Turok: Origins is the rare, low-stress co-op shooter I’ve been looking for

Last year’s influx of “friendslop” games, largely inspired by the success of Peak, left many of us in the PC gaming community wondering if the industry was becoming oversaturated with survival crafting and roguelike mechanics. While those games have their place, finding a straightforward, old-fashioned co-op first-person shooter has become a rare treat. After spending time with Turok: Origins at Summer Game Fest last week, I’m convinced Saber Interactive has captured exactly the kind of “Discord hangout game” we’ve been missing.

A Return to Linear Co-op

Turok: Origins is a prequel to the classic '90s dinosaur-shooting series, but it feels distinctly modern in its execution. It is a three-player co-op title that lets players swap between first- and third-person perspectives on the fly. During my time with two missions, the gameplay focused on shooting waves of aliens and dinosaurs using a mix of traditional ballistics and high-energy abilities, like beam attacks and magic missiles.

What makes Turok: Origins stand out is its lack of pretension. It isn't trying to deliver a complex narrative or force players into an infinite grind. Instead, it offers set missions, a class-based system for specializing roles, and the ability to unlock gear as you progress. You can replay missions on higher difficulties if you want to test your upgraded equipment, but the game is perfectly content to let you play through the story and be satisfied with the experience.

The Ideal Discord Hangout

To me, the perfect Discord hangout game requires a few key traits. It needs to support 3-5 players, include enough story structure to provide a sense of accomplishment, and—most importantly—allow for idle conversation. Unlike games that demand your full attention 100% of the time, Turok: Origins is a game you can play while only needing to “lock in” for about 10-20% of the session.

Because the game is built around clearing rooms and “making bad guys go boom,” it provides enough visual flair and satisfying finishing moves to keep your lizard brain happy without requiring intense strategic focus. You can chat about your day or your latest hobbies while throwing down a shield for a teammate or mowing down dinosaurs. It avoids the pitfalls of games like Overcooked, where one player’s lack of engagement can derail the entire experience, or survival games that require constant, exhausting maintenance.

While I might have minor gripes about the friction in the shooting or the simplicity of some objectives—like blowing up glowing plants—they didn't dampen my enjoyment. Saber Interactive has found a niche in making games that demand exactly enough from their players to be fun, while leaving plenty of room for the social aspect that makes co-op gaming so essential.