'Turok' is a franchise that made a name for itself starting with 1997's 'Turok: Dinosaur Hunter', though fewer gamers remember it today. The series, better known simply as the "dinosaur game" than by its actual title, is returning after a long hiatus with a fresh new look.
Developed and published by Saber Interactive, 'Turok: Origins' reimagines the action and lore of the original titles into a modern co-op shooter. Players can freely switch between first-person and third-person perspectives, fighting dinosaurs and alien threats either solo or in co-op with up to three players. The game is scheduled to launch in spring 2027 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Set before the original 'Turok', this title sheds new light on the Order of the Turok, a group of warriors protecting the world. Players become Turok warriors clad in bio-suits called 'Mantles' and face off against the reptilian alien force known as the 'Xenia'. One of the main features is the 'EchoSyncs' system, which allows players to extract power from enemies and the environment to evolve their Mantle.
During TGS 2026, a separate media hands-on demo for 'Turok: Origins' was held at a conference room in the Hotel New Otani near Makuhari Messe. The playable stage appeared to be from the early part of the game, featuring a narrative where the player undergoes a trial to be recognized as a member of the Turok.
Before diving into gameplay, players first choose their appearance. While it does not offer detailed character customization, players can select from around 10 presets. Both male and female characters are available, with subtle differences not only in faces but also in outfit decorations and face paint.
After deciding on an appearance, players select a class among Bison, Cougar, and Raven. Each class features specialized abilities and weapons; for this demo, I chose Raven, which uses a bow as its primary weapon.
Once the stage begins in earnest, players follow voice prompts to complete a series of objectives. The gameplay followed a relatively linear structure where you move along a path, encounter dinosaurs or aliens, defeat them, and press forward. While it is difficult to judge the entire game's level design from a short preview, the section provided was focused on experiencing fast, continuous combat rather than intricate exploration.
What caught my eye first during the process was the ability to seamlessly switch between first-person and third-person perspectives. Holding down the D-pad button on a controller allows you to switch perspectives at any time, and the transition is remarkably smooth. It is not just the camera position moving, either. Dodging in third-person shows the character performing a roll, whereas the same action in first-person is rendered as a swift dash forward. It was clear that meticulous attention was paid even to animations to make both perspectives feel like primary ways to play the game.
Players could equip up to three types of weapons. In this demo, I tested a powerful bow, a rocket launcher, and a rifle that fires a continuous laser beam. Ammo is limited, but reloading does not function like a standard magazine swap found in typical shooters. Instead, prolonged weapon use causes overheating, and pressing the button normally reserved for reloading (the X button on an Xbox controller) triggers a cooling action. In essence, this cooling process serves a similar role to reloading.
It was also impressive that, despite being a shooter, the game offers substantial advantages for melee combat. When an enemy's health drops below a certain threshold, an orange border appears around its body, and pressing melee at this moment immediately triggers a finisher. The executions are surprisingly intense, featuring animations such as ripping a dinosaur's mouth open or slicing an alien's throat.
These finishers are not just for show, either. Successfully performing a finisher rewards players with additional benefits, such as restoring health or charging the ultimate ability gauge. Rather than keeping distance while shooting, aggressively closing in on a weakened enemy to execute them proved more advantageous for sustaining momentum in upcoming battles, naturally driving a rhythm of alternating between ranged and melee combat. Furthermore, these execution animations played a significant role in making the combat feel satisfyingly tactile.
The special abilities used by Turok warriors are also noteworthy. In the game's lore, they wear bio-suits called 'Mantles' and can extract 'Echoes' from fallen enemies or the environment to unleash powerful abilities through 'EchoSyncs'. Through this, the Mantle itself evolves in real time to gain new skills and abilities, forming one of the core progression systems in 'Turok: Origins'.
The Raven class chosen for this demo excelled at disrupting enemy movements and controlling the battlefield. It could deploy a gravity field to trap enemies in place for a set duration, as well as generate a protective barrier to shield allies. When swarmed by multiple enemies, it was possible to chain abilities and weapons together—for instance, trapping foes in a gravity field before blasting them with a rocket launcher.
The bow was no exception. Despite being an energy weapon, the sound, blood splatters, and hit reactions upon striking enemies provided a distinctly satisfying feel. Combined with the ability to dash in for a finisher once an enemy's health drops, the combat rhythm feels markedly different from shooters where you simply fire one weapon continuously from a distance.
Though I did not get to play for an extended period, I can say that the polish of the combat in 'Turok: Origins' was quite impressive. The heavy impact and fast-paced tempo when engaging swarms of enemies—honed by Saber Interactive through action titles like 'Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2'—translated naturally into this game as well.
However, it is unfortunate that the Steam store page currently indicates Korean interface and subtitle support will not be available.
When asked about Korean language support during our interview at the demo, Director Jesús Iglesias responded that he would actively suggest it upon returning to Madrid. With plenty of time left before release, fans can look forward to spring 2027 with high hopes.
