Being a kid is hard. It’s easy to forget that as we grow older, but there’s a long period of life where you have very little control over anything. The trade-off is fewer responsibilities, but one of the hardest things about being a kid is that you really want things you can’t have. Sometimes it's something that’s too expensive, like a VR headset or Steam Deck. Other times, it's because you want something that simply doesn’t exist. A lot of 90’s kids (and not-90’s kids frankly) fell in love with Jurassic Park. They wanted a game as good as the movie, but never got one. A mish-mash of action-adventure platforming and freemium shovelware, the Jurassic Park franchise never had a game worthy of the park-building experience fans dreamt of playing. Until now.
Jurassic World: Evolution 2 came to PS Plus in December, giving subscribers the chance to experience the best Jurassic Park game ever and one of the coolest sim games of this generation. Originally released in 2021, Frontier Development’s second entry in the series is also its best thanks to a range of game modes that cater to different playstyles, fantastic graphics, and a deep understanding and appreciation for a film that continues to captivate audiences to this day.
The first thing that will strike you when you fire up Jurassic World Evolution 2 is how cinematic the whole thing feels. It opens with the theatrical production logo for Universal Studios, giving you a blockbuster movie vibe right out of the gate. That’s accompanied by blockbuster stars too, with everyone’s favorite zaddy Jeff Goldblum reprising his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm along with Bryce Dallas Howard and BD Wong lending their talents as well.
The game's most significant improvement lies in its broadened scope. Evolution 2 introduces four game modes — Campaign, Chaos Theory, Sandbox, and Challenge — each offering unique ways to engage with the game. Campaign mode follows a post-Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom storyline, where players work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Dept. to protect the dinosaurs who are now loose inside scenic locales like Yosemite and the Appalachian Mountains. It’s more of a tutorial than a campaign, but is a great place to start to learn the basics.
Those basics include all the things you’d expect from a good amusement park-style sim. You’ll learn how to construct basic facilities, like a medical bay and ranger stations, that help keep your dinos healthy and your guests safe. It teaches you how to do expeditions to find more dinos to add to your parks and walks you through the process of keeping your dinos happy. After all, an Albertosaurus and a Brachiosaurus have different needs so you’ll need to adjust your enclosures to cater to their preferred biomes, food sources, and, in some cases, cohabitants from different species.
There isn’t much in the way of resource management save for one thing — money. You earn revenue based on the exotic variety of dinos you’re able to put on display and have to balance that against daily operating costs for things like staff, food, and fuel for your power generators. You’ll be tempted to “spare no expense” like Jurassic Park legend John Hammond, but stretch yourself too thin and bankruptcy will end the campaign.
It’s a great start, but the campaign isn’t the star of the show. Chaos Theory mode is where the game shines. It reimagines pivotal moments from the films and tasks players with rewriting history. Managing the infamous Isla Nublar or establishing a successful park in The Lost World timeline is a nostalgic yet innovative experience, seamlessly blending lore with gameplay. If you’re a ‘90s kid especially this is the Jurassic Park fantasy come to life, but even if the movie doesn’t stir up deep nostalgia-feels you’ll still get immersed in the story and stakes that unfold.
Visually, Jurassic World Evolution 2 is breathtaking. The dinosaurs are brought to life with stunning detail and realistic animations, from the lumbering gait of a Brachiosaurus to the terrifyingly swift movements of a Velociraptor. The game also introduces new species, including aquatic and flying dinosaurs, significantly diversifying the range of attractions you can include in your park. Watching a Mosasaurus breach for its meal or a Pteranodon glide through its aviary is a sight to behold. A photography mechanic rewards you with cash for taking great pics of wild dinos, too, and offers the potential for hours of distraction on its own.
While Jurassic World Evolution 2 offers a robust simulation experience, it’s not without flaws. Some players may find the pacing slow, especially in the early stages of park development. Meanwhile, the AI for guests and dinosaurs occasionally behaves unpredictably. Let’s just chalk it up to Chaos Theory, shall we?
Despite these minor issues, Jurassic World Evolution 2 is a standout park management game. Its blend of cinematic flair, deep strategy, and pure dino-fueled excitement makes it a must-play for fans of the genre and the Jurassic Park franchise alike. If you’ve ever dreamed of running your own dinosaur park, this is your chance to live the fantasy.
