This Playstation-inspired dino-slaying FPS is straight outta 1998

Hungry dinosaurs
(Image credit: Austin Schaeffer / Cyrus Byrd / Pete Goodfellow)

Announced on Twitter by developer Austin Schaeffer, Compound Fracture is an upcoming FPS where you battle low-poly dinosaurs. It's part of a new wave of indie games inspired by the distinctive aesthetic and rendering techniques of the original PlayStation, even down to having a square 4:3 aspect ratio—although there will be an option to disable this.

"Compound Fracture is an action survival horror game," reads the game's Steam page. "Fast reflexes are required to neutralize prehistoric threats waiting around every corner. Set aside your fear, gather your supplies, and get to work." The blurb also promises distinct enemy types, oppressive environments, and a variety of weapons and upgrades to help you fight the dinos.

Dino Crisis immediately springs to mind, but this early footage also reminds me of Argonaut's Alien: Resurrection, a great horror FPS (based on a terrible film) that was released for the PlayStation back in 2000. A lot of games shoot for the PSX aesthetic, but don't quite get there. Compound Fracture, on the other hand, absolutely nails it, beyond just texture warping and dithering. The environments look like Capcom could have built them in the late '90s.

There's no release date for Compound Fracture yet. 'Coming soon' is as much as the developer will say at the moment. But you can wishlist it on Steam if you like the look of it, and follow Schaeffer on Twitter if you want updates on its development. I'll be keeping my eye on this one.

Andy Kelly

If it’s set in space, Andy will probably write about it. He loves sci-fi, adventure games, taking screenshots, Twin Peaks, weird sims, Alien: Isolation, and anything with a good story.

Latest in FPS
Fragpunk FPS
Fragpunk review
Rainbow Six Siege year 9 season 2 key art - two Rainbow Six Siege operators facing each other
'Siege 2 was never on the table': Rainbow Six Siege X director explains why the 10-year-old FPS doesn't need a sequel
rainbow six siege sledge
After holding out for 10 years, Rainbow Six Siege is finally going free-to-play (kind of)
rainbow six siege x dual front mode
Rainbow Six Siege is getting its first permanent mode in 10 years, and it throws every Siege rule out the window
Fragpunk characters with weapon drawn
The latest big game on Steam is Fragpunk, or as I like to call it, 'kitchen-sink Counter-Strike'
spectre divide
Spectre Divide and its studio are shutting down after just six months: 'The industry is in a tough spot right now'
Latest in News
Will Poulter holding a CD ROM
'What are most games about? Killing': Black Mirror Season 7 includes a follow-up to 2018 interactive film Bandersnatch
Casper Van Dien in Starship Troopers
Sony, which is making a Helldivers 2 movie, is also making a new Starship Troopers movie, but it's not based on the Starship Troopers movie we already have
Assassin's Creed meets PUBG
Ubisoft is reportedly talking to Tencent about creating a new business entity to manage Assassin's Creed and other big games
Resident Evil Village - Lady Dimitrescu
'It really truly changed my life in every possible way': Lady Dimitrescu actor says her Resident Evil Village role was just as transformative for her as it was for roughly half the internet in 2021
Storm trooper hero
Another live service shooter is getting shut down, this time before it even launched on Steam
Possibility Space concept art.
Possibility Space owners sue NetEase for $900 million over allegations it spread 'false and defamatory rumors' of fraud at the studio that ultimately forced it to close