It boggles the mind to think that, once upon a time, our planet was home to immense megafauna. There is a wonder to the prehistoric era - a wonder that survival board game Jurassic Crisis is attempting to channel through its ongoing crowdfunding campaign. However, in a welcome twist on the dinosaur survival game formula, Jurassic Crisis has a curious supernatural element to its premise that intrigues me.
According to its crowdfunding campaign, Jurassic Crisis takes place after your characters' untimely deaths. Instead of oblivion or an afterlife, you awaken on a prehistoric island, your blood glowing an ominous blue color. Your goal is to gather three artefacts related to mysterious obelisks, all while crafting equipment and supplies. Your goal is to recover the artefacts and be the first to activate an obelisk, all while trying to survive predation from other players and literal actual dinosaurs.
The campaign, which has raised €183,748 ($213,405), also hints at mechanics which allow you to harness the dinosaurs' power for yourself, including riding them. Evidently, designer Andrej W Sperling is trying to cultivate a strong sense of environmental storytelling, where the island and its creatures are characters of their own. Should Jurassic Crisis live up to these promises, it may well rival some of the best board games out there when it comes to delivering on its core premise.
There are a range of different pledge levels available. The Core Game tier costs €99 ($114) and will net you the core box alone. Notably, the core box only allows games for one or two players. For games involving three or four players, you'll need the Gameplay Bundle. This'll set you back €143 ($166) and includes two expansions: Redwood Survivors and the 4 Player Expansion.
For €229 ($266), you'll be able to nab the Ultimate Collector's All-In edition, which promises a "fully loaded" experience, complete with the core game, the two expansions and a range of additional accessories including a dice tower. There are also two further pledge levels with serious price tags intended for retailers or ultra fans, which you can check out on the campaign's webpage if you're so inclined.
Don't go at it alone. Find fellow survivors on the Wargamer Discord.