survival horror
Latest
Cursed Mountain: the winter survival horror game that isn't cancelled!
While everyone's upset about the loss of n-Space's survival horror title Winter, it's fairly comforting to remember that the Wii has another survival horror game about enduring a desolate winter environment on the way, with no discernible signs of trouble so far. In fact, in the space of just two trailers, Cursed Mountain has been upgraded in our estimation from "not bad" to must play. This looks incredibly atmospheric, and just plain technically beautiful!In addition to ghosts, players will apparently have to contend with hallucinations due to the altitude and oxygen deprivation from the harsh Himalayan mountain that serves as the game's backdrop. Which leaves us to wonder whether the creepy dudes in these new screens are real bad guys or not. Either way, yikes.%Gallery-35618%
Winter held up by unadventurous publishers
n-Space's Winter harks back to the days of early Resident Evil games, featuring as it does claustrophobic corridors, a jumpy-as-hell atmosphere, and gruesome monsters. If that sounds promising, the footage above will probably only convince you more of the game's potential. Although a bit glitchy in places, this took only six weeks to create.Now here's the sad part of this story: Winter is another of the Wii's lost games. n-Space enjoyed a hugely positive response after pitching the project to numerous publishers in 2007, but Creative Director Ted Newman has told IGN that the game "got hung up with the sales and marketing groups." The game was put on hold, and n-Space instead focused on Target Toss Pro: Bags, presumably a title that appealed more to the suits.IGN's interview with Newman manages to be simultaneously depressing and enlightening, but is definitely worth your time. Understandably, n-Space is happy to bring this to market, but they'll need a publisher first. Interested, Sega?
Joystiq's Top 10 of 2008: Dead Space
<< BACK (10) COMMENT NEXT (8) >> Many of us found our hearts eviscerated by Electronic Arts' welcome, if financially maddening, newfound appreciation for original property. And while survival horror is hardly an unexplored genre, it's rare that any company, even a juggernaut like EA, gets everything right the first time. Dead Space nails it, and whether it's an eerie trek through the bowels of a derelict space ship, or surviving being cut to ribbons by aliens, cultists or former co-workers, staying alive has seldom felt as satisfying as it does aboard the USG Ishimura.
Fatal Frame IV may disturb Europe in February
All we've heard about the release of Fatal Frame IV in the US is that Nintendo apparently isn't publishing it. According to retailer Play.com and Official Nintendo Magazine (via reports on NeoGAF and also this sliver of a scan found on GoNintendo), the Tecmo/Grasshopper Manufacture survival horror title could be headed to Europe on February 6, under the name ... Fatal Frame IV, rather than the series' customary European Project Zero title. Nintendo of Europe's apparent decision to publish this makes Reggie's snub seem just a bit more painful, though we believe that it would be good business for the newly-combined Tecmo/Koei to publish it in North America themselves. %Gallery-14901%
Rumor: Cliff B. tackling survival horror next
The logical evolution of a chainsaw fetish? Yup, a survival-horror game. The latest out of EGM's rumor mongering Quartermann is that Epic's "expensive but slightly the wrong color" Cliff Bleszinski is working on a survival-horror project. Think: Gears of War slayings with actual, psychological repercussions. Terrifying!The Q-Mann hears this one might be multiplatform, too, à la Unreal Tournament III. (Before you ask, yes, Wii will almost certainly be excluded.)
Branching Dialogue: Survive All Horror (Part Two)
Presenting Branching Dialogue, a weekly, wordy and often worryingly pedantic discussion of video game genres, trends and err ... stuff I didn't think to put in this introductory line. Though the latest survival-horror scare pair, Dead Space and Silent Hill: Homecoming, are unlikely to be praised for oozing INNOVATION! out of every pore, both games do a lot to improve and streamline the genre's traditional gameplay. So much so, in fact, that some of the contrivances I would have vigorously defended before, passed off as "misunderstood" by run 'n' gunners, no longer seem worthy of the effort. But which genre staples can be safely torn out without leaving the design document in tatters? Well, there are two in particular which I'm glad to be rid of.
The terrifying mystery of Cursed Mountain screens
We hope it doesn't seem to cynical of us if we say we aren't quite certain these Cursed Mountain screenshots are genuinely captured from the game. For one thing, they are offered on the Cursed Mountain website in a 1280x750 resolution. They also feature graphical effects, like the glow around this ghost, that appear to have been added later. Plus we can tell from some of the pixels.We don't want to disparage Deep Silver for (potential) doctoring of early screenshots, because we'd have to take the same position against every developer, ever. At least what they intend to do with Cursed Mountain -- a survival horror game set in a haunted Tibetan monastery -- is cool and original!%Gallery-35618%[Via Wiiz]
Bury the Shovelware: Resident Evil - Deadly Silence
Seeing as we're fast approaching Halloween, I thought it would be appropriate to try to find a "scary" game to examine for Bury the Shovelware. I could have easily gone the "it's so bad, it's SCARY" route, but I thought it would be nice to avoid lame sarcasm. I spent most of this week's Top 5 gushing over Resident Evil 1 & 4, which reminded me that the PSOne original was ported to the DS in early 2006. Surprisingly, I never looked into it. Perhaps it had something to do with the mixed (but not terrible) reviews it received. To get to the point, now's the perfect time to take a closer look. Is Resident Evil: Deadly Silence shovelware? Let's find out. Pedigree On paper, this project looks easily reasonable. The original was an instant classic, and this version was both developed and published officially by Capcom. They could have easily farmed this out to a lesser company, but they decided to keep it in-house. The DS is perfectly capable of supporting PSOne-era graphics and audio, as we've seen fairly impressive graphics on the handheld before. And from what I'd read before playing this version, Capcom was adding touch-based controls and minigames into the mix. Although use of the phrase "minigames" in this neo-casual market can elicit a full-hearted "uggh" from most core gamers, I had faith in Capcom as a developer. After witnessing their beautiful port of this same title for the GameCube take full advantage of the system's capabilities, I expected the same for this version.
