Prehistoric showdown on a galactic scale. Primal Planet Metroidvania Review

A walk with a dinosaur

In terms of storytelling, Primal Planet resembles Genndy Tartakovsky's "Primal" series, where most communication occurs without a single dialogue.

The game begins with a scene of a happy prehistoric family consisting of a father, mother, daughter, and pet dinosaurs. The family idyll is disrupted by a tyrannosaurus, which separates the head of the family and his faithful pet from everyone else.

From this moment on, a story full of epic events begins, where the main character has to face dinosaurs and cannibals. His attempts to reunite with his family are hampered by aliens who constantly kidnap inhabitants of the prehistoric world. However, determination and a trusty spear will help against even the most advanced technologies!

The Earth before maps and compasses

After being separated from loved ones, the player is given almost complete freedom of action. The main character can run, roll, and jump. Over time, the ability to double jump and dash in the air will open up, which will speed up the process of moving around the locations.

The main obstacle when moving are thorny thickets. They can be burned with a torch, but often the path to the thickets is blocked by water sources. And then you have to think about how to keep the torch dry. Some obstacles are overcome by sticking a spear into the wall and then pushing off from it. And to pass through poisonous plants, you will have to acquire an antidote.

The main character has to make his way through bright locations that feel different depending on the time of day. Vegetation has grown everywhere; giant dinosaurs roam in the background; all living things are fighting for survival with people and each other. And all this beauty is accompanied by soothing music.

The problem is that the developers did not bother to add an adequate number of landmarks to all this beauty. As a result, I was constantly getting lost in the area until I opened the location maps, which I had to constantly check. You can't make notes on the maps, and if you go to the world map, you can't switch between locations on it - a clear flaw.

The location of the inhabitants of the native village is marked on the world map. If you find and save them, you will be able to build them huts and learn new abilities: creating traps, medicines, and buffs. Each of the rescued residents can be hired, but the benefit from them is minimal - with the exception of the hunter, who is able to shoot from a distance.

The map also shows the location of portals that allow you to teleport. The inconvenience is that one portal can only teleport to another, it needs to be powered by an energy source that is hidden around the world, the portals themselves are inconvenient to reach, and you have to remember "where" it can teleport you.

There is a giant portal in a secret place. To activate it, you need to collect a huge amount of energy sources. This means that if other portals are already activated, you will have to return to them and de-energize them. All this waste of energy is needed in order to get a hint of a sequel.

Brute force is cooler than technology

The world of Primal Planet is cruel. Dinosaurs that live on land, in water, and in the air are fighting for survival here. Moreover, knowledge about the types of dinosaurs can help in the passage - herbivores prefer to mind their own business and do not attack without provocation. You can even set predators on herbivores to gain an advantage in battle.

There are several ways to resist aggressive creatures:

All these methods quickly become unnecessary when you upgrade your health and attack with your main weapon. The main character becomes a machine for destroying all living things. Even giant monsters are destroyed by a combination of attack and roll. And when you finally get to the territory of aliens, you free the kidnapped dinosaurs and, together with an improvised army, destroy all living things.

A little later, you will even be allowed to ride a dolphin, and air will no longer be consumed underwater. At the same time, you can order the dolphin to attack underwater inhabitants, which is much more convenient than fighting yourself. And if you dodge giant jaws, then a new ally is able to defeat even the largest underwater beast!

Diagnosis

Primal Planet is a strange Metroidvania. It is difficult to navigate the area, the developer came up with an inconvenient fast travel system, and it is not always clear what to do. Most talents and mechanics are useful, but they pale in comparison to the standard attack and roll - for a person with skills.

At the same time, Primal Planet catches the eye - it's a very beautiful game. Which can be called an achievement for a lone developer who managed to bring his project to release.

Pro:

Contra: