Dinosaur Fossil Hunter

About

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter is a single player simulation game. It was developed by ▲ Pyramid Games and was released on May 4, 2022. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter lets you experience the life of a paleontologist by exploring diverse U.S. landscapes to find and excavate dinosaur fossils. Use various tools to uncover and prepare skeletons, then build and curate your own museum. Along the way, learn detailed facts about extinct dinosaur species through an engaging storyline.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+21

Skip User Reviews

75%

Audience ScoreBased on 459 reviews

gameplay26 positive mentions

grinding41 negative mentions

Engaging gameplay that allows players to experience the process of being a paleontologist, from digging up fossils to assembling skeletons.
The museum customization feature is enjoyable, allowing players to design and decorate their exhibits creatively.
The game offers a relaxing experience, making it suitable for players looking to unwind while indulging in their love for dinosaurs.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including crashes and unresponsive controls, which can hinder the overall experience.
Gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, particularly during the cleaning and assembling phases, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
The tutorial and instructions are often unclear, leaving players confused about how to progress or complete tasks effectively.

gameplay
84 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
55%
14%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the core mechanics of fossil excavation, cleaning, and museum management, while others criticize it for being repetitive and plagued by technical issues such as bugs and poor driving mechanics. Although the game offers a satisfying loop for those interested in paleontology, many find the overall experience tedious and lacking in engaging narrative elements. Overall, while the mechanics show potential, they require significant improvement to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “The game strikes a compelling balance between realistic simulation and accessible gameplay, allowing both enthusiasts and casual players to appreciate the thrill of unearthing prehistoric treasures.”
- “The museum-building mechanics foster creativity, encouraging experimentation with layouts and themes, and significantly boosting replay value.”
- “From digging up bones in the wild to assembling full skeletons in your very own museum, the gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying.”
- “Bug after bug... driving mechanics were horrible, and I kept getting stuck on everything (even when I was just walking).”
- “I have no issue with older graphics, as long as the gameplay is okay, but as stated before, the gameplay is practically non-existent.”
- “The gameplay is bad, and there is nothing holding it together in any way to make you want to continue.”
grinding
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely described as tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over the monotonous tasks involved in cleaning and assembling dinosaur bones. While some find enjoyment in the grinding as part of the simulation experience, others feel it detracts from the overall fun, especially before unlocking staff to assist with these tasks. Overall, the game offers a mix of satisfaction and tedium, appealing primarily to those who appreciate realistic, albeit laborious, gameplay.
- “It's tedious, and not in the way that can be fun.”
- “Certainly, the monotony is abated by the hiring of museum employees to commit to the most tedious tasks, but access to this ability only comes later in the game as progression unlocks.”
- “There is so much extra busy work in this game that makes it so much more tedious than it should be.”
story
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
68%
8%
The game's story, centered around a young paleontology enthusiast, offers a personal touch that enhances player engagement, but many reviewers find it uninspired and overly lengthy, detracting from the gameplay experience. While some appreciate the narrative's potential and its integration with gameplay, others criticize it as tedious and irrelevant, with a lack of meaningful content. Overall, the story is seen as a mixed bag, with some players enjoying its depth while others feel it hinders the core gameplay.
- “Following the story of a young paleontology enthusiast, the game offers context and motivation that enrich the player’s investment in their work.”
- “This storytelling component brings a personal touch, making the game more than just a series of tasks but a meaningful expedition into the world of dinosaurs and scientific discovery.”
- “The overall story is very good, the mechanics are creative and different from other simulators I've played.”
- “The campaign is the driving and determining agent encompassing all gameplay and the many mechanics, and this is centered around a story and plot that are uninspired and commonplace, which end in nothingness.”
- “The story is non-existent, just acts as a way to teach the player how to play the game, and there is so little content that the game could probably be finished in a couple of sessions, there are only 6 species of dinosaur.”
- “I don't want your life story, man; I just want to dig up dinosaurs. It's not good if you don't want to hear about some random guy's life story for like 80% of gameplay.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
53%
9%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the detailed dinosaur skeletons and overall aesthetic, while others criticize the poor optimization, clunky performance, and outdated visuals. Many users express a desire for graphical improvements and better performance, especially given the game's release in 2022. Overall, while there are elements of beauty, the graphics are often described as lacking polish and can hinder gameplay experience.
- “The game is really good, I think the dinosaur skeletons are really detailed, the graphics are overall good but can be better and I expect them to get better through time.”
- “It has great graphics, wonderful mechanics, and everything about the dinosaurs -- from digging them up to building the exhibit -- is amazing.”
- “The graphics of the game, the bones, the excavations, the environment show a beautiful view to those who play the game!”
- “Quickly started getting repetitive (mind you, this is after one hour of total playtime), the optimization was awful, and the graphics were even worse.”
- “It's clunky, laggy, the graphics are a step down from other games, and the attempt at a story is laughable.”
- “The graphics look extremely cheap and bland.”
optimization
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
44%
39%