RE 5's Kawata: Wii couldn't even handle RE 5's intro screen
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Wii_couldn_t_even_handle_RE_5_s_intro_screen'; We all would love to see Resident Evil 5 on the Wii. But, according to the game's producer, Masachika Kawata, the Wii couldn't even handle the graphics of the game's introductory screen. When asked about improvements on the game from 4 to 5, Kawata mentions the biggest improvement are the graphics, as "the title screen of this couldn't have been done on PS2 or Wii." We're not sure we buy that.There's still a sliver of hope that there could be more Resident Evil making its way to Wii, however. During a separate interview with GameTrailers, another producer, Juntake Uchi, commented that Capcom would love to continue to support the Wii with the franchise. And, personally, we'd love to see them hook us up with something other than old ports.Head past the break to watch the video.
Rumor: Footage for new horror title from Hudson [update 2]
Update 2: Hudson has requested we take down the videos.Update: Looks like the original videos were pulled by YouTube (new videos have already made their way back up). Be warned: these also could disappear at any moment. Incidentally, Hudson has contacted us, explaining that a hacker stole these videos from internal files on their server and posted them without their permission.Leak ahoy! A mysterious trio of videos have been discovered on the open servers of a PR company representing Hudson, apparently showing off a brand new Wii horror game from the publisher. Judging by the name of the directory address, the title will be known simply as Calling (though we'd wager on The Calling), and it looks like an extremely creepy slice of J-Horror. That doll! Eeee!It's played from a first-person perspective (a technique which has always boosted the scare factor for us), and might be an on-rails adventure, unless the person playing this has incredibly steady hands. That's difficult to believe -- cowards that we are, just watching this makes us tremble a little. If you dare, go past the break for a second gameplay video.
A few Dead Rising
Click to embiggen Here it is, just what we asked for: the maintenance tunnel in Dead Rising: Chop 'Til You Drop versus the same area in the original. In the Xbox version of the title, the tunnels were a grueling challenge, a never-ending sea of grasping hands, and here, it looks like ... well, this place with some zombies in it.We can accept a game that is similar to Dead Rising, but different in order to adapt to the Wii. It'll be fun, and there's nothing like kicking zombies in the face. But seeing the two side by side can sometimes bring out a sigh.%Gallery-28028%
Suda 51's new horror game to use Unreal Engine 3
Remember back when Mark Rein let loose somebody was working on Unreal Engine 3 for Wii? Well, we finally know what game will be using it, we guess. Kind of. We don't really know much about the exact game, per se. What game? The one that EA is publishing from Q Entertainment, Resident Evil co-creator Shinji Mikami and the man responsible for one of our most favorite Wii games, Suda51. Suda says Unreal Engine 3 is a "powerful, easy-to-implement game engine" that is aiding his company to "quickly bring our vision to life." He also added that the "tools and technology" allow him to "create games faster, easier and with less risk." So are we excited? Well, maybe. It's not like the Wii version is mentioned and we would think it should be, considering no title up until now has utilized Unreal Engine 3 technology. But, hey, we'll try to be as optimistic as we can, because we feel confident in the abilities of all involved, to tell the truth. Now if only we could some information on what this game is ...
