Turok Origins SGF 2026 Hands-On Preview: As Alan Partridge Would Say, ‘Jurassic Park!’

I love going into demos and previews blind, metaphorically speaking. I have no expectations, no past material to judge the new framework on, and a fresh palette ready to be dazzled—in this case, by dinos. Turok: Origins is my first foray into the franchise’s unique blend of dino-shooting action, and I left pleasantly surprised.

A dinosaur is a formidable foe when you actually think about it. Usually, several hundred tons of flesh-eating, bone-crunching force stares you in the face before trying to sit on it.

Most people have had some Jurassic Park-inspired nightmare, and it’s nice to get some retribution in the form of Turok: Origins.

Dino Delight

My Summer Game Fest demo started me off in solo play to get to grips with the game. I picked one of three classes (eventually testing them all) and got straight to work on tearing my way through the jungle and dumping lead and lasers into all manner of prehistoric creatures.

The obscured nature of the level meant a couple of surprising jump scares as Xenia suddenly pounced out at me through the foliage as though I’d stolen their favorite treat. The enemies would circle me or charge me, and I had to constantly keep on the move—these aren’t foes keen on using cover and smarts to outwit you.

I played it like an arena shooter. Circling, strafing, and barely taking a second to slow down as I furiously stocked up on health and ammo pickups.

Each class has various abilities to broaden your gameplay options. From shockwave explosions to protective shields, there’s a real sense of depth between all three: Bison, Cougar, and Raven.

I had a good time and breezed through the first level before I was promptly greeted by a hulking boss: the Metal Maw.

What an exhilarating fight! The carnivorous and cantankerous creature’s attack patterns were fairly straightforward, but its sizable presence is a spectacle. The several-minute-long encounter saw me duck, dodge, dip, dive, and dodge between the smattering of cover, desperately trying to evade the clutches of its giant gob.

The opening level was merely a taster, and it only got better.

A Second Serving

Level two disposed of this individual nonsense and teamed me up with the fellow journalist to my left and one of the game devs: The extremely helpful Inés López!

I flirted back and forth with the Turok’s first-person and new third-person camera, and as a fan of FPS, I chose to stick to the classic perspective, although either works.

Together, we forged forward as a formidable team, decimating bugs and more human-like opposition. It might get boring fighting only dinosaurs (unlikely), so this was a nice turn of pace.

This second helping of Turok: Origins featured more platforming elements and isolated, yet diverse, battle rooms. One second, I was leaping across precarious water wheels, the next, I was making use of the environment’s verticality to progress and flank enemies.

I also got more of a feel for each class, using all the weapons, and you’ll definitely have a favorite once you play enough—I was drawn toward the tank-like Bison as I like feeling powerful.

Eventually, the mission culminated in another epic boss battle. This time, all three of us were locked in a giant room with another colossal calamity that took pride in charging at us, and sending even more minions after us during the fight. It felt like a proper raid fight and was much more difficult than the first.

However, as somewhat capable journalists—and an excellent dev by our side—we prevailed.

Saber Interactive has quickly become one of my favorite developers and publishers in the world, with Hellraiser: Revival and Stuntman Hollywood also being two additional Saber demos at SGF 2026, and Turok: Origins could easily be the rejuvenation the franchise needs with the team at the helm.

Whether you’ve played or watched Turok: Origins, let me know what you think of it by messaging the team through the Insider Gaming Discord!

Also, check out my Valor Mortis SGF 2026 Hands-On Preview, which I’ve called ‘A Genuine GOTY Contender.‘