[GAMESCOM 2026] Wilderdark Preview – Ambitious Dinosaur Horror Game That Still Has Plenty to Prove

If you enjoy independent indie game coverage, consider supporting Indie-Games.eu on Patreon. It helps keep the site independent.

Wilderdark has one of those premises that immediately makes you wonder why more games have not attempted something similar. It drops you onto an unnatural island populated by dinosaurs, infected vegetation and a mysterious ectoparasitic organism. Instead of handing you a large weapon and turning those creatures into targets, it asks you to observe them, collect samples and risk your life trying to take the perfect photograph.

My Gamescom demonstration was timed, giving me enough time to explore the opening section and become familiar with its central systems. It was also an extremely rough experience filled with bugs, clunky movement and awkward shortcuts. However, the developers told me that this was the game’s first official public showing. The fact that Team Junkfish managed to prepare a functional Gamescom build was commendable, even if it was clearly far from finished.

You can wishlist the game on Steam.

Every Creature Requires a Different Approach

The protagonist works for an organisation searching for immortality and has been sent to investigate an island corrupted by a strange organism. Previous expeditions have disappeared, including one led by the protagonist’s parents, providing a more personal reason to uncover what happened.

The section I played introduced three to four creatures, each with noticeably different behaviour. The largest was a Triceratops that became aggressive whenever I moved too close. Once provoked, it would chase me around the environment and force me to create some distance before I could continue investigating.

You were also able to photograph various planst, learn more about them and find out which ones are important for your objectives or which ones you have to avoid. All the evidence you collect then must be sent to the computer for analysis.

In other words, Wilderdark is trying to make its dinosaurs feel like parts of an ecosystem rather than interchangeable enemies. Unfortunately, the demonstration was too short for me to judge how intelligent or reactive they truly were. I could see that they had separate behavioural patterns, but I cannot yet say how much depth, variety or unpredictability the complete game will offer.

Photography Is Part of Surviving

Photography, scanning and collecting biological samples were integrated directly into the objectives. They did not feel like optional activities placed beside the real gameplay. Studying the environment and documenting its inhabitants was the reason I continued placing myself in dangerous situations.

Different kinds of bait could be used to lure creatures into more useful positions. This made it easier to photograph them, but it also meant understanding how they reacted to the items placed around them. Getting the necessary evidence was not simply a matter of spotting a dinosaur from a safe distance and pressing a button.

The camera also interacted with environmental traps, allowing me to remove certain obstacles. This gave it a more practical function outside photography and made observation part of navigating the island. It is an interesting direction because the camera is not merely a photo mode disguised as a mechanic. It connects investigation, survival and progression.

There is always a danger that repeatedly photographing and scanning creatures could eventually become a checklist. The opening section avoided that problem because I was still learning what inhabited the island and how everything worked. The complete game will need enough new dinosaurs, assignments and environmental challenges to prevent these objectives from becoming repetitive.

Crafting Supports the Expedition

Exploration also allowed me to collect materials scattered throughout the environment. These resources could be used to craft practical items, including bandages and additional bait. The crafting system appeared relatively straightforward during this section, but it supported the fantasy of being an underprepared researcher trapped in a hostile place.

This is where Wilderdark separates itself from the obvious Dino Crisis comparison. The dinosaurs are not primarily presented as enemies waiting to be shot. They are dangerous animals that must be studied, avoided and occasionally manipulated. The game seems more interested in the tension of Alien: Isolation and the field research of Subnautica than recreating a traditional action-heavy survival horror game.

I also really liked the environment with its detailed forest, foliage, dinosaur models and animations. Plus there were disturbing organic and squelching sounds which complemented the oppressive atmosphere that follows you throughout the game. The game in general looks good and I was surprised how well everything fits together.

Although objectives provided a clear direction, I was given enough freedom to look around and examine areas away from the immediate path. The complete game could still prove relatively linear, but this opening suggested that players will have some room to explore and make discoveries independently.

Ending thoughts

The technical condition was far less convincing. Movement was clunky, bugs were frequent and the shortcuts did not always feel natural to use. Almost every part of the demonstration carried some level of roughness. These issues were difficult to ignore, but they also need to be judged within the context of an early event build prepared for the game’s first official showing.

That context explains the problems, but it does not make them irrelevant. Wilderdark launches on November 3, leaving Team Junkfish with limited time to polish its movement, interface and technical performance. Its atmosphere and interesting ideas will struggle to carry the experience if the finished version still feels this awkward.

The Gamescom build was too rough to recommend without caution, but Wilderdark is absolutely worth following or wishlisting if dinosaur horror and investigation appeal to you. Team Junkfish has a fascinating concept supported by meaningful photography, crafting and exploration mechanics. Now it needs to prove that the finished game can deliver enough variety and polish to match that ambition.