Dino Crisis Creator Expresses Doubts About a New Game

As a long-time advocate for a new Dino Crisis game, I’ve often shared my enthusiasm for reviving this classic franchise. My first encounter with the original Dino Crisis was at a friend's house when I was only seven or eight, despite the game being rated 15 in the UK. My fascination with dinosaurs, fueled by the 90s hit Jurassic Park and its groundbreaking blend of practical effects and CGI, made the game a perfect fit for my youthful imagination.

Jurassic Park spawned a variety of video games, from top-down shooters on the SNES to side-scrolling adventures on the Sega Genesis and PlayStation. None, however, captured the thrill of being pursued by dinosaurs quite like the final moments of the 1993 film—until I played Dino Crisis. Though I wasn’t familiar with the controls from Resident Evil at the time, the mix of survival horror and dinosaur peril was irresistible. As I grew older, I acquired my own copy and relished completing the story on my PS2.

Fans Demand a Dino Crisis Revival

Dino Crisis fans have been unrelenting in their desire for a new installment, whether it's a remake of the original or a fresh entry. Most agree that if a new game were to be developed, it should continue from where Dino Crisis 2 left off, rather than the space-themed Dino Crisis 3. The enthusiasm for the franchise was clearly demonstrated this year, with over 200,000 fans participating in Capcom's Capcom Super Elections survey, making their desire for a Dino Crisis revival known through Capcom's social media channels.

Many fans were hopeful when Capcom announced Exoprimal, speculating it might be a hint at Dino Crisis 3. The character design, especially a red-haired protagonist reminiscent of Regina from Dino Crisis, seemed promising. However, it turned out that Exoprimal was an online, live-service sci-fi shooter with no real connection to the 1999 classic.

Shinji Mikami’s Skepticism About a New Dino Crisis

In a recent Eurogamer interview, Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil and Dino Crisis, expressed surprise at the fan demand for a new Dino Crisis. Mikami noted that the concept of Exoprimal is significantly different from Dino Crisis and mentioned that the success of Capcom’s Monster Hunter series has left little room for a new Dino Crisis game. He explained that Monster Hunter has effectively captured the appeal of dinosaur-themed gameplay, leaving him skeptical about the necessity or potential success of reviving Dino Crisis.

The Case for a Dino Crisis Revival

While I understand Mikami's focus on new and innovative projects like Monster Hunter, his comparison doesn’t fully address why fans are eager for a new Dino Crisis. Monster Hunter’s action RPG format differs vastly from Dino Crisis’s survival horror, and the unique thrill of being hunted by dinosaurs in a horror context is something that Monster Hunter doesn’t replicate. The real allure of Dino Crisis lies in its ability to evoke the fear and intensity of facing dinosaurs in a survival horror setting.

The recent success of Resident Evil remakes further fuels the desire for a Dino Crisis revival. Seeing classic survival horror games from the 90s and 2000s being brought to life with modern technology makes a compelling case for a similar treatment of Dino Crisis, which shares similar gameplay elements.

Although Dino Crisis remains dormant for now, several upcoming titles aim to capture that dinosaur-survival horror essence. Games like Jaw Drop Games' Kickstarter-backed Deathground, Great Ape Games' The Lost Wild, and Saber Interactive's Jurassic Park: Survival promise to deliver thrilling dinosaur experiences. Hopefully, these projects will keep the dino-survival horror spirit alive until Capcom revisits the idea and realizes the potential value in resurrecting the Dino Crisis franchise.