It’s time for dinosaurs to return

The remake Resident Evil 2 is out and it is magnificent. I’ve enjoyed the ever-loving hell out of it and by the looks of it, many others have too. The game has done well critically with a 91 on Metacritic and it has done well commercially with sales already reaching 3 million.

Capcom already had a strategy in place to remake their older games but the success of Resident Evil 2 remake has surely cemented it. The company has a huge library of games in their catalogue many of which are worthy of an RE2 style remake. Capcom has recently said that if fans want a Resident Evil 3 remake, “they need to once again make their voices heard“.

I’d definitely be up for a remake of Resident Evil 3. It was the first Resident Evil game I played and it is what got me into the series. I’d love to see Nemesis in HD. If you think Mr X (Tyrant) is scary in Resident Evil 2 remake, then you’d best start preparing now because Nemesis will make your life hell.

Here’s a list of Capcom games that I would like to see get the remake treatment. (% = The chance I think a remake of the game/ series will happen.)

• Dino Crisis (75%)
• Onimusha (80%)
• Rival Schools (50%)
• Chaos Legion (20%)
• Maximo (25%)

 

Onimusha Warlords (the first game in the series) recently got a remaster for current gen consoles. I can only assume that Capcom is testing the waters to see if there’s still interest in the series before they put money into a remake.

Now, I like Onimusha, I really like it but there’s one series I love more. One series that I adore just as much as Resident Evil, maybe a little more. That series is Dino Crisis.

Dino Crisis is a franchise that Capcom developed years ago on PS1. The first game was survival horror and had clear inspirations from the RE games. The second entry was more arcade(y) and action-packed but it still retained the tank controls of old Capcom titles. The third game…  well,  let’s just say it isn’t bad but it doesn’t feel like Dino Crisis. Fans of the series would rather forget it existed.

The series has been dormant since 2003 which is way too long for a series that was once one of Capcom’s top IPs. The franchise is a million seller with the first two games selling over a million units. Dinosaurs have also seen a resurgence in popularity thanks to the new Godzilla and Jurassic World movies.

A remake of Dino Crisis is needed. The games whilst still fun, have not aged well graphically. Giving them the remake treatment will breathe new life into them and introduce new people to the series. Regina (the series main protagonist) is a badass character and is one of the best female video game characters of all time in my opinion.

HD versions of the characters and locations is a given but how would they approach the gameplay? Dino Crisis 1 and 2 had different gameplay. As mentioned before, the first game was a survival horror whereas the second instalment was an action-shooter.

If Capcom does decide to remake Dino Crisis would they go for the slower, survival horror route like RE2 remake or do they go all-out action like DC2 and RE6. I wouldn’t mind either one as long as the series makes a comeback. There is another way though, they could give players the option to play in either gameplay mode, similar to the Metro Redux collection.

Metro Redux was a collection of two games Metro: 2033 and Last Light. Much like Dino Crisis, the Metro games have different styles of gameplay. 2033 was a much slower game than Last Light, it focused more on the survival aspect and it did have some good horror vibes. Last Light was more action-oriented, it ditched the slower style of gameplay and you were given enough ammo to deal with whatever came your way.

The Redux collection allowed players to play both games with whichever gameplay they preferred. Those that wanted to play 2033 like an action shooter could and those that wanted to play Last Light with 2033’s style of gameplay could do so.

Giving players the option to choose between the gameplay of the first and Dino Crisis will please both sides of the fan base. The choice of different gameplay will also add longevity to the game as completionists will want to complete the game with both styles.

The Dino Crisis series faded into nothingness, it was forgotten by the company but not the fans. The success of RE2 remake is great news not just for Capcom but also for Dino Crisis fans as it reinstills hope that one day that the series will get the same treatment.

It’s time for Dinosaurs to return. Don’t let Dino Crisis go out with a whimper Capcom, bring it back with an almighty roar.