Japanese hospitals want Dementium off store shelves
Dementium: The Ward hit Japan this year (along with a colorful launch event for the game), yet is now enduring its first public outcry in the country. According to Yahoo! News (and Google's translation tools), the Japanese Association of Psychiatric Hospitals has requested that the title be removed from shops instantly, arguing that the game could instigate "discrimination and prejudice" against sufferers of psychiatric disorders. Interchannel distributes the game in Japan, and has yet to comment, but Mike Wilson of [U.S. publisher] Gamecock did proffer a view to MTV Multiplayer, stating that the criticism is down to a "lack of understanding or appreciation (and therefore fear of) games outside our little sub-culture." He also confessed to being "thrilled" by the extra attention the game has enjoyed as a result; as the game failed to penetrate the Japanese top 30, we know what he means.%Gallery-4929%[Via MTV Multiplayer]
Reggie 'answers' questions about Disaster, Fatal Frame IV
Because it's not a Nintendo event if it isn't followed by "where's (Game X)" questions, Kombo cornered Reggie Fils-Aime at yesterday's conference and asked him about the status of North American versions of Disaster: Day of Crisis and Fatal Frame IV. While nobody expected concrete dates or even confirmation from Reggie's answers, he still managed to impart a bit of information. Regarding Disaster: Nintendo of America is waiting to see how the game performs in Europe before making a decision. That means that we at least have to wait for a while after October 24 to hear anything. As for Fatal Frame, he offered the following frustrating response: "you're going to have to contact the publisher for questions on that." So it might be coming out here -- just not from Nintendo, despite Nintendo of Japan publishing it. Who wants to start cold-calling publishers?* *Note: Wii Fanboy does not encourage the cold-calling of publishers. %Gallery-30942% [Via GoNintendo]
Metareview - Silent Hill Homecoming (PC, PS3, 360)
Within the circle of paranoid and traumatized Silent Hill fans, there are two fundamental truths that must be embraced upon the release of each new entry in Konami's survival-horror franchise. The first, and more difficult to accept, is that the core gameplay in Silent Hill is sort of awful. Oh, but that gripping atmosphere! That inescapable miasma of melancholy! That's where the second truth comes in: if series sound maestro, Akira Yamaoka, composed the soundtrack (and he did for Homecoming), then it's probably an experience worth having. What say you, early reviews? 1UP (B): "Homecoming stays true to the macabre Silent Hill atmosphere without feeling stagnant. Exploration's perfectly in line with previous games, complete with tons of locked doors, decaying structures, and doubling back between the real world and its hellish counterpart -- but some little nuances intrigue." Cheat Code Central (84/100): "This game delivers on the experience you have come to expect from the franchise. It will also give you reason to begin clamoring for the next installment. The folks at Double Helix gave me the Silent Hill I wanted: a nerve-racking, scary as hell experience to hold me over this Halloween season." IGN (67/100): "Unfortunately, I admit that the game feels like a bit of a letdown. The gameplay has been reduced from a tense psychological experience fraught with spine tingling jumps and scares to a generic, predictable action title set in the location with good graphics and a great soundtrack."
See Resident Evil again for the very first time
Resident Evil sure looks familiar, doesn't it? That's probably because this latest Capcom port is just the GameCube version with a dash of motion. That isn't to say it doesn't look good (it does), it's just that this game has been remade, reworked, and re-released a lot. How many times do we need to replay great games -- particularly when we can already play them on the system in question?%Gallery-32896%
Rumor: Resident Evil port in Japan for Christmas [Update]
We won't be sure until there are scans, because sometimes information that originates on 2ch is erroneous or just plain made up, but according to Wii@Everyday's summary of the latest issue of Famitsu, Capcom is preparing yet another Resident Evil port for the Wii, for release on December 25.This time, it's a "faithful port" of the GameCube Resident Evil remake. Like Resident Evils Zero and 4, this is a direct port. Unlike Zero, a bit of waggle has been added (to draw your weapon). The new version will be compatible with GameCube controllers, so it will be entirely possible to buy this and pretend you're playing the GameCube version -- which, by the way, is quite cheap![Update: Scans now available at the link! Guess that confirms it.]
ASA bans Condemned 2 telly ad five months late
The UK's Advertising Standards Authority has banned a pair of Condemned 2: Bloodshot commercials, just a little over five months after the game's release. Unlike the whopping 26 complaints that got a Kane & Lynch ad banned, the Condemned 2 spot was washed away in the deluge of ... nine complaints. Despite the pair of violent commercials being cleared for post-9PM showing, the ASA determined that "viewers were likely to find those scenes offensive and distressing and to see them as condoning real violence and cruelty." Check out what we believe to be one of the offensive ads, after the break. [Via GamePolitics]
Capcom talks more Dead Rising, inevitable questions ensue
We feel sorry for Capcom PR staff right now. Take Jason Allen here. His performance when talking about Dead Rising: Chop 'Til You Drop is as smooth and unruffled as they come, but somebody just had to wheel out the old, old question of zombie numbers, didn't they? Allen clearly knew it was coming -- he gives a wry smile as he answers -- but he does stumble a little. "[There will be] just as much, er, a satisfactory number of enemies on screen to fight off against," he replies. Fair enough.Away from the issue of zombie quantity, Allen discusses how the game borrows Resident Evil 4's combat controls, a decision that was made because the Wii Remote worked so perfectly there; in fact, he notes, Dead Rising on the Wii will boast more firearms than the Xbox 360 game. Capcom is also restructuring the title so it's more appealing to the casual gamer set. All side quests are now incorporated into the main narrative, the rationale being that casual gamers are less likely to replay the game for the extra quests. That makes sense, and it doesn't really result in less content. It's just all squashed together in one whole now.%Gallery-28028%
Dead Space NA release bumped up to Oct. 14
At this rate, Dead Space will be coming out tomorrow. Clearly taking note of the immense terror and confusion imparted by its decision to release Dead Space earlier than expected, EA has announced that the outer space corridor creeper has been moved forward a week ... again! That's like, the opposite of a delay. You can now catch the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions in North American stores on October 14th (PC guys are still on for the 20th). That is, if you're confident enough to leave the house, knowing that the world has become a very sick and unusual place.
