The Turok franchise has always had a special place in gaming history. A heady mix of first-person shooting, sci-fi spectacle, and of course dinosaur hunting, it carved out a niche in the late 90s that’s been remembered fondly ever since. With Turok: Origins, Saber Interactive is reviving the series for modern hardware, promising epic encounters with prehistoric beasts and alien foes alike. After getting hands-on time with the game at Gamescom, we walked away impressed by its scale and ambition – though not without a few reservations.
What we know
Turok: Origins puts players back into the boots of the legendary Turok warriors as they battle both dinosaurs and an alien threat that endangers humanity’s future. The game blends traditional first-person shooter mechanics with RPG-style progression: weapons range from shotguns and bows to plasma rifles and ray guns, while fallen enemies provide DNA that can be harvested to unlock new powers and suit upgrades. These abilities evolve in real time, giving players new options in combat as their arsenal expands.
The campaign can be tackled solo or cooperatively with friends, with players traversing the Lost Lands across a variety of environments – from dense jungles and ancient ruins to alien temples and canyon wastelands. Levels are designed to host both on-the-ground firefights and encounters with larger, more mobile predators, with bosses that take the fight into caves, swamps, and skies.
Turok: Origins is slated for release on PC and modern consoles, aiming to breathe new life into a series that’s been dormant for years while capturing the pulpy mix of dinosaurs, sci-fi, and action that made the originals so beloved.
What we saw
At Gamescom, Saber Interactive gave us an extended presentation of Turok: Origins before letting us go hands-on with a special “highlight reel” build. This curated demo pulled together moments from different stages of the game, ranging from boss-like encounters to sweeping jungle shootouts, and offered a taste of the combat variety and enemy types players can expect when the full game launches.
What we thought
The idea of bringing Turok back with modern technology is a compelling one, and in many ways Saber is delivering on that promise. The first thing that stands out is the sheer sense of scale. Dinosaurs aren’t just cannon fodder here – the larger ones dominate the battlefield, creating moments where their size and movement feel genuinely intimidating. Watching a towering predator appear after fighting a bunch of smaller raptors remains a sight to see, and it’s the kind of spectacle the series was made for.
Combat, for the most part, feels sharp and satisfying. Guns pack a punch, melee attacks carry weight, and the DNA system adds a layer of depth by rewarding experimentation with different playstyles. Unlocking new powers mid-mission gives the sense of progression some shooters lack, and the mix of traditional firearms with sci-fi weaponry offers a nice balance between nostalgia and novelty. That said, not all sections of the demo were equally thrilling. Some scenarios boiled down to repetitive “activate beacon” objectives, which paled in comparison to the excitement of larger set-pieces in games like Saber’s own Space Marine 2. When Turok leans into big cinematic encounters, it soars; when it falls back on generic objectives, the pacing stalls.
Visually, the game is an impressive showcase of Saber’s engine work. Environments are lush, atmospheric, and varied, while the dinosaurs themselves are lovingly detailed and animated with a weight that makes them feel alive. Lighting effects in particular help sell the contrast between the natural and alien elements of the world. Audio is equally strong, with guttural roars, weapon feedback, and ambient jungle noises helping to immerse players in the Lost Lands.
Overall, Turok: Origins feels like a project with enormous potential. Its best moments – towering dinosaurs, chaotic firefights, and striking environments – remind us exactly why the franchise deserves a comeback. But for it to fully land, Saber will need to ensure the quieter stretches of gameplay aren’t weighed down by uninspired mission design. If they can deliver on that balance, this could be a truly spectacular return for a series that many thought extinct.
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