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"Saurian" is a single-player, open-world game set in Hell Creek 66 million years ago, where players survive as hatchlings, managing needs while avoiding predators and hazards in a scientifically accurate environment. Its good mechanics, impressive visuals, and music are weighed down by numerous bugs, but it offers an immersive dinosaur experience with a thriving AI ecosystem.

Saurian screenshot
Saurian screenshot
Saurian screenshot
Saurian screenshot
Saurian screenshot

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,302 reviews
gameplay64 positive mentions
optimization28 negative mentions

  • Saurian offers a unique and scientifically accurate dinosaur simulation experience, immersing players in the Hell Creek ecosystem.
  • The graphics and dinosaur models are stunning, showcasing a high level of detail and realism.
  • The game has potential for growth, with regular updates and a dedicated development team committed to improving gameplay.
  • The game has been in early access for several years with only one playable dinosaur, leading to a lack of content and replayability.
  • Performance issues and bugs are prevalent, making the game difficult to play on many systems, even those that meet the recommended specifications.
  • Development has been slow, with many players feeling frustrated by the lack of significant updates and features since the game's initial release.
  • gameplay
    278 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Saurian has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique mechanics and immersive environment, but criticizing its repetitiveness and lack of depth. While some find the mechanics engaging and the graphics stunning, others feel that the game is overly simplistic, with limited content and a lack of meaningful objectives, leading to a dull experience after a few hours. Overall, the game shows potential but is hindered by performance issues and a slow development pace, leaving many players hoping for significant updates to enhance gameplay variety and functionality.

    • “The gameplay is really engaging, always having you on your toes, and the mechanics are quite smooth.”
    • “It's a beautiful game; it has engaging mechanics, it can get adrenaline pumping or it can be calm and peaceful. It's not for the faint of heart; it can be stressful and intense, and that's what I personally love about it.”
    • “The game features a lively senses mechanic, and you can spot food by sense of smell.”
    • “The game is very interesting for the first couple of hours, but stagnates quickly with no gameplay variety (a plague of animal simulator games like this, really unfortunate).”
    • “The gameplay is very lackluster - due to how bare bones it is.”
    • “The game has made no meaningful progress since launch, there is no gameplay of note to speak of.”
  • graphics
    202 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the scientific accuracy and detail of the dinosaur models and environments. However, numerous users report significant performance issues, including poor optimization and lag, even on high-end PCs, which detracts from the overall visual experience. While some find the graphics stunning, others feel they are outdated and not reflective of the game's potential, indicating a need for further optimization and improvement.

    • “Despite the lack of optimization, the game is visually stunning; each animal and plant is rendered in loving detail with regards to scientific accuracy, aesthetics, and readability in gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful and make me feel like I'm a dinosaur living in the Hell Creek formation of the past.”
    • “The graphics and detail are amazing; you can tell just how much work was put into this game.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized with outdated graphics and high render distance, which combine to make what should be a beautiful game with a good challenge into one that feels clunky and looks strange at times.”
    • “The graphics are underwhelming, and despite this, the game still performs very badly; it is impossible to get anything above 30 fps at the lowest settings on a high-end gaming PC.”
    • “I can play intensive VR games on my PC at max graphics and rendering quality without problems, but for some reason, this game runs like a potato every time I turn it on; it seems to lack optimization or has some really bad memory leaks.”
  • optimization
    114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates, stuttering, and bugs that hinder gameplay. While the visuals are praised for their detail, the overall experience is marred by the game's poor optimization, making it unplayable for many, especially on lower-end systems. Despite some improvements noted in updates, the consensus is that significant optimization work is still needed for a smoother experience.

