Instinction Looks Like a Next-Gen Spiritual Successor to Dino Crisis, Coming in 2022

Instinction is an upcoming game about dinosaurs, a theme that has gone woefully underexplored in video games. That was about all I needed to know to get on board, but developer Hashbane Interactive has a few more teases to share about a game its calling a next-gen spiritual successor to Dino Crisis. The teaser trailer the team released last month shows what appears to be a clutch of dino eggs that seem to serve as the game’s main menu. It transitions into a loading screen, and then an ever-so-brief snippet of gameplay in a stunning next-gen environment. Take a look below:

Hashbane describes Instinction as “a dinosaur survival game with modern mechanics and a compelling story.” Players will take on the role of one of three salvage crew members either in single-player or co-op multiplayer. The adventure will take you from the darkest depths of the ocean to the wonderous awe of vast grassy plains. Aside from the horror of coming face to face with dinosaurs, narrative seems to be a central focus for Instinction. “As they unearth the true reasons for their deployment they begin to descend into inner self-doubt that will test their resolve, relationships and push them to the darkest corners of their minds,” Hashbane says of the game’s story.

A lot of player customization is central to the development of Instinction, from the variety of weapon loadouts you can find and earn throughout the game. “From melee weapons to rocket launchers,” each has a “fully customizable in-game attachment, skin and reticle editor.” That also extends to the games fully customizable UI, allowing players not only to toggle everything on and off, but also reposition elements.

You can take a look at even more Instinction via the high-resolution screenshots in the gallery below. A full reveal is coming at a later date.

Want to see some of these screenshots in motion? The developer has some development assets they’ve used as teasers, which show the stunning game in motion.

There’s also a teaser of the upcoming reveal trailer:

Instinction can be played via both first and third-person perspectives, which can be interchanged throughout the game. The development team is putting particular focus into utilizing next-gen technologies like advanced ray-tracing, DLSS 2.0, HDRI, screen space effects, shadows, reflections, and ambient occlusion. It will also have dynamic resolution and frame rates, targeting support for 8K and 120 fps. 3D audio will create a dynamic soundscape with positional reactions for environmental audio. PS5 players in particular will get a treat with full DualSense support, including haptic feedback and adaptive triggers.

They began work on Instinction under Dane Design, a visual production studio in New Zealand, a little under a year ago before deciding to spin out Hashbane Interactive as a dedicated development studio for the game, funded by Dane Design. Dane Design has more than 27 years of experience in commercial visual production in various fields, including CGI, animation, architectural visualization, and motion graphics.

Hashbane Interactive is planning a Q3 2022 release for Instinction, targeting PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. You can follow more on the game on the developer’s website or by following the Instinction Twitter account. Stay tuned for more information about Instinction soon.