The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we focus on Capcom’s inaugural chapter in its classic Dino Crisis saga.
——————-
Developer: Capcom
Region(s) available: North America
Players: 1
Back in 1999 Survival Horror was at its peak. Resident Evil had reinvigorated the lagging genre with the stonking original and its mammoth sequel, a third game was on the horizon, Code: Veronica was in the works for Dreamcast and Silent Hill showed Konami also knew a thing or two about making you reach for a fresh pair of undercrackers. Capcom, however, fancied a new take on the proceedings, and the result was Dino Crisis; a RE-style horror game that ditched traditional zombies and other bio-weapons in favour of blood-thirsty dinosaurs and other should-be-extinct monstrosities.
The action centres on a group of crack commandos – including player character Regina and techno-wiz Rick – who are trying to track down missing brain box, Dr. Kirk, on a mysterious island base. With teammate Gail missing, the pair soon discovers things are not quite right with the base; rampaging dinosaurs little the complex, and it’s up to you to figure out what’s going on and get the hell out of Dodge. A quintessentially cheese-tastic sci-fi tale a waits, though it has to be said the performances are far more convincing than those of Resident Evil.
Come to mention it, Dino Crisis shares many similarities with its Capcom stable mate. For one, the game’s core mechanics are very much grounded in late 90s, bread-and-butter survival horror. Playing as the flame-haired Regina, you’ll explore numerous areas while tackling brain-aching riddles and dispatching horde of scaly beasts that stand in your way. Unlike RE however, Dino Crisis employs full 3D backgrounds as opposed to the static, pre-rendered visuals of Capcom’s zombie-busting franchise.
This affords greater freedom in regards to the camera perspective, with sweeping movements and dynamic angles all coming into play as you explore the base. Speaking of exploration, the transition to 3D invariably makes it a little more difficult to spot items in the background. After all, Resident Evil’s pre-rendered template made it easy to discern the incongruous, pixelated pick-ups when juxtaposed with their flat, canvas-esque surroundings. Here however, you’ll need to be a little more thorough in your search for key items, as they won’t appear as conspicuous.
Dino Crisis is also renowned for its uncompromising difficulty. The game is tough, no two ways about it. Ammunition is scarce for even the most rudimentary of weaponry, so you’ll need to treat extra clips and shells like gold dust if you want to survive against some of the more dangerous creatures. And there’s tons of them too, from nimble velociraptors to the lumbering, gargantuan T-Rex. Aside from your bog-standard pistol, Regina will get her mitts on a Shotgun and can even construct varying types of ammo for her guns. Playing on Resi’s strengths, the game also contains a healthy dose of replay value thanks to the multiple endings, hidden costumes and mini Regina/giant Regina modes on offer. With the sequel on the way to PSN, there’s never been a better time to indulge in this forgotten horror fest.
Join us again tomorrow as we have another glance Inside PlayStation Network.