Dino Crisis

Dino Crisis is Capcom's latest foray into the action-survival realm, but it has nothing to do with zombies--and everything to do with intense excitement!

Dino Crisis is Capcom's latest foray into the action-survival realm, but it has nothing to do with zombies--and everything to do with intense excitement! Here's a full review along with an inter-view with the game's creator, Shinji Mikami.

The prehistoric age is finally getting its due with the first decent dinosaur-action game for the PlayStation. Dino Crisis bears several inescapable similarities to Resident Evil, but don't be fooled--this is more than just dinosaurs subbing for zombies. Dino is an adventure-survival game with enough unique aspects to keep hardened action vets riveted to their controllers.

Regina's World
Dino's crisis takes place on an isolated, top-secret laboratory island. You assume the role of Regina, member of a special-forces unit sent there to track down a missing scientist. As soon as the team arrives, however, all hell breaks loose; dinosaurs are running amuck, and you must escape before becoming their next meal.

But it's a big island, so there's lots of ground to cover. You'll search for keys, collect weapons, solve puzzles, scamper though airshafts, and of course, battle dinosaurs to avoid extinction. One of Dino's big pluses is the nonlinear gameplay. You can choose different paths at certain points during the game, giving this Crisis replay value. There's one drawback to the massive laboratory, though: too much backtracking. You'll be sent repeatedly to the same rooms.

"This Is Just Like That Movie..."
Fortunately, Dino is an excellent mix of action and strategy. Blasting dinos to pieces is fun--but ammo is in short supply. Frequently, it's advantageous to avoid dinos by sneaking past them. But what happens if you're cornered and down to your last round? Make your own firepower! You can create your own tranquilizer darts out of various potencies. Some mixtures can put dinos to sleep; others put them out permanently--it all depends on dosage.

It's a good thing you're able to defend yourself during this Crisis, because Dino's dinos are imbued with an excellent A.I. that keeps the action fresh and exciting. Raptors, for example, will stalk and circle you while waiting for the ideal moment to strike. Pterodactyl will swoop down and grab you for a high-speed air ride into the nearest wall. Compys are totally harmless... one-on-one; in packs, they're almost as deadly as raptors. Some of these feisty prehistoric pests will even clamp onto a limb and thrash you around until you drop your weapon. As for the tyrannosaurus, who needs to be clever when you're the size of a battleship?!

Take Me Off the Compy List
Luckily, Dino's tight, responsive controls are easy to learn and keep you in firm command. You can run, walk, search, move while aiming, turn 180 degrees with the press of a single button, and even kick off attacking dinos. The dual shock effects are a plus, too: You'll feel quick jolts during a sudden onscreen attack, or subtle tremors that signal the approach of something big--like a T-Rex.

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