Dino Crisis 2

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Dino Crisis 2
Developer(s)	Capcom Production Studio 4
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Designer(s)	Shu Takumi (director) Hiroyuki Kobayashi (producer) Shinji Mikami (executive producer)
Release date(s)	September 30, 2000
Genre(s)	Survival horror
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Mature (M)
Platform(s)	PlayStation, Microsoft Windows
Media	CD-ROM

Dino Crisis 2 is a survival horror game and sequel to Dino Crisis. The game was developed and publised by Capcom and was released for the PlayStation on September 30, 2000. The game was followed by another sequel, Dino Crisis 3 which was released in 2003 for the Xbox.

Regina is now on another mission, involving a facility located close to a town called Edward City. A major anomaly has caused the whole island to be transported back in time to the era of the dinosaurs, along with all the human inhabitants. Regina also has a new ally, Dylan, who is playable through half of the game and has a strange connection to the events on the island. The player's character change at specific points in the game. The goal is to rescue any survivors and retrieve data on Third Energy.

[edit] Gameplay

There are some gameplay changes in the second game, the game is more action oriented than puzzle or horror. Among the changes introduced for this version is that you no longer need to push a button for running, since the character is always running, you now can have a second gun, (machete, stun gun, firewall, chain mine and shock gun) and more weapons were added to the game (hand gun, shotgun, solid cannon, flame launcher, sub-machine gun, heavy machine gun, anti-tank rifle, missile pod, rocket launcher, needle gun, aqua grenade),besides changes on the gameplay the game also introduces new species of dinosaurs and lizards, like the Triceratops, Giganotosaurus, Allosaurus, Pteranodon, Mosasaurus,Plesiosaurus, Inostrancevia and Oviraptor, the game also adds the "extinction points" and "combo points" which help you to buy ammo (which is no longer scarce) and weapons and to unlock hidden features when the game is finished. Some of the features include Extra Crisis mode, which has two minigames: "Dino Colosseum" where the player faces a procession of dinosaurs in turn, (similar to the Survival mode seen in many fighting games) and "Dino Duel", a battle mode where players were able to play as certain dinosaurs.

[edit] Plot

[edit] Characters

• Regina (voiced by Stephanie Morgenstern - The player's primary character. Member of the Secret Operation Raid Team (S.O.R.T) that reports directly to the government. She is a survivor from a previous mission to capture Dr. Kirk, which took place a year before (the first Dino Crisis). Her agility and cool judgement is her biggest strength. (Playable)

• Dylan Morton (v.b. Gabriel Hogan) - The player's secondary character. A T.R.A.T. soldier who belongs to a special task force in the army, who has strong body and mind that can endure any adverse circumstances. Though lacking in agility, he is good at handling firearms (Playable)

• David Fork (v.b. Eric Hempsall) - One of Dylan’s team members who appears always cheerful and raises the morale of the team, always wearing a cowboy hat. Though his fighting style is not as strong as Dylan's, his friendlyness is his largest strength.

• Paula (v.b. Lisa Yamanaka) - One of the mysterious hostile survivors of Edward City apprehended by Regina and acts rather timid around Dylan. See holds a significant key in the story and appears randomly throughout.

It is worth noting that Gail and Rick from the first Dino Crisis game are playable in the Dino Colosseum mini-game.

[edit] Storyline

Regina (left) and Dylan (right) fleeing from T-Rex

One year has passed since Regina's fight against the dinosaurs, and the capture of the rogue Dr. Kirk. Third Energy research continued recklessly. Suddenly, Edward City, an entire town devoted to Third Energy research completely vanished, mysteriously replaced by prehistoric jungle. Now, a search and rescue to recover survivors and locate the missing Third Energy research data begins, only Regina has any idea of what to expect when the team arrives. In this sequel, T.R.A.T. (Tactical Reconnoitering and Acquisition Team) has been sent into another time frame, which Edward City had disappeared into, to recover any survivors and the Third Energy research data. Regina, from S.O.R.T. (Secret Operations Raid Team) has been sent along due to her previous encounters with dinosaurs. On the island, the team sets up camp but is attacked by an enormous pack of velociraptors, and everyone at camp is killed except for Dylan, Regina and David. Just when it looks like their last stand they feel the ground tremble and the Velociraptors flee in fear. They turn around and a huge Tyrannosaurus Rex emerges out of the jungle and heads right for Regina and Dylan. They are saved though by David who shoots the Tyrannosaurus in the head with a rocket launcher. Rather than killing it this just blows out its right eye and makes it angry. It chases Dylan and Regina until they reach a slope. They jump just before the Tyrannosaurus manages to grab one of them in its jaws.

