Jurassic World Evolution

Jurassic World Evolution: Complete Edition may not be the prettiest game in the world on the Switch but the sheer amount of content and the overall enjoyment of it does make up for the visuals and even the performance.

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Place yourself at the heart of the Jurassic franchise and build your own Jurassic World. Bioengineer dinosaurs that think and face threats posed by espionage, breakouts and devastating tropical storms in an uncertain world where life always finds a way.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 22,617 reviews

graphics1,832 positive mentions

grinding426 negative mentions

graphics
2,624 mentions
70 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Jurassic World Evolution" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning detail and realism, particularly in the depiction of dinosaurs and environments. Many players highlight the impressive animations and atmospheric effects, which contribute to an immersive experience. However, some critiques point out that while the visuals are exceptional, the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks depth compared to earlier titles in the genre, such as "Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis." Overall, the game is praised for its visual fidelity, making it a treat for fans of the franchise and simulation games alike.
- “The graphics are stunning, the dinosaurs look incredibly lifelike, and the attention to detail is fantastic.”
- “The graphics are absolutely beautiful, and the game runs smoothly even on lower-end systems.”
- “The graphics are amazing, the animations are fluid, and the overall aesthetic truly captures the essence of the Jurassic Park franchise.”
- “It's just kind of short, repetitive gameplay, the graphics look nice but there is no variation of the environments, very few cosmetics and doodads, every map kind of looks the same.”
- “While the graphics and quality of the models is without question, many of the dinos feel lifeless and robotic as they follow very strict animation queues.”
- “The graphics are, as expected, better than those of jpog, however the gameplay just feels more uninspired and as if it has less 'personality'.”
gameplay
2,079 mentions
28 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Jurassic World Evolution" is characterized by its engaging management mechanics and beautiful graphics, making it accessible and enjoyable for players. However, many reviews highlight the repetitive nature of missions and tasks, leading to a lack of variety and depth that can diminish long-term enjoyment. While the game offers a solid foundation with its dinosaur management and park-building elements, it often feels shallow and overly simplistic, with some mechanics criticized as tedious or poorly implemented.
- “It's easy to pick up and play, and I didn't feel overwhelmed by complex mechanics, making it a relaxing yet engaging game.”
- “The gameplay is smooth, the graphics are jaw-dropping, and let's face it, who doesn't love watching a T-Rex wreak havoc on unsuspecting tourists?”
- “The gameplay is very fun when stuff goes wrong and you truly get to test out your skills in the game.”
- “The missions and objectives become repetitive, and there’s not enough variety in gameplay to keep things fresh for multiple playthroughs.”
- “The limited variety of creatures, lack of creativity in gameplay, and repetitive mechanics left me feeling underwhelmed by this frontier development title.”
- “The gameplay loop becomes horribly repetitive, and once you know the whole strategy of making five-star islands every time, the thrill of making a dinosaur park dies down pretty quick.”
story
2,064 mentions
17 % positive mentions
75 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's story is often described as minimal and lacking depth, primarily serving as a framework for the various missions players must complete. While some players appreciate the nostalgic references to the Jurassic Park franchise and the engaging character interactions, many find the missions repetitive and disconnected from a cohesive narrative. Overall, the focus on mission-based gameplay detracts from a more immersive storytelling experience, leaving players feeling that the game is more about completing tasks than unfolding a compelling story.
- “I particularly enjoyed the missions that the different departments send you on.”
- “I love the story in this game.”
- “The campaign provides a structured experience with narrative-driven missions, while the sandbox mode lets you unleash your imagination and build the park of your dreams without limitations.”
- “But seriously, the story in this is just bad and reads like it was put together five minutes in a bathroom before release.”
- “The story is not very well developed and it does get a bit boring and challenging towards later stages.”
- “The main missions quickly become tedious and how you have to complete the same tasks over and over to get enough reputation with all three factions to unlock the next island.”
grinding
466 mentions
1 % positive mentions
8 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive. While some enjoy the challenge of unlocking new dinosaurs and managing park operations, others criticize the excessive micromanagement and slow progression, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, players agree that the game requires significant time investment to unlock features, often leading to a frustrating experience filled with monotonous tasks.
- “The game is fairly easy and most buildings and upgrades are fairly easy to achieve (i.e., no grinding).”
