Neo-Cretaceous Britney is a retro, 3D infinite runner where you play as pop-star turned Tyrannosaur on the run from your producers who seem to have a problem with your people-munching addiction.
Neo-Cretaceous Britney hits many of the right notes with its visuals. The bright pink of the dinosaur and 90’s arcade cityscape mesh together wonderfully to create something nostalgic yet fresh. Even with its slow jumping, the controls manage to work as enemies and obstacles spawn far enough away to allow you to dodge with relative ease. The straight-on angle of the camera really only becomes an issue when attempting to dodge incoming bullets.
Despite being a relatively solid runner, more than anything, Neo-Cretaceous Britney feels like a wasted opportunity to do something weird, wonderful, and unique. The idea of a pop-star trapped inside the body of a Tyrannosaurus is hilarious and presents so many chances for perfectly awkward interactions or gameplay dynamics. The concept begs for something tongue-in-cheek and goofy, perhaps taking a page from the ridiculously charming Octodad: Dadliest Catch. Instead of marrying the narrative to the gameplay, the story provides little more than basic framing for what amounts to a pretty generic game. Even the music feels like it was a missed opportunity, as the male-vocal rock song is clearly at odds with the bubblegum pop sound one expects from the game.
Seeing as Neo-Cretaceous Britney is a student project, it’s hard to bee too critical on it though, and it’s clear that there is promise in the developer. We’d love to see them tackle a bigger challenge for their next title. As it stands, if you are looking for a simple infinite runner, you won’t go wrong with Neo-Cretaceous Britney but you probably won’t find the humour promised by the game’s title.
Play Neo-Cretaceous Britney Here (Unity Supported Browsers Only)