Frontier Developments’ Jurassic World Evolution 3 invites players to once again take charge of their own dinosaur park, this time with the promise of deeper simulation and a broader and more dynamic ecosystem. As the third entry in Frontier’s management series, it expands both the creative and biological sides of park-building, with players nurturing prehistoric life across generations while constructing attractions that please modern crowds. On PlayStation 5, the game showcases technical polish and smoother performance, aiming to deliver the most comprehensive version of this formula to date.
The campaign moves beyond the strictly linear setups of its predecessors by spreading objectives across multiple global regions. Each location comes with distinct environmental and logistical conditions, creating a stronger sense of progression and variety. This wider scope gives the management loop a richer rhythm, though it still feels forgiving compared to more demanding simulation titles. The addition of generational breeding brings charm and authenticity, letting players see their parks evolve naturally over time. However, despite the new framing and mechanics, large-scale disasters or economic pressures rarely test one’s management instincts for long. The resulting experience feels engaging but safe – more about curation than crisis control.
The expanded simulation systems represent the sequel’s most striking evolution. Dinosaurs now mature through visible life stages, with male and female variants displaying subtle behavioural differences. Watching herds form, compete, and nurture offspring adds a vitality that earlier titles lacked. New creative tools let players carve realistic landscapes and link enclosures through modular structures, blurring the line between zoo management and sandbox design. This flexibility transforms each park into a personalised habitat rather than a rigidly gridded complex. Yet, even with the added complexity of terrain editing and interspecies social needs, the underlying economy and visitor systems remain somewhat static. There’s satisfaction in sculpting the perfect environment, but less so in balancing books or managing crowd logistics.
On PS5, the control scheme and interface translate Frontier’s original PC-centric tools to console with surprising finesse. Menus are cleanly layered, radial wheels simplify building, and responsive shortcuts make routine actions intuitive. Only when dealing with massive parks and hundreds of modular parts does navigation start to slow. The hardware keeps up well, with stable frame rates and crisp textures even as enclosures fill with diverse species. While the management layer may be light, the ease of control and visual clarity make experimentation enjoyable. Some might wish for deeper micromanagement, but the tactile simplicity helps maintain the focus on spectacle and flow rather than spreadsheets.
Visually, this is Frontier at its most confident. The dinosaur models show impressive anatomical precision and subtle animation work, from the sway of tails in shallow water to juvenile play behaviour. Environmental lighting and weather systems lend depth to each biome, with lush jungles, rocky cliffs and arid valleys all rendered with convincing natural detail. Occasional texture pop-ins and lengthy loads can disrupt immersion, but these moments are outweighed by the splendour of seeing fully realised prehistoric ecosystems unfold in motion. Audio continues to lean on familiar orchestral cues that recall the films, while returning voice talent – including Jeff Goldblum – adds continuity and warmth to the experience.
As a complete package, Jurassic World Evolution 3 achieves a delicate balance between accessibility and ambition. It enriches the series’ signature spectacle with new life-cycle systems and far greater creative freedom, yet its managerial underpinnings remain relatively undemanding. Players drawn to the cinematic wonder of dinosaurs and the satisfaction of building living, breathing parks will find it a rewarding upgrade. Those craving deeper strategic tension or unpredictable chaos may still find it restrained. Ultimately, it’s the most refined and visually impressive entry so far – one that lets life find its way, just not too far off the rails.
Score: 8.1/10
Press Play Media 