Dino Crisis - What Happened to Ye? [Community Highlight]

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Article by: StrykeBlayde

Before the turn of the Millennium, Resident Evil had a death grip on the Survival-Horror genre. In 1999, Capcom decided to take another route with Survival-Horror, and decided to make a similar game to Resident Evil, only with dinosaurs replacing the B.O.Ws and zombies. This series would be named Dino Crisis, and it was expected to be a straight Resident Evil rip-off.

While partially right, this game surprised. Out were the slow, brainless zombies, and in were the fast, vicious dinosaurs. Zombie replaced with Velociraptors, Tyrant/Nemesis replaced with a large-ass T-Rex, this game unexpectedly delivered far more than it was given credit. The puzzles were given newer, more interesting styles, the MIX function completely remixed how health and ammo were done, and made for a heart pumping experience. You never knew when a dinosaur would break into the room, and the lack of ammo made a situation that much more tense.

The plot even made sense. Instead of being trapped in a mansion in the middle of the woods, Dino Crisis put you at a completely functioning research facility. Instead of surviving and exploring a mansion, you were tasked with retrieving a scientist. Throughout the game, you discovered the purpose of the facility, Third Energy, and the military's role. When you realized everything, it came together for a plot that worked.

Here's the Top 10 Best Selling Titles coming from Capcom, dated May 9th, 2009:

- Street Fighter II (SNES - 6.3 million)
- Resident Evil 4 (Multi - 5.2 million)*
- Resident Evil 2 (PlayStation - 4.96 million)
- Resident Evil 5 (PS3/360 - 4.4 million)
- Street Fighter II Turbo (SNES - 4.1 million)
- Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (PlayStation - 3.5 million)
- Resident Evil (PlayStation - 2.75 million)
- Monster Hunter Freedom 2G (PSP - 2.55 million)
- Street Fighter IV (PS3/360 - 2.5 million
- Devil May Cry 4 (PS3/360 - 2.4 million
- Dino Crisis (PlayStation - 2.4 million)

*Combined sales from Gamecube, PS2, and Wii, not figured into the original 10*

As you can see from 2009, Dino Crisis was the 10th best selling title from Capcom(In October 2010 we see it move toSIXTH Highest Selling Franchise), and deserved a sequel, which it got.

Cue Dino Crisis 2

The PSX version sales coming just short of 1.2 million, decided to do something different, and become more of an arcade shooter. While it was still survivor-horror, you now had the ability to kill every dinosaur you met, by collecting points for kills. Coupled with the ability to buy a multitude of weapons, ammo, and items, the dinosaurs themselves become more numerous, introducing about 3 times as many dinosaurs as its predecessor. While it was more action-oriented, it appeared as though the plot didn't suffer, and the new possibilities made tense moments of its own, replacing the few that went missing from the conversion(lack of ammo, health, etc.). While it didn't do as well as the original, it still left its mark, and the fans wanted more.

Well, we DID get more, but not in the form of what the fans had hoped for.

As for relevance, aside from an obscure Third Energy reference, there is absolutely nothing linking Dino Crisis 3 to the previous games in the franchise, unless you count a character's hair style.

So while the series was fantastic(I don't consider 3 a true Dino Crisis, and neither do any true fans, 3 was a NIGHTMARE), it seems as though it was forgotten by Capcom. It was claimed by Capcom that "...they wouldn't be able to figure out how to incorporate it into today's gaming..."

While this makes me sad, I can't begin to understand how they couldn't. To revive one of its better franchises would be phenomenal, and I don't see why they couldn't just retcon Dino Crisis 3 out of canon series plot(trust me, no one would miss it), and insert a true Dino Crisis 3 in its place.

Dino Crisis, once a great game with great plot and game-play variety, is on the verge of death due to Capcom's focus on Resident Evil. I honestly hope they make the right move, and bring this game back, perhaps the first game with a remake akin to Resident Evil's, or even a new entry into the series. This game needs to return into the current generation of gaming, and I know for a fact it would make an even bigger impact than its first.