Amiga

Jurassic Park

I'm pleased to report that JP is a bit of a corker. If you like dinos, the movie or simply a good game, you'll love this.

I have to admit to be genuinely gobsmacked by Jurassic Park. It's hardly state-of-the-art stuff, but it's nice to see companies like Ocean bothering to put a bit of time and effort into their products. Jurassic Park is nice to look at, and great to play. I found the 3D sections to be especially nerve-wracking after a late night working and plying my tortured body with ultra-espresso coffee. It really is hold-onto-your-pants time when a velociraptor leaps round a corner just as you come towards the end of a stage.

You know already, but the graphics and the sound are the computer game equivalent of heroic Greek sculptures. The 3D sections are genuinely scary and not to be taken too lightly. Overwhelmingly the gameplay is the downer. It is paltry and mind-locking. This could have been a smash of overwhelming proportions. Unfortunately, well, fill the rest in yourself...

Unfortunately, Jurassic Park suffers from the great looks, huge game but little playability syndrome. So much of your time is spent wandering around that before long you become interminably bored. The levels offer little variety and despite the two distinct styles within the game (overhead and point-of-view perspectives), the lack of real action leaves you somewhat cold. Once you have shot the same type of animal a hundred times you really do not want to see them again. But the compies (small dog-like creatures that nip you) just keep on hassling you. They are not difficult to kill, just intensely annoying. Those of you who loved the film may glean some satisfaction from exploring the park and killing heaps of animals from a bygone age but I would much prefer a day out at Alton Towers with Beavis and Butthead.

Sieht man mal davon ab, daß einige der Soundeffekte zwischendurch aus unerklärlichen Gründen das Weite suchen, sind die Begleitmusik und die verbliebenen FX durchaus anhörbar. Auch über die Steuerung via Tastatur oder Joystick kann man kein böses Wort sagen; angesichts des happigen Schwierigkeitsgrades wäre das ja auch noch schöner. Trotz alledem ist Jurassic Park keineswegs der große Reißer, den man erwartet hätte: Weder das Gameplay noch die Präsentation sind auf dem neuesten Stand, was gerade beim einem reinen 1200er-Game besonders unangenehm auffällt. Wie mögen da erst die angekündigten Version für die übrigen Amigas und das CD32 ausfallen?