As a fan of the first two games, this was a big disappointment for me when I played it back in the day. It only took thirty minutes for me to give up in frustration, thanks to one crucial reason that I'll get to.
First of all, the game barely even feels like Dino Crisis. It doesn't cast Regina or Dylan as the main characters. There's no third energy or time travel involved either. Instead, it's set in the distant future as a team named S. O. A. R. is sent to investigate the Ozymandias, a colony ship believed to have disappeared without a trace three centuries prior. Once aboard, the team discovers the ship is filled with dinosaur like monsters and must uncover the mysteries surrounding the vessel.
Similar to Dino Crisis 2, this is an action/adventure game rather than survival horror. You'll spend most of the game playing as S. O. A. R. trooper Patrick Tyler, who is outfitted with an energy rifle and boost pack to travel around fast and leap from platform to platform. The core gameplay of killing dinosaurs is relatively solid, and the controls are easy to get used to.
But the action aspect feels lackluster, as there's a very limited number of non-boss enemies to fight, unlike in Dino Crisis 2. They aren't even actual dinosaurs, just hybrids created via genetic engineering.
The graphics and level design are admittingly good and the FMVs are beautifully animated. I liked the enemy designs especially; they look like dinosaur hybrids designed by HR Geiger. The Ozymandias has a polished and metallic setting you'd expect in such a futuristic game. But for the most part, the ship is barren and empty, so it feels boring as you explore it.
But the worst aspect of all is the horrible camera, which involves both fixed and mobile angles. 90% of the time, you will be unable to even see the enemies and you'll have to fire at them off screen and hope you score a hit. The platforming sections of the game are just as aggravating. Part of this can be faulted with the cameras inability to keep pace with Patrick as he zooms around on his boost pack. No question, the camera ruined this game for many players, including me.
Overall, Dino Crisis 3 isn't a bad game, but it's undoubtedly inferior to the previous two installments and, as far as I can tell, ended the Dino Crisis franchise.
