Dino Crisis 3

Dino Crisis 3
North American box art
Developer(s)	Capcom Production Studio 4
Publisher(s)	Capcom
Director(s)	Tetsuro Oyama Hiroyuki Maruhama
Producer(s)	Hiroyuki Kobayashi
Artist(s)	Futoshi Nagata
Writer(s)	Noboru Sugimura Hiromichi Nakamoto Shin Yoshida Hiroaki Kanazawa
Composer(s)	Shinichiro Sato
Platform(s)	Xbox
Release date(s)	JP June 26, 2003 NA September 16, 2003 PAL November 7, 2003
Genre(s)	Action-adventure, third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single-player
Rating(s)	ACB: MA15+ CERO: 15+ ESRB: M PEGI: 16+

Dino Crisis 3 (ディノ クライシス3^?) is a survival horror video game for the Xbox. It was developed by Capcom Production Studio 4,^[1] and is the fourth and final video game in the Dino Crisis series. Like the previous iterations of the series, gameplay revolves around fighting dinosaur or other reptiles. The action takes place in outer space, on a space station.

Unlike the first couple of installments of the Dino Crisis trilogy, the enemies in the game aren't real dinosaurs. Instead they're mutations created from the DNA of some dinosaur species.

The game was originally planned for both Xbox and PlayStation 2, but the latter version was scrapped early in development.^[2]

Gameplay

The number of weapons was reduced to 2 guns with 6 ammo types (one gun and 3 ammo types per playable character), in addition to small machines called "WASPS" that help against dinosaur encounters. The game was played mostly through the character Patrick and only a small section was played as Sonya (although an unlockable mode allows the player to play as Sonya only faster wearing a Waitress costume). There are also three types of body armor available.

Plot

It is the year 2548, more than 300 years since Earth lost contact with the colony ship U.N. Ozymandias, en route to a². Somehow, the ship has reappeared near Jupiter. A team called S.O.A.R. (Special Operations And Reconnaissance) is sent aboard the probe ship Seyfert to investigate.^[3] A small team is sent off on a shuttle in an attempt to board the Ozymandias, when the ship's weapons power up and launch a laser at the Seyfert, destroying the ship. The weapons then direct themselves at the shuttle and fire, slicing it in half and destroying it.

Fortunately, Patrick Tyler, Sonya Hart, commander Jacob Ranshaw, and McCoy survive the blast. They manage to make it to the Ozymandias and board the ship. Inside the ship proves to be quite derelict, though there is still power.

Patrick and Sonya soon find themselves face to face with a large Australis which grabs McCoy by the torso and throws him into the wall, killing him. The Australis hears a noise from the ceiling and realizes it is being hunted. The beast is mauled and killed by a small colony of the eel-like Rigel, which eat it alive from the inside - though one of the Rigels is ripped in half and thrown to the floor. Game-play begins here.

As Patrick fights his way through parts of the ship until he reaches the Bridge - several Rigels, Algols and a 2nd Australis, where one life-sign is discovered somewhere in the ship. He is sent out to investigate. After fighting his way through the ship's storage areas, he finally meets the surviving human, a girl by the name of Caren Velázquez. After meeting her, she runs away in fear.

Patrick then mixes the storage areas together until he gets the right ones. He enters the room full of a pack of sleeping Rigels. "I've got no plans in fighting for turf - just passin' through." he says. However, he accidentally awakens the whole pack. After defeating a horrifying planet-like organism, he is forced to make a hasty retreat as the Ozymandias' MTHR - the ships control system- ejects the entire storage sector from the ship in hopes of stopping Patrick. He shuts the door just in time to prevent getting burned. The ship reconnects again. A screech echoes from the hallway.

Patrick then hears Caren's terrified screech - a pair of Algols are harassing her. He chases them off and saves her life. She walks away, with Patrick following.

When he gets into a room, he spots Caren once again. She's looking at a picture frame of her father, Dr. Migeul Valesquez. He asks her if there's any more survivors. Her answer: loneliness. Patrick learns she's been on her own for 300 years. Jacob asks him about it. Sonya discovers that MTHR is creating the dinosaur-like creatures from the DNA of animals in storage as a replacement for the human crew. Patrick tells them that he's shutting MTHR down for good. This proves to be a mistake, as Caren opens the door and runs away.

