Primal Planet News

[h2]Hello, Dinovanians![/h2]

It's Albert van Zyl, the solo caveman behind this dinovania. I’m really excited (and a bit nervous!) to share the demo of Primal Planet with you. This is the first step into a world I’ve been working hard to bring to life—a mysterious alien planet where survival is challenging, and every choice counts. I hope this little taste gives you a sense of what’s in store.

[h3]🔍 What You’ll Find in the Demo:[/h3]
🪐 A Glimpse of the Story
You’ll meet a cave dweller with a simple yet profound mission: to protect his family from lurking dangers. This is just the start of the story I’m building, and I’m looking forward to hearing how you feel about it.

🛠 First Steps into Survival
Primal Planet is about making the most of limited resources. In this demo, you’ll get a feel for crafting, combat, and survival. I hope it gives you a good sense of the challenges that lie ahead.

🌄 Exploring the Early Biomes
The demo lets you explore a small portion of the biomes in Primal Planet. Each one has unique creatures, resources, and environmental hurdles that will keep you on your toes. I’d love to hear what you think!

🎮 A Taste of Core Gameplay
You’ll get to experience the core mechanics of the game: resource management, exploration, and strategy. I’m aiming for a gameplay experience that feels deep yet intuitive, and your feedback on this early build will be invaluable.

🌞 Dynamic Day/Night Cycle
Watch the world change around you as day turns to night. Each cycle brings new atmospheres, and maybe even a little peace...just be careful not to disturb any sleeping dinos!



[h3]🤝 Your Feedback Means the World[/h3]
I’m so grateful to everyone who takes the time to try out the demo. Your thoughts, suggestions, and experiences will play a big role in shaping Primal Planet as it develops. Please don’t hesitate to share feedback—I’ll be listening closely to make the game as good as it can be. You can share your thoughts directly on the Primal Planet Discord server, or fill out the survey available in the game.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Follow the game on Steam, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook for future updates and announcements as we head toward the full release in 2025. Happy exploring, and I hope you enjoy your first look at Primal Planet! 🦖

Seethingswarm
Primal Planet’s developer

https://store.steampowered.com/app/3260600/Primal_Planet_Demo/

[h2]Hello, Dinovanians![/h2]

It's Albert van Zyl, the solo caveman behind this dinovania. I've been busy crafting Primal Planet into a living and mysterious world and writing a gripping prehistoric/sci-fi story with no dialogue and only action. It's been quite a journey so far and I thought I'd share a bit about what's going on with the game's development and tell about some exciting stuff coming next.

[h3]The Foundation is Strong[/h3]
There are many features in Primal Planet! From battling enemies and upgrading skills to gathering resources, crafting, and building your village, there's a lot to dive into. You'll also encounter companions, experience rain and day-night cycles, explore with a map system, tackle boss fights, and, of course, face off against plenty of dinosaurs. Plus, you can enjoy all of this in local co-op! Each of these elements plays a key role in shaping the level design and overall gameplay. I made it a priority to solidify these mechanics before moving forward with the story and world-building. Now that the foundation is solid, the game is taking shape, and both the narrative and world are progressing well. There's still more to do, but it's exciting to see it all coming together 🙂

[h3]Primal Music[/h3]
I've been working with an incredible composer, Michael Kirby Ward, who’s crafting a fantastic soundtrack for Primal Planet. He’s already composed several amazing tracks, each packed with atmosphere and emotion, truly elevating the game to a new level. I can’t wait for you to experience the world of Primal Planet with his music!

[h3]Your Village[/h3]
One of the newest features in the game is your village. As part of a small tribe, you'll encounter lost cave dwellers throughout your journey who will rejoin your tribe. You can build huts for them in your village, which allows you to learn new skills from these characters and even hire them as companions. These huts also generate various resources for your tribe. You’ll also have the ability to move your village to different designated locations throughout the game world. I’m really excited about how this feature is shaping up!



[h3]A Demo in the Works[/h3]
I’ve been putting in a lot of effort to get a proper demo ready, and it looks like it won’t be too much longer now. I’ll have more details to share soon! 😉

[h3]Join the Dinovania[/h3]
Join the Discord community, follow on Twitter and TiktTok, wishlist and follow the game on Steam to ensure you’re always kept in the loop.

Thank you all so much for your support so far — it truly means the world to me!

Seethingswarm
Primal Planet’s developer

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2350270/Primal_Planet/

[h2]Hello, Dinovanians![/h2]

Ever wished for a certain kind of game and wondered why it hasn’t been made yet? That's exactly what happened to me with Primal Planet.

I’m Albert van Zyl, the solo caveman behind this dinovania. Today, I’m thrilled to share the journey and inspirations that have shaped Primal Planet, giving you a glimpse into the heart of this game.

