Second Extinction

There are plenty of co-op video games out there. There are ones that will have you bashing and smashing your way through hordes of zombies, some that will pit you against a single powerful monster, and still others that will make you face down the very embodiment of evil. There is only one that gives you and your friends a bunch of guns and sends you out to hunt dinosaurs though. That honor goes to Second Extinction.

Developed and published by Systemic Reaction, Second Extinction is an online co-op FPS unlike anything you’ve ever seen. It combines the co-op action of Left 4 Dead with the primal predators of the Jurassic Park series to create a truly unique shooter experience. You probably don’t need much more convincing, guns and dinosaurs are already a winning combo, but here is everything you need to know about Second Extinction.

An Overwhelming Enemy

In the world of Second Extinction, Earth has been overrun with many different species of mutated dinosaurs, all of which have the singular goal of tearing you limb from limb. Drop into an absolutely massive open-world map to do your best to whittle down the dinosaur population while completing various objectives on the planet’s surface.

Did I mention these dinosaurs were mutated? They not only have the advantage of superior numbers, but they also possess a number of different traits thanks to their mutations, such as raptors with electrified claws, and T-Rexes that have grown to immense sizes (much bigger than an already huge T-Rex).

Cooperative Action

Second Extinction will allow you to drop into danger with up to two other combatants, for a total of three players on the map at a time. Each player can choose from one of 6 different characters, each with their own gear, special abilities, and personality. The loadouts are varied enough between the 6 operators that there is something to suit every type of player, whether you want to get up close and personal, strike from afar, or something in between.

The real fun comes into play when you begin to experiment with abilities. In the midst of a dino-fight, discovering that your character’s ability perfectly complements one or both of your companions' abilities is something few games can replicate. Find those synergies to have the best shot of completing missions without being eaten or eviscerated.

Contribute to the War Effort

The developers of Second Extinction claim that “players win battles, communities win wars”. With that mantra in mind, they have created a unique system for their game in which the major threat of each region on the map will become easier to take on if many players are successfully completing their missions in that area.

Pros

• Tons of awesome dinosaurs to fight
• Tight FPS combat with powerful abilities
• Great gun models and audio design

Cons

• The difficulty can feel uneven at times
• You really need to rely on the War Effort feature to fight major threats