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection</i> 2015 video game compilation

Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is a 2015 action-adventure video game compilation developed by Bluepoint Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It includes remastered versions of the first three main games in the Uncharted series: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune (2007), Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009) and Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (2011), all of which were originally developed by Naughty Dog. The Nathan Drake Collection was released in October 2015 exclusively for PlayStation 4. Players control Nathan Drake, a treasure hunter who travels the world to uncover various historical mysteries.

<i>Far Cry Primal</i> 2016 video game

Far Cry Primal is a 2016 action-adventure game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the ninth installment in the Far Cry series. Set during prehistoric times, the game follows the story of Takkar, who starts off as an unarmed hunter but will rise to become the leader of a tribe, using his special gift of taming animals. Primal adapts the traditional Far Cry formula to its prehistoric setting, replacing modern firearms with primitive weapons like spears, clubs, and bows and arrows, and allowing players to summon animal companions during battles. Everyday survival is a key aspect of the gameplay, as players have to watch out for both natural predators and rival tribesmen.

<i>Duck Game</i> 2014 video game

Duck Game is a 2D action game developed by Landon Podbielski and published by Corptron. The game was released for the Ouya in 2014, and for Microsoft Windows in 2015. A PlayStation 4 version was released in August 2017, and a Nintendo Switch version was released in May 2019.

<i>Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered</i> 2016 first-person shooter video game

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered is a 2016 first-person shooter game developed by Raven Software and published by Activision. It is a remastered version of the 2007 game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, and was initially released as part of the special edition bundles of Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare in November 2016 for the PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. A standalone version was released for these platforms in mid-2017. The game's story follows the United States Marine Corps (USMC) and the Special Air Service (SAS), who take on missions to fight against a separatist group in the Middle East and an ultranationalist group in Russia.

<i>Extinction</i> (video game) 2018 video game

Extinction is an action game developed by Iron Galaxy and published by Modus Games. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in 2018. It received a mixed critical reception.

<i>Granblue Fantasy: Relink</i> 2024 video game

Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a 2024 action role-playing game developed and published by Cygames. The game was released as part of the Granblue Fantasy franchise for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Windows. It received positive reviews from critics and shipped a million copies within two weeks of release.

<i>Destroy All Humans!</i> (2020 video game) 2020 remake of the 2005 video game

Destroy All Humans! is an open world action-adventure video game developed by Black Forest Games and published by THQ Nordic. The game is a remake of the 2005 original game and the fifth installment in the Destroy All Humans! franchise. This remake is the first entry in the franchise since Path of the Furon (2008).

<i>One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows</i> 2020 superhero video game

One-Punch Man: A Hero Nobody Knows is a fighting RPG video game developed by Spike Chunsoft and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment on February 28, 2020, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. The game is based on the manga series One-Punch Man.

<i>Gensou SkyDrift</i> 2019 video game

Gensou SkyDrift is a racing Touhou Project fangame developed in 2019 by illuCalab for Microsoft Windows and Nintendo Switch, by a development team who had previously worked on Mario Kart 8. In 2021, it was released for PlayStation 4.

<i>Second Extinction</i> Cancelled video game

Second Extinction was a cooperative first-person shooter developed and published by Systemic Reaction for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. In the game, mutated dinosaurs have taken over the Earth, and players must work together in fighting a war against the animals. The game received an early access release through Steam on October 13, 2020, and through Xbox Game Preview on April 28, 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Adcock, Matt (December 15, 2015). "Primal Carnage: Extinction Review". Push Square. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Salatiello, Rosario (November 3, 2015). "Jurassic Frag". Multiplayer.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  3. "Primal Carnage: Extinction roars onto PS4 on October 20". VideoGamer.com. October 5, 2015. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  4. 1 2 Makuch, Eddie (October 2, 2015). "PS4 Dino Shooter Primal Carnage: Extinction Release Date Announced". GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 O'Connor, Alice (October 30, 2014). "Cretaceous! Primal Carnage: Extinction Announced". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Primal Carnage: Genesis on hold, but Primal Carnage: Extinction will launch for PS4 early in 2015". VideoGamer.com. October 28, 2014. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  7. 1 2 Makuch, Eddie (October 27, 2014). "PS4 Multiplayer Dinosaur Game Primal Carnage: Extinction Launching in 2015". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  8. Macy, Seth G. (October 27, 2014). "Primal Carnage: Extinction Coming to PS4 Next Year". IGN. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  9. "More than just a pretty game (with dinosaurs)". VentureBeat. August 11, 2017. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  10. O'Connor, Alice (April 8, 2015). "Roar! Primal Carnage: Extinction Leaves Early Access". Rock, Paper, Shotgun. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  11. "Primal Carnage: Extinction". Steam. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  12. Nunneley, Stephany (October 2, 2015). "Kill dinosaurs on PS4 when Primal Carnage: Extinction hits later this month". VG247. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  13. Arif, Shabana (November 20, 2015). "Primal Carnage: Extinction releases in Europe next Tuesday on PS4". VG247. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
  14. 1 2 "Primal Carnage: Extinction". Metacritic. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  15. 1 2 "Primal Carnage: Extinction". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. United Kingdom. January 2016. p. 91.
  16. "Primal Carnage Extinction Greenlight Failure". TechRaptor. 8 April 2015. Archived from the original on 9 July 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  17. "Primal Carnage Extinction Review". Blast Magazine. 30 April 2015. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  18. "Primal Carnage Extinction Review". GameGrin. 14 July 2015. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  19. "Primal Carnage Extinction PC Review - "Welcome to the Jungle"". Hooked Gamers. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  20. "Primal Carnage Extinction Review - An Enjoyable Yet Unoriginal Dino Romp". Canadian Online Gamers. 20 April 2015. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.