- “It has easy to understand building systems, decent campaign if not tedious at times, and it easily scratches that JPOG itch for those who are interested in playing a more up-to-date version of that game as this is essentially its spiritual successor.”
- “Not tediously going through the damn thing and wanting it to be over so I can unlock new dinos.”
- “The gameplay itself is grindy as hell past the first 5 hours.”
- “You spend so much time doing tedious tasks that it's hard to progress.”
- “The game finds itself being quite slow to begin with which I personally find is too in the long run but can be tedious in the moment.”
music
383 mentions
46 % positive mentions
54 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its nostalgic and immersive qualities, primarily featuring iconic tracks from the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World films, including compositions by John Williams. Players appreciate the authentic voice acting from original movie cast members, which enhances the overall experience. While some critiques mention a lack of variety in the soundtrack during gameplay, the overall sound design effectively captures the atmosphere of the franchise, making it a highlight for fans.
- “The sound design further enhances the experience, with iconic Jurassic Park music and convincing dinosaur roars immersing you in the world of Isla Nublar.”
- “The music brings you instantly back to the movie - just amazing.”
- “The original score is very immersive, even the funny radio songs in Spanish, giving it a sense of reality and a good contrast.”
- “Jurassic World: Evolution is a game that is stilted, sterile, and constrictive in its park building gameplay, level design, and soundtrack.”
- “The soundtrack could have been a lot better, but you will hardly notice that as you will be far too busy dealing with the park as it constantly has malfunctions.”
- “The only time you get any inspirational type of music is on the loading screen and when you release a dino or complete a mission, and that's going to repeat thousands and thousands of times over and over again.”
replayability
273 mentions
21 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a contentious topic among players, with many expressing disappointment over its limited long-term engagement. While some enjoy the initial thrill and find value in sandbox modes and various challenges, others criticize the repetitive gameplay and lack of customization options, leading to a consensus that replayability diminishes significantly after the first playthrough. Overall, the game offers a mix of high replay potential for dedicated fans and low replay value for those seeking depth and variety.
- “Replayability (9.8/10): replayability is on fleek, much like in Cities: Skylines, thanks to extensive customization options and varying park scenarios.”
- “The game offers a lot of variety and replayability across five different islands, each with its own climate, terrain, and hazards.”
- “One of the best and most fun games I've ever played, the replayability is immense, especially when you unlock the sandbox modes.”
- “The game lacks replayability; after the first full playthrough, I didn’t feel much desire to go back and start over.”
- “The dinosaurs all behave the same, there is absolute zero replay value, and it's a tad too pricey for a game that offers little beyond beautiful models.”
- “Once you've researched everything and 5-starred every island, there's no replayability, which is obviously insanely bad for a park simulator.”
optimization
148 mentions
55 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players noting smooth performance and impressive graphics across various hardware setups. While some users experienced minor issues, such as lag in larger parks or occasional crashes, the majority found the game to run efficiently, even on lower-end systems. However, there are still concerns about persistent optimization issues in certain scenarios, indicating room for improvement.
- “The visuals and animations are very good, and the game runs smoothly even with my old GTX 960 on a 1440p screen.”
- “A very well optimized game with fluid gameplay even on low range laptops.”
- “The game looks absolutely stunning and is very well optimized; not a lot to say in this regard as you can easily see from video footage how beautiful the game is.”
- “It is concerning that such optimization issues still persist throughout their games.”
- “Wow, this is...just such a poorly optimized mess, crammed through with buggy UI, idiotic AI, and, to be honest, mediocre dinos stuck behind a grind wall.”
- “The game has a very similar concept to SimCity and all those games, it's not really that good and the performance is completely shite.”
stability
147 mentions
9 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
90 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that can significantly disrupt gameplay. While some users have noted improvements in stability after recent updates, others continue to experience persistent issues, particularly with UI responsiveness and game crashes. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable content, its stability problems detract from the overall experience for many players.
- “The game looks fantastic and runs great even on middling hardware.”
- “I'm truly shocked at how smooth the gameplay is and bug free.”
- “No glitches, no bugs, nothing to take away from the eye candy that Jurassic World Evolution is.”
- “I wanted something like 'JPOG 2', yet instead I've received a buggy disappointment of a game where you can't even landscape properly.”
