When Capcom unveiled Dino Crisis last year, it proved that its now-classic Resident Evil formula could not only be used to create more games in the Resident Evil series, but also to create brand-new franchises. It was highly reminiscent of Resident Evil, so much so that it could be argued that Capcom simply replaced the zombies with carnivorous dinosaurs and then thought up a story to tie it all together. Still, its solid gameplay and several interesting deviations from Resident Evil made Dino Crisis a solid addition to Capcom's survival-horror lineup. Unlike its predecessor, Dino Crisis 2 successfully steps away from the shadow of Resident Evil and ditches the tired formula of the original in favor of more action-orientated gameplay - and it's an exceptional game as a result.

In Dino Crisis 2, the government has secretly been continuing Dr. Kirk's mysterious third-energy experiments - which caused all the dinosaur havoc in the first game - and it has once again ruptured time. Consequently, the entire island housing the secret facility and the neighboring metropolis have completely vanished. The government has organized a crack team of operatives to enter an experimental time device and travel to the era they suspect the island disappeared to in an effort to rescue any survivors and recover the third-energy device. As the opening sequence reveals, most of the team is killed by a savage dinosaur attack, and only three operatives survive the brutal onslaught. Over the course of the game, you'll run into oddly futuristic characters and will learn that your mission isn't as simple as you may have first thought.

During the game, you will take control of Regina, a veteran dinosaur hunter and the Special Operations Raid Team leader, as well as Dylan, the young but talented Tactical Reconnoitering and Acquisition Team member. The third surviving operative, a heavy-weapons specialist with a kitschy cowboy hat and American Indian features, will occasionally pop up to help you out. Although they share most weapons, items, and medical supplies, both playable characters have their own special abilities and strengths. Regina and Dylan make a good team - as you alternate characters, you'll use their special abilities to accomplish tasks that the previous character can't. However, both characters are equally skilled in the art of shooting dinosaurs, which will frequently come in handy.

The dinosaur crisis is much more severe in the sequel than in the first game, as the island is crawling with carnivorous life. Whereas the first Dino Crisis consisted of mostly puzzle solving with only a few dinosaurs tossed in to shake things up, Dino Crisis 2 is exactly the opposite - dinosaurs are everywhere, and they sometimes attack in groups of four or five at a time. There are more than ten types of dinosaurs in Dino Crisis 2, and most of the types have several different variations. Capcom has devised a completely new combat system for the game, and it's faster, simpler, and more exciting than the original's combat system - Dino Crisis 2 is more like an arcade shooter than a game like Resident Evil.

Specifically, instead of trudging your way through dark hallways and carefully conserving your ammunition and medical supplies, Dino Crisis 2 encourages you to charge in headlong by bringing three completely unique elements to its combat system. The game awards you points for each dinosaur you kill, and it awards you more points for each successive dinosaur you kill within a short period of time. As you rack up the combo points, dinosaurs get more aggressive and deadly, as they're motivated not only by their thirst for human blood, but also by their newfound desire to deny you a large combo bonus. You spend the points you acquire at special computer terminals that exist only to sell you weapons, ammunition, medical supplies, and tools. Dylan and Regina can wield two weapons simultaneously, although only certain weapons can be used together. Arguably the biggest enhancement to Dino Crisis 2's combat system is the ability to run much faster while shooting. Instead of just strolling toward enemies while you fire bullets into them, you can now backpedal and even charge your adversaries. While it sounds simple, this is an exciting feature that becomes absolutely necessary when dealing with large groups of dinosaurs.