Regina heads back to their patrol ship while Dylan cuts through the vines and heads off into the jungle where he is attacked by packs of Velociraptors. When Dylan reaches a military facility the T-Rex from before, who now has only one eye, attacks him, however before taking shelter in one of the barracks he is shot at by some of the helmeted figures he saw before. Inside, he attempts to retrieve a key card but sets of a security alarm and is imprisoned inside via automatic lockdown. Back at the patrol ship, Regina receives a distress call from Dylan and sets out to rescue him at the military facility. Along the way she takes an alternate route towards a base known as the Research Facility. There she encounters some of the helmeted figures like at the military facility. One of them fails to escape and is handcuffed by Regina. She removes the figure’s helmet that turns out just to be a blond haired teenage girl of who does not speak once. She is left there after Regina retrieves a flamethrower to burn down the plants from before. She rescues Dylan back at the military base and brings the girl from the Research Facility back to the patrol ship. Upon arriving the patrol ship has been ransacked. Before he leaves to look for ship parts, Dylan handcuffs the unknown girl on the ship of who strangely halts her struggles.

Regina against an Allosaurus.

Dylan heads over the Research Facility, cutting through the vines and enters where is finds hordes of Oviraptor inside. There he retrieves a battery to move the ship. He arrives back at the ship only to find the girl gone; yet Regina forgets about her and they both drive the ship to an off shore under sea base called the “Third Energy Facility”. After switching the Third Energy Reactor back online Regina heads back up to the surface where she and Dylan get a distress call from David who claims to have found the survivors at Edward City. After battling with packs of Allosaurus and a long chase with Triceratops they crash just outside the city where David saves them in a helicopter, but only to find that the dinosaurs have killed all the remaining survivors in the city. There Dylan encounters the one-eyed T-Rex once more and escapes it advances in a tank. He finds a gas mask to pass trough the poisonous gas sector of the jungle but is ambushed by yet another helmeted figure but succeeds when the blonde girl helps by throwing the attacker off a bridge, before taking her leave again.

Regina takes the gas mask and heads through the gassy jungle to the other side with a missile silo. After retrieving a disc with Third Energy Research on it she heads back up only to witness the T-Rex from before get slaughter by a much ore dominant Giganotosaurus finding herself battling with the titanic beast inside the silo, which begins a count down sequence. After shutting off the count down the enraged Giganotosaurus smashes the silo and its foundation. Outside David and Dylan are waiting having opened the bay doors fro their escape. David his eaten by an Allosaurus, also knocking Dylan into the river taking him downstream away from Regina and the ship. Dylan wakes up in an unknown area where the blond girl leads him into a large base complex where she shows him a recording that reveals the truth.

Apparently, after the first incident in Borginia (another spelling is given in Dino Crisis 2) involving Dr. Kirk, the humans decided that the dinosaurs were to be studied. Widespread 'Time Skewing' was carried out, with disastrous results that threatened the end of the human race when it became clear that dinosaurs and humans could not coexist. In view of these events, the military decided to transport all the dinosaurs 3 million years into the future, where they could thrive, before they were to be sent back to their own time (65 million years ago) when the third energy timegate was perfect. This was the 'Noah's Ark Plan'. However, the team that transported the dinosaurs to the future suffered another overload, and the timegate was destroyed. Thus, the team was trapped with the dinosaurs. All the survivors were killed by the dinosaurs, but their children were saved and brought to the safety of the habitat support facility where they were kept in life support chambers, which protected them and allowed for growth and learning. The children learned how to survive around dinosaurs, and because of the nature of the 'Noah's Ark Plan', they were thought to protect the dinosaurs. Somehow through the teaching, they lost the ability to speak. These children are the mysterious helmet-wearing teenagers Regina and Dylan encounterd throughout the game. Apparently, one of the members of the team that came to the future was Dylan himself, older. His daughter, Paula, is the blonde haired mystery girl. It appears that in the overloading incident, Edward City itself had been transported to the future.

After all is known Dylan is attacked by another helmeted figure before their combat is interrupted by the Giganotosaurus. After a long battle Dylan manages to set off a satellite laser blasting the dinosaurs, incinerating it completely. When Regina turns up at the last minute where Paula’s legs are crushed by falling equipment. Unable to pull her out and with the building ready to explode Dylan decides not to leave her and so sends Regina back through the time gate with the Third Energy Research disc. Dylan and Paula are about to be crushed by falling equipment but at the last split second the building explodes.

[edit] Enemies

[edit] Compsognathus

• Length: 1,20 m (4 ft)
• Height: 50 cm (1 ft 8 in)

In the previous game this small dinosaur attacked the player in packs, much like the Compsognathus in the movie The Lost World: Jurassic Park. In this game, Compsognathus is harmless and occasionally seen eating from carcasses or fleeing from the player. It does create a problem for the player when he is in the Research Facility; a Compsognathus steals the card the player must use to open doors, trapping him in the facility. According to the Dino Files these Compsognathus are attracted to shiny objects, much like magpies. Unlike in the first game the compy can't be killed by the player.

[edit] Oviraptor

• Length: 2,50 m (8 ft 4 in)
• Height: 1,30 m (4 ft 4 in)

These small carnivores, recognizeable by their red crests, pointy beaks and playful behavior, are relentless pack hunters, chasing the player in groups. They spit an acidic poison to injure their prey. This behavior is probably based on that of the Dilophosaurus from Jurassic Park. The oviraptor and its poison-spitting ability are available in Extra Crisis.

