The Jurassic Park series has spent over 30 years exploring every corner of pop culture, from novels to movies to theme parks and, of course, video games.
For many, the 1993 film remains a sacred text, and its awe-inspiring lens is rivaled only by John Williams’ iconic score. Most adaptations suffered from a constant identity crisis. Were these games supposed to be shooters? Adventure titles? Survival horror? I don’t know yet.
Frontier’s Jurassic World Evolution was released in 2018 and finally gave the franchise a long-overdue direction by taking a park building/management approach that leans more towards the series’ strengths rather than trying to recreate the events of the film.
You are given the freedom to build and manage your own version of Jurassic Park (or world!). The first game and its sequel both provided a promising foundation, but never quite reached the creative depth offered by developer Frontier’s other creative sims Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster.
Jurassic World Evolution 3 finally breaks that ceiling. A series of quality of life improvements, improved mechanics, and enhanced construction tools make this arguably the most complete entry in the series. From a powerful campaign around the world to a challenging scenario mode and an unlimited sandbox, this is the first JWE title that feels like a complete package.
A serious campaign…with serious (and sometimes hilarious) consequences
My interest in tycoon games goes back to the theme park world, where the construction of dream parks and the creation of engineering chaos went hand in hand. JWE3 has adopted a more focused tone, particularly throughout its broader campaign.
Here, Frontier makes its intentions clear. This is a masterclass-sized tutorial designed to teach players everything they need to succeed in Sandbox and Challenge modes.
And yes, chaos still thrives.
Credit: Frontier
No matter how much you try to work clean and efficiently, the dinosaurs will run away. Fences fail. The power will turn off. Guests can eat. It all feels very true to the lore and the message of the series.
If that wasn’t enough, the game also hired JP actor Jeff Goldblum to reprise the character of Dr. Ian Malcolm, who comes along to warn you when things are about to go potentially horrifying.
Things are structured in this campaign, but by no means restrictive. The all-important pause button gives you complete strategic control, but the underlying systems constantly remind you that managing prehistoric beasts is never predictable.
A campaign that teaches, expands and celebrates franchising
Logging in between 20 and 70 hours depending on your completionism, this campaign is built to educate. Players will learn every element of park management, from researching building and upgrading enclosures, to sending scientists on expeditions, synthesizing dinosaurs, and balancing ecological needs.
While the story isn’t the emotional core of the experience, fans of the series will appreciate the IP flourishes sprinkled throughout. Classic locations, familiar structures, and over 90 dinosaurs remind you of the movie without overwhelming the gameplay. The biggest new element in the game is the baby dinosaurs. They can also build nests and are encouraged to create habitats that support dinosaur breeding.
Credit: Frontier
The animated videos are simply amazing and no matter how many times I’ve watched them, I’ve never skipped them. This is a cost-effective and easy way to increase the number of dinosaurs in the park, bring in crowds, and eliminate the need to replace older dinosaurs as they age out.
You can do the bare minimum to advance to the next part of the campaign map, or you can stick around and get your perks to 5-star status to truly complete the campaign (which is why I finished playing in 70 hours).
By the end of the campaign, you’ll be ready for the true heart of the game: creative expression.
Controls, structure, and comfort: PS5 is incredibly smooth
Simulations and big game games are usually most comfortable using a mouse and keyboard, and JWE3’s PS5 controls work perfectly. Once layout becomes a habit, building menus, navigating, and snapping between tasks becomes intuitive. The initial camera clunkiness fades with practice, and controlling ranger vehicles and manually maintaining the park adds a fresh sense of immersion.
Creating and forming enclosures remains an early game priority. Comfort your dinosaurs with water and plants, ensure proper power distribution, and fine-tune their breeding cycles to keep them busy but not overwhelmed. The pacing of new mechanics over dozens of hours is great. It is gradual, easy to digest and satisfying.
Credit: Frontier
By the time I got into sandbox mode, I felt like I was ready to build the park I wanted. The big addition to JWE3 is Waterfall. It’s very easy to manipulate the terrain to make waterfalls look like waterfalls, and they look great on PS5 Pro.
Economy, customization, and player freedom
Money plays a central role in progress, but the economy is rarely oppressive outside of challenge mode. Revenue flows in classic ways: amenities, tours, and the dinosaurs themselves. Scientists’ choices can dramatically affect efficiency, but large economies maintain enough flexibility to facilitate experimentation.
The control room is where the soul of the park is formed. Specialization is not required, but recommended.
Would you like to build a vast aviary for a flying pterosaur? A tranquil wetland teeming with marine reptiles? A fortress-like enclosure for an apex predator? Or all three? The size of the map allows for very large variations.
Where JWE3 really shines is in customization. You can change almost everything: terrain, structures, foliage, lighting, walkways, and more. Endless customization is possible thanks to the abundance of decorations available. Even better, you can upload and download custom structures, so you can incorporate your community’s architectural brilliance or your own chaos-infused creations into your park.
Credit: Frontier
Do you want to create a cafe that looks exactly like your hometown just because you can? Totally valid. Would you like to build a natural barrier instead of a fence? Good luck. Do you sculpt towering mountains just because it’s cool? absolutely. Everything is similar to the recently released Planet Coaster 2.
There is a community where you can view other players’ top-rated works. You can also save it to your favorites or download it and edit it to your liking. You can also upload your own work and have it featured on the top page.
final thoughts
Jurassic World Evolution 3 is the most ambitious, sophisticated, and creatively fulfilling Jurassic Park game ever made. A confident take on the park simulator genre, it allows players to create breathtaking spaces that capture the awe, danger, and wonder of the series.
This is not a traditional action game filled with gunfights and survival adventures, nor does it need to be. The beauty of this game is as guests witness the birth of a baby dinosaur for the first time, sculpt a biome to perfection, and watch the park come to life with interconnected systems.
With a long-running campaign, huge sandbox possibilities, deep customization tools, and a strong pipeline of DLC and community content, JWE3 feels like a forever game. It’s a game that’s destined to live on for years on consoles, and that you can revisit on any rainy afternoon when your creative juices flow.
For management sim fans, dinosaur enthusiasts, and die-hard fans of the series, this is one of Frontier’s greatest achievements and arguably the definitive Jurassic Park game.
4 1/2 stars (out of 5 stars)
Highlights: Unlimited customization, extensive campaigns, and young dinosaurs!
Cons: Lack of content carried over from JWE2
Developer: Frontier
Publisher: Frontier
Platform: Windows PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Available: Currently
Review was conducted on a Playstation 5 Pro using the release code provided by the publisher.
A featured header image is also provided by the publisher.
