Fossilfuel

About

"Fossilfuel" is a horror shooter transformed into an open-world adventure, taking place in a vast underground research facility in Alaska. Fight off special forces and mutant dinosaurs to escape and uncover the facility's secrets. Solve puzzles, survive, and experience multiple endings across massive maps. Players can also team up in intense horde mode for added challenges and achievements.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews

graphics4 positive mentions

gameplay3 negative mentions

Fossilfuel offers a fun and engaging experience for fans of horror and dinosaur games, with a mix of action and suspense.
The game features impressive graphics and sound design, creating an immersive atmosphere reminiscent of classic titles like DOOM and Resident Evil.
Players appreciate the variety of gameplay elements, including puzzles, jump scares, and a diverse selection of weapons.

The game is criticized for being short and lacking depth, with many players feeling it can be completed too quickly.
Technical issues such as bugs, glitches, and poor AI detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration during gameplay.
Some players express disappointment with the focus on human enemies rather than dinosaurs, feeling that the game strays from its intended theme.

graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the smooth performance and visual quality, especially on lower-end machines. However, criticisms arise regarding the use of free assets, inconsistent designs of dinosaurs, and clunky animations, particularly for hybrid creatures. Overall, while the visuals are generally deemed satisfactory, they are overshadowed by design flaws and technical issues.
- “The graphics in Fossilfuel are well impressive, playing smoothly on epic settings even on my modest machine.”
- “Thanks to DangerousBob, the developer, for keeping things fun, exciting gameplay, and great graphics that will play on most machines.”
- “Awesome jump scares, clever puzzles, and the graphics are dope; I haven't found a gem like this in a bit.”
- “The graphics were a mishmash of free assets, which I am fine with - it's a smart way to use them, and what they were meant for.”
- “The bad are: graphic issues, bugs, etc.”
- “It's low on any graphical settings and my rig is not a slouch.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
45%
27%
The story revolves around a research facility where dinosaurs escape, leading players to fight for survival while uncovering a plot involving Russian attempts to steal dinosaur DNA. While the atmosphere and dinosaur models are praised, the narrative suffers from inconsistency, shifting abruptly from horror to shooter elements, and ultimately lacks depth and replay value, making it feel short and forgettable. Overall, it offers an engaging experience initially but fails to maintain its tension and coherence throughout.
- “You get into the story and learn that the dinosaurs contained in this research facility break out, and you're forced to fight, survive, and escape.”
- “Pretty good models for almost all the dinosaurs, interesting story, the game worked minus a couple of small bugs, very interesting and kept me going.”
- “However, the story works, and the atmosphere is very well built in my opinion.”
- “The real plot is Russians trying to steal dino DNA and the dinos are just there.”
- “The story is short and forgets itself halfway through the game; once you escape the bunker, any horror elements the game had vanish except for a cheap jumpscare of an enemy bursting through the wall.”
- “The story itself is inconsistent and changes rapidly from horror to a shooter game, and then afterwards there are zero horror elements at all.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The gameplay offers a notable variety of elements, which some players appreciate, but many criticize the execution as rough and flawed. While the game's design is visually appealing, the mechanics are often deemed inadequate, with issues like poor voice acting and ineffective jump scares detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as short and lacking in balance, leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
- “The gameplay reminded me of the first, while the ambience and the atmosphere reminded me of the second.”
- “I think I am about 25% through and I am surprised at how much variety there is in gameplay.”
- “If this mechanic is going to be used for the rest of the game, then you've already done it wrong, and the lazy, cheap jump scares are lame as well.”
- “Jump scares are great when done right, but if a dino destroys a door and instantly kills you, that's not fun - there are no audio clues to balance the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay reminded me of the first game, while the ambience and atmosphere reminded me of the second.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is criticized for being a "buggy, jank filled mess," with specific issues like unreliable mechanics for sneaking and hiding. While some players find it fun despite the bugs, they note that stability is a significant concern, although ongoing updates from the developers offer some hope for improvement.
- “Got this as a bundle with the sequel, and I'm sincerely hoping that's a better showing than this, because this is just a buggy, jank-filled mess.”