After finding his way through the rather confusing Shaft sector, Patrick meets Caren once more, and reveals that she reminds him of his sister, and that he feels the need to protect her. Suddenly, the room begins to electrucute. Patrick realizes the room's generator is about to explode, and tries to open the door - only to get his hand shocked. Sonya decides to regulate the energy levels. Along the way, she spots a large escape shuttle. Cmndr Jacob realizes that if it is in condition, they'll use it to go back to Earth. Patrick decides to leave Caren so that he can find a safer route.

Patrick reaches the top of the Shaft sector, where he is attacked by a large Regulus, who chases him towards the exit. Caren comes down and hugs him, but the Regulus hisses at them and corners them, ready to devour them. Fortunately, Sonya and Cmndr. Jacob come for the saving. Caren tries to flee, but the Regulus slams its club into her stomach, knocking her into a wall, and she is fatally injured. Jacob orders Patrick and Sonya to escape. Sonya at first protests, but he is insistent: "THAT'S AN ORDER, SOLDIER!" he shouts. He does the impossible: he literally charges towards the Regulus head-on, firing his laser guns. He manages to get his feet and hands on the Regulus's mouth to keep it pried, still firing into its mouth. Patrick and Sonya hoist Caren in the air. The shelled colossus then throws Jacob to the floor, causing Sonya to widen her eyes in shock. The Cmndr. runs out of ammo, and he has bad bite mark on his side. "I'm taking you with me!" he exlclaims as he activates a grenade. The Regulus howls as Patrick and Sonya hurry out of the experimental laboratory. The monster charges, and Cmndr. Jacob chucks it into its mouth. The grenade explodes. Sonya turns her head with a saddened look on her face, knowing that Cmndr Jacob has sacrificed himself. Caren soon dies, revealing that she is not, in fact, human, but is instead an android. Patrick then switches formations.

Unfortunately Jacob's sacrifice was in vain though, forcing Patrick to fight the large dinosaur anyway Upon defeating the Regulus, Patrick sees a "new" Caren running through a hatchway. Patrick decides to go after MTHR and interrogate her about this.

After restarting the Ships core in the Energy Sector, Patrick is forced to head back after a problem causes some parts of the ship to malfunction. After making it through the Shaft Sector in zero-gravity, Patrick then gets through the Deck Sector with malfunctioned Environmental Systems. On his way to the Hazardous Waste Storage Room, which contained an item to repair the ship, Patrick is almost crushed by a huge foot going through the ceiling. After being forced to the hangar deck after previous rooms froze the doors shut, MTHR has a surprise for him - A 3rd Australis pops up from a generator nearby and challenges Patrick to a battle.

After another confrontation with the Australis, Caren manages to repair the ship, saving Patrick from succumbing to the broken environmental systems. Patrick then goes back to the Energy Core to restart it, but the room is severely damaged after MTHRs aquatic creature, "Miaplacidus," crashes through the wall, filling the area with water coolant.

When the fight is finished, the creature escapes and the trio run to the MTHR sector as the core begins to go into meltdown. As the trio arrive at the sector, the MTHR and Engine sectors detach from the Front Deck, Shaft and Energy Sectors, which are destroyed by the meltdown. The Engines soon activate an emergency system and Warp jump to Earth.

Patrick soon meets MTHR and interrogates her. He then tries to stop MTHR's main computer but she opens another hatch releasing the Miaplacidus a second time. Upon defeating the creature, Patrick tries to stop MTHR sending the dinosaurs to Earth and fights her, eventually destroying her system, which has disastrous effects on the ship, causing it to activate the Self-destruct. Her last words are "I just wanted to complete my mission."

Patrick is reunited with Sonya and Caren as they try to escape the ship via an escape shuttle, but they are attacked by the "Cebalrai", an adult Rigel. The beast jumps onto the platform and chases the trio down to the bottom of the platform. As Patrick runs, the Cebalrai slams its left head into him and tosses him into the wall, making him unable to reach his gun, which the monster smashes beneath its paw. Caren does the unthinkable: she is luring the abomination to her. Patrick orders her to stop. Caren, however, tells him that she's not human and that she cannot go to the world. Patrick gets to his feet and tries to reach her, but another stomp of the Cebalrai's paw causes the platform Caren and the monster are standing on to collapse. Both Caren and the Cebalrai fall into the abyss - much to Patrick's dismay. After defeating the 4th and last Australis, Patrick and Sonya are able to escape before the ship self-destructs. But the Cebalrai, being able to survive in a vacuum, was able to get on the top of the shuttle. Then Patrick gets on top of the shuttle himself to destroy the "genetic freak", and so the final battle begins.

