Primal Carnage: Extinction
- April 3, 2015
- Pub Games
- 15h median play time
A simple, but fun, FPS that could have been so much better. The dinosaurs are certainly fun, but it won't take long for you to grow tired of the game at large.
"Primal Carnage: Extinction" is a multiplayer-focused, team-based shooter where players battle it out as humans or dinosaurs. Humans are equipped with a variety of weapons to take down the dinosaurs, while the dinosaurs have their own abilities and strengths to use against the humans. The game features several different game modes, maps, and playable characters to keep the action fresh and exciting.
Reviews
- gameplay790 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Primal Carnage: Extinction" is characterized by its entertaining and chaotic nature, featuring unique mechanics for both dinosaurs and humans that create a fun, albeit unbalanced, experience. While many players appreciate the variety of classes and the engaging core gameplay, they also note significant issues such as bugs, clunky controls, and a lack of updates that detract from the overall enjoyment. Despite these drawbacks, the game retains a dedicated community and offers a nostalgic appeal for fans of the original title.
“Each class of both dinos and humans feels different and purposeful, and each playable has several different mechanics making it unique, fun, and challenging to use.”
“This game hits so hard, yeah it's really old but there is so much fun gameplay to have in here that is unique in a way I have never experienced in an FPS game before.”
“The gameplay is genuinely fun, the maps are small, obviously; but still an adventure to go through.”
“The gameplay: this game plays like a watered down version of Left 4 Dead.”
“The controls and mechanics are clunky as hell and it all just feels unfinished.”
“Not to mention the gameplay itself is boring at worst and lackluster at most by today's standards.”
- graphics632 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Primal Carnage: Extinction" receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the visuals can be impressive, they are often dated and reminiscent of older games. Some praise the detailed models and animations, particularly for the dinosaurs, while others criticize the overall graphical quality and performance issues, especially on lower-end systems. Overall, the game is seen as visually appealing for its time, but many players feel it could benefit from a significant graphical overhaul to match modern standards.
“The graphics are amazing and the models are very good.”
“The graphics are exquisite and animations are medal-worthy.”
“This game is what every dino lover wants, the ability to play as a high tech, good graphic dino.”
“Do not buy, not worth it, very unbalanced, graphics look like the first Doom game that ever came out.”
“This game is terribly optimized and runs like shit especially for how bad the graphics are, the gameplay is inconsistent and every server has lag issues.”
“Because of all of this, combined with the forced-low graphics that pre-date the 90's, this game is a major disappointment for modern day genre shooters.”
- stability222 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs, glitches, and performance issues that significantly detract from the overall experience. While some find the gameplay enjoyable despite these problems, many express frustration over unresolved issues and a perceived lack of developer support for fixes. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess," with stability concerns being a major drawback for potential players.
“This game runs great and really gets the blood rushing.”
“I have to say this game is pretty good right now, unless you must have a completely bug-free experience.”
“The game is far too janky and buggy.”
“A dead and buggy mess of the game, would not recommend.”
“This game in a nutshell: buggy, unbalanced and frustrating.”
- optimization92 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The optimization of "Primal Carnage" has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering and lag, even on lower graphical settings. While some updates have improved optimization for certain users, others still experience poor performance compared to the original game. Overall, the game is seen as needing further optimization to ensure a smoother experience across a wider range of systems.
“Edit: since the November 15th update, optimization of this game has been improved dramatically, so even if you don't have a great PC or laptop, it should run just fine now.”
“Most realistic dino game so far and it's very fun, though there are a lot of things to fix in this game, but it works just fine and the developers did a great job optimizing the performance of this game.”
“This game has come a long way in terms of polish and optimization.”
“As for optimization, I can run games like Overwatch, Avengers, GTAV, Cyberpunk, Apex, etc. all at the highest graphical settings, but this game at even low settings finds a way to have stutters, frame drops, etc. It wasn't like this last patch or the patch prior; whether this has to do with the recent GeForce drivers could be a possibility, but regardless, I hope it gets looked into.”
“This game is terribly optimized and runs poorly, especially for how bad the graphics are. The gameplay is inconsistent, and every server has lag issues.”
“Another problem I have with this game is that it has slightly worse optimization than the original, which is odd considering this had more time to improve its optimization. So people who could not run the original Primal Carnage very well will have even more trouble running this game.”
- humor87 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players finding it hilarious to engage in chaotic dinosaur antics, such as being knocked out by dinosaurs or grenades. The community is noted for its friendly and humorous interactions, and the game features amusing elements like ragdoll physics and funny taunts, contributing to a lighthearted and entertaining experience. While some players feel the humor has diminished over time, many still enjoy the comedic moments and absurdities that arise during gameplay.
“It's fun, fast-paced and for myself personally I find it hilarious when I get KO'd by dinos or grenades.”
“Is fun playing as a dinosaur: you can ram people, hook them from the shoulders then throw them to the abyss or eat them, ambush players from the bushes, it's so freaking hilarious and I never get tired of it.”
“That's another thing, the taunts and cosmetics for this game are great and sometimes very funny!”
- story80 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is widely criticized, with many players noting a lack of a coherent narrative or engaging storyline. While some missions are described as having a proper plot, the overall sentiment is that the game feels more like a series of disconnected challenges rather than a cohesive story experience. Players express a desire for a more developed single-player story mode and additional content to enhance the narrative depth.
“Story and graphics are good.”
“Proper plot with each game type.”
“This game is absolutely awesome, the only thing it's missing is more dinos/humans, and a single player story mode would be awesome.”
“☑️ This game has no story.”
“There is simply no story line to this game at all!”
“Worst game ever, don't have story, it's like shit, don't buy it!”
- monetization46 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many reviewers labeling it a cash grab focused on cosmetic microtransactions that detract from the overall experience. While some players appreciate the cosmetic options available, the overwhelming presence of microtransactions, combined with a lack of meaningful content and balance updates, has led to frustration and a perception that the developers prioritize profit over player engagement. Overall, the game is seen as needing a shift to a free-to-play model and a comprehensive rework to improve its longevity and player base.
“It doesn't try to squeeze microtransactions out of players or exploit gambling addictions the way it seems nearly every other game does nowadays.”
“The things in the store/market are definitely cool and I think this game actually works well with in-game purchases, unlike many others.”
“This game has microtransactions but only skins and cosmetics, so nobody needs that. In addition, you get drops sometimes.”
“This game is basically a one and done; they put it out for a quick cash grab.”
“Game is pretty much dead, devs lazy asf, unbalanced and stuffed with microtransactions that make Overwatch even look cheap. It should swap to a free-to-play model at this point and get an overall rework, else I don't see this game lasting any longer.”
“It's impossible to play the game as intended, although I don't even know what's intended at this point because the developers are going for a complete cash grab with the amount of children who play this game because they want to fulfill their dinosaur fantasies by putting in new skins every chance they get.”
- grinding46 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 74 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as tedious and time-consuming, particularly for players seeking skins and rank-ups, with some noting it can become boring if not fully engaged. While there are alternative methods to acquire cosmetics, many players express frustration over repetitive rewards and the prevalence of AFK farming, which detracts from the overall experience. However, for those who enjoy PvP and the dinosaur vs. human theme, the grind can be rewarding and fun, albeit requiring significant time investment.
“The concept is good, I loved the idea of being able to deathmatch as a dinosaur or human; and it wasn't tedious or boring to switch between the two.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy sometimes.”
“It can be a little tedious and annoying to get skins at times, and the skins in the store are overpriced. But fear not, you can just go to the Steam market and buy skins there for a fraction of the price.”
“I got the same skin three times in a row while grinding levels with no break in between... literally the same skin at levels 15, 16, and 17.”
“Which can be extremely tedious, especially for the quests you may need to do, because you have to wait until the round is over for those quests to count.”
- replayability20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it infinitely replayable due to enjoyable customization and leveling systems, others note that the repetitive modes and lack of a progression system limit long-term engagement. The potential for future updates, including more playable dinosaurs and dynamic maps, could enhance replay value significantly.
“🔲 Infinitely replayable.”
“The new customization system and leveling system is enjoyable and makes the game very replayable.”
“The ability to get unlockables from playing grants replay value and a goal to keep playing; it is also fun to actually unlock something as you play that you can use in the game.”
“However, I do think this game is limited in terms of replayability because the modes are very repetitive, but it's a great start and possibly the best multiplayer dino shooter to date.”
“There is no progression system, so you don't unlock anything as you play, so the only replay value is just being in the mood to play.”
“Replay value - 8/10 (gets boring after a little while)”
- music14 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its engaging soundtrack, particularly during human gameplay, with players enjoying the thematic fit of the music to various situations. The inclusion of tracks like "madness combat" adds to the fun, making the experience enjoyable even in solo play. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
“The soundtrack is really nice, especially when playing as humans.”
“Listening to madness combat music while playing this is pretty fun.”
“Great soundtrack!”
- emotional11 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is mixed; while some players appreciate the wholesome community and supportive features like the gifting system, others express frustration with persistent toxicity that detracts from the overall experience. The presence of friendly interactions and fan service is heartwarming, but the negative experiences lead some to avoid the game altogether.
“A single wholesome community server where people are actually nice.”
“Friendly and wholesome.”
“The gifting system is wholesome and brings the community together, and the fan service to other paleo media such as Walking with Dinosaurs and Dinosaur King is very welcome.”
- atmosphere10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally described as engaging, particularly in competitive modes where players feel immersed in the action, whether as a dinosaur or a human. However, some reviewers criticize it for lacking the tension and depth found in the original Primal Carnage, labeling it as overly cartoonish and unbalanced, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Good Jurassic Park style atmosphere.”
“I still prefer the original Primal Carnage for darker ambient and atmosphere.”
“I still prefer the original Primal Carnage for its darker ambiance and atmosphere.”
“I usually find myself playing team deathmatch, the more competitive game mode, and I find myself encompassed within the game's atmosphere, if I'm, say, a pteranodon flying and attempting to grab ahold of a pesky human, or if I'm a trapper, watching my back for any dinosaurs and shooting a novaraptor.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that character development in the game is perceived as lacking depth, with a focus on comical outfits and designs reminiscent of Borderlands 2, which some players feel detracts from a more mature and realistic gameplay experience.
“Gameplay is unrealistic and needs maturing instead of comical outfits and character designs you see from Borderlands 2.”
Critic Reviews
Primal Carnage: Extinction Review
Primal Carnage: Extinction feels like a great concept which has just not had enough "shine" put into the end product. Basic menus and average production values could be forgiven if the gameplay was killer, but dinosaurs deserve to be more badass and exciting than this. So while there is some dino fun to be had here, this is a game that will likely be left on the virtual shelf and left to turn extinct.
50%Primal Carnage: Extinction Review - Greenlight Failure
Just don't buy. If you like the concept maybe buy Evolve instead.
25%Primal Carnage: Extinction Review
Dinosaurs are awesome.
50%