Dino Trauma

About

Dino Trauma is a single player shooter game. It was developed by Phobia Interactive and was released on April 28, 2023. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Dino Trauma is a survival horror game inspired by '90s classics like Doom, Quake, and Dino Crisis. Players can battle through dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures with a wide range of weaponry in levels that combine '90s design with modern standards. Join the Discord for development updates and more information."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 266 reviews

graphics15 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

Dino Trauma successfully blends nostalgic elements from classic games like Dino Crisis and Doom, creating a fun and atmospheric shooter experience.
The game features engaging level design with a variety of puzzles and secrets, encouraging exploration and replayability.
The developers show a strong commitment to the game, actively engaging with the community and implementing feedback for improvements.

The game suffers from some balancing issues, with certain enemies being too easy to defeat while others can feel like sponges, leading to frustrating encounters.
Players have reported confusion with level progression due to hidden switches and unclear objectives, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
As an early access title, the game has some rough edges, including technical glitches and a lack of content, which may deter some players.

graphics
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
60%
7%
The game's graphics are a polarizing aspect, with many praising its authentic retro aesthetic reminiscent of PS1-era visuals, while others criticize it for appearing overly blurry and lacking clarity. The art style successfully evokes nostalgia for classic gaming, particularly for dinosaur enthusiasts, though some animations and HUD elements feel too polished for the intended retro look. Overall, the graphics contribute to a charming atmosphere, despite some technical shortcomings.
- “The graphics and art style are very well done and commendable, adding to the overall experience of the game.”
- “This game seriously tickles my inner child with its retro graphics, its pacing, the models, and even the environments and puzzles.”
- “The game is graphically impressive and manages to pull off the PS1 aesthetic flawlessly.”
- “So now the graphics... I know this is a retro-style game that is meant to look like it came off the PSX, but it doesn't.”
- “So this game doesn't come across as 'retro nostalgic PSX graphics' to me but instead 'standard modern retro dev thinking super ugly, pixelated, and blurry is authentic.' Old game devs had to work within the limitation of the hardware of the day, and that bred innovation and creative works.”
- “The graphics are kind of muddy and visibility isn't always the greatest for reasons beyond the dark environments you'll find yourself navigating, but I get it, the game is trying to capture a specific vibe and it generally succeeds in doing so.”
atmosphere
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
31%
8%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its blend of horror and nostalgia, drawing heavy inspiration from classic titles like Dino Crisis and 90s shooters. Reviewers highlight the effective use of soundscapes, level design, and environmental details that create a tense and immersive experience, although some note a conflict between the game's atmospheric intent and its more bombastic action elements. Overall, the game successfully evokes a creepy, engaging atmosphere that resonates with fans of retro-inspired shooters.
- “From the first moments, it makes clear that this is a love letter to the era of gritty, fast-paced shooters where atmosphere, level design, and raw action mattered more than cinematic spectacle.”
- “Despite being unfinished, the game has amazing atmosphere and aesthetics that meld really well together, adding tension to every door you open.”
- “Overall, I feel the game is at war with itself; it wants atmosphere and suspense but also bombastic action.”
- “The atmosphere to this game is also extremely well done and creepy, adding to the horror effect.”
- “While the story is so-so, the atmosphere and style of the game is both charming and foreboding.”
gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
68%
8%
The gameplay is characterized by solid shooting mechanics, a variety of enemies, and a blend of classic and modern design elements, emphasizing movement and resource management. While some players appreciate the retro aesthetic and straightforward mechanics, others find the level design small and the gameplay loop less engaging compared to similar titles. Overall, the game offers a mix of enjoyable mechanics, RPG elements, and atmospheric design, though it may lack depth in certain areas.
- “Gameplay is rooted in classic shooter design, emphasizing movement, positioning, and resource management.”
- “Good weapon variety, good enemy variety, interesting setting, good response mechanics, good progression system, good difficulty balance, and on top of everything, it's one of those games where it feels really good to shoot.”
- “It is quite evident that a lot of thought and care was put into this game as there are very intricate details in the gameplay, if you are paying attention, and that is something that separates lazy developers from those who care about their product.”
- “Cool retro-like aesthetic, but the gameplay is just disappointing.”
- “Although it gives you a charming retro buzz, its gameplay and tenor is rather sobering.”
- “Another thing is the enemy refresh mechanic feels bugged, because dinos spawn where I've cleared and I didn't pick up any new items.”
story
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
77%
10%
The game's story is largely minimal and conveyed through environmental storytelling, scattered documents, and occasional radio narrations, leaving many players feeling that it lacks depth and immersion. While some appreciate the atmosphere and potential for future content, the current narrative is considered unfinished and not a primary focus, with many hoping for more lore and character development in upcoming updates. Overall, the storytelling is seen as a secondary element to gameplay mechanics and level design.
