Announced at the Xbox Series X showcase last month, Second Extinction looks to be a frantic co-op shooter that switches out the regular hordes of human, zombie, or alien foes for waves of mutated dinosaurs with a taste for human flesh. The original Second Extinction gameplay trailer gave just a sample of what players could expect when they got to boot up the title in the near future, showing some high-octane action setpieces where players mowed down hundreds of ticked off dinosaurs.
A new trailer shown by Avalanche Studios Group yesterday at IGN's Summer of Gaming showcase gave players a much deeper look at what Second Extinction is all about, highlighting more of the game's story, its core gameplay loop, and its fearsome Jurassic antagonists. On top of the footage is a discussion between IGN's Max Scoville and Systemic Reaction's Brynley Gibson, with the two running through the game's unique premise.
The gameplay footage begins with the player jettisoning from the sky in a pod alongside two other players, with Gibson explaining that Second Extinction imagines an apocalyptic version of earth in which humans live on a space station due to mutated dinosaurs rising up and overtaking the planet. Landing in this desolate landscape, the footage quickly shows its protagonists engaging in some fast-paced combat, with the area becoming flooded with dinosaurs sporting various abilities and combat styles. One variant of the game's enemies shoots acid while another utilizes invisibility camouflage.
Continuing on, the gameplay shows that various different areas available within the game, with the environments ranging from snowy landscapes to concrete structures. According to Gibson, the game isn't open-world but is being referred to internally as "open-map," meaning that the title will feature wide, expansive levels instead of one limitless world. He also details how player progression works, claiming that each of Second Extinction's central characters belongs to a different class and has specific, unique abilities. The gameplay also highlights the structure of missions, with players completing an objective and running to an extraction spot, where they have to fight several waves of vicious enemies.
All in all, the gameplay seems to show that Second Extinction is shaping up to be a really strong cooperative experience, with amazing visuals, compelling combat, and a relative amount of depth to its systems. As for when the game will release, Gibson claims that a date will be provided soon, however, players can already sign up to a beta in the meantime if they're interested.
Second Extinction is currently in development for PC, Xbox Series X, and Xbox One.