Fat Ninja

What do you do with a successful survival-horror franchise when it seems like you can�t go anywhere else? Why, you have it set in space, of course. Following in the footsteps of horror film series like Friday the 13th and Leprechaun, Capcom has propelled their Dino Crisis series into the depths of space hoping to bring a new twist with it. Coming off as the bastard son of Jurassic Park and Event Horizon, Dino Crisis 3 maintains much of the acclaim garnered by its predecessors, but still suffers from some minor issues.

Gameplay

In space, no one can hear you scream in frustration.

Capcom is, by every sense of the word, the pioneer of the survival-horror genre. What started with Resident Evil soon became a gaming phenomenon that inspired many a Capcom project, as well as the creation of a great number of clones from other developers. One such inspiration was Capcom�s own Dino Crisis series, and more specifically that series� next-generation incarnation, Dino Crisis 3 (DC3).

Set far into the future, a search-and-rescue team has stumbled upon the Ozymandius, a colony ship that has been adrift in space for some 300 years. Curious about the fate of the craft�s crew, a detachment is sent out to board the Ozymandius to ascertain the ship�s condition and salvage what they can. But when the �ghost ship�s� defensive systems suddenly come to life, a violent chain of events leaves the small search-and-rescue detachment stranded aboard the Ozymandius and the ship�s violent history begins to unravel. But let�s get real here; we�re talking about dinosaurs in space. Oscar material it ain�t, however Ed Wood would have a field-day with this one.

Naturally, this step into the cosmos inherently brings with it a number of new gameplay elements, but not everything is new and improved. You�ll still find those gameplay mechanics that made the survival-horror genre what it is. DC3 still relies heavily on puzzle solving and backtracking, much like its forerunners. However, in the case of DC3, the entire environment is one massive puzzle: The Ozymandius�s many levels and areas are capable of being manipulated for the purpose of unearthing the ship�s secrets.

While the �puzzle ship� concept is really quite innovative and very cool in its own right, it can also be a bit of a hindrance to your ability to fully enjoy DC3�s gameplay. You�ll often be left with few clues as to where to go and what to do next. After a time you�ll find yourself running through the same areas of the ship in utter confusion and befuddlement, and breakthroughs will often come through sheer luck that will leave you smacking yourself in the forehead.

Up is down, left is right.

In an effort to minimize your disorientation, the developers have provided you with a pretty detailed map. But even the map can be difficult to navigate. For instance, when looking at the map, you�ll find that your controls are all inverted. Not just the Y-axis, mind you. No, no. To truly frustrate you, the X-axis has also been inverted. Why, you ask? It�s as big a mystery as the ill-fated flight of the Ozymandius itself. Further issues will also crop up when looking over the map. A great example has you having finally manipulated the map to provide you with a close-up view of the section of the ship you�re most interested in, when you decide you need to look at the room you�re specifically in to orientate yourself so that you know which way to go. But, when you switch back to look at the bigger picture, you find that you once more have to struggle to bring that specific section into focus. This wouldn�t necessarily be that large of an issue if you didn�t have to pore over the map on such a frequent basis.

No, no, no! Go that way! That way!!!

Control issues also carry over to the gameplay side of things. In DC3, the camera is both mobile and stationary. What it does is create cinematic effects in certain areas by zooming in a bit as you run towards it, panning as you run by it, or what have you. However, the camera will eventually transition to another angle. During these transitions the control scheme will change the moment you stop moving. So, let�s say you�re pressing down to move forward at one point and then walk through a camera transition; as long as you do not interrupt your movement, you can continue pressing down to move forward. But the moment you stop, the control scheme changes to match the directions presented by the camera angle. This particular issue could have you threatening the lead character with unspeakable acts of violence at times, particularly in narrow, winding sections of the ship. Why the developers didn�t just stick with the �up is always forward� scheme used in Resident Evil and previous versions of Dino Crisis is a mystery, though it may be attributed to the implementation of the rocket pack and zero-g (more to come on that).

You know, it�s annoying; but I�ll be damned if it isn�t fun sometimes.

Nonetheless, difficult map/character manipulation and moments of utter cluelessness aside, the development team has taken steps to keep the game pretty intense and exciting with some rather clever innovations. First among these would be the rocket pack. Being both incredibly cool and indispensably useful, the rocket pack allows for super-human jumps and quick maneuvering. You have no idea how much you�ll love it until you�ve faced a room full of worm-like Rigols. Allowing you to quickly dash out of the path of a lunging dinosaur, you�ll rely on this baby on countless occasions. The rocket pack also comes into play in zero-g portions of the game. From time to time you will either find yourself in a room with no gravity, or floating around the Ozymandius� exterior in search of a hatch. In these instances, the rocket pack is the only thing that makes these tasks possible.

However, apparently one can have too much of a good thing, because, unless in zero-g, your rocket pack has a finite amount of juice. Sure, it will charge back up, but not nearly quickly enough to save you from the jaws of a pack of mutated velociraptors. So, you�ll need to watch the energy meter; unless of course you take full advantage of another innovation to the series.

I�ll take an extended life-bar for 400, Alex.

One of the major drags in the survival-horror genre has always been the maintaining of inventory balance. In games like Resident Evil and the original Dino Crisis series, battling your dwindling health and ammo supplies was just as much of a contest as surviving the jaws of death. While it added a certain element of risk to the experience, it could also be incredibly frustrating to have to comb the level in search of that elusive Green Herb.