[h3]Passion for the Prehistoric[/h3]
Rewinding back to a few years ago when I was watching Jurassic Park for the first time since I was a kid. The nostalgia hit hard, reigniting my childhood love for dinosaurs. Growing up in South Africa, I was surrounded by breathtaking nature and wildlife, which left a lasting impression. Combining this with my love for metroidvanias, the idea for Primal Planet was born—a game where you could immerse yourself in a world of dinosaurs.

[h3]Crafting a Living World[/h3]
My vision for Primal Planet was clear: create a metroidvania where the environment feels alive. Not just obstacles to overcome, but a world where creatures interact with each other—predators hunt, prey flee. Inspired by the conceptual depth of games like Rain World, I wanted to craft a dynamic ecosystem that keeps players on their toes.

[h3]Inspired by the Greats[/h3]
In Primal Planet, I aim to immerse players in the life of a cave dweller who must hunt, gather resources, and craft tools. However, I'm cautious to avoid turning these activities into a tedious grind. My objective is to ensure these systems are streamlined, sustainable, and enjoyable. Three of my favorite games — Subnautica, Far Cry Primal, and Peter Jackson's King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie — have been massive inspirations for Primal Planet. Although none of these are traditional 2D platformers (though one might argue Subnautica shares metroidvania elements), they all excel in creating systems that remain engaging throughout the game. These games also feature richly atmospheric worlds with incredible flora and fauna, all underscored by compelling, high-concept stories. If these three games had a pixel-art dinosaur metroidvania baby, Primal Planet would be it.

[h3]A Metroidvania Enthusiast’s Dream[/h3]
I've been a fan of metroidvanias since childhood. Back in the early 90s as a little kid, I played my first ever metroidvania called Zeliard—a classic crafted in 1987 that completely captivated my young imagination. Since that moment, I've dreamed of creating my own metroidvania, and now, with the necessary skills and resources at my disposal, that dream has become a reality.
I draw inspiration from some of the giants in the genre, such as Hollow Knight and Axiom Verge, as well as newer additions like Outbuddies and The Messenger. Each game has contributed to the fabric of Primal Planet, influencing everything from storytelling to gameplay dynamics. I'm also a big fan of the fluid movement found in platformers like Celeste, which has inspired the responsive controls in Primal Planet.

[h3]Storytelling at Heart[/h3]
At the heart of Primal Planet lies a story designed to resonate deeply with players. My goal has always been to create a game that not only entertains but also evokes strong emotions and creates lasting connections with its characters and narrative. Over the past few years, my increasing fascination with story-telling structure has significantly influenced Primal Planet's development.
Drawing inspiration from a variety of sources, including Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal and H.G. Wells' War of The Worlds, has enriched the storyline. I even find value in unexpected places, such as the conceptually intriguing, but very poorly executed film Battlefield Earth. While controversial, its core ideas have contributed to the depth of the game's narrative.
Primal Planet is a story about the bonds of family and how far one would go to save your loved ones, while also reflecting modern society issues., But above all else, it is meant to be an entertaining and action-packed adventure on a dinosaur planet.


[h3]Join the Dinovania[/h3]
I hope this gave some idea of my inspirations for Primal Planet, but if you have any comments, questions, or if you would like me to clarify some things, feel free to ask.

Join the Discord community, follow on Twitter, wishlist and follow the game on Steam to ensure you’re always kept in the loop.

Thank you so much for everyone's support so far, it means the world to me!

Seethingswarm
Primal Planet’s developer

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2350270/Primal_Planet/

[h2]Greetings, primal adventurers![/h2]

I’m Albert van Zyl, the one-man team behind Seethingswarm, a game studio dedicated to crafting immersive action-adventure games. I’m beyond thrilled to welcome you all to Primal Planet.

[h3]The Dinovania is growing[/h3]

I'm thankful for your support and excited to share recent achievements that have propelled Primal Planet to the spotlight.

Primal Planet’s reveal trailer has crossed 300,000 views on the official IGN YouTube channel, a milestone that’s both humbling and electrifying. You can watch it here on the Steam page or on IGN's YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tj_KbR5lSfw

The game was also featured in the Dinos vs Robots Fest and the MIX Spring Showcase, the latter one including a new video with commentary, and this is just the beginning!

As we march towards our 2025 release, the anticipation within me grows daily. The wishlist additions and the community’s growing excitement reminds me every day of why I embarked on this journey. Your support has been the cornerstone of Primal Planet’s development.

[h3]Stay Connected[/h3]

There are lots of updates and content on the way for Primal Planet. To ensure you’re always in the loop, I encourage you to wishlist and follow the game on Steam, join the Discord community, and follow on Twitter.

With heartfelt thanks and excitement for what’s to come,

Seethingswarm
Primal Planet’s developer

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2350270/Primal_Planet/

Watch Seethinswarm play Primal Planet!