The game's optimization has received largely negative feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and unresponsive controls. While some users noted improvements in technical performance after initial loading, the overall graphics quality and user interface are considered subpar, leading to a frustrating experience for those expecting a polished product. Despite these shortcomings, a few players found enjoyment in the gameplay, suggesting that patience may be required for those willing to overlook the optimization flaws.
- “Other than that, everything runs smoothly.”
- “Technical performance is usually excellent, maintaining a solid 144 frames per second, but only after maps are loaded.”
- “Yes, there's still some optimization that needs to be done and some of the controls can be jittery at times, but I don't think it makes the game unplayable by any means.”
- “The graphics quality isn't great and performance could be improved upon (including more performance customization), and the camera movement can be frustrating at times, especially when driving vehicles.”
- “Terrible optimization, unplayable on my PC when it easily handles games like Doom Eternal but cannot handle this game at the lowest graphic settings.”
- “The optimization is so bad that I can't even load the game.”
stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs that hinder gameplay, such as issues with workstation controls, object interactions, and UI functionality. While some players appreciate the game's design and potential, many feel it resembles an incomplete release due to these persistent glitches, which can be game-breaking at times. Overall, the consensus is that while the game is enjoyable, it requires significant stability improvements to enhance the user experience.
- “It's also a little buggy with the workstations; controlling where you are in relation to the bones and rotating the bones so you can get everything assembled only works half the time.”
- “Aside from the overall shoddiness, the game is also buggy - several bones got stuck and I was prevented from cleaning them. I had to send them to the automated workers because a couple of small bone fragments simply didn't fall to the ground like they're supposed to.”
- “While I appreciate the hard work and love that has clearly gone into this game's development, it feels like an incomplete demo release, not a full game, with how buggy it is.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The music in the game is described as cheerful and grandiose, though some players found it repetitive and distracting during quieter moments. While the soundtrack is generally considered pleasant and fitting for the game's theme, it can become monotonous due to looping. Overall, it serves as a relaxing backdrop, making the game enjoyable for those looking to unwind.
- “If you like to relax, listen to music (or a podcast) and just chill, this is one of the best games for that!”
- “Music is fun and relaxing.”
- “I also really like the soundtrack which is pleasant and fits the dinosaur world perfectly.”
- “This last part may just be a me-experience, but the world feels empty with no NPCs or music.”
- “The game starts well enough, with narrative and some basic structure, which you presume you will be following, while listening to supremely cheerful and grandiose-sounding music that I had to turn off because it kept playing when nothing was happening.”
- “The music loops at times, though.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find the museum-building mechanics encourage creativity and experimentation, others feel that it lacks significant replay value, rating it as low as 3/10. Many users suggest that without substantial DLC or updates, the game may not hold their interest for a second playthrough.
- “The museum-building mechanics foster creativity, encouraging experimentation with layouts and themes, and significantly boosting replay value.”
- “Despite having 0 replayability, I do recommend this game.”
- “Replayability - 3/10”
- “Replayability - other than a DLC or large updates, I can't imagine playing this game again.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for its intrusive advertising, which includes promotions for the developer's social media and downloadable content, even for players who already own it. This has led to heightened expectations that the game fails to meet, with some reviews suspected to be biased or incentivized.
- “The main menu has an advertisement for the developer's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Discord pages, as well as advertisements for the two released downloadable content packs, even if one already owns them.”
- “The advertising and public marketing has raised my expectations more than the game has delivered.”
- “Obviously, two of the positive reviews are paid for or just advertising in some way, so there's really only eight positive reviews.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The humor in the game is derived from its quirky physics and amusing bugs, such as trucks flying unexpectedly, which can lead to entertaining moments. While some players find the repetitive tasks less funny, the overall experience offers a lighthearted and relaxing atmosphere with opportunities for comedic gameplay.
- “So far, it works well with a few issues, but really, they are pretty funny bugs, like the truck flying in the air over and over again.”
- “The physics are pretty good, and you can do some funny things with it.”
- “If that isn't an issue, it's a nice, fun, relaxing game that can lead to a few funny moments with the physics engine.”
- “Driving back and forth to bring back 2 crates each time when you have 20 to do is seriously not funny.”
- “The jokes in this game fall flat and feel forced, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “I expected some clever humor, but instead, I was met with tired clichés that just didn't land.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a strong attention to detail and a sense of immersion in the ancient past, which, despite some technical flaws and repetitive elements, contributes to a rewarding and memorable experience for players.
- “While some technical rough edges and repetitive moments are present, the game's dedication to detail, atmosphere, and player creativity make it a rewarding and memorable journey into the ancient past.”

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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter PC Review
Fossil fossicking for fans of fieldwork.
Impulsegamer.com
80%

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11h Median play time

9h Average play time

6-14h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter is a simulation game.

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 9 hours playing Dinosaur Fossil Hunter.

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter was released on May 4, 2022.

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter was developed by ▲ Pyramid Games.

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter is a single player game.

Similar games include Junkyard Simulator, Train Station Renovation, Construction Simulator, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018, Construction Simulator 2015 and others.

Dinosaur Fossil Hunter

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