Dino Crisis 2 Review Sony PlayStation Reviewed By: Tim Maxwell Developed By: Capcom (http://www.capcom.com) Published By: Capcom (http://www.capcom.com) Official Site: http://www.capcom.com/xpml/game.xpml?gameid=550018 Genre: Action Number of Players: One ESRB: Mature
Ratings: Overall: 8.5 Graphics: 9/10 Sound: 8/10 Documentation: 8/10 Getting Started: 9/10 Gameplay: 8/10 Value: 9/10 The Good Press: Dazzling graphics; killer weaponry; non-stop heart-thumping action; inventive weapon/item purchasing system; a diverse selection of dinosaurs to kill; great control scheme; intriguing storyline. The Bad Press: Dinosaurs constantly respawn in areas youve already cleared causing undue taxation on ammo and healing items; the text translation is a little rough; the game could be a little longer. Supports: Dual Shock Analog Control, Memory Card Overview: Capcom is the already king of the survival/horror genre, but Dino Crisis 2 proves they can make a killer action game as well. Tips: Use the targeting button to quickly aim at the closest approaching threat. Since the dinosaurs constantly respawn, return to previously visited areas over and over to build up a quick cash flow. Its often wise to simply run away if youre under equipped or overmatched. That measly pistol is not going to take out the TRex.
Before I begin this review, I want you to take a moment to think back to what was going through your mind when you first saw the raptors attack in Jurassic Park on the big screen. Done? Good, now remember how you felt the first time you walked down that secluded hallway in Resident Evil only to see those mutant dogs smash through the window and leap for your jugular. I dont know about you, but I had to check my underwear for yellow streaks. Combine these two unforgettable experiences together into a game and youd undoubtedly come out with a copy of Capcoms Dino Crisis 2, which is without question one of the greatest action games released for the PSX to date. If you didnt get a chance to play the original Dino Crisis, let me fill you in on whats going on. A bizarre but brilliant physicist known only as Dr. Kirk was carelessly messing around with an untested energy device one day when he accidentally unleashed a portal to the prehistoric era, allowing dinosaurs to once again roam the earth. Dr. Kirk was later captured and jailed thanks in part to Regina, a member of the Secret Operation Raid Team (SORT) who was sent to investigate the situation. However, shortly after the first incident, the government secretly attempted the experiment again in the remote jungles of Edward City. To make a long story short, the city vanished and a team of operatives (including Regina) is once again sent to clean up the mess. Unfortunately, a brutal dinosaur attack ensues, and all but three of the team members are killed. The trio must work together to rescue any survivors, uncover the truth about this mysterious energy gadget and ultimately, get out of there in one piece. You begin the game in control of Dylan, the buff member of the Tactical Reconnoitering and Acquisition Team (who comes up with these names anyway?). Later, youll also assume control of the lovely Regina, while the third survivor, David, will occasionally show up to help out the two of you when you get in a bind. Both Dylan and Regina have their own strengths and weaknesses (Dylan uses his brute strength and trusty machete to cut through obstacles that block doors, while Regina uses her stun gun to trip electronically-locked passages). On the whole the character rotation system works pretty wellif Dylan foolishly gets himself locked in a room, hell radio Regina to come get him out. This type of thing would normally lead to endless backtracking, but Capcom has smartly avoided this by creating alternate paths to major landmarks for the two characters.
