Dino Crisis
DINO CRISIS is one of those games that instils a feeling of fear without
 letting you know why. There again, coming from the same people that created
 Resident Evil some sort of terror is only to be expected together with scenes
 of extreme and bloody violence. 

You play the part of Regina, sent by the government to snatch a scientist-type
 guy who’s been conducting some dubious experiments. Everyone thought he was 
dead, killed in an accident three years before but he’s recently been spotted 
and the powers-that-be want to know what he’s been up to.  

Together with three other members of your team you parachute down to a remote 
island on which a research facility is situated. One of your teammates gets 
separated during the jump and falls prey to a rampaging T-Rex – his demise is 
unknown to your character but graphically illustrated to players via a cut-
scene animation. When you arrive at the facility it seems to be deserted; all
 the systems are down and there’s no power. Quite quickly you come across the
 remains of some poor guy who has been eviscerated – all his intestines (and 
most of his other bits) have been removed by what appears to be some sort of
 animal. You decide to separate and investigate the base. 

This entails cracking codes, finding keys and solving loads of puzzles all 
against a background of suspense and spooky sound effects. It doesn’t take long
 before you come across more bodies, all apparently slaughtered by frenzied 
creatures and laying in pools of blood. Suddenly, out of the darkness you 
discover one of these beasts – all teeth and claws and viciousness. If you’re 
quick, three of four shots should see it off – too slow and you’re dead meat…!
 Unfortunately, this is not the case with the larger dino’s but if you can find
 the weapons locker and locate some ammo you might just stand a chance. 

Regina can navigate using a map but this only reveals the areas she has 
visited. Many of the passages will be locked or blocked and some doors need 
pass keys to open them. Bonus packages and weapons can be found, sometimes by
 moving other objects out of the way, and special save areas are designated.
 Make good use of these as you can never tell what’s around the next corner. 

Controlling your character is perhaps not as easy as it could be but this minor
 inconvenience is greatly overshadowed by the total spookiness of the game,
 particularly the music. Lots of little cut-scenes impart information by way of
 conversation and your inventory allows you to equip your weapons and use 
objects you discover.  

Even though the Dreamcast version is virtually a direct port from the
 Playstation, the graphics and gameplay do benefit from the faster console 
although if you have played the PSX version you may not notice a great deal of
 difference. 

The dino's in DINO CRISIS, scary as they can be, are not really as scary as
 you'd expect. There is a tendency to know when they are about which reduces 
the shock-horror aspect. But this is a game of survival and, as such, will 
certainly keep you on your toes and probably awake most of the night – maybe 
that’s why it’s been given a 15 certificate.