So you’ve hunted virtual ducks and deer. Maybe even a few bigger game like bears and other ferocious beasts. But are you ready for a REAL challenge? How about hunting DINOSAURS? Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter is a simplistic PS Minis hunting game that you can download and play on your PS3 or PSP.

This game reminds me of some of the early 3-D PC games they came out with when Deer Hunter style titles were popular in the late 90’s. In fact, I read that Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter is just an enhanced port of a PC game from that era. I’m not sure if that’s exactly true, but it makes sense. In the game, you are a hunter from the future who lands on a prehistoric planet with plenty of dinosaur game to bag.

First you pick which area you want to hunt in. Then choose which dinosaur you want to hunt. It’s very important to only shoot the dinosaur you chose, as those are the only ones that will give you points for that round. You don’t want to waste your ammo on the other dinosaurs. Each species of dinosaurs has different behaviors. Herbivores will generally run away and not harm you when you get near, so they’re great hunts for novices. If you want a challenge, you can try hunting dinos who may attack when wounded, or take on fierce Allosaurs, Raptors, and the mighty T-Rex where YOU are the one being hunted!

After that, you’ll choose which weapon you want to take, and you can even pick tools to help you hunt, like camouflage, scent cover, and radar. I highly recommend the radar because it tells you on the map where the target dinosaurs are. However, choosing areas, dinosaurs, weapons, and tools spends credits, and the only way to earn credits is to shoot the target dinosaurs. So you won’t be able to choose everything when you first start. As you play, more selections will open up to you when you earn more credits. And the more advanced lands, dinos, and weapons require more credits to spend.

Gameplay is a lot like the old 3-D deer hunter games on the PC. Walk around 3-D areas, using your dinosaur call to lure in the creatures. Mind the wind gauge and try to not be downwind of the dinos, as they can catch your scent easier. When you are done hunting, or run out of ammo, choose ‘escape’ on the menu and the game will tally your score and record your trophies. You can view your dino trophies in a separate 3-D area. One neat thing is that one of the tools you can take with you is a tranquilizer. Using a tranquilizer on a dino instead of killing it will give you more credits, but you won’t be able to keep them as a trophy. And if you are an area with predators or are hunting carnivores, be careful! If they end up killing you before you can escape, you won’t be able to keep your credits or trophies from that hunt!

I guess the only two problems I had with this game is that the controls take a little bit of getting used to, and the graphics are very rudimentary. We’re talking N64 style visuals here. But then, this is a PS Minis game and they’re supposed to be more simplistic. Me, personally, I didn’t mind the retro styled visuals and gameplay. So if you yearn for the more simplistic hunting game days, you may want to check this one out.

Kid Factor:

Even though Carnivores: Dinosaur Hunter is rated T for Teen with an ESRB descriptor of Violence, you know that younger gamers will want to play this, too, as kids love dinosaurs. And for the most part, I’d be OK with that. Some children and parents may not like the idea that you use guns to kill dinosaurs, but you can always just tranquilize them. It would be neat if they could’ve added a mode where you just take pictures of the dinosaurs, though. Some of the more ferocious dinosaurs may scare young kids, too, especially when they sneak up on you! The simplistic 3-D graphics really negate a lot of the violence, though. Even when it shows a carnivorous dinosaur ‘eating’ your hunter, it just looks like they’re sticking their nose in your torso. Because of the complex controls and reading skill required, it’s best for older kids anyway. Hunting carnivores may be too challenging for novice gamers, but plant eaters are easy enough for less experienced player to hunt. The game could be considered educational, too, as it lists names and facts about the dinosaurs in the areas.

Here’s an interesting fact: my grandmother loved those late 90’s deer hunter style games. She was really good at them, too, and would make up her own rules like she would only allow herself to shoot at bucks, not does. Even to this day she talks about those games, and how she misses them. I bet even she would like this dinosaur hunting game.

Tags: Game Reviews