Jurassic Park: Edge of Chaos

Jurassic Park: Edge of Chaos is an unofficial, fan-made tabletop roleplaying game with an emphasis on collaborative storytelling in a survival scenario. The game is set against the backdrop of the “Isla Nublar Incident,” a series of events which occurred on June 11, 1993 on a remote island off the coast of Costa Rica, expanded and reimagined to allow players to create new and unique stories within its iconic terrain.

The Cutting Edge

In the corridors of biotech laboratories and in hushed conversations amongst industry insiders, dismissive whispers have turned into astonished murmurs: International Genetic Technologies has seemingly achieved the impossible—the resurrection of a lineage that nature selected for extinction over 65 million years ago. Now, thanks to the most awesome scientific force the planet has ever seen, dinosaurs walk the Earth once more.

But as InGen begins its preparations to share this astounding wonder with the world, rumors of its achievement have attracted unwelcome attention from rival corporations. Within the biotech industry’s clandestine world of industrial espionage, the most prized assets are biological samples—enzymes, viruses, stem cell lines—the acquisition of which offers the promise to leap years or even decades ahead of their competitors.

Even in this morally bankrupt world of corporate backstabbing, industry leader Biosyn stands out for its particularly audacious tactics. Armed with both an MBA in finance and a PhD in genetics, head of research Dr. Lewis Dodgson stands as a contentious figure, known for sidelining ethical and legal considerations in the pursuit of total commercial domination.

After receiving confirmation of InGen’s breakthrough from an embedded corporate spy, Dodgson got to work. He quickly identified a disgruntled employee with both exploitable financial issues and unprecedented access to genetic materials, then offered him a lucrative deal to smuggle a canister of viable dinosaur embryos from InGen’s secretive island facility back to the mainland.

July 11, 1993

On Isla Nublar, far from the watchful eyes of US regulators, InGen has been busy constructing a theme park to introduce their achievement to the world—a biological preserve called Jurassic Park. After a tragic incident involving the accidental death of one of its workers, however, a group of skittish investors demanded an on-site inspection by a group of objective experts before they would allow the park to open. Just as the tour was set to begin, computer programmer Dennis Nedry was counting down to the perfect moment to set Dodgson’s plan into motion.

but 

But as a tropical storm swept over the island, Nedry was forced to execute the operation well ahead of schedule. Under pressure and desperate to meet his precious 18-minute window, Nedry hastily activated a secret backdoor in the park’s security systems, triggering a catastrophic shutdown of key infrastructure—leaving dinosaurs free to roam the island as he raced toward the East Dock. Your adventure begins here, as the park teeters on the edge of chaos.

Gameplay

The game is designed to diverge from the original narrative, providing“What If?” scenarios that explore alternate outcomes to the iconic story. Characters range from park staff and consultants to corporate spies and nosy journalists, enabling players to either adopt existing roles or create their own to navigate the chaotic results of InGen’s corporate malfeasance. 

Gameplay utilizes a unique rules-light system designed for quick learning and engaging play, focusing on storytelling over complex rules and utilizing a unique system of random events via the use of Chaos Cards. The mechanics emphasize strategic decision-making, utilizing dice rolls and action cards to progress through narrative-driven storylines. Edge of Chaos supports solo play, collaborative group play, or traditional TTRPG sessions led by a Game Warden. 

Expanding the World

As Jurassic Park has all the logistical complexities of both a major theme park and a major zoo, Edge of Chaos has expanded the scope of Isla Nublar's facilities to showcase a premiere destination just on the edge of fully-functioning. Taking inspiration from the novel, video games, and other ancillary sources, new characters, dinosaurs, items, and scenarios have all been integrated to create a sandbox for players to experience endless adventures in a familiar setting.

The available locations encompass not only the iconic Visitor Center and dinosaur paddocks seen in the film, but also a host of other locations and facilities as-yet unexplored in other media.

These areas include guest-facing locations hinted at in the film like the Aviary, a colossal dome where flying reptiles soar freely, the Pteratops Lodge, a luxury hotel blending natural beauty with cutting-edge comfort, the Jungle River Cruise Ride, offering serene tours through dinosaur-filled wetlands, and the Marine Facility, where a massive aquatic reptile awaits its debut.

Additionally, there are numerous areas designed for use by park employees like the Worker Village, which houses the engineers, scientists, and construction crews, the East Garage, where the park’s fleet of vehicles is repaired and maintained, the North Dock, where cruise ships filled with guests will one day arrive, the Geothermal Power Plant, which harnesses the island's volcanic energy to power the park, as well as a hidden network of steam tunnels which connect much of the park’s infrastructure.

The game employs a dynamic map system that ensures each expedition into the park is unique. As players progress across the island, many locations they encounter are drawn randomly, creating a sense of exploration and discovery and ensuring that no two adventures on Isla Nublar will ever be the same. 

Beyond the iconic Jeep Wranglers and Ford Explorers seen in the film, players may also encounter heavy-duty equipment such as bulldozers and excavators for use in construction, shuttle buses and utility vans for transporting people and equipment, and smaller vehicles like golf carts and dirtbikes for personal transportation.

In addition to the weapons seen in the film such as the shotgun and shock prods, players will have access to an expanded arsenal including gas grenades, tranquilizer rifles, and even heavy weaponry like grenade launchers for use in extreme emergencies. For general use, players can also find essential gear such as binoculars for scouting long distances, body armor for personal protection, and handheld radios for reliable communication across the island’s sprawling terrain.

Available in an updated second edition as well as a brand new Community Version featuring hand-drawn art from members of the Jurassic Park fan community, Edge of Chaos promises a breathtaking adventure 65 million years in the making, regardless of how you choose to play.