The survival horror genre is not exactly renowned for being realistic. For years scary games revolved around people getting trapped in a mansion and being pursued by something frightening. Finally, though, the genre was blessed with the key ingredient needed to invigorate anything growing stale: dinosaurs.

Any survival horror fans out there are probably screaming “Dino Crisis! Dino Crisis!” and roaring a deep-pitched roar of bliss. I wouldn’t blame them, either. The Dino Crisis games are excellent for their portrayal of the hatred dinosaurs have for humans, and they serve as an excellent reminder for how much work we have left until humans and dinosaurs can finally coexist peacefully.

Dino Crisis tells the story of a Raid team visiting Ibis island to look into the intel they’ve received about a man called Doctor Edward Kirk developing heinous weapons.  When they arrive, they learn that a serious accident has occurred; causing a time rift that enables dinosaurs to travel to the present. This concept of time-traveling may remind some of you of Back to the Future, but you’ll be happy to know that the dinosaurs lack hover boards. 

The game relies on surprises as a scare mechanic, and it works incredibly well. Opening a door to find a raptor poised to attack is nothing short of terrifying, and the amount of times this happens never reduces the fear factor of it. Having entered many a room only to find a raptor ready and able to kill me, I can tell you with certainty that it never fails to send a chill down your spine. 

Interestingly enough, Dino Crisis, now ten years old, is meant to take place in the year 2009.  What better way to celebrate than by procuring a copy and playing through the game yourself? The graphics may be outdated, but there are few better ways to fill your urge for pixelated dinosaurs.

I had heard whisperings of a game called Chrono Trigger. I’d never played it myself, and highly regret doing so, because I had never heard of it. It got to the point where I heard so much talk about it, I downloaded a NOT ROM for it and started playing it. I got well and truly stuck when it got to the future and then didn’t have any free time to continue playing. I had, however, enjoyed what I’d played a lot.

So, when Chrono Trigger DS was released I thought it obvious that I must get it so I can play it on the train, bus or even just at home. I’ve clocked well over 18 hours on it, leading to me sometimes playing my DS with it plugged into the mains to keep the batteries from dying. The shock came for me when I was transported back in time, with Chrono and his pals, to the Prehistoric era. You know what that means, right? DINOSAURS

It was a big shock to say the majority of the game you had been fighting demons, spirits and soliders to then be comfronted with a crapton of dinosaurs ambushing you as you just make your way around the world. I’d heard nothing of the game before reaching that area about any dinosaurs (OK, they’re technically lizards but they look like dinosaurs).

The bad thing is, the dinosaurs are evil. They’ve had such a hard time though. Destroyed by a stray meteor, being dug up today to be put on display and here, being portrayed as the evil overlords of a prehistoric human race. I mean, come on humans, the dinosaurs were here first.

You need skill to take down a number of these dinosaurs, otherwise you will get eaten. Working as a team is the only way to keep these beasts at bay, proving they are not the weaklings they appear to be.

He breathes fire! And he's huge!