Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered Review

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion Remastered originally launched on the Nintendo 64 all the way back in the year 2000. It was the final chapter in the popular N64 first-person shooter series, following directly from the ending of the prior game, Turok 2: Seeds of Evil.

This remaster comes from the capable hands of Nightdive Studios, who previously were responsible for the enhanced Quake and Quake II releases from the last couple of years. This version of Turok 3 brings the conclusion of the saga to modern platforms. But how does it hold up after all this time, and is it worth a look?

Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion sees you taking control of either Danielle or Joseph as they regroup after the end of the second game and attempt to deal with the titular villain, Oblivion. If you’ve played prior Turok titles, you know what to expect going into this third entry, although there are some important changes.

Shadow of Oblivion takes the more open-ended exploratory nature of the previous Turok titles and instead streamlines the gameplay down a more linear, set-piece-focused style. It has a heavier emphasis on narrative, and you are unlikely to get too lost as you uncover the mysteries surrounding your brother, Joshua, and Oblivion’s evil schemes.

And whilst the game is definitely more linear in that you are directed far more… directly than before, and your objectives are far more defined. The level design itself is still quite sprawling; instead of wide open areas to get lost in, Turok 3 uses an interconnected world made up of smaller locations that you need to backtrack through as you solve puzzles and find items.

At times, this can make it feel almost Metroidvania-like, but it’s really not done to that level. It does make the world you are exploring feel more like a real location, though. This move to a more closed space also lets the levels have a bit more character.

The prior two games often had open rainforests with dense fog that, whilst impressive for the time, ended up looking kind of repetitive. Turok 3’s more built-up environment conveys evil villain lairs and machinery rooms whilst still having the odd grassy plain to explore.

As alluded to earlier, the game allows you to pick one of Joshua’s two siblings to play through the game. Both Danielle and Joseph gain different weapons and abilities as the game progresses, with Danielle getting an Energy Grapple to pull herself up to handy platforms, for example, while Joseph gets Night Vision Goggles… BORING!

This gives the game replay value in that both characters play quite uniquely, with unique arsenals helping them feel quite distinct, although Danielle’s Fireswarm Shotgun makes her objectively the correct choice.

The weapons all feel suitably fun to use, and it’s a sign of how well-balanced the loadouts are that when you inevitably run out of ammo and are reduced back to your pistol, it still holds its own and feels good. The roster of enemies, from the typical human grunts to the Turok staples of dinosaurs, both large and small, are all interesting to take on, too, with some unique tactical quirks to catch you off guard.

As for this modern port, Nightdive has, as usual, outdone themselves. Like with their other efforts, there is a reverence for the original game that is clear to see, and it plays as well as you could hope for. The move to a modern control scheme over the N64’s original tripod controller perhaps makes the game too easy now, but it also makes it so much fun to play through.

The game’s original body part auto-aim functionality is intact (though it can be disabled) and is joined by a plethora of options to fiddle with, including an incredibly tweakable headbob setting and a ludicrously configurable CRT filter, which did a fantastic job of transporting me twenty-plus years into the past.

The original game had multiplayer, which sadly hasn’t made it to this remaster, but that is the only blemish on what is otherwise another masterful Nightdive creation. Turok 3: Shadow of Oblivion might’ve been a relatively divisive entry due to the changes in structure back in the day, but it’s a fine way to spend a few hours with our favourite family of dinosaur hunters.