Second Extinction for Xbox and PC Preview: A Good Time

Source: Systemic Response

Months after its release on Inside Xbox in early 2020, the cooperative shooter Second Extinction. A team of up to three players compete against hordes of dinosaurs and is finally available for the first time through Steam’s Early Access program. Curious to see what the game was about, I teamed up with a few squadmates. After seeing what Second Extinction has to offer from the get-go, I’m confident it will become an excellent title that Xbox and PC gamers alike will love.

At its core, Second Extinction can best be described as ordered chaos. Hordes of myriad mutant dinosaurs almost always storm you, but with the wide variety of tools and weapons your team has at their disposal, you can effectively thin out the reptile armies. There are four classes to choose from: a support professional who focuses on bursts of damage and highlights targets for the team, a long-range sniper who can intercept targets with critical hits, an area denial tank that can hold down choke points with a minigun, and electric Fences and an evasive soldier who can hand out constant punishment while teetering and weaving in combat. All four classes have their strengths and weaknesses, and it’s great fun figuring out how to work with teammates to get the most out of your skills. After each mission, you have the option to upgrade your weapons as well, which will improve your combat effectiveness the next time you go into the field.

But good teamwork is not just fun – it is necessary. The dinosaurs that have taken over the earth are no rags in battle, and each of them pose a unique threat. Aside from your simple raptor charging you head-on, there are some interesting dinosaur variants. For example, one type of bird of prey is covered in a chitin-like substance that acts as armor, and it requires focus fire to turn off quickly. Another type of bird of prey will spit corrosive balls of saliva on you, causing damage over time. A kind of raptor, in fact Shocks Providing you with electricity, briefly numbs you and interrupts your actions.

What is unique about Second Extinction is the level design approach. While most cooperative shooters are linear in nature, Second Extinction takes place in a semi-open world, where players can choose to approach each mission however they want. Do you want to land across the map from your destination and take an epic, battle filled journey through dangerous areas? You can. Do you want to land right at your destination in a safer area? You can do that too. That freedom is cool and allows you and your friends to enjoy the game at your own pace.

The non-linear design is supported by the diverse scope. Everything from mountain ranges to abandoned cities can be found on the map. Each of these locations provides a unique backdrop for your dinosaur kill. It feels great to go through each area and figure out how best to use the terrain against the dinosaur horde. The game’s dynamic weather system ensures that no area will ever look or feel exactly like this when you return to it later.

There is room for improvement, but that is expected

While there are definitely a lot of things Second Extinction could use – like extra polishing, more weapons, and more dinosaurs – that’s what is expected in an Early Access game, and it is based on what developer Systemic Reaction built excellent. As the game evolves over time, I’m sure it will only get better with things like more content, features, and quality of life improvements.

While the game is currently only available on PC, it will also be available for Xbox consoles in the future, including the Xbox One family of consoles as well as the next-generation Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. With the improvements to Second Extinction above, I can easily see that it is going to be one of the best Xbox shooters out there.

Second Extinction is currently available for $ 25 on Windows 10 PCs. Thanks to a sale, you can get a Steam code for $ 20 at GreenManGaming.