Dino Crisis 2
>> WARNING: All game reviews may include game spoilers and key story elements <<
THIS GAME CONTAINS SCENES OF EXPLICIT VIOLENCE AND GORE.
Now that was a sentence that let you know you were in for one hell of a ride.
I’m going to try something a little different moving forward. Normally, when I would write my thoughts on a game I would try to make them spoiler free and [hopefully] somewhat entertaining.
From now on I am just going to let it fly and speak freely about my entire experience with my gaming library.
Just like Resident Evil, I ended up playing the sequel before the original. Along with the classic violence disclaimer [above], the original PlayStation logo and theme would give me chills as I booted up games for Sony’s gaming machine.
The same close friend that turned me onto Shinji Mikami’s masterpiece also turned me onto this CAPCOM gem. Plus, the fact that it came from the same house that built the Spencer Mansion was an added bonus.
Starting with the intro scene I was hooked, the story [in all of its Softimage glory] immediately drew me in. Time travel? Check. Dinosaurs? Double check. Running and gunning? Sold.
For some strange reason, I knew this game played much differently compared to the biohazard series. How? Honestly, I am not sure, I guess having Dinosaurs running after me activated my American and Mexican fondness towards firearms [we all have it, anyone who says otherwise is lying to you, I’d keep a sharp eye on them].
The funny thing is when I first played Devil May Cry I approached it just like a biohazard title, quickly getting my ass handed to me. Very quickly.
You run through this adventure as Regina [returning from the original Dino Crisis] and Dylan [very creative]. Regina looks just the same as she did in Dino 1, Dylan sort of looks like a camo-ed out Chris Redfield, the only things separating these two beefcakes is Dylan’s horrendous Moe styled hair cut.
The game runs faster with Dylan, making excellent use of his shotgun and Machete. Regina runs at a good pace just a tad bit slower, she starts off with a handgun [possible a Desert Eagle?] and some type of electronic blade which works a bit as stun rod towards enemies. Although it is helpful when opening doors which have an electronic lock.
You start with Dylan but quickly start switching between him and Regina once you reach specific areas which can only be unlocked and cleared using your partner’s abilities.
The game works with a point system which is used to upgrade and purchase new equipment. These points are obtained by defeating enemies, multiple factors are added on top of this requirement as well. For example, the more enemies you defeat in rapid succession will add you bonus points for creating a combo in your path of destruction, add a no damage multiplier and the points really start stacking up.
Ammo is not found but bought, you can also upgrade how much ammo your weapons can hold, making you just a tad more trigger happy.
Two interesting purchases are body armor, which actually alters your character’s appearance, this reminded me of the scrapped armor idea for biohazard 1.5, the second is a credit card which basically keeps your multiplier on screen longer. If you go a few seconds without eliminating dinosaurs your multiplier basically resets.
Dino Crisis 2 mainly features a jungle setting. This involves some nice set pieces such as crossing a suspended bridge only to see the T-Rex walking directly beneath you. There are many instances where you can spot old T roaming through the environment.
You also have your standard industrial environments which Japanese developers excel at modeling.
The game is so diverse and completely different from the original Dino Crisis [more on that in another post] that you even get an underwater section where you don a deep diving suit and walk through a section of a facility which is completely flooded.
Two very exciting set pieces include a Triceratops chase which have you manning the .50 cal Rambo style and a T-Rex standoff in an armored tank.
Welcome to the jungle.
The main story of the Dino Crisis series is still very strange to me. Here is what I have gathered so far:
The game focuses on the creation of “Third Energy”, which was discovered in an attempt to create an alternate power source, of course, something goes wrong. It turns out that Third Energy actually causes a wormhole in the spacetime continuum which brings Dinosaurs into our time.
In Dino Crisis 2 [I believe?] scientists go back in time to set up an installation for Third energy research during the cretaceous period. Fully armed and prepared somehow the entire population disappears and is killed.
In classic Aliens fashion, you and your team of ultimate bad asses arrive to investigate what happened to the colony. After [barely] surviving a Raptor and T-Rex attack on your camp you and two other squad members are the only survivors [of course].
About forty minutes into the campaign you are ambushed by what appear to be Power Rangers who attack you with futuristic hardware [very high end].
The adventure culminates in an area called the “Time Gate” which showcases some of the best pre-rendered and creative environments I have seen come out of the land of the rising sun.
I cannot recommend this game enough, it hails from a time when CAPCOM would venture and create new and exciting franchises.
A stone cold classic.