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OVERVIEW

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Turok 2 on Xbox One is the second Remaster of an N64 title from developer Nightdive Studios. This FPS has the player taking control over a new Turok and a higher emphasis has been placed on the story. This sequel also brings a multiplayer component to it. Let us see how Nightdive Studios has chosen to Remaster this second iconic classic and how the multiplayer holds up.

Release date: March 1, 2018

Price: $19.99

Approximate Size: 722.06 MB

Genre: First Person Shooter

Developed by: Nightdive Studios

Published by: Nightdive Studios

Reviewed On Xbox One, Also Available On PC, Original On N64

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STORY

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A new entry, a new protagonist, and a new Turok. In this game you control Joshua Fireseed. He is told by an alien by the name of Adon that his aid has been requested by Lazarus Concordance. These Elders of the Lost Land seek his help by asking him to put a stop to Primagen. Awaken from the events of the first game, it is Primagen’s goal to escape the confines of this Lost Land, a primal land with dinosaurs among other things, but in doing so a shockwave would be created that is powerful enough to end the universe.

There is more weight in this sequel, a more determined sense of purpose in pushing yourself through the story. If you fail, the universe is destroyed. This sci-fi adventure with dinosaurs is a ton of fun to experience but I once again want to caution newer players and remind them this is a game from the 90s and many of the tropes and additions we’ve become accustomed to may not be present. However, like the rest of the game, I ask that you don’t let this detour you and you give this game a chance.

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GAMEPLAY

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SINGLE PLAYER

The sequel plays similar to the first entry (feel free to check our review here), using a first-person perspective, only the levels are larger with more areas available for exploration. You will go through the levels and complete a series of objectives and challenges in order to reach the end and progress forward. The path, however, is littered with enemies and the way forward isn’t always obvious. This sequel feels more fulfilling, more fleshed out, and just offers more content than its predecessor. Navigating these levels also requires collecting keys to unlock access to the final boss. Overall these levels can feel like games of their own as your fighting off enemies and proceeding forward, as you collect items and gain new weaponry, and as the story unravels for you.

Lets talk about the weapons. Turok 2 is very creative with its weaponry and with the variety it offers. You have everything from archaic classics like the bow and more modern like typical guns and unique offerings available only in this great world like the Cerebral Bore. Now that Cerebral Bore is beautifully brutally grotesque yet wonderful in how you use it and the animations that accompany it. Watching an enemy’s skull get drilled as the blood shoots out is something only a game like this can produce and it is completely satisfying. As for these enemies, they are designed to kill you and they are very capable and very determined to see this through. Once they lock onto you, they live to only have you annihilated. Now, don’t expect modern tactics from these enemies because a lot of them will attack out in the open without fear of being killed or worry over self-preservation. Also, like the first, the boss fights are fantastic and a ton of fun to experience.

Turok 2 Remastered is a blast to play through again and it holds up perfectly well to modern games. In many ways, some of the modern games could look to classics such as these on ways to diversify and switch up the gameplay. In terms of gameplay, this release doesn’t really have any flaws. The only concern with the gameplay will come down to the individual and whether they can look past these classic controls and mechanics. What this does tell me is that Nightdive Studios needs to just Remaster all of the Turok games.

MULTIPLAYER

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Turok 2 has a multiplayer mode that the first did not. All your classic modes are here, such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture The Flag, and some different takes on industry standard ones. The multiplayer modes run so smooth that other people may think you are dabbling in another offline mode because it runs that good. Its refreshing and surprising really just how smooth the whole experience is. The only issue I found with the online was the lack of people available to play with. I don’t think this is an issue with the game itself but more of the lack of people who have either purchased the title or, possibly, they have but are busy still playing the first. Whatever the case maybe, I have to let you know my experience: games took some time to find but ran exceptionally well.
This game can sell itself solely on the single player content and the fact that Nightdive Studios was able to bring over the multiplayer modes and give them the same love and devotion as the single player content is something that should be appreciated. A lot of care went into this Remaster and it’s apparent from the beginning.

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GRAPHICS

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Turok 2 is superior to it’s predecessor in nearly every way. The areas that you roam through feel larger and are more detailed than before. When you go from the first game to this one, it’s instantly apparent that this game offers more of everything with more complex level design and better models. As with the first, Nightdive Studios have worked wonders. The guns look better than what was in the first, the dinosaurs look more intimidating, and the areas that have been almost completely revamped do not feel out of place or jarring. Turok 2 was already a visually appealing game when it launched back on the N64 and, even still, the developers have managed to enhance what was already good and make it even better. Like the first, they have taken their time and have not left any polygon without the love and care this franchise deserves.

With all of that said, the true highlight of this release has to be upon the game’s lighting system. It becomes obvious that the first lacked this level of shadow quality and going back between them marks a night and day style of difference. The atmosphere of the game has been preserved and built upon and the collectables spread around the level look just as good. Guns have a nice effect as they fire and enemies spray blood in comedic fashion.

Overall the graphics are fine, I would go as far as to say great. I’m from this era, I’ve played this on N64, but it never looked this good. More modern gamers may not see this game as impressive as I’ve stated, and that’s fine, but don’t let this be the reason you don’t try the game because it is a good game.

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SOUND

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The dinosaurs in this game sound more primal and closer to how we’ve grown to expect how they would sound. Not that they needed to make this change but I did find them more alive and realistic in presentation because of it. The weapons have found that depth I felt was lacking in the first, that powerful impact as the bullet is hit and travels through the barrel to it’s intended target. Each of the them sound how one would expect and none of them felt off in anyway.

The game also uses ambient sounds depending on the level and the same sort of primal upbeat sounds the first had. There is more variety in this entry. Enemies react with an audible clue when attacked and there are sound effects for that excess amount of blood that sprays from them. Voice acting can sound robotic at times depending on the NPC and the sound effect used when collecting items is just as annoying sounding as it was years ago.

As you can see, sound design in this game is an improvement over the first in nearly every way. There are some sounds that aren’t up to standard but that’s just a sign of how far we’ve come in the art of story telling and gaming in general. The music in the game adds another layer to the intensity of a hectic situation in a way the first never truly could.

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SUMMARY

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Turok 2 Remaster is faithful to the original, as was the firsts, and brings a fun online component with it. This one has aged better than the first and the sound design is a step up, as is the level design and the story. The lighting system deserves praise and so does developer Nightdive Studios. This is, however, not a perfect game. Some models and areas aren’t perfect, some modern gamers may have some issues with the controls, and the multiplayer aspect of the game doesn’t have a strong player base. If you can look past the controls, being a newer gamer, then you’ll have a great experience on your hands from a game from generations ago. Players from the N64 era will be happy that this classic plays the same but looks and runs better than ever.

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VERDICT

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