Deathground Interview – Exploration, Combat, Dynamic Dinosaur AI, and More

A survival horror game with dinosaurs is an idea that sounds instantly appealing, which is why there’s so much demand for a Dino Crisis revival- in the absence of which we do still have some very intriguing games to look forward to. Jaw Drop Games’ Deathground, for instance, has turned quite a few heads. Sporting impressive visuals and boasting a tense, terrifying affair that’ll see you going up against deadly dinosaurs, Deathground has looked like an exciting prospect in all that’s been shown of it so far. Hoping to learn more about the game and what’ll make it tick, we recently reached out to its developers with some of our biggest questions about the game. Below, you can read our interview with Jaw Drop Games’ Designer Joseph Shirley.

"For Deathground, we drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, games such as Alien Isolation, GTFO, and Dino Crisis, but also movies such as Jurassic Park played a role in shaping the game."

From Jurassic Park to Dino Crisis, dinosaurs and horror have often mixed very well together across all media. What in particular has served as the biggest inspiration for you during the development of Deathground?

For Deathground, we drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, games such as Alien Isolation, GTFO, and Dino Crisis, but also movies such as Jurassic Park played a role in shaping the game.

There really is something terrifying about watching characters navigate failing infrastructure whilst being stalked by dinosaurs. We wanted to create the tension and fear that evoked, creating an immersive experience that captures the same sense of terror.

Deathground is being billed as a solo/co-op adventure, but what would you say it’s inherently designed around? Is it a better experience when played with others, or can solo players get just as much out of it? How does the gameplay change during co-op?

The game is designed to offer players a flexible experience, so the choice between solo and co-op depends on personal preference.

Multiplayer introduces an extra layer of strategy, teamwork and joint terror whereas solo players can immerse themselves in an intense and isolating horror experience with limited resources, which can be incredibly rewarding. In co-op, the difficulty and challenges are adjusted to account for multiple players, and with multiple players, come unique character classes. (More on this later!)

The dynamic AI governing the dinosaurs’ behaviour seems to be one of Deathground’s biggest talking points. Can you tell us more about how the game operates on that front? How unpredictable can players expect the dinosaurs to be? How well and dynamically do they react to players’ actions?

Our dynamic AI system is a cornerstone of Deathground’s gameplay, with dinosaurs programmed to exhibit realistic and unpredictable behaviours, making it essential for players to employ tactical thinking and stay one step ahead to survive. The raptors react responsively to your actions, which makes different playthroughs unique but also means you must be very careful about the decisions you make.

"Our dynamic AI system is a cornerstone of Deathground’s gameplay, with dinosaurs programmed to exhibit realistic and unpredictable behaviours, making it essential for players to employ tactical thinking and stay one step ahead to survive."

What is Deathground’s approach to exploration? This being a survival horror game, will players be exploring and combing through environments a lot? How varied will the environments be in terms of their design and aesthetic?

During moment-to-moment gameplay, players must search and investigate bodies, containers, saferooms, and more to complete objectives and collect various resources that will help them stay alive. Exploration is a vital aspect of the game, and you’ll find yourself navigating many varied environments and facilities within the Deathground.

How much will Deathground’s playable classes differ from each other, and how significantly will they impact the gameplay experience?

Each class has a different set of tools at their disposal, so a player’s choice of class will significantly impact the challenges they face and how they interact with enemies.

For instance, the Scout class’s ‘Motion Detector’ is valuable for tracking dinosaur movements. This is where cooperative play comes into effect, allowing each player on your team to use their unique set of skills to the team’s advantage.

Deathground is touting high replay value on the back of its dynamic elements, like AI and objectives. Can you tell us about what level of variation players should expect across playthroughs?

We’ve put a lot of emphasis on replay value in Deathground, and players can expect a good degree of variation across playthroughs and a tailored experience each time they dive into the game. The AI threats, procedural objective elements and character classes will force you to take different approaches each play through.

What kind of a balance does Deathground strike between different gameplay styles like stealth and combat?

Each of the classes strikes a different level of balance between gameplay styles, but stealth is often the best option to avoid danger. It’s important to remember that these dinosaurs are formidable predators; if given the opportunity, they will make you their next meal!

"Our aim is to launch on PC first but historically we’ve shipped all our previous games onto consoles and intend to follow up with them if possible."

Roughly how long will an average playthrough of Deathground be?

The duration of an average play session of Deathground can vary depending on several factors, so it’s hard to pin down. Each location is full of elements that players can interact with, and dinosaurs are ready to eat them, so really, this depends on how thoroughly players explore and how well they deal with threats.

Do you have any plans to bring Deathground to consoles after its PC launch?

Our aim is to launch on PC first but historically we’ve shipped all our previous games onto consoles and intend to follow up with them if possible.