One of the most common elements in written work is the fatal flaw. It is that one element that completely destroys an otherwise near-perfect character. While it does feature prominently in stories, it's rare to find it in real venues like the world of game design. I mean, usually a failed game has so many issues that there isn't one that can be named as THE straw that broke the camel's back. However, that is certainly the case with Dino Crisis 3, a game that could've been great were it not for one thing that almost completely destroyed it.
The story has virtually nothing to do with the first two games apart from the existence of dinosaurs. Taking place 500 years in the future, the colony ship Ozymandias reappears after being missing for 300 years. A strike team investigates and discovers mutated lizards had overrun the ship. Yes, this game's plot basically combines Jurassic Park with Event Horizon (with a sprinkling of Alien for good measure). That's actually awesome. The completely gonzo plot makes this one the most unique survival horror game Capcom wrote.
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The mechanics take the action focus of Dino Crisis 2 and runs with it. Ammo never runs out, and the strike team even has small droids called W.A.S.P.s to assist with combat and opening locked doors. Jetpacks are used for platform jumping as well as hovering to stay out of the dinos' jaws. The ship at various points in the story changes its configuration, opening new paths and creating some clever puzzles. The mutant dinosaurs look cool though they tend to respawn too much. The aesthetics are also fantastic. The visuals for the ship still hold up very well with amazing detail though the shiny effect on the surfaces is as overused as the lens flare effect in the Total Recall remake. Even the voice acting is much better than usual for a Capcom horror game.
Unfortunately, the time has come to discuss the fatal flaw, the one thing that dragged the review score for this game from a "B" down to a "D". It has the absolute worst camera I'd ever seen in a 3D game. Like with the original Dino Crisis, the camera is completely out of the player's control. While it worked fine for the original with its slower pace, it fails for the fast-paced third game. You will be attacked constantly from off-screen. The camera will radically change orientation in the middle of a platform jumping segment leading to death. There will be points where you wouldn't even be able to see your character. The only control you have is being able to switch to a completely stationary first-person view that is as functionally worthless as it was in Manhunt. This is no hyperbole; the camera killed this game for me.
Dino Crisis 3 is a classic tragedy. It had an insane story, great visuals, action-packed gameplay, and clever puzzles. This should have been one of the Xbox's best exclusives. However, the outright broken camera system turned this dream game into a nightmare. While the more diligent players may be inclined to brave their way through the camera issues, I won't bother. With an outing like this, it's no wonder the series is now extinct.
