The Jurassic Park movie franchise has been all about surprises – the good kinds. Video game renditions of Michael Crichton’s dinos-are-back universe have also stirred up unexpected feelings for players, but unfortunately, the majority of the games’ have been surprises of the unpleasant nature (notable exceptions: the play-as-a-Raptor Sega Genesis game and the deceptively good park management sim Operation Genesis).
To that end, it's a bit of a blessing that one of the most reliable developers in the entire industry is at work on the next Jurassic Park game. TT Games is bringing their brick-based adventuring expertise to yet another popular film franchise, and while we’re pretty sure what to expect from LEGO Jurassic World after so many of TT’s LEGO titles, this series-spanning adventure has the potential to satisfy gamers of any species, be they hardcore collectible-seeking veterans or their kids.
My time with LEGO Jurassic World focused on three short (but nonetheless iconic) scenes from the first movie. The first was one of the calmer stretches of Jurassic Park, where Dr. Ellie Sattler and Dr. Gerry Harding tend to the sick Triceratops. As with most TT Games, each controllable character has their own powers, and with over 100 folks to work with in the quartet of movies (and represented via voice clips captured from the films), there's some serious specialization. Laura Dern's character, for example, is the only one brave enough to (literally) dive into a pile of bricky dinosaur dung. Switching to the veterinary expert Harding, I scanned the nearby area for tracks to find remedies. Most of those were placed atop high cliffs, which could only be reached when Sattler used her botany skills to sprout a tree instantaneously. When the beast was cured, I was able to stomp around as the Triceratops, breaking down bushes and larger containers to collect even more studs.
For all of the serenity and beauty of that scene, some truly intense stages followed as the iconic T-Rex attack on the stalled SUVs was recreated as a puzzle sequence Ian Malcom and Dr. Alan Grant had to solve. True to TT Games tradition, a bit more lightheartedness was brought to the proceedings, as the child-abandoning lawyer wasn't so much eaten as he was tossed into the T-Rex's mouth where he used a toilet brush to clean the dino's chompers. Instead of the scary scene where Malcom seemingly sacrifices himself by distracting the giant creature with a flare, the duo collects a few parts in the area to create a giant bone to capture the T-Rex's attention. From there, Lex is freed so that she can use her special scream ability to break the windows of a locked truck and tow the other overturned vehicle.
The entire Jurassic Park trilogy packed in plenty of chase sequences, and from the looks of it, Jurassic World will continue the trend. One of the most memorable chases in the series (and honestly, film history), is the T-Rex chase where Jurassic Park's largest inhabitant trails a Jeep holding Sattler, Harding, and Malcom (the latter of whom sported a new torn-shirt character model). There's usually a lot going on during these scenes, and this one was the perfect showcase. In addition to navigating the vehicle away from the T-Rex's wrath (and towards bigger stud bounties) as Harding, I was able to switch to Malcom as he tried to toss flares into the creature's mouth. While it was the fastest of the three brief scenes, it was also the most enjoyable. TT Games promised quite a bit of variety of these chases. Outside of the 20-stage campaign (featuring five levels from each movie), any chase can be recreated with a different creature doing the running and the ability to put some of the series' smaller dinos in the drivers seat. You read that right. If you want to see a pack of Dilophosaurs driving away from a rampaging Stegosaurus, LEGO Jurassic World can help fulfill that fantasy.
Even with TT Games' dependable hand at work on LEGO Jurassic Park, there's still plenty of mysterious creatures we've yet to discover. Jurassic World will comprise a quarter of the experience, but due to the potential for movie spoilers, we've yet to see a second of LEGO-fied footage. On top of the many humans and dinosaurs (as well as a playable Mr. DNA) that will pop up during the campaign and interact in new permutations in the free-play mode, there's also a customization ability that allows you to really mess with dino DNA and build new prehistoric creatures out of pre-existing parts. For a developer that has brought both every Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones, and two-thirds of The Hobbit to consoles, Lego Jurassic Park may be TT Games' tallest order yet. Here's hoping they spare no expense.