Tokyo Jungle: Go Wild!

Back in September, a very unique and very unusual game was released for download on the PlayStation 3: Toyko Jungle.  The game takes place in Tokyo after an unexplained phenomenon causes every human being on the planet to disappear without a trace.  Zoo animals break free from their cages and former pets get in touch with their lost instincts.  There is only one rule in this new natural order: survival of the fittest.

Nature reclaims Tokyo.

In Tokyo Jungle, you can play as over thirty different kinds of animals.  If you play as a herbivore (like a gazelle or rabbit), you must find fresh vegetation and avoid getting eaten, only fighting when necessary (if it's even possible).  If you play as a carnivore (like a beagle or lion), you must seek out and hunt other animals while defending yourself from the stronger competition.  There is a story mode (which reveals the surprising reason for mankind's disappearance), but I really like the survival mode.  The goal is to survive as long as possible, racking up survival points for accomplishing key tasks.  Marking a territory is necessary to attract potential mates, but certain animals won't mate unless you have reached a certain rank (which is accomplished by finding and eating food).  Also, accomplishing specific challenges that are randomized at the beginning of each game helps give focus to the game play and makes it more fun.  After completing a survival game (which ends when you die), you can spend your accumulated survival points to unlock new animals or buy stat-boosting accessories.

Actual game play on Tokyo Jungle as an elephant.

I love the gritty feel of Tokyo Jungle.  Too many animal-based video games are way too cutesie for my taste.  The point of Tokyo Jungle is to survive, a concept that brings out primeval feelings in me: the thrill of the hunt, the horror of being hunted, and the pride of rearing a new generation.  I have always loved animals and have respected the way nature works, even if it's not pretty.  When I was young, I wanted to watch the footage of a cheetah catching a zebra that other kids shied away from, because it was the real deal.  Tokyo Jungle is full of these "real deal" moments.  If I'm playing as a dog and get killed by a lion, it's going to eat me while "game over" flashes across the screen.  It's harsh, but that's nature for ya.  It makes surviving even more rewarding knowing that nothing is going to go easy on me.  If my generations of hyenas survive for over a hundred years, then by golly, I'm doing a dang good job surviving in the unforgiving wilderness!  It's a engaging and fun game concept that keeps me playing again and again.

Tokyo Jungle is not for everyone.  There is a lot of killing, whether you are a herbivore or a carnivore, so it's not for those who are sensitive to death.  This is especially true as it pertains to the pets in the game (to this day, I hate killing cats, even if they attack me first).  There is a little bit of blood, and when it's time to mate, you see the animal mount the other!  However, I am not bothered by these things because, for the most part, they simply reflect the true nature of - well - nature.  On the other hand, as gritty as the game is, there are plenty of unrealistic elements to it.  For example, there's no way a Golden Retriever could take down a tiger in real life!  And for extra stat bonuses, you can dress your animal character up in clothes and other accessories (but as silly as that is, there is something fun about dressing up a pig).  You can also play as a few dinosaurs, and I would tell you how in the world dinosaurs are in Tokyo, but that would spoil the story. 

There's no way that beagle is going to win this battle!

I would heartily recommend Tokyo Jungle to anyone who isn't afraid to play on the wild side!  Right now, it's only available for download through the PlayStation Network, but it only cost $14.99.  Below is a trailer of the actual game play and some of the animals you can play as.  Tokyo Jungle is a quirky, invigorating game that adds a refreshing change to the ho-hum variety of video games out there.  So if you are feeling adventurous, give it a try!