Midway through the battle, the Cebalrai grows a third head, and Patrick is forced to use a "Final Wasp," which weakens the creature and sends it flying into space. Upon its defeat, Patrick stands on top of the ship and says: "It's finally over! Caren ...". Then the Earth is shown on the screen where the game ends.

After the game is completed in sort of difficulties there are 2 bonus/mini-games unlocked.

1. Sonya Express: The player takes control of Sonya Hart, wearing a waitress uniform, and a faster jetpack. In the mini-game the player explores Ozymandias and kills as many dinosaurs as they can.
2. Wheel of tune: The mini-game that allows the player to take control of Patrick Tyler, also with different costumes. The mini-game is similar to the main story, but harder, and the player must kill as many dinosaurs on Ozymandias as they can, within the time limit.

Characters

• Patrick Tyler (Michael Yurchak) - A member of S.O.A.R., Patrick Tyler's strong sense of duty and natural charisma make him an asset to any operation. Trusted by the entire team, he boosts troop morale.^[3]

• Sonya Hart* (Vanessa Marshall) - Another member of S.O.A.R. Sonya's cool and flawless actions make her appealing. Her single goal is completing missions.^[3]

• McCoy (Wally Wingert) - Not much is known of him. Patrick and Sonya find him running towards them, asking about the other team member's whereabouts. After he realizes he's been drooled on, an Australis pulls McCoy into the air and throws him into the wall, killing him. His last words, 'What is this?', are heard before the beast creeps up on him.

• Cmndr. Jacob Ranshaw (Kevin Killebrew) - Jacob Ranshaw leads S.O.A.R. His directness and bold decision-making abilities are critical to the operation. He's a fanatic about the safety of his troops. He is inevitably killed by Regulus, after its fight with Patrick. Jacob sacrifices himself, using a grenade to kill Regulus, though it fails.^[3]

• Caren Velázquez - Voice by (Shanelle Workman) - Apparently the sole survivor of the mysterious dinosaur outbreak. She also worked as a patrol officer in one of the ship's control hangars. Caren's appearance is shrouded in mystery throughout the game. She is first found by Patrick and is later discovered to be an android, with several other copies made by the M.T.H.R. During a battle against the Cebalrai, she sacrifices herself to save Patrick, by making it fall on a loose platform.^[3]

• Captain Satoko Evans (Jasmin Paul) - The Captain of the Ozymandias. After the Ozymandias is affected with cosmic rays, the crew members began to die. During her last days she and the surviving crew members searched for animal DNA, and mixed it with their own. This was all by the captain's orders to M.T.H.R., who then conducted a cloning process.

• M.T.H.R.: The main antagonist of the game. This M.T.H.R. (voiced by Jasmin Paul) unit is a first generation model used on space vessels. She is also the ship's main computer system on board the Ozymandias. Since over 300 years have passed since meeting a human being, she has suffered a form of madness. She considers the dinosaur-like creatures to be her 'children', due to the fact that she created them. Her last words: 'I just wanted to complete my mission.', though it proves to be a disastrous mistake, since Patrick accidentally activates the Self-Desctruct.

Enemy types

• Australis: A failed attempt to create a creature capable of surviving in the vacuum of space. Failure to develop a suitable skin resulted in its exposed musculature. However, its self-healing properties and ferocious disposition make it a formidable foe to any that cross its path. Equipped with an electricity-generating organ, the creature can release shock blasts. There are 4 Australis. Based on the Tyrannosaurus. The Australis is the 3rd largest enemy in the game, after Cebalrai and Miaplicidus - just 82 feet (25 m) long, 23 feet (7.0 m) tall and weighing almost 15 tonnes (15,000 kg). It can be recognized from the spikes on its lower jaw and, like the Cebalrai, it has 2 rows of super-sharp teeth. It is gray in color, though its muscles are red. Unlike the other enemies encountered, it has eyes, with pupils that are like that of a cat. Its roar is a trumpeting scream, like that of an elephant.