[edit] Velociraptor

• Length: 4,80 m (16 ft)
• Height: 1,80 m (6 ft)

This is by far the most numerous enemy in the game. These powerful, fast carnivores can jump very high, and have a deadly claw on each foot. Much larger than the real Velociraptor, they look more like its larger relatives Deinonychus and Utahraptor and are obviously inspired by the raptors from Jurassic Park. The Velociraptor that attack the player get stronger as the game progresses, and have different color schemes depending on their strength. The standard, weaker raptors look just like those from the first game- dark brownish green. Stronger raptors are of a lighter green color, and later in the game even tougher, brown raptors appear. Velociraptor's Dino File speaks of blue colored 'Ultra-Raptors', which are the most powerful type.

[edit] Triceratops

• Length: 9 m (30 ft)
• Height: 3 m (10 ft)

The only herbivore in the game, Triceratops is first seen relatively early in the game as a herd passes by in the background. It doesn't reappear until much later, when it chases the player who is on the back of a jeep. Triceratops are incredibly fast runners that charge their enemies like rhinos, inflicting severe injury with their powerful horns.

[edit] Allosaurus

• Length: 8,50 m (28 ft)
• Height: 3 m (10 ft)

This large carnivore features a fearsome combination of strength and speed. Allosaurus is frightingly agile and insures that it always faces its prey with its armored head.

[edit] Tyrannosaurus rex

• Length: 14,50 m (48 ft)
• Height: 4,80 m (16 ft)

Tyrannosaurus frequently appears in the game, and cannot be killed on most occasions. As the creature's Dino File indicates, it is a relentless carnivore that even swims across rivers to pursue prey (the same T. rex appears in areas that are separated by water). One single Tyrannosaurus chases the characters over the course of the game, recognizable by the injury on its head, caused by an RPG which gouged its eye. At one point the player encounters the T. rex while driving a tank. T. rex is shown to be very resilient. The Tyrannosaurus is later killed by a Giganotosaurus.

Dylan against the Giganotosaurus.

[edit] Giganotosaurus

• Length: over 20 m (67 ft)
• Height: over 7 m (23 ft)

This titanic carnivore is not seen until later in the game, where it kills the Tyrannosaurus that has been chasing Dylan and Regina. The same creature attacks the characters several times before being killed by a laser shot from an orbiting satellite. During the game, the creature can't be directly killed by the player, only stunned and knocked out. Its head alone is several meters long.

[edit] Pteranodon

• Length: 3 m (10 ft)
• Wingspan: 6 m (20 ft)

This large pterosaur attacks the player in groups throughout the game. They dive-bomb to ram the player with their strong beaks, and are impossible to shoot while circling high in the air. Only when they come close to the player can they be shot and killed. Another reptile not available to buy in the game. The Pteranodon cannot be chosen in extra crisis.

[edit] Mosasaurus

• Length: 6 m (20 ft)

This large marine lizard frequently attacks the player throughout the underwater portion of the game. Its presence is indicated by an ominous 'rumbling' sound in the water, produced as it charges towards the player. They sometimes attack in pairs. There is no underwater Coliseum, so this creature cannot be purchased there.

[edit] Plesiosaurus

• Length: 17 m (57 ft)

These huge marine predators frequently attack the player on walkways over the water, towering over the player with their long necks and lunging when they get the chance. They are easily killed above water with a few shots in the neck. A Plesiosaurus is also encountered under water, serving as a boss of sorts, being much harder to kill. Interestingly, this creature is much larger than the Plesiosaurus that appear at the surface. Because there is no water in the Coliseum, Plesiosaurus can not be used here.

[edit] Inostrancevia

• Length: 3,70 m (12 ft)
• Height: 1,20 m (4 ft)

This mammal-like reptile from before the Age of Dinosaurs, somewhat out of place amongst the other Mesozoic creatures the player encounters, is only seen in 2 brief sections of the game where the player travels through a volcano and the other where the player is in a missle silo. According to its Dino File, Inostrancevia prefers heat. While relatively slow, Inostrancevia are very durable thanks to their tough armor, and can inflict serious harm with their fearsome saber-like fangs.

[edit] Reception

Dino Crisis 2 received a positive response from critics with an average score of 81.5% at Game Rankings based on 24 outlets.^[1] Internet game reviewing site Gamespot gave it a 9.2 (out of 10) saying it "avoids the stereotypes of the genre"^[2] and IGN gave it a 9.3 saying "the fast-moving action is incorporated into the Dino Crisis 2 almost flawlessly and it sends the series into a great, new shooter/action direction".^[3] The Official Playstation Magazine awared it with 4.5 stars out of 5. However the game has been criticised for its fixed camera with no movement in the game except for the cut-scenes making it frustrating at times with the dinosaurs not in player view.

[edit] External links

• Dino Crisis 2 at MobyGames