I'm moving...

I've been away for a while as you can tell - I've had so much other stuff going on. On coming back I've decided to move this blog to TUMBLR because it's much better and easier to use.

All posts from now on can be found HERE

Hopefully the move will get me more followers or maybe not but I think you'll agree it LOOKS way much better.

I've not moved all my posts over there because some of the posts on this blog are out of date now but enjoy.

I have a twitter account now so you can follow me if you wish but I don't talk all games on there.

NEW: Alan Wake Video's Released (Spoilers)

Alan Wake is well and truly out of his coma now.
Last Friday, Remedy Games unveiled some new videos featuring gameplay of the fourth coming XBox 360 Horror, Alan Wake, which is rumored to have a May '10 release.

There are five videos in total. All show Alan Wake in Gameplay with a few cutscenes thrown in for good measure. We know two of the characters already, Alan of course and his manager, Barry. A new character named Rusty is also introduced to us in the later three videos.

What else do these video's tell us about what to expect? Let's have a look at each one shall we?

Opening Gameplay

Part One

This video has been called Opening Gameplay but it seems like loads has happened before this scene. Are we being thrown right into action? It seems that we're introduced to the situation through recap-like cut scenes.

What it tells us:

Story:

• Alice, Alan's wife, has been kidnapped and it seems her kidnappers want the pages to Alan's newest book. Unfortunately, Alan doesn't remember writing it.
• Alan has arranged a meeting with a guy named Rusty.
• Alan leaves Barry, his agent, behind but seems to fire a flare gun attracting police to his whereabouts. Why is this?

Gameplay:

• Characters nearby to Alan seem to respond to his actions. E.g Barry's reaction to Alan turning off the light.
• Alan narrates letting the player know his thoughts about certain situations.
• Alan comes across manuscript papers which seem to predict what is about to happen. In this case, it explains part of the next video.

Part Two

This video is a continuation of the Opening Gameplay Mission. Alan comes across Rusty but he's in trouble.

What it tells us:

Story:

• Rusty seems to be the Sheriff
• When you see Rusty he's been viciously attacked as if by an animal. They turn out to be more human-like
• Rusty has some manuscript pages

Gameplay:

• The colour changes when you're in danger
• Nearby characters give hints. E.g. Rusty mentions they are afraid of light, just in case you didn't notice.
• Enemies are almost like poltergeists, throwing things at Alan

Part Three

The first part of this video is the same that was shown at this years E3 convention. Rusty has been taken away and Alan needs to find him in order to get the manuscript pages he has.

What it tells us:

Gameplay:

• You can evade attacks by dodging and it looks a lot more smoother than the dodging in Silent Hill: Homecoming
• We've already seen the Pistol but the Flare Gun and Shotgun are other weapons Alan can use
• The Flare Gun can kill groups of enemies and will keep them away from you

Escape Police Gameplay

Part One

This is a whole new mission where Alan has been asked to meet with Alice's kidnapper.

What it tells us:

Story:

• The police are after Alan for some reason
• At one point, a flare gun is shot in the distance. Who did it?
• Alan seems to have help here. When the police are near to finding him, something happens

Gameplay:

• Alan can look behind whilst moving at the same time

Part Two

A continuation of the last video, Alan is still running from the police.

What it tells us:

Story:

• It's confirmed that Rusty isn't a sheriff. The Sheriff is a female and seems to be on Alan's side
• A man named Agent Nightingale seems to be the head of the police hunt in this scene. He doesn't seem to be a friend.
• What seem to be police are climbing up the cliff. Are these the newly killed officers that were originally chasing him maybe?

Gameplay:

• The game runs on a checkpoint system rather than save points a la Silent Hill

The game looks well and truly amazing to say the least. The story is intriguing and the controls and motions seem really smooth. There seems to be a lot of spoiler material in these videos which is weird considering how quiet Remedy has been about it.
Any other videos that are released before the game is should be viewed with caution if we don't want the whole plot given away.

What do you think of Alan Wake? Will he be worth the wait and what's more, will you be buying it?

The Monsters of Silent Hill - My Top 5.

Monsters - The best thing about Silent Hill?

Nowadays Silent Hill is getting a bad rep since Team Silent split up but there are two things that have not changed in this series. Akira Yamaoka's spectacular music and the Monsters.
Silent Homecoming for example gave some of the best monsters in the whole series.

This year marks ten years since the the first Silent Hill hit the shelves and with 6 games under Konami's belt there's too many Monsters to count. Which Monsters are the best and which are easily forgotten? I have set up a survey to find out which Monsters have stuck in gamers minds and which aren't worth our time. To have your say click HERE.

To start us off, I'm going to show you what my top 5 Monsters in Silent Hill ever are and see if the fans agree with me.

5. Mannequins (Silent Hill 2)
The reason I like the Mannequins so much is because of their presence. They hide silently in the dark and when you come across one they omit a creepy atmosphere. I'm also afraid of inanimate objects coming to life thanks to the film Poltergeist and these fit the bill.