• Rigel: The most common enemy in the game. Individually, this particular species poses no significant threat. However, an insatiable appetite coupled with a tendency to blindly feed on anything that moves makes this a very dangerous creature when encountered in large numbers. The Rigel is a metamorphic being, changing its appearance with age. Based on the Giganotosaurus. It is the smallest monster in the game. Although it has legs, they're rather small and vestigal. Much like a tarantula and a mantid, the Rigel can scale walls. It has white skin.

• Cebalrai: The final boss of the game. A successful attempt at developing an ultimate life form, Cebalrai is capable of surviving on land and in space. It has two heads, and during the fight with it, it grows a third head. Like the Australis, it can release electric blasts, but lacks the ability to heal itself. Extremely resilient, this creature is the Rigel's final stage of growth. The Cebalrai displays aggressiveness that is well beyond its predatory instinct. It is the adult form of the Rigel. Based on the Giganotosaurus. What's interesting about this savage brute is that it can stretch a neck to try to grab the player. It is the second biggest foe, just 91 feet (28 m) long, 25 feet (7.6 m) at the hips and weighing 16.75 tonnes (16,750 kg) - though the Miaplicidus is a little larger. However, later during the last battle (to the horror of most players), it grows a 3rd head, forcing players to use a Final WASP on it. When it roars, lines of electricity appear from each mouth, which contains 2 rows of razor-sharp teeth. Its skin is black, and it has a single crest lining along the length of each head. Like all other monsters encountered [except the Australis], it is eyeless.

• Regulus: Based on the Ornithischia Thyreophora. The skin of the Regulus' back is covered with thick plates of organic armor capable of deflecting projectile attacks. In combat, it curls up its body and rams its opponent. However, the creature's soft underbelly and slow speed makes it vulnerable to well-placed attacks. Only one is seen in the DNA lab, where Captain Jacob sacrificed himself by placing a bomb in the Regulus' mouth. During the explosion the Regulus managed to curl up into a ball and spin its way through a wall. It later appeared in the main lobby where it was eventually destroyed. It is possible to knock it off its paws if players time their aim just right. It is a mid-size monster, only 67 feet (20 m) long, 15 feet (4.6 m) at the hips and only 10 tonnes (10,000 kg). It is very difficult to slay, since its shell is as hard as steel, and it will use a tail attack on players. like the Australis and the Cebalrai, the Regulus has 2 rows of dagger-sharp teeth. It is dark blue in clolor, and lacks eyes.

• Rigel Domain: A giant organic tower in the center of the large storage room. It releases deadly spores and sends waves of Rigels after the player. The Domain's only weakness is the tower itself. When attacked, the outer layer of its 'skin' breaks apart.

• Algol: Highly agile and has well-developed hind legs that enable tremendous jumps. When agitated, it can release shock blasts from the electricity-generating organ on its head. It has a high-level survival instinct brought on by the manipulation of its genes. Algols are very group-conscious and hunt in packs. Later in the game, Algol are shown to have a chameleon-like cloaking ability, allowing it to appear fully transparent with only the outline of its body being visible. Based on a dromaeosaurian creature, possibly the Velociraptor. It has blue skin, but not as dark as the Regulus.

• Kornephoros: Another dromaeosaurian-based creature, genetic manipulation using primate DNA resulted in alteration of muscles and skeletal framework. As a result, the Kornephoros has a distinctive ape-like shape and hunts systematically as a group. It is first encountered when one of these beasts throws some items at the player and beats its chest - same thing Gorillas do. It is quite crafty, since it can jump over players. It attacks with headbutts, punches and charge attacks. It is pretty big, though considerably smaller than the Regulus - only 17 feet (5.2 m) long, 9 feet (2.7 m) at the shoulder and only 660 pounds (300 kg) - the weight of the Barbary lion. It has cream colored skin.

• Miaplacidus: Genetically manipulated for amphibious qualities that would allow survival on both land and water, the Miaplacidus is an aggressive creature with a sharp dorsal fin. It is also capable of spitting high-pressure jets of water, granting the creature long-range attacks. Based on a Spinosaurus. The player fights it twice, first submerged and it retreats after being injured but the second on land. It possesses a frill that can extend outward, like that of a Frillneck lizard. It is the largest monster, just 105 feet (32 m) from nose to tail, 28 feet (8.5 m) tall (excluding its fin) and weighs 19.50 tonnes (19,500 kg). Fighting it is tricky, since it uses the water to its advantage. Players are advised to be cautious around this violent beast, since it will use its breath weapon on them. It has green skin.