But fret you not. DC3 has managed to alleviate those issues by implementing what are known as �tactical credits�. Throughout the game you�ll find you can collect pulsing, coin-like items (tactical credits) floating in the air or hiding in the nooks and crannies of the Ozymandius. Additionally, a bar at the top right corner, known as the Eliminate Bar, will fill as you slay enemies. Once you reach a save point a tally will be made of your performance, and you�ll be awarded further tactical credits in addition to what you�ve managed to collect. With these you can purchase ammo, health packs, continues (known as Lifelines), and other items. Not only can you purchase your necessities, you can also purchase additional space on your Health, Energy, and Eliminate Bars. While expensive, you�ll find that it�s well worth the cost.

No, not that big hair band.

While you might feel that this detracts from the entire purpose of the survival-horror genre, DC3�s frantic combat will prove to you that it�s actually a necessity. Mutant dinosaurs will materialize out of thin air to pounce upon your unsuspecting person. Fortunately, you�re not entirely alone in your battle for survival. Aiding you is what is known as the WASP. Similar in nature to the Mag found in PSO, this is a defensive drone that will protect you in heated confrontations. However, it differs from the Mag in that 1) you can activate it at any time, provided that you have ammo (which can be procured at save points) and 2) it also serves as a key to certain areas of the Ozymandius. There are three types of WASP, each with its own style of attack and each capable of opening different doors.

In addition to the WASP, you also have your trusty futuristic assault rifle. This particular weapon also happens to alleviate the issue of ammo-economy that often enrages the gamer. The rifle�s default ammo is infinite in nature. However, it�s also fairly weak; but as you progress, you�ll discover weapon upgrades that will give your weapon a little more kick, though their ammo supplies will be finite (and able to be replenished at save points). Making the weapon all the more effective is the auto-lock feature: By holding down the L-trigger, you can target any enemies in the area, regardless of whether you can see them on-screen or not. Though it makes things a bit easier on you, you�ll still find yourself dying frequently and jumping out of your seat often. If that doesn�t cut it, you can use the rather clunky first-person mode, but truly, this perspective is designed with the examination of surroundings in mind.

Graphics

Mmmmmm. Shiny.

But every single thing that DC3 manages to do well in the gameplay category is utterly eclipsed by what it accomplishes on a visual level. Now, there are some things that Dino Crisis does not do well visually. Namely, character shadows. Character shadows in DC3 are reminiscent of a bygone era of gaming when simple black circles were considered enough; and when you look at the rest of the game�s visual presentation, the shadows look incredibly out of place. Compared to the highly detailed environments, the shadows can only be seen as useful tools for landing those often treacherous rocket jumps.

Looking at everything else though, DC3 is a great looking game. Environmentally speaking the many cargo-holds, control rooms, and power structures of the Ozymandius are the products of meticulous attention to artistic detail. The chrome walls cast eerie, warping reflections, while the various light fixtures, air-ducts, and other aesthetic elements do a bang-up job of creating a beautiful, yet haunting experience.

As you make your way through the silent corridors of the Ozymandius, you�ll notice some decent character animation in the characters you control. From the way Patrick (the main character) will do a quick two-step during combat as he switches direction, to the way his body adjusts to the thrusts of his rocket pack, character animation is quite good. Also, the various mutant dinosaurs that stalk the halls of the ship are also impressive though there is little variety to their movements. Some variation to animations would go a long way towards giving them a little more presence, but, truly, they are some magnificent beasts, particularly the bosses.

Another area of visual presentation lies in DC3�s cut-scenes. Like most Capcom survival-horror titles, the developers have taken a great deal of time to develop plotlines through the use of cinematics. Those found in DC3 are impressive enough to be worthy rewards for the trials and tribulations you�ll experience aboard the Ozymandius.

Sound

You just killed the suspense.

Aural presentation is just as important to the survival-horror genre as appealing visual design because it�s the things that go bump in the night that really get you jumping. Unfortunately, the fear and paranoia that DC3 should instill in you is somewhat displaced by the use of musical queues. Rather than having you paranoid about what the static camera isn�t showing you, a sudden increase in the music�s tempo will give it away. It can be rather anti-climactic at times since you really want this game to startle you. Instead, the music gives the plot away like an annoying teeny-bopper in a movie theater.

Aside from that, the rest of the game�s score is interesting enough to be engrossing. As for ambient noise, sound in DC3 is really quite good, especially with the Dolby surround sound. There�s just nothing quite like having a skinless mutated T-Rex roaring in your face to bring the neighbors calling. Voice-acting is also pulled off well, despite some issues with lip-synching, but that�s easily forgotten.

Replay Value

I�ll try it once.

This is probably the area where DC3 will fare the worst. While there are some clever innovations in the gameplay area, the extensive and time consuming back-tracking and puzzle-solving that the game requires will not have many people coming back for seconds. While it�s definitely worth running through once, it�s just not likely that many people will be playing this one over and over.

Overall

Honestly, I�ve wanted the Xbox to get a little more lovin� from Capcom than it has. I�ve always loved what they, as a development team, have done for the industry; and their reputation for creating fun, challenging, and innovative gameplay experiences has always been second to none. From Mega-Man, to Street Fighter, to Resident Evil there isn�t a time in my life as a gamer that has not been influenced in some way by Capcom.

I was dismayed with the poor showing on the Xbox, so I was thrilled to hear that DC3 was heading our way. Sure, it wasn�t my first-round draft pick for Capcom franchises, but I can settle. And, aside from struggling with the intricate puzzle that is the Ozymandius and trying to find direction when I�ve been given very little, I�m pleased to say that DC3 is a decent title for anyone who loves the survival-horror genre. But if puzzle-solving and back-tracking isn�t your thing, it�s best that you catch the next ship.

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