The Lost Wild: Everything We Know

Watching The Lost Wild trailer, what stood out to me the most was that the dinosaurs that hunt you behave a lot smarter than in the games I’ve played before. They navigate the environments with intention and anticipate where you might hide and run to. Those are the scariest predators to try to survive, and Great Ape Games have most certainly nailed “intelligent stalkers” to the core. 

It is very much like Alien: Isolation, except with dinosaurs. You mustn’t make a sound, even as you collect clues and try to find a way out. It won’t be easy, given the suffocating jungles you’ll be trapped in. In that regard, Great Ape Games have proved themselves star pupils of prehistoric horror. They have designed cinematic environments with gloomy atmospheres in which to try and navigate sensibly and silently. 

After some five or so years in development, I finally have concrete updates on The Lost Wild to share with you.

What is The Lost Wild?

There are action games featuring dinosaurs. The Lost Wild is not one of them. Instead, you’ll be avoiding any confrontation against the dinosaurs because you know it’s a battle you’ll lose. And so begins your journey into Great Ape Games’ newest venture. They propose a survival horror game that builds on the understanding that fear is biologically instinctive. And before civilization, the predators that roamed the Earth were the legendary dinosaurs.

While out exploring abandoned research facilities, you stumble upon dense jungles crawling with dinosaurs. They are no match against you, so your only resort is to survive through stealth tactics like distracting the towering beasts and evading their attacks. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before you uncover the mysteries behind the island where the dinosaurs call home.

Story

It’s an entirely solo affair that you’ll embark on in The Lost Wild. An adventure that unravels through cinematic cutscenes. The ambient environmental sounds and photorealistic nature aim to place you in authentic dinosaur habitats. The audio-visual experience aims to build tension while you explore, knowing that at any moment, the dinosaurs might jump out of nowhere. 

Gameplay

And then the hunt will begin. Using your wits and the environment to your advantage, you’ll need to survive their pursuit. All gameplay will take place on a mysterious island, where the main character, Saskia, finds herself trapped. 

“Intelligent dinosaurs” is the selling point here for The Lost Wild’s gameplay that sets it apart from other games. So, as much as you might feel the urge to fight the dinosaurs, these predators aren’t ones to take chances on. The most you can do is throw stones at them, but only as a temporary distraction that gives you some time to get away.

Otherwise, you want to explore the world as silently as possible, keeping away from anything that might attract too much attention. Situational awareness is also key, as you prepare yourself for any unexpected attacks. 

Running is an option, too, when a dinosaur catches you by surprise. Though I imagine the dinosaurs will be faster, so you still have to be smart about how you maximize the hiding spots and turns in the environment.

Is it a survival horror game without scavenging? I doubt it, with gameplay options for gathering resources and crafting that help you survive a lot better. These will come in handy when distracting the dinosaurs. Exploring is another gameplay aspect of The Lost Wild, though it comes at the risk of treading farther toward more dangerous zones.

Development

Great Ape Games has really put a lot of effort into developing dinosaurs with sound minds. Their movements, even from the trailer, aren’t predictable. According to Steam, the dinosaurs will be doing the unexpected, like hunting in packs or pinning you down. This creates the opportunity to study the dinosaurs’ behavior and use their predatory instincts against them. 

Gary Napper, Game Director at Great Ape Games, talks about how their focus is entirely on survivability rather than combat. You won’t find weak points on the dinosaurs or attack patterns you can predict, for instance. Instead, the gameplay is designed around the player observing the environment and dinosaur behaviors, learning their predatory instincts, and reacting the best way possible.

A dinosaur like an Allosaur may leave you alone if you remain quiet and unmoving for long enough. Or they may be particularly sensitive to sound. 

Trailer

I think the world design in The Lost Wild is one of the most impressive aspects in the trailer. You can see how detailed the forests are, the way the jungles are dense and suffocating. Even the abandoned research facilities seamlessly integrate with the overgrown wilderness, with heavy shadows and low visibility. You really have to pay attention to know which way to go, especially in the heat of things. It’s a place where you can easily get lost, both physically and mentally.

Notice also that there seems to be some kind of story about a family that gets lost on the mysterious island filled with dinosaurs, but the main character, Saskia, seems to be the only survivor. She seems to unravel the mysteries about the island through observation and discovery. I doubt there’s a coherent plot, but rather one that you’ll gradually carve out for yourself. Apparently, you’ll pick up notebooks, ID passes, and spot traces of human presence that help piece things together.

Release Date, Platforms, & Editions

In any case, I am beyond elated to be playing The Lost Wild once it drops sometime in 2027. I can confirm that it will drop on PlayStation 5 and PC platforms via Steam and Epic Games Store. However, the editions, along with more updates on the story and gameplay, will likely be revealed over the next couple of months via the publisher’s Annapurna Interactive’s official social handle. Are you ready to be vulnerable in the wilderness? With terrifying dinosaurs purely existing but ready to tear you apart if they catch the slightest sight of you?