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This time last year, Jurassic World Evolution 2 was released. The sequel to the build-and-manage simulation takes place after the events of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and it’s your job to control and contain the dinosaurs that now roam the earth freely.
Over the past year, the game has grown, offering both paid DLC and free updates to complete the experience and bring in the events of Jurassic World: Dominion. As it reaches its one-year anniversary, we’re taking a look back at the Jurassic World Evolution 2 expansion and talking to some of the developers about the journey they’ve been on.
The game seemed a bit overlooked at launch, coming alongside several other high-profile releases. However, it has proven itself over time, especially since Game Pass opened it up to a new audience. I loved the game from the start, so much so that I wanted to just list it ten times on my Game of the Year list last year (not that I was allowed to, spoilsports).
While I enjoyed the whole experience, the Dominion Expansion was a particular highlight. It interacts with the film superbly, sliding alongside the game’s original narrative neatly. I also got to experience a few of the key moments in the movie that I really enjoyed. But Jurassic World Evolution 2 has something for everyone, as evidenced by the answers the developers gave when I asked about their fondest memories of the game’s first year.
“We launched the game at an event at the Natural History Museum in London earlier this year, where I met players ranging from real palaeontologists to some very excitable younger fans,” producer Lucy Hicks tells me. “It was great fun answering all their questions and it was so nice to hear how passionate they are about the game.” Game Director Rich Newbold also mentioned this, adding, “We got to meet so many young fans of the game and it was amazing to we see so many enthusiastic faces in a building steeped in prehistoric history.”
Audio designer Henry Fluitt, meanwhile, shared an experience he had recently where he saw the game being used in a unique way. “My favorite moment was discovering the National Jurassic YouTube channel – they make nature documentary-style videos using in-game footage of dinosaurs in beautifully made parks that emulate natural environments. I was excited to see how well the game suited their style.” he tells us. This use of the game to tell stories in a different way is something that is often unexpected and showcases the talent of the fanbase as well as the versatility of the game.
Lead animator Amy Hook’s response was prompted by fans telling me about the reaction to pterosaurs now attacking helicopters. “It’s been amazing to see the community’s reaction to the chaos now being sown in the sky,” she said. Although this takes second place to a more personal achievement. “The most rewarding part was answering Quetzalcoatlus, as she was the difficult one due to her huge size! It just made it so useful.”
Lead designer Dan Davis also liked the feedback. “As a team, we were excited about the adoption of the Chaos Theory mode,” he says. “We love crafting ways to pay homage to the distinctive aspects of each film during development, and it’s been very rewarding to be able to offer players a way to connect with each era of the franchise.”
Away from personal accomplishments, Newbold explains how the team successfully iterated on the first Jurassic World Evolution, expanding on their strengths and focusing on management, environmental variation, original narrative and of course dinosaurs.
“They’re the stars of the show,” says Newbold. “We’ve added more dynamic behavior and depth to how they interact with other species through their hunting, fighting, escaping and [their own species] with social interactions.”
You can see where those promises are fulfilled in Jurassic World Evolution 2, as the team builds on the narrative they’ve created. It works alongside the films in a way that explores the impact of dinosaurs on our world in a deeper and more meaningful way, taking you right into the heart of these issues. “After the events of Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom, we were presented with a great opportunity to explore new and challenging ways to ‘paleocurate’ and manage dinosaur facilities that are slightly different from the traditional dinosaur-centric Jurassic theme parks ,” explains Newbold. “With our original narrative inspired by that ending, we were able to explore the impact of having dinosaurs in the world. It also meant we could bring in these iconic film characters to support that story as the campaign unfolded.”
You don’t focus on creating attractions in the sequel, giving importance to other issues, including stopping poachers from taking dinosaurs and selling them on the black market. There’s also a shift to seeing dinosaurs as a species to study rather than just stare at. All of this fits perfectly with the latest film installment, Jurassic World Dominion.
“For the Dominion Biosyn Expansion, we were able to create exciting narratives inspired by the film to create narrative opportunities set before and after the events of the film,” says Newbold. “Once again, it was great to be able to include those iconic characters we’ve come to know and love for so many years.”
The Dominion Biosyn extension was the biggest update of the year. It builds on the cinematic narrative, expanding on it and tying it to the original story that runs through the game’s campaigns. However, this was not the only update of the year. The game added ten new dinosaurs and some skin variations in three different DLC packs, while also adding free content that enhances the gameplay experience.
Challenge levels have been added, as well as dinosaur fighting abilities, new buildings, additional decorations and the less pleasant but very realistic ability for flying dinosaurs to hit your helicopter. These came alongside quality-of-life and accessibility tweaks introduced following community feedback.
As the game grew, so did the number of dinosaurs, and of course we couldn’t end an interview without asking the question that really matters and finding out who the developers’ favorite dinosaurs are. Dan Davies responded nostalgically, saying, “I will always have a special affection for Kentrosaurus, we go all the way back to the development of the first evolution of the Jurassic world.”
This opinion is shared by Hook, who says: “It’s hard to choose as there are so many. I will always be biased towards those dinosaurs I have worked on and of those I would have to say Sukhomimus. She was my special girl from the very first game.”
Fluitt also has personal preferences, telling me, “It’s hard to pick one, but for me it would be between the Pyroraptor and the Barbarydactyl! I had a great time designing the audio for them.”
Hicks is the most decisive: “My favorite dinosaur has to be the Therizinosaurus, which arrived with our Dominion Biosyn Expansion, because it’s so unique,” she says. Finally, Rich Newbold is the exact opposite of Hicks’ clinical judgment “I’m really enjoying all the prehistoric species that appeared in Jurassic World Dominion that we added as part of the Dominion Biosyn Expansion, like Dimetrodon and Therizinosaurus. They are really cool designs and unique in the way they look and move.”
It looks like Therizinosaurus tops this vote, though that could change as we wait to see what next year has in store for Jurassic World Evolution 2.
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