Finally Finishing Dino Crisis After Almost 30 Years

I finally did it. After nearly three decades of casually dipping into Dino Crisis—Capcom’s lesser-known survival horror title from the late ’90s, I’ve actually finished the game.

My first encounter with Dino Crisis was back in 1998, watching my cousin play it on his computer. At the time, I was more of an observer than a player. I’d occasionally take the controller, explore a little, and maybe fight a dinosaur or two, but I never really stuck with it. The game always intrigued me, but for some reason, I never pushed past the early stages.

Fast forward to this summer: while waiting for my kid’s swimming sessions, I dusted off my PS Vita and decided to give the game another shot. This time, I got hooked. I played through big chunks, then put it down for a few weeks, only to pick it up again when I realized I was close to the end. With some determination, I powered through—and finally saw the credits roll.

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A Hidden Gem of the ’90s

Looking back, it’s impressive how Dino Crisis held up. For a game released in 1999, its visuals were advanced, especially compared to its “cousins,” Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. The moving camera angles reminded me a lot of Resident Evil: Code Veronica, and they added a nice cinematic feel to the tension.

The story is a little quirky but engaging enough to keep me moving forward. What really stood out were the puzzles. They leaned heavily into a “high-tech facility” vibe, which made them both interesting and sometimes frustrating. The key card system, in particular, felt needlessly confusing.

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Where It Falls Short

Compared to Resident Evil, the combat in Dino Crisis is pretty plain. There are only a handful of dinosaur enemy types, and the weapon selection is extremely limited—I only discovered three throughout my entire playthrough. This simplicity makes encounters feel a bit repetitive, especially when stacked against the variety of threats in Resident Evil.

Still, the atmosphere and survival tension made up for a lot of that. Even with the limited arsenal, I found myself carefully managing ammo, planning routes, and feeling that same anxious energy that defines the survival horror genre.

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Closing Thoughts

Finishing Dino Crisis after almost 30 years felt strangely satisfying. It’s one of those games that sat in the back of my mind for decades, always half-remembered, always unfinished. To finally close that loop was worth it.

It may not be as polished or memorable as Resident Evil, but Dino Crisis definitely qualifies as a hidden gem. For fans of old-school survival horror, it’s a unique piece of Capcom’s history—dinosaurs, puzzles, and all.