Back in the early noughties, I sat down with one of my brothers to play a game called Dino Crisis. Released in 1999 for the original PlayStation, it is a survival horror game that puts you in the place of Regina, an agent investigating a research facility on a secluded island. It is up to Regina to lead the Special Operations Raid Team, or S.O.R.T., through the facility and uncover the secrets hidden there. When I was really young, I was obsessed with dinosaurs. The release of Jurassic Park had further ignited that, so it was a real event to play a game that offered a chance to join that kind of adventure.
I heard recently that a Dino Crisis remake could be in the works. I scrolled Reddit. I filled my feed with YouTube videos. I searched the internet for more information.
Capcom hasn’t given any official release or statement about it, from what I could see. However, according to Gamerant.com, in 2024, a survey was circulated that asked what games fans would like to see revived. Hundreds of thousands responded with Dino Crisis. The game was a critical success, having sold 2.4 million copies on the original PlayStation.
From the creators of the Resident Evil series, another game which I loved, the survival horror gameplay was similar. Graphics at the time didn’t allow for much variety in the dinosaurs; however, it still provided the thrills. If there were a remake, perhaps more varied dinosaurs would be something we could expect. It is a little more puzzle focused than the Resident Evil games. The comparison still rings true for me though.
I played the Resident Evil 2 reboot a few months back. Whilst it remained close to the original, the upgraded graphics and slicker gameplay enhanced the entire experience. It would be interesting to see if that same treatment could be applied to Dino Crisis. The reimagining of Resident Evil 2 sold 13.9 million copies. That kind of success would surely urge Capcom to turn those rumours into reality.
Like a lot of little boys, my nephew loves dinosaurs too. I was explaining all of this to him quite recently and asked him to join me in playing Dino Crisis. It had been a number of years since I last played it. I was still confident it would recapture the magic it had all those years ago.
It is a fun, thrilling franchise that deserves to be released to a new generation. I know I’ll be keeping a close eye on any updates and keeping fingers crossed that these rumours from Capcom become official.
“That would be a huge announcement,” said some of my friends who are also big fans of the franchise.
“I’ve been waiting for this for years!” said others excitedly.
I, myself, are eager with anticipation. I look forward to any official announcements. I’m even more eager to see the game remade and given the love it so richly deserves.
Words by Vivika Widow
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