- “The problem is it's buggy as heck; sometimes I can play for 30 minutes, sometimes 3 hours, but it always ends in a crash to desktop.”
- “This game could be lots of fun, but it's entirely too buggy.”
humor
113 mentions
99 % positive mentions
-2 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a major draw, with players enjoying the comedic chaos of dinosaurs escaping enclosures, humorous voice acting (especially from Jeff Goldblum), and the absurdity of in-game glitches. Many find the interactions between dinosaurs and park visitors, as well as the quirky AI behaviors, to be both entertaining and laugh-inducing, making the game a fun and lighthearted experience despite some gameplay frustrations. Overall, the blend of silly scenarios and witty dialogue contributes to a charmingly humorous atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
- “Watching the tiny deinonychus trying to fight the indominus rex and surviving because he can run is hilarious... one of the many reasons to enjoy this game.”
- “I named her Lisa, and it got to the point where I was shouting 'Dangit Lisa, stop breaking the fence all the time, chill out!' and then laughing because it was such a funny experience.”
- “The guys in the chopper that are supposed to be tranquilizing the dinosaurs complete lack of ability to shoot a dinosaur is hilarious.”
- “The humor in the game often falls flat, relying too much on funny bugs rather than clever writing.”
- “I expected a lot more from the humor; it feels forced and doesn't land well.”
- “The jokes are repetitive and lack originality, making the humor feel stale.”
atmosphere
96 mentions
67 % positive mentions
28 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its stunning graphics, immersive sound design, and faithful representation of the Jurassic Park universe, enhanced by original voice acting and music from the films. Players appreciate the lush environments and detailed dinosaur models, which contribute to a captivating and nostalgic experience, although some note that gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, making it enjoyable for fans of the franchise.
- “From the lush landscapes to the meticulously designed dinosaur models, every detail contributes to an immersive and realistic atmosphere.”
- “The graphics are stunning, the 'Jurassic Park' atmosphere is captured perfectly, and you can easily spend a few hours just watching your dinosaurs live their lives.”
- “The atmosphere is spot on.”
- “The park has no harmony with the island and, because of this, the most important element - atmosphere - is non-existent.”
- “Graphics: the graphics are stunning but with no atmosphere or immersion it really is pointless.”
- “There is no atmosphere with there being guests in the park.”
monetization
78 mentions
4 % positive mentions
21 % neutral mentions
76 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over the reliance on microtransactions and expensive DLCs that feel essential for a complete experience. While some players appreciate the game's visuals and initial gameplay, the overall sentiment is that it lacks depth and content, making it feel more like a mobile game designed to exploit the franchise's popularity rather than a fully realized title. Many users regret their purchase, viewing it as a shallow product that capitalizes on the Jurassic World brand without delivering substantial value.
- “It's essentially a high-production-value mobile game, but without the ceaseless microtransactions that platform implies.”
- “Thankfully this game wasn't ballsy enough to throw in microtransactions; that would frankly make it unplayable.”
- “P.S.A: there are no microtransactions, so don't worry about any of that.”
- “It's a blind cash grab banking on the success of the movies.”
- “The problem is that it's not a complete game and you have to buy the microtransactions to make it a complete game.”
- “Honestly had such high hopes for this game... but to be honest it's nothing more than a cash grab released just before the movie release... could have been amazing, but it fell flat, little to zero customization, no decorations, basic buildings with no real character, and a repetitiveness that begins to physically hurt after the first hour or two...”
emotional
41 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, often feeling nostalgic and moved by their experiences, particularly in relation to the dinosaurs and their care. Many reviewers mention moments that brought them to tears, highlighting the game's ability to evoke strong feelings of joy, nostalgia, and even sadness, especially when witnessing the life cycles of the dinosaurs. However, some also note frustrations with gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall emotional experience.
- “This game made me feel happy and fuzzy inside, and I loved to photograph my dinosaurs.”
- “You'll love watching your first struthiomimus scamper off into its habitat, chirping like a bird, and try not to shed a tear when your first T-Rex peacefully passes away from old age.”
- “When I finally made my first T-Rex, I cried.”
character development
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game lacks character development and storytelling elements, as it focuses primarily on strategy rather than character design or environmental customization. Players note the absence of detailed character design and prop placement options, contributing to a feeling of emptiness in the game's world.
- “The park and the buildings are completely void of character design, and there is no option for prop placement such as benches, bins, or individual trees.”
- “Granted, it is a strategy-based game, so there's no real character development or story.”