- “No leaning around corners, which would be useful for sneaking; hiding in closets is buggy as hell, and the raptor still finds you.”
- “The only things I disliked were the buggy achievements, that there wasn't a lot of dino variety, and the trench area was difficult.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting its effective storytelling and immersive ambience reminiscent of previous titles. The sound design, enemy aesthetics, and the unique setting, such as the Jurassic Park bunker, contribute to a compelling experience, although some feel it could benefit from further refinement. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point of the game.
- “However, the story works, and the atmosphere is very well built in my opinion.”
- “The gameplay reminded me of the first, while the ambience and the atmosphere reminded me of the second.”
- “The atmosphere, sound, and enemy design are all great, and there's a good selection of weapons.”
- “The gameplay reminded me of the first, while the ambience and atmosphere reminded me of the second.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's optimization has been criticized for lacking polish, with issues such as poor AI, broken achievements, and inconsistent performance even on high-spec PCs. However, it has shown some improvement over time, particularly after updates aimed at enhancing optimization. Players suggest trying the second installment for a more refined experience before diving into this one.
- “If you want the best experience for the least amount of money, I recommend buying the second Fossil Fuel game and playing that one through to see if you enjoy it. It is basically a better version of the first one with improved graphics, performance, and flow, as well as different dinosaurs and a different story. After that, then play this one.”
- “The game has been optimized significantly since its release.”
- “While the AI is still basic and somewhat asset reliant, the developer is working alone, and I appreciate the effort put into optimizing various sections of the game.”
- “It lacks any sort of polish; the AI is terrible, achievements were broken, and the performance is mediocre at times (my PC isn't the best, but it is way over spec for this, and it still tanked in places).”
- “The AI is still basic, it's a bit asset reliant (the zombies used for the corpses, for example), and it could still use a bit of optimization in some sections.”
- “If you want the best experience for the least amount of money, I recommend buying the second Fossil Fuel game and playing that one first, as it is basically a better version of the first one with better graphics, performance, and flow.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game offers some replayability through its level design, featuring multiple path options, but overall, it lacks significant replay value due to its short story that can be completed in one sitting. While speedrunning may appeal to some players, the general consensus is that the game does not encourage repeated playthroughs.
- “Level design is good with multiple path options that enhance replay value.”
- “The story can be completed in one sitting, which is great for streamers, but it doesn't offer much replay value unless you're into speedrunning.”
- “The visuals are nice, but the game has low replay value unless you're interested in speedrunning.”
- “The story can be completed in one sitting (like I did), which is good if you're a streamer, but unfortunately doesn't hold much replay value at all unless you like speedrunning.”
- “Visuals are nice enough (except for the designs), but the game has low replay value unless you're into speedrunning.”
- “Level design is good with some multiple path options here and there for replay value.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the spooky atmosphere and suspense, with a nostalgic 80s vibe that complements the gameplay. Reviewers note that the soundtrack is well-integrated with the level design, effectively matching the tone of each section.
- “I loved everything about this: spooky setting, going through vents, and a great suspense soundtrack that gave off some real 80s vibes.”
- “So far, I liked 'Fossil Fuel.' The levels are well designed, and the music fits really well with each section.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect tedious and frustrating, particularly due to unclear mechanics regarding inventory expansion, which can lead to a cumbersome experience during gameplay.
- “The backpacks that increase your inventory size do not clearly indicate that they add more slots after the first pickup, making my playthrough tedious and boring.”
- “Grinding feels like a never-ending chore, with little reward for the time invested.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding in this game quickly becomes monotonous and detracts from the overall experience.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be a heartfelt tribute, as it weaves together various genres, creating poignant moments that evoke nostalgia and warmth.
- “It's a quilt of genres, and there are distinct points in the game where you get a sense of different games in a heartwarming homage.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters truly resonates, making you feel connected to their journeys.”
- “Moments of joy and sorrow are beautifully intertwined, leaving a lasting impact long after the game is over.”