The Turok series was once a staple of the games industry. For a number of years in the late ’90s, the Turok titles were the leading console single-player FPS games. That was of course, until GoldenEye 007 decided to come and disrupt everything. That aside, there’s still a great deal of wealth in the Turok series that hasn’t been refreshed in well over a decade.
The Turok Series so Far
Turok: Dinosaur Hunter was a welcome but ultimately disappointing first stab on the Nintendo 64. The sequel however, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil, was fantastic. Both titles have recently made somewhat of a comeback thanks to Nightdive Studios’ remasters. However, there’s more to the Turok game series story
Turok: Battle of the Dinosaurs was released at the same time as the original Toruk: Dinosaur Hunter. This was a Game Boy title that carried the same story, but was a 2D platformer opposed to an FPS. Turok 2: Seeds of Evil also had a handheld spin-off.
Firstly, there were two other Nintendo 64 entries that are often overlooked. The middling Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion (which also saw a Game Boy Color spin-off) and the woefully underrated Turok: Rage Wars.
Turok: Rage Wars was a multiplayer FPS arena game. There was a single-player option, but that simply had you fighting bots. It was a multiplayer-only game. Modern titles such as Overwatch and Valorant owe a debt of gratitude to Turok: Rage Wars, for it was arguably the game that started a trend. Many believe QUAKE III Arena had that honour. However, while both were definitely in development at the same time, Turok: Rage Wars actually launched first. And again, there was a Game Boy Color accompaniment with no gameplay relation.
Toruk Evolution, released on the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in 2002. It wasn’t great. And unsurprisingly, a 2D side-scrolling Game Boy Color spin-off was also released. The poor reception of Toruk Evolution lead to a short hiatus, and a reboot of the series.
Modernising the Series
And then we come to the last title, simply known as Turok. Released in 2008 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC, this newest title changed the formula drastically. Instead of playing a time-travelling Native American, you play as a Native American Space Marine. Woah.
Turok was a misunderstood release. It received a mixed reception, with many stating that it simply wasn’t true to the series. However, gameplay-wise, the mechanics were solid in their own right. More modern hardware was used to simulate the dinosaurs not as aggressors, but as a neutral force. The enemies – for the most part – were human. Boss battles aside, the dinosaurs in the environments would only become involved in a fight if they were provoked. This created an interesting back-and-forth across the battlefield. Players were encouraged to use stealth, and should things go wrong all hell would break lose.
Where is Turok Now?
Sadly, the developers of 2008’s reboot, Propaganda Games, were shuttered shortly after launch. Thusly, the sequel reportedly in early production was cancelled. Furthermore, the multiplayer aspect on PlayStation 3 was closed way back in 2011.
What we have has, as mentioned above, are remasters of the first title titles in the series. Available on pretty much all modern gaming hardware, these titles well well received. So much so in fact, that they’ve lead to Nightdive Studios bringing several other series back from the dead.
That’s not to say that Nightdive Studios should necessarily be given carte blanche to make a new Turok game (though it’s about time Rage Wars got a remaster with online play). Instead, a new title that follows a similar setup to the 2008 reboot would surely be welcomed. A Deus Ex style mix of combat aggression and stealth. Open ended gameplay wherein the player can choose how to tackle each objective. Go in quiet, or guns blazing? This, to me at least, seems like the gameplay loop Turok has been heading towards since that debut all the way back in 1997.
Will it ever happen? Turok: Escape from Lost Valley was a sign that there are still fans wanting more. As was the success of the recent remasters. While nothing official has been announced, never say never.
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