No matter which character youre controlling at the time, one thing remains pretty constant throughout the game: an endless onslaught of dinosaurs. Just about every area you explore will have four or five dinos waiting to end your journey prematurely. To combat the assault and prevent monotony, Dino Crisis 2 combines an excellent control scheme with a very cool points system. For every dinosaur you kill, a certain number of points will accrue and display on the screen for a few seconds. If you manage to kill other dinosaurs while the points are still showing, youll double your points. This gives you incentive to move quickly and dispose of enemies as swiftly as possible. Furthermore, additional points are awarded for certain special kills, such as a counter attack (i.e. nailing a raptor just as hes about to pounce on you). These points act as money in the game and may be used to purchase weapons and items at the computer terminals found in save rooms. Similarly to the RE series, there are tons of save rooms scattered about where can record your progress and purchase things without fear of attack. The control system in Dino Crisis 2 is literally second to none. Capcom apparently learned from the control and camera complaints of years past, and has vastly improved the intuitiveness. With the simple touch of a button, you can quickly and easily target the nearest enemy, rotate 180 degrees, view an overhead map, or unleash a secondary attack. These actions are all fairly responsive, and once you get the system down, youll often be able to escape areas without taking any damage (which also awards additional points). About my only complaint comes during the underwater portions of the game, where precise aim is required but very difficult to achieve. Still, the various weapons and items you can purchase are very creative and well balanced, with my personal favorite being the gun that creates an impenetrable wall of flame in front of you. Very cool indeed. Aesthetically, Dino Crisis 2 is about as good as you could expect from the aging PlayStation. The characters and background graphics are meticulously detailed, with minimal slowdown even when the screen is packed with baddies. That said, however, the real stars of the show are the dinos themselves. There are a total of 10 different species of dinosaurs in the game (up from only two or three in the original DC), and they all look and act just like youd expect. The music and sound effects are equally appealingespecially the incredible roar of the T-Rex, which still sends shivers down my spine. Surprisingly enough for an RE-style game, the voiceovers are actually pretty good as well, without much in the way of whining or cheesy remarks. In a crowded survival/horror market, Capcom still easily reigns supreme when it comes to not only scaring the bejeeburs out of you, but offering up a great story and non-stop action as well. Dino Crisis 2 serves up plenty of heart thumping mayhem, awesome graphics and sound, and enough dinosaur bloodlust to keep even the most experienced dino hunters on their tows. If you even remotely enjoyed the RE series or the original Dino Crisis, you owe it to yourself to get this game.

10 January 2008

By: Alexandru Stanescu, Editor, Gaming Reviews (Consoles)
Dino Crisis Unlockables (PSX)
Infinite ammo for your grenade launcher and all extra outfits
Dino Crisis is a survival horror game developed and published by Capcom that was released for the Sony Playstation on July 1, 1999. It was later ported for the Sega Dreamcast and for Microsoft Windows in 2000. It was produced and directed by Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. Set in 2009, a special forces team must find a way to survive in a secret government facility that has been infested with time-displaced dinosaurs. It features similar gameplay to the Resident Evil series and promoted by Capcom as "panic horror". It was later followed by two sequels, Dino Crisis 2 and Dino Crisis 3, and a light gun-based spinoff in Capcom's Gun Survivor series, known as Dino Stalker. (Wikipedia) DinosaursIn order of their appearance, the dinosaurs in the game are:- Velociraptor - Tyrannosaurus Pteranodon - Compsognathus - Therizinosaurus - Deinonychus (the red-white-blue raptors, AKA Super Raptors) UnlockablesEarly Weapons - Beat the game.Infinite ammo grenade launcher - Beat the game through all three endings. Shotgun - Beat the game once. Extra OutfitsExtra Outfits - Beat the game twice within seven hours. Infinite Ammo - Access all endings. Operation: WipeOut - Beat the game in less than five hours. CharactersRegina (voiced by Stephanie Morgenstern) - The player's character; an intelligence agent and weapons expert, specializing in weapons maintenance. Gail (Richard Yearwood) - A veteran spy, and the leader of the team. He is well known for his cold demeanor and seems to have a heart of stone.Rick (Alex Karzis) - The third member of the team and an expert computer hacker. Cooper (Robert Tinkler) - The fourth member of the extraction team.Tom (Bino Tautorrez) - An agent of S.O.R.T., who has infiltrated the Ibis Island facility to investigate the reports of new-type weapons being researched.Dr. Edward Kirk (Adrian Truss) - The genius behind the Third Energy Theory. Gameplay footage from this Resident Evil-lookalike:
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