    • “Despite the lack of optimization, the game is visually stunning; each animal and plant is rendered in loving detail with regards to scientific accuracy, aesthetics, and readability in gameplay.”
    • “After downloading today's update, I noticed the performance improvement immediately.”
    • “I recommend this game, but also suggest waiting until performance is stabilized and more content lands.”
    • “The game is poorly optimized with outdated graphics and high render distance, combining to make what should be a beautiful game with a good challenge into one that feels clunky and looks strange at times.”
    • “The biggest problem I have with this game is performance; my PC is not amazing by any means, but I upgraded from using an onboard GPU to a Ryzen and a 1050ti, and the improvement is minimal. I get between 20 and 40 fps on a good day with lag spikes happening periodically.”
    • “It's basically impossible to hunt herbivores with my kind of performance until the adult stage.”
  • stability
    108 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and performance issues such as lag and freezing. While some players acknowledge the game's potential and charm, they emphasize that it remains unfinished and overly buggy, making it difficult to recommend in its current state. Overall, the consensus is that while the game shows promise, it requires substantial refinement and optimization before it can be considered enjoyable.

    • “For an early access game, it's not that buggy, but it does crash occasionally.”
    • “I would not buy it if you are looking for extremely gripping and fulfilling gameplay or a bug-free experience right from the get-go.”
    • “The game is very buggy (even for early access); I wasn't able to drink water about three times and died solely for that reason.”
    • “It's a great game if you are into realism and accuracy, but I do admit that the bugs and glitches are very frustrating.”
    • “I waited 2 years for this game, but right now, it's too buggy; I'll request a refund and buy it after there are some optimization fixes.”
  • music
    53 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its beauty and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its unique and immersive qualities. The soundtrack is described as stunning, fitting well with the game's environment and creating a captivating ambiance, particularly during nighttime. However, some players noted that the lack of variety in gameplay contrasts with the excellent music, suggesting that while the soundtrack is a strong point, it may not be enough to elevate the overall experience.

    • “The world feels very alive with good ambiance and music in the background that just wants to make you sit around for a while and listen to it.”
    • “Beautiful music made by xzicd, really fits and makes the mood of the game.”
    • “The sound design is great, the music is awesome, the way you make the game simple, and have nothing to do in the game, makes the game more of a relaxing experience, it makes you wander around, and find things to do, really beautiful game.”
    • “There is almost no music at all, but I'm sure that's in the works.”
    • “I also downloaded the DLC for 5 dollars thinking it added stuff, but it's a soundtrack apparently that doesn't play since sound crashes constantly.”
    • “I guess the music was supposed to be creating tension, but it just served to confuse me.”
  • replayability
    37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is currently limited due to the small number of playable dinosaurs, with only two available at present, leading to repetitive gameplay. Many reviewers express hope for future updates that will introduce more playable species and features, which could enhance the overall experience and replay value. Until these updates are implemented, players are advised to wait before purchasing, as the game lacks sufficient content to sustain long-term engagement.

    • “Overall, it has high replayability even in this early state. The models and animations are gorgeous, and the care and research that was poured into it is second to none.”
    • “There is so much potential for when more playable dinosaurs are added that I can't help but be excited about it.”
    • “Right now, there is only one playable dinosaur, so gameplay gets repetitive fast, but there are still five more playable dinosaurs to come, which will offer much more interesting gameplay.”
    • “The controls, all the way down to the camera movement, are a bit janky and the game has very little replayability.”
    • “Right now there is only one playable dinosaur, so gameplay gets repetitive fast, but there are still 5 more playable dinosaurs to come, which will offer much more interesting gameplay.”
    • “Saurian, as of now, makes for a neat, short survival experience with little to no replay value, and this is in no way worth its price tag.”
  • story
    17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story aspect is largely absent, with many users noting that it lacks a traditional narrative or quests, leading to a more open-ended experience where players create their own stories. Some express a desire for a structured storyline or events to provide focus, while others appreciate the freedom of a gameplay driven by complex AI interactions rather than scripted narratives. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes gameplay mechanics over storytelling.

