The initial vibe is very Alien: Isolation-esque, complete with a motion sensor for tracking the dinosaurs. Of course, it’s not long before they catch your scent, beginning a desperate escape (assuming you completed the core objective). There’s a bit of Dead by Daylight ingrained in the experience, as players slide under Pallets to avoid the dinosaurs and hide within lockers.

Be careful, though – if the Utahraptor catches a player’s scent, it can drag them out from under desks or the inside of barrels and rip them apart. Firearms and throwables are available to even the odds, though they’re likely to be of limited use.

Deathground will retail for $14.99 for its early access launch. Stay tuned for more details on its content and future updates. In the meantime, check out our 2023 interview with the development team about the gameplay and how intelligent the dinosaurs can be.

It sees the team discussing the different dinosaurs that will oppose you, including the Utahraptor, which is smaller and can get into vents. The Compsognathus is even tinier, and while unthreatening on its own, it can be dangerous in a pack and very territorial. Then there’s the imposing Tyrannosaurus Rex, stomping about in all its glory.

Players will need to rely on weaponry, stealth, and some ingenuity to survive these Jurassic encounters. Objectives will vary, and with the world containing procedurally generated elements, no two missions will be the same. And yes, solo play is also available, though it’s far more terrifying. Stay tuned for more details on Deathground en route to early access.

While light on details, the trailer for Deathground does give us a look at what a typical session of play will look like. Players will have to team up and sneak around as they try to avoid being detected by deadly dinosaurs.

Deathground is primarily focused on stealth, and the trailer doesn’t show many ways that players can use to fight back against the massive dinosaurs that are hunting them down. Getting spotted by a dinosaur can give players some room to try and escape as they try to look for another hiding spot, but often also ends with the brutal death of the player.

Deathground was originally announced all the way back in August 2023. The title was announced during that year’s Future Games Show with a trailer, which you can also check out here.

The title can be played solo as well as in co-op, where players will have to team up with two other players as they take on various levels in the game. Each level will have a number of objectives that players will have to complete before they escape, which can range from finding specific items or using a certain machine before the dinosaurs can find you.

It also provides players with a host of tools that they will have to use in order to complete their missions. These tools can range from something as simple as a bottle that you throw to distract a dinosaur, to more complex ones like miniature hacking devices.

According to Jaw Drop Games, Deathground, which has been in development since at least July 2020, is currently undergoing a private Alpha test. This test is available to those that backed the game’s crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter. Beta testing is the next step for Deathground, with the studio saying that it is “on the horizon.”

More details about Deathground were revealed by designer Joseph Shirley in an interview with GamingBolt back in September 2023. In the interview Shirley talks about a host of subjects, ranging from inspirations to how playing in co-op can affect gameplay.

“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,” said Shirley.

“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.”

Shirley also spoke about how replay value is going to be an important aspect of Deathground, with concepts like AI threats and procedurally-generated objectives allowing players to replay the same levels while still having new experiences.

“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,” explained Shirley. “The AI threats, procedural objective elements and character classes will force you to take different approaches each play through.”

Check out the rest of the interview for more details about 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."

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.

Along with a motion tracker, players have firearms to defend themselves, but that’s unlikely to do any good against a T. Rex. Even the smaller dinosaurs can pose a threat, so running and hiding in lockers and whatnot is key. Deathground supports co-op for up to three players but is also playable solo.

Each level has different objectives to complete, and there are also classes with unique traits and skills to rely on. The environments and their shadows and lighting look pretty sleek, thanks to Unreal Engine 5, but even with dynamic objectives and AI, we’ll see how much replay value it offers.

Deathground has been in the works since at least July 2020, but there’s no release window yet. Stay tuned for more updates.