Soundtrack

Dino Crisis 3 Original Soundtrack
Soundtrack album
Released	Jul 16, 2003 (Jul 16, 2003)
Genre	Soundtrack
Length	52:42
Language	Japanese
Label	Suleputer

Dino Crisis 3 Original Soundtrack is a video game soundtrack that was released on 21 July 2003 on Sony/Columbia records, catalogue number of CPCA-1073. It is composed by Shinichiro Sato.

Track listing
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Opening"
2.	"Distance to fear"
3.	"AUSTRALIS"
4.	"Ground of peacefulness"
5.	"Power of a strange OZYMANDIAS"
6.	"The next of RIGEL"
7.	"Strange fear"
8.	"Destruction and creation"
9.	"CAREN"
10.	"The way for surviving"
11.	"A new kind"
12.	"PATRICK"
13.	"KORNEPHOROS"
14.	"Discovery of hope"
15.	"Space filled by the doubt"
16.	"Light of the point of despair"
17.	"JACOB"
18.	"Instinct which ran recklessly"
19.	"In order to live"
20.	"Maternal instinct"
21.	"To the point"
22.	"decision"
23.	"MIAPLACIDUS"
24.	"Those who inherit will"
25.	"Fight with a gene"
26.	"CEBALRAI"
27.	"Finale"
28.	"Staff Roll"
29.	"Bonus track 1 From Video"
30.	"Bonus track 2 From Demonstration"
Total length:		52:42

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
Aggregator	Score
GameRankings	56.99%[4]
Metacritic	51/100[5]
Review scores
Publication	Score
1UP.com	D+[6]
Allgame	[7]
Computer and Video Games	8/10[8]
Eurogamer	3/10[9]
GamePro	[10]
GameSpot	5.4 out of 10[11]
IGN	6 out of 10[12]

Dino Crisis 3 received mixed reviews with an average critic score of 56.99% at Game Rankings, with most criticism as a result of being unfaithful to the previous games in the series and its unconventional camera.

Series future

Despite the series being ranked the #7 best-selling Capcom franchise in 2010, Capcom's "VP of Strategic Planning and Business Development", Christian Svennson, commented that "Dino Crisis 3 went off the rails, if I recall", but noted that "Dino Crisis comes up from time to time in development meetings", though there wasn't "any burning desire from R&D or the business side to light that franchise back up again", citing the out-dated pre-rendered nature of the first two entries in the series.^[13]

References

1. ^ "Production Studio 4" (in Japanese). Capcom Co., Ltd. Archived from the original on February 6, 2005. http://replay.web.archive.org/20050206023353/http://www.capcom.co.jp/studio4/index.html. 
2. ^ "IGN: Dino Crisis 3". IGN.com. http://ps2.ign.com/objects/013/013926.html. Retrieved 2009-04-06. 
3. ^ ^{a b c d e} Official website
4. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/xbox/516697-dino-crisis-3/index.html. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 
5. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbx/dinocrisis3?q=Dino%20Crisis. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 
6. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=2005773. Retrieved 2010-06-14. 
7. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". Allgame. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=40309. Retrieved 2010-06-14. 
8. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". Computer and Video Game. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/search.php?id=4548. Retrieved 2010-06-14. 
9. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". Eurogamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_dinocrisis3_x. Retrieved 2010-06-14. 
10. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". GamePro. http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/31067/dino-crisis-3/. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 
11. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". GameSpot. http://uk.gamespot.com/search.html?qs=Dino+Crisis+3&om_act=convert&om_clk=search. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 
12. ^ "Dino Crisis 3 Reviews". IGN. http://uk.xbox.ign.com/objects/482/482250.html. Retrieved 2010-01-08. 
13. ^ IGN.com "Onimusha, Dino Crisis Franchises Not Dead"

External links

• Official website (Japanese)
• Dino Crisis 3 at MobyGames
• Dino Crisis 3 at Game Rankings
• Dino Crisis 3 at the Internet Movie Database
• Dino Crisis 3 at Wikia