The first time you see one is when James finds a flashlight. You think you're alone until you pick this object up and a Mannequin scares the living daylight out of you when it jumps up from the floor.

When you hit them they have a very masculine scream, unusual for something that looks so feminine. Another creepy moment regarding this Monster is when you're walking besides a building and one jumps from the roof as if committing suicide.

They represent the sexual frustration that James feels after not being able to get intimate with his wife since her diagnosis.


4. Nurses (All)

The Nurses have been in all the Silent Hill games since game one (Although people know them as Patients, the Official Silent Hill 4 Guide refer to them as Nurses).
However, the Nurse that interested me the most were the Nurses from Silent Hill 3 (Left). They look almost Doll like and make one hell of a noise when you're around one. Even better is that these are the only Nurses to have a Gun.

At first they represented the Nurses that took care of Alessa but their representation is beginning to fade now that they've become such a fan favourite.

The Nurses have evolved spectacularly throughout the series and now they have become a Silent Hill Icon. They came first in the best Monster category in my Silent Hill Survey but this time I've split them up... Which one will be the most popular? Origins or Homecoming maybe?


3. Siam (Silent Hill Homecoming)

Siam was one of the first Monsters to be made public for Silent Hill Homecoming and he/she looks very intimidating indeed. I remember becoming very excited about this game as soon as I saw this picture. Just like I had done 5 years earlier with my #1 Monster.

You will only come across 5 Siams throughout the entire game and because you're too busy trying the kick the hell out of it you don't really take him in that much. I was playing Homecoming for the third time the other week and I was at the part where I had to turn the power off to get into the prison. I had done that but wanted to go back to the cemetery for the Rifle so I ran right past him when he bust out of the electric gates.
However, when I returned I figured I'd wait until he came into view and shoot him from a distance. I could hear him but couldn't see him. He grunts and she has the creepiest scream I've ever heard. The best designed and the most frightening of them all.

They represent Alex's parents. The male part represents Adam's controlling nature and the female part represents Lillian's powerlessness to do anything about it. Some think it may also be representative of James Sunderland from Silent Hill 2.


2. Schism (Silent Hill Homecoming)

Schism was another Monster that was one of the first to be revealed for this game. You come across them regularly and they're usually in groups.

No-one could forget when you first come across them at the Police Station. Never before have you been surrounded by a group of one particular Monster as large as this. The Shepherds attic is another place where the Schism's like to gather.
On several occasions you find yourself being surprised at their sudden arrival and Jesus, they're fast.
If you ever find yourself hidden enough to see how the Schism stands you'll see how he sways his head from left to right. He's actually rather creepy despite his human appearance.

He most likely represents Alex's guilt over his part in Joshua's death. The Swinging Pendulum was a medieval torture device used to force confessions out of criminals. The Schism may be trying to force Alex to come clean about Joshua's death and acts as a constant reminder of his guilt.


1. Double Head (Silent Hill 4)

My Winner, the Double Head. The reason I got into the series and Survival Horror in general. The first time I saw this... thing was in a Playstation Magazine which I got after buying my Playstation 2. I thought it was the creepiest thing I had ever seen in my life, intrigued I read about it some more. After that, every time I saw something on Silent Hill 4 I read about it and became very interested in the game.

In game play they're even creepier when you see the size of them and when you're in the Forest World for the second time, the sight of them in the darkness pointing at you stops you in your tracks.

It represents the Locane siblings Billy and Miriam who were killed by Walter Sullivan just before his arrest. Sullivan's guilt over killing the innocent children not only make them look younger than they actually were, but also manifests it into a separate entity to the rest of the victims.


So, what do you think? There's no doubt that your top 5 is different from mine just because there's so many to choose from.
Don't forget to follow the link I gave to take the survey.

The Survival Horror moments we won't forget. (Major Spoiler Alert)

Horror games are not just for scares...

The best moments in gaming are in the Survival Horror genre thanks to classics such as Resident Evil, Project Zero and of course Silent Hill.

The reason why Silent Hill deserves an honorable mention is because the developers are not all about the scares. Silent Hill not only scares us but makes us think and even feel for the characters involved in the storyline.

Here I'm going to pay homage to the best moments in Survival Horror. Some are scary, some are heart warming and some are just plain creepy.


10. Haunting Ground - Daniella goes crazy
What's going on?
Fiona Belli is trapped in an old castle somewhere in Europe. She doesn't know how she got there but it's clear that the people who live in the castle have taken a fancy for her.
First, a great beast named Debilitas keeps chasing after her whilst she attempts to find her way out of confinement and then an anonymous guy tells her his plans to get her pregnant.
At this point Debilitas doesn't see her as a beautiful doll any more and he's moved on. Now, the maid, Daniella is getting too fond of her.



Why is it memorable?
Just as we were getting used to being able to walk places without being chased this happens. This scene marks the start of our cat and mