Compound Fracture Could Scratch Dino Crisis Itch

There are really two major releases that have created a particular void for me in gaming; Dusk showed the world that low-poly first-person shooting could be exceptional and the remake of Resident Evil 2 proved the potential of adapting classic horror. With Capcom doing several remakes and revamping the Resident Evil franchise with RE7 and RE Village, many fans are hoping to see more dinosaurs in horror. Although there is currently no official move from Capcom to do this through bringing back the Dino Crisis series, indie developers are starting to see the need for this style of game. Compound Fracture, an upcoming FPS from Iteria Games may just scratch that dino horror itch, and newly shared development progress shows why.

While the gameplay footage is early, the way this project instantly captures a similar tone has me excited for Compound Fracture. The low-poly models combined with the pixelated textures really sell that retro-inspired visual style that I have come to adore. Gameplay looks to include tried-and-true first-person shooting and exploring in a rundown warehouse full of scientific mistakes. Of course, fighting dinosaurs in these circumstances is the appeal but where Compound Fracture could really set itself apart is through level design. The items, the weapons, and the creatures are starting to come together well enough but a ton can be accomplished through good pacing and progression. I’m also hoping there to be a ton of scary and tense moments.

Those who do want a less retro look are able to adjust various graphical options as shown at the end of the dev diary. Turning off all of the PS1-style options puts it closer to the stellar PC ports of Turok and it’s always nice to see the classic 4:3 aspect ratio being optional.

There is no word currently on a release window but projects of this scope can come together rather quickly. Either way, I have personally wishlisted this one on Steam and I hope this fits that empty place in my gaming heart that was created by Dino Crisis. 

In general, gaming could use more dinosaurs. 

More Capcom horror can be found in our review of Resident Evil 2, our impressions of the latest PS5 demo of Resident Evil Village, and more. For another Capcom franchise that deserves to be revisited, check out our retrospective on the Onimusha franchise. Lastly, fans of retro-style FPS games should have ULTRAKILL on their radar from New Blood Interactive.