Dino Crisis 1/2/3/Stalker/Possible Reboot

[Johnzilla2179]

Like many gamers, I played and thoroughly enjoyed the recent Resident Evil 2 remake. Also like many gamers, I couldn't help but wonder what a Dino Crisis remake might look like with a similar build. After all, "it's Resident Evil with dinosaurs" is probably the most common descriptor of the progenitor of the series. With the series on my mind I decided to pull out my PS1 and revisit it. I started with the second game as it's my favorite; my thinking is that the developers wanted to free themselves from the above descriptor, and for my money DC2 is the epitome of the franchise. The story is bigger, the stakes are higher, the dinosaurs are more numerous, and it's just plain fun -- just like the original RE2, if we're sticking with the parallels. I'm aware that the first installment is probably the most popular, but the slow-paced gameplay and frustrating puzzles kept me from ever progressing very far. Until last week, that is, when I finally beat the two-decade-old game for the first time. I still think that dinosaurs work better in an action context (and there are precious few dinosaur games of any sort, it seems), but I came to appreciate the atmosphere and grounded nature of the original game this time out. I've yet to revisit Dino Stalker or the much-maligned (but brimming with lost potential) Dino Crisis 3 just yet, but they're on the list.

Aside from just starting a thread to talk about what amounts to an ancient (in video game terms) series that only lasted four entries before disappearing, there's also the aforementioned possibility of a remake or reboot. Little rumors of such a project have crept onto the web at various times over the years, but maybe this time they'll gain some traction? Maybe Capcom will even double down on nostalgia and launch it alongside the almost certain Resident Evil 3 a la the original games? A remake is an interesting thing to ponder, not just because of the potential but because it's not entirely certain what such a game would look like. True, there are only four games in the series at present, but each of them is completely different: the survival horror original, the action movie sequel, the straight sci-fi second sequel and a light gun game. It's unlikely either of the latter games would influence any future entry, but what approach might the developers take? Both DC1 and DC2 were very well-received upon release and both sold millions of copies (though the second game sold a bit less than the first, probably owing to the launch of the PS2), and there's also the matter of the unresolved cliffhanger at the end of the second game that has me and other fans still clamoring for that proper sequel that we never saw.

What say you?


Side note: I found a wonderful retrospective on the series on YouTube as well as one that was decent but might piss off a few fans of the original game, both of which I've linked below.

youtube.com/watch?v=RMf7iXipyu0

youtube.com/watch?v=ezw-RiubMxM

[dallywhitty]

I don't think I've ever actually played the original game myself (though I've watched the missus play it), but I did complete Dino Crisis 2 a couple of times when I was a kid. Hell of a good game. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Capcom were already planning to revive the franchise.

[Johnzilla2179]

Originally Posted by dallywhitty

I don't think I've ever actually played the original game myself (though I've watched the missus play it), but I did complete Dino Crisis 2 a couple of times when I was a kid. Hell of a good game. Wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Capcom were already planning to revive the franchise.

See, what I'm curious about is how exactly they might choose to revive it, as I iterated above. The four games that comprise the series are actually quite different, so which style would they opt for? Survival horror or action?

[dallywhitty]

Originally Posted by spidervenom1992

See, what I'm curious about is how exactly they might choose to revive it, as I iterated above. The four games that comprise the series are actually quite different, so which style would they opt for? Survival horror or action?

Given the success of the Resident Evil 2 remake, I imagine they'd wanna ramp up the survival horror.

[starsteam]

I've played through the second game many times, it's a blast. The first game was fine though I've never had a easy time with it.

I'd like a remaster/remake of the first two games, and maybe digital ports for 3 and Stalker. And of course, a new entry. Preferably one that acts as a sequel to DC2 (ignoring Stalker).

[Johnzilla2179]

Originally Posted by starsteam

I've played through the second game many times, it's a blast. The first game was fine though I've never had a easy time with it.

I'd like a remaster/remake of the first two games, and maybe digital ports for 3 and Stalker. And of course, a new entry. Preferably one that acts as a sequel to DC2 (ignoring Stalker).

Yeah, DC1 can be a pretty punishing game. Ironically, the idea behind it seemed to be a sort of realism: sure, the plot is outlandish, but the bleeding mechanic, the fact that enemies can make you drop your gun, the lack of a storage space for the copious paper files, the need to hack into complicated security systems, the dinosaurs take several bullets to drop, etc. all seem to imply that Capcom was shooting for a grounded take on a fantastic premise. Unfortunately, it also made the first game as much of a chore to play as fun. It has atmosphere in spades, the story and characters are decent, and the design is superb. But it can be annoying.

I really hope that whatever eventual reboot Capcom opts for more resembles DC2 than 1. Granted, in this day and age games aren't nearly as punishing as they were in 1999, especially not on easier difficulties, but I think it might be difficult to transition the ideas of the first game into the modern era. Plus, it's also my opinion that dinosaurs work better in an action context than they do survival horror, hence the reason that DC2 is so much more invigorating. I myself would prefer a reboot that at least acknowledges the cliffhanger ending of DC2 and resolves it, assuming Capcom doesn't want to just use Regina and/or Dylan as the lead again.

While I'm supportive of the idea, I doubt that DC3 or Stalker will ever be ported. While fans love to hate the third game for not continuing on from where the second game left off, ultimately it's biggest problem is that the camera can make it damn near unplayable. If there was ever a time for them to drop the fixed angles design and go with a free camera, this was it. That and being an Xbox exclusive did it absolutely no favors following two games that sold most of their copies on the original Playstation.

[Johnzilla2179]

True enough. But if they do they'll have to make some major changes if they want it to be palatable to the masses circa 2019 (or whenever they release it). The RE2 remake was a hard game, but it still made many concessions to modern game design that the original obviously lacked. And it's one thing to turn zombies into bullet sponges; the dinosaurs in Dino Crisis were already at that point with about twice the agility of the player character to boot, so I'm not sure how that would translate to a (presumably) over-the-shoulder camera.

Honestly, this problem might be a big part of why the series hasn't come back yet. It's a relic from the fixed camera days and like RE, it very much depended on the limitations it placed on the player to work. And again, I'm pretty sure that the token description of "Resident Evil with dinosaurs" among other comparisons that the press and players were drawing are a big part of why the initial sequel went so far in the other direction. I think an action horror game (a la Resident Evil 4) would probably be the best bet at this point. Keep it in touch with its roots enough to please veterans but keep it lively enough to please the action crowd, but without sacrificing atmosphere or puzzles. Honestly, I'd love another run and gun arcade-lite game like the second, but I'm not too sure we'll ever get a true sequel to that one. We're well past its point of relevance.

[VictoryAtNight]

I vaguely remember playing and finishing Dino Crisis. It played similar to the Resident Evil games. I have a

[Show spoiler]burn copy

of that game.
I had no idea that there was a sequel.

[Johnzilla2179]

Yep, there were three sequels. Or two sequels and a spin-off, if we’re getting technical. I think that the PS2 launch and then-next generation games greatly overshadowed the sequels, or DC2 at least.