- “The story is cool, the guns are cool, the gameplay is fun, the levels are unique; it's just great.”
- “While the story is so-so, the atmosphere and style of the game is both charming and foreboding.”
- “Great level design, love the storytelling through the set, highly recommend!”
- “Storytelling takes a backseat to momentum, conveyed mostly through environmental clues, scattered documents, and the gradual escalation of danger as you move deeper into the facility.”
- “The story of this game is almost non-existent and 90% of what you do learn about what's going on is done through PDF-style environmental storytelling. Once in a while, you'll get random radio narrations from people. Since this game is still in development, the story feels wholly unfinished, which is to be expected this early in development.”
- “As it currently stands, though, if you're looking for story immersion, this is not your game.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while the soundtrack is praised for its nostalgic homage to titles like Dino Crisis, some players find the looping nature of the original score to be repetitive and lacking impact during gameplay. The auditory ambiance is generally well-received, but issues with abrupt cuts and short loops detract from the overall experience. Overall, the music complements the visuals and level design, but improvements are needed for a more immersive auditory experience.
- “Great soundtrack.”
- “It is a perfect homage to Dino Crisis, especially with the atmosphere and music.”
- “The good stuff: visuals, level design, music, enemy design.”
- “While the auditory ambiance is great, the OST loops are awful.”
- “Having a 35-second dramatic music reprise loop on repeat for a 30-minute level gets grating super quick.”
- “If there is a lot going on, the music would sometimes cut off for a few seconds, like it did during the last level for me.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game offers technically infinite replayability through its points and upgrade system, alongside a variety of mission and difficulty modifiers. Despite a limited level selection, players find significant replay value, especially at its current sale price of $8, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking extended gameplay.
- “Technically infinite replayability thanks to the points and upgrade system.”
- “The game has so much replay value, even with the limited level selection.”
- “A good game for the $8 sale price, offering a substantial amount of content that encourages replayability.”
- “Other than that, I would say the game has limited replay value due to the restricted level selection.”
- “The game offers some replay value with mission and difficulty modifiers, but it's not enough to keep me engaged long-term.”
- “While there are some elements that encourage replayability, they ultimately feel insufficient to warrant multiple playthroughs.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, players feel the game requires better optimization, particularly in terms of navigation and clarity regarding objectives. While the game runs smoothly without significant bugs, there are concerns about certain gameplay elements that could be improved for a better experience.
- “Overall good game, although some optimization and clearer directions on where I am supposed to go or what to do, especially regarding the small power boxes, would be helpful.”
- “The game runs smoothly so far; I haven't encountered any bugs as of yet.”
- “The game needs to be better optimized!”
- “Because everybody loves reading how a minute diameter difference between two copper solenoids affects the performance of some random construction worker's Hitachi magic wand - in a bloody dinosaur massacre game!”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its ability to evoke nostalgia and positive memories from their childhood, particularly referencing the impact of previous titles like Dino Crisis. The heartfelt experience it provides is valued over more polished, mainstream games, indicating a deep personal resonance with the game's themes and mechanics.
- “I'll take a heartfelt little jaunt over AAA slop any day.”
- “Dino Trauma was a game that surprised me and left me quite emotional for the simple fact that it brought back good memories of my childhood when I played Dino Crisis 1 and 2.”
- “Words cannot express how happy this game has made me feel.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that while the game has some bugs and glitches, particularly with level design and animations, these issues are not game-breaking and do not significantly detract from the overall experience.
- “I did encounter a few bugs and glitches.”
- “Level design is occasionally a bit frustrating or awkward (potentially buggy... I feel like sometimes buttons took forever to load in), and the dinosaur animations/hitboxes are a little wonky, as are the English translations.”
- “A little buggy sometimes, but nothing game-breaking.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding for points to be tedious, despite the availability of power-ups. The game features a semi-open world with exploratory elements and a run-and-gun "horde mode" that helps alleviate some of the monotony while waiting for further content.
- “The only other gripe is that grinding for points can be rather tedious, even with some of the power-ups you can get later.”
- “With something of a semi-open world exploratory, point farming, run-and-gun 'horde mode' to keep you entertained while waiting for the second chapter.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is highlighted by its fun problem-solving elements and amusing jump scares, particularly from the triceratops, which add a lighthearted touch to the otherwise spooky atmosphere. Players appreciate the blend of humor and horror, making for an entertaining experience.
- “The problem-solving bits of the game are fun, and the jump scares have all been fairly hilarious (those triceratops had no mercy).”
- “I love the atmosphere and vibe of the game, plenty of spooky and scary moments, and some nice dino jump scares that have made me laugh.”