    • “Heartwarming coming-of-age story of our favorite velociraptor.”
    • “The game is driven by complex AI that gives the player random realistic experiences rather than a scripted story, and the other animals behave in an understandable and interpretable way that's more like an animal with the same imperatives as modern ones instead of some monster like most other forms of media portray dinosaurs.”
    • “There is no quest to go find the golden marmoset for XP, or any sort of story.”
    • “This is not a game that you have challenges, quests, and a story.”
    • “It might be better to have another option than 'survival mode', one with a story to provide focus (like, an asteroid or ice age, for example).”
  • atmosphere
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its immersive and realistic qualities, enhanced by detailed environments, effective sound design, and a fitting musical score. However, some critiques highlight issues with map layout and mechanics that detract from the overall experience, suggesting that while the atmosphere has potential, it is not consistently executed. Overall, players appreciate the unique ambiance and the game's commitment to scientific accuracy, making it a standout in the genre.

    • “The assortment of trees and ferns, the colors, the day and night lighting, as well as the various AI scattered about really make the atmosphere immersive and realistic.”
    • “The world of Saurian isn't made beautiful by cutting-edge graphics; it's made beautiful by the elegiac atmosphere of its vigorously accurate ecosystem.”
    • “The game is very atmospheric; you feel constantly on your guard, which gives you a sense of belonging in the game world.”
    • “If you're looking for an animal survival-style game and don't need it to be dinosaurs, play Ancestors: A Humankind Odyssey (more nerdy/survival) or Maneater (more goofy/fun) and think about what we could have had in terms of the mechanics, handling, atmosphere, level design, and HUD elements for Saurian.”
    • “What matters to me is the core mechanics and atmosphere.”
    • “Also, the sounds of waves around the beach would really add to the atmosphere, but I can't complain about what we've already got.”
  • grinding
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is excessively tedious and often frustrating, with players feeling that survival mechanics lack depth and variety. While some enjoy the initial gameplay, the repetitive tasks of hunting and resource gathering quickly become monotonous, leading to a sense of aimlessness and boredom. Overall, the grind is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Unique gameplay elements, I have only played Dakotaraptor so far, but even in that, it has elements like biting the throat for a faster kill, a risky but worthwhile hunting tactic. Scents uniquely inform you about what's around, both predator and prey, without causing massive frame drops like in other games it's featured in (The Isle, particularly, also a pretty good game, if not grindy).”
    • “Aside from all this, the game is deeply unfun to play at the moment, too grindy and mechanic-less to provide much but frustration.”
    • “This isn't fun, sadly, because of its grindy focus on surviving with little to no purpose outside of 'don't die.' I respect the devs who are working on this game, but they need to get their fingers out of their ears and start listening to the community.”
    • “I can't really explore much because I have to keep running up hills then down to a water source, then up and down and up, and that is very tedious.”
  • humor
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is often derived from its bugs and AI quirks, with players finding amusement in the absurdity of characters' actions, such as dinosaurs behaving comically in unrealistic scenarios. While some critiques highlight frustrations with development delays and perceived mismanagement of funds, the overall sentiment suggests that the game's humor, particularly in its early moments and visual elements, adds a lighthearted charm that many players appreciate.

    • “Ai leaves a lot to be desired; I’ve watched whole flocks of ornithomimus die because they stood in the water screaming aimlessly at a small gator, which admittedly was extremely funny but also clearly not as realistic as the devs likely intend.”
    • “This was literally the first 2 seconds of the game; I'd be mad if it wasn't so funny.”
    • “It is funny and I love the feathers.”
  • emotional
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting moments of terror and heartbreak, such as witnessing the death of a character's mother by a T-rex. The experience is described as both heartwarming and devastating, with some players feeling deeply affected to the point of tears, indicating a powerful narrative impact.

    • “However, the first time I played as a triceratops, a T-Rex killed my mother in front of me within five minutes of being spawned, which was terrifying and also heartbreaking.”
    • “Heartwarming coming-of-age story of our favorite velociraptor.”
    • “I cried.”
  • monetization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with multiple users labeling it a "cash grab" due to the absence of promised content, specifically key dinosaur characters. Reviewers express frustration over the lack of updates and feel that their investment may not yield any meaningful returns, leading to a strong recommendation against purchasing the game.

    • “This feels like a complete and utter cash grab and I feel like my efforts to get any sort of refund would be in vain.”
    • “A cash grab.”
    • “Cash grab, do not buy.”

Buy Saurian

9h Median play time
27h Average play time
4-25h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

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