I imagine you might be like me, having only briefly heard ofthe name "Turok," knowing there was once a classic sci-fi shooter about "shooting dinosaurs" with guns, but never truly attempting to understand the game's significance to the gaming industry and many shooter enthusiasts.
In fact, the original Turok was almostone of the most successful shooters on the Nintendo 64 (hereinafter referred to as N64). As one of the platform's few mainstream first-person shooters, it successfully combined fast-paced action shooting with level exploration, merging the unique enemy type of "dinosaurs" with a sci-fi backdrop. Its influence significantly boosted N64 sales at the time.
Recently, thisIP's official revival has also garnered significant attention among veteran shooter fans. More surprisingly, unlike many old-school IPs that tend to be cautious and conservative upon revival, the developer behind this new title is none other than Saber Interactive, well-known to today's players for titles like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 and World War Z, demonstrating extensive experience in modern action shooters. Turok: Origins will continue Saber Interactive's signature style, maintaining a single-player experience while adding multiplayer co-op mode.
Taking this opportunity, we also interviewed members ofSaber Interactive's development team, asking them a few questions about the game.
Q:We know that"Turok"originates froma classic IP from the N64 era. Reviving such a long-standing series—was it more of a pressure or a motivation for the team? What was the initial spark for the project, and why did you feel now was the right time to bring back"Turok"the right time for its return?
A:Many members of the development team are longtime fans of "Turok," so this reboot has us very excited. Saber InteractiveIn respecting and faithfully recreating the existinghas extensive experience with IPs, which helps us both pay homage to this iconic series and create an exciting new title that will allow new players to fall in love with"Turok".
The "Turok" series has many excellent and promising elements, including battling dinosaurs and aliens, space travel, time travel, Native American culture, and bloody, intense combat. We believe it is time for both veteran and new players to step into the "Lost Lands"(Lost Lands), embarking on a brand-new adventure.
Q: The subtitle of this game is"Origins", how should we understand its relationship with the original game? Is it a prequel, a remake, or more of a spiritual reboot? Can veteran players expect to see familiar characters return?
A:Yes, Turok: Origins is a prequel, with its story taking place many years before the original Turok. At the same time, it is a new entry in the series that provides unified and coherent explanations and introductions for many elements of the franchise, such as the world-building and character backgrounds. Veteran players can look forward to discovering plenty of familiar gameplay elements, homages, inspirations, and easter eggs.
Q: Saber Interactive has previously released many successful multiplayer co-op action shooters such as World War Z and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. Was taking on Turok: Origins also due to the game's co-op gameplay aligning particularly well with the studio's strengths and experience?
A:Absolutely! We have alwaysfor World War Z and Warhammer40K: Space Marine 2, but that is not the only reason.
Saber Interactivespecializes in working with existingIP collaborations. We also believe that the unique gameplay elements of "Turok" still hold immeasurable potential today, and we are well-positioned to bring out that potential.
Q:Actually,Today, the number of players who have actually played the original Turok is relatively limited, and the new game also needs to attract newgeneration ofplayers. How do youveteran players'nostalgia and the accessibility barrier for new players,strike a balance?
A:As a prequel, Turok: Origins serves as a perfect starting point for players unfamiliar with the series. It offers a fresh experience while embodying our love for the series' past entries—even if this is your first "Turok" game, you can play smoothly and enjoy it.
Q: Nowadays,Many co-op action shooters adopt"four-person squads"configuration, why did this game choose a three-person squad? From a game design perspective, how much difference does adding or removing one player make?
A:We want every player in the squad to have significant impact during matches, making their combat decisions truly matter. With a three-person squad configuration, overall danger and individual responsibility increase accordingly.
Furthermore, the difficulty of co-op mode dynamically adjusts enemy numbers, health, behavior, and aggression based on squad size.
Q: This game allows players to freely switch between first-person and third-person perspectives, which is still quite rare in shooter games—How did the team make this decision? How were aiming, cover usage, and execution animations adapted for each perspective?
A:The first-person mode is crucial for honoring the series' roots and delivering immersive, intense combat. Adding a third-person perspective allows us to cater to modern player habits while improving movement and navigation during platforming and exploration. The two modes can be switched seamlessly, allowing players to flexibly choose based on the combat scenario and personal preference.
ThisThe two perspectives have completely different visual pipelines. For example, dodging triggers a roll in third-person but a sprint in first-person. Aiming has been tuned separately for each perspective, with respective field of view (FOV) settings and crosshair layouts. All weapon 3D models, have been specifically crafted and animated to switch seamlessly between the two perspectives. Key skills and finisher animations are presented in third-person to fully showcase the character's full-body armor and movements.
Q: This game features both dinosaur and alien enemies—How do these two types of enemies differ in terms of combat design and behavioral logic,differ?
A:To be precise, the wildlife in the game includes more than just dinosaurs. On the various planets players visit in the "Lost Lands," they will encounter a wide variety of local endemic creatures. Their behaviors vary by species; some only react when approached, others attack on sight, and some even stalk and hunt Turok warriors like prey.
The reptilian alien race "Xenia"(Xenia) are the main antagonists in Turok: Origins. They are an organized army, so players will encounter regular soldiers, high-ranking officers, and the formidable General Hexagis. They employ various technological means to fight against the Turok Order: a wide array of ranged weapons, traps, turrets, etc. Theypossess high intelligence, setting ambushes and using advanced tactics to hinder players.
Additionally, the Xenia use their "DNA Distortion" technology to genetically splice wildlife on conquered planets, forcing them to obey and using them as weapons.
Q: Designing dinosaur enemies—especiallylies in their animations, behaviors, andAI,particularly challenging. How did the team tackle this part of the development in Turok: Origins?
A:Players will journey across several planets during the campaign, each with its own unique flora, fauna, and history. The concept, animation, programming, and narrative teams worked together to carefully design and research these enemies—especially the dinosaurs—making them vivid and realistic while preserving the alien, ultra-violent combat style consistent with the "Turok" series.
Q: Although the game features multiplayer co-op and class specialization, it also supports single-player play—How much difference is expected between the single-player and co-op experiencesdifference?
A:In single-player mode, players can set their own pace, either diving headfirst into combat or carefully exploring levels to find all side paths and hidden rewards. In co-op mode, the game dynamics adjust based on squad size, with increased enemy numbers and aggression, delivering a faster-paced and more intense experience. Co-op gameplay emphasizes teamwork, with numerous synergistic combinations between different classes, weapons, and "Echosyncs"(Echosyncs).
Q: The game is expected tolaunch inrelease next spring,Could you give us a rough idea of the launch content volume—such as the number of levels, dinosaur,enemy types,number of boss fights? Post-launch,Are you also consideringDLC or season plans, such as new dinosaurs, new maps, or new classes?
A:The main campaign lasts approximately10 to 12 hours, not including side quests and replayable missions. Players will travel toExplore the seven distinct planets of the "Lost Lands," each featuring unique biomes, missions, and wildlife. Players can explore levels, discover hidden rewards, and unlock new meta-game elements as their character progresses through the story.
Like any army, Xenia has a large number of soldiers with different ranks and classes.Bosses include wildlife, Xenia officers, gene-spliced creatures controlled by Xenia, and other mysterious entities....We want to keep some secrets for players to uncover themselves during gameplay.
Regarding post-launch plans, we will share more information soon.