Dinosaur Fossil Hunter
- May 4, 2022
- ▲ Pyramid Games
- 6h median play time
Fossil fossicking for fans of fieldwork.
Get on SteamJust Updatedhttps://store.steampowered.com/app/758690/Occupy_Mars_The_Game/ About the Game Dinosaur Fossil Hunter is a storytelling simulator where you live a real paleontologist's life. Explore different lands, search, uncover and study uncovered fossils, and prepare the skeletons to build your own museum. You will learn many interesting facts about these extinct creatures that walked the Eart…
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a detailed and immersive experience of digging for dinosaur bones, with accurate and realistic skeletons.
- The tutorial is well-structured, providing information in manageable pieces, making it easy for players to learn the mechanics without feeling overwhelmed.
- The exhibit customization allows for creative expression, letting players design their museum displays with various options.
- The game suffers from performance issues, including lag and bugs that can disrupt gameplay, such as disappearing items and unresponsive controls.
- Driving mechanics are frustrating, with vehicles feeling unresponsive and difficult to control, which can detract from the overall experience.
- The gameplay can become repetitive and tedious, with some players feeling that the tasks lack challenge and excitement.
- gameplay40 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a simple yet satisfying loop that appeals to fans of paleontology, though it can become tedious over time. While the mechanics, such as digging and assembling dinosaur skeletons, are praised for their creativity, many players find certain aspects, like driving and navigation, frustrating and finicky. Overall, the game offers a relaxing experience with enjoyable exhibit decoration, but it suffers from repetitive tasks and some poorly explained mechanics that detract from the overall enjoyment.
“It has a simple yet overall satisfying gameplay loop for someone who is interested in paleontology, dinosaur fossils and skeletons, and who enjoys games in a similar vein as PowerWash Simulator.”
“While nothing comes close to the real thing, I'm pleased to say this game strikes a great balance between a real experience and game mechanics.”
“The mechanics being able to be automated if you find something too repetitive or mundane makes this a relaxing experience to progress through.”
“While I love the concept, the gameplay itself is primitive and tedious.”
“The gameplay, honestly, is so finicky and irritating that it is not remotely enjoyable, and as I said, the content that should be there (the new raptor DLC and the designer DLC) is extra money for you to spend on a game that cannot be considered anything more than a beta.”
“On top of that, everything gameplay-wise is extremely tedious and disappointing.”
- grinding26 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely described as tedious and repetitive, with many players finding the fossil cleaning and assembly processes laborious. However, some appreciate the satisfaction and relaxation that comes from the gameplay, noting that upgrades and AI assistance can alleviate some of the tedium. Overall, while the grinding can be a significant drawback, it also contributes to the game's charm for certain players.
“There is so much extra busy work in this game that makes it so much more tedious than it should be.”
“Yes, it's very, very tedious and time-consuming.”
“On top of that, everything gameplay-wise is extremely tedious and disappointing.”
- graphics19 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the beautiful environments and detailed designs, while others criticize the overall quality as cheap and bland, noting performance issues and sluggishness even on lower settings. Many users express hope for improvements in an upcoming update, which is expected to enhance graphics and frame rates. Overall, while the visuals have potential, they currently fall short of expectations for a polished experience.
“It has great graphics, wonderful mechanics, and everything about the dinosaurs -- from digging them up to building the exhibit -- are amazing.”
“The graphics of the game, the bones, the excavations, the environment show a beautiful view to those who play the game!”
“Graphics are nice as well as the gameplay.”
“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.”
“The graphics look extremely cheap and bland.”
“Even with all the graphical settings dialed way down, the game still struggles to load onto the main menu; it usually takes a couple of tries to get in.”
- story18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the captivating narrative of a young man becoming a paleontologist and find it engaging, others feel overwhelmed by excessive backstory and tedious tasks that detract from gameplay. Many users express a desire for less narrative focus, preferring a more straightforward simulation experience without the lengthy exposition. Overall, the story is seen as a double-edged sword, enhancing some players' experience while frustrating others.
“The overall story is very good, the mechanics are creative and different from other simulators I've played.”
“For me, the story is captivating.”
“I like how the story leads you right into the gameplay.”
“Sure, the backstory for the main character is fine, but you have idiotic tasks to do like drawing a paint-by-numbers sauropod on a sheet of paper and connecting all the wooden pieces together on a model sauropod to make a wooden statue before you finally get to go exploring.”
“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 the gameplay.”
“The story is non-existent; it just acts as a way to teach the player how to play the game. There is so little content that the game could probably be finished in a couple of sessions, and there are only 6 species of dinosaur.”
- optimization16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 31 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many users noting poor graphics quality, frustrating camera controls, and performance issues that detract from the experience. While some players still find enjoyment in the game, they agree that it is in dire need of optimization and bug fixes, particularly regarding loading times and control responsiveness. Those sensitive to performance may find the game unplayable or disappointing, especially given its current state.
“I truly think it's just optimization that is needed/bug fixes.”
“Yes, there's still some optimization that needs to be done and some of the controls can be a jittery at times, but I don't think it makes the game unplayable by any means.”
“Still a recommended, but the game could possibly need some work on optimization.”
“The optimization is so bad that I can't even load the game.”
“Hopefully optimization comes with time, but they are already selling DLC when the game runs poorly.”
“Poor optimization, 'crazy' cursor (not smooth), character is zombie slow and car control camera is very slow.”
- stability10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized for being buggy and clunky, with users reporting issues such as difficulty in movement, UI glitches, and problems with object interactions. While some players find these bugs manageable and still enjoy the game, others highlight that certain glitches can be game-breaking and hope for future fixes. Overall, the stability is a significant concern, but many players still appreciate the game's potential.
“The game runs smoothly with minimal bugs, providing a stable experience.”
“I rarely encounter crashes, which makes for a reliable gaming session.”
“The stability of the game allows me to focus on enjoying the gameplay without interruptions.”
“Fun but super buggy.”
“I really like this game but it's very buggy right now.”
“I hope they can fix these bugs, because it is not just some simple glitches, these are really game-breaking bugs.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players finding it fun, relaxing, and fitting for the dinosaur theme. However, some users noted issues with looping tracks, leading to a mixed overall impression, reflected in a score of 6/10.
“Music is fun and relaxing.”
“I also really like the soundtrack, which is pleasant and fits the dinosaur world perfectly.”
“The music loops at times.”
“The soundtrack is fine.”
“Sound/music - 6/10”
- humor4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is derived from its quirky physics, leading to amusing situations like trucks flying unexpectedly. While some players find the repetitive tasks tedious, the entertaining bugs and physics interactions provide moments of levity, making the overall experience enjoyable and lighthearted.
“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.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is rated low, with users indicating that without significant DLC or updates, they find little incentive to play it again.
“Replayability - 3/10”
“Replayability - Other than a DLC or large updates, I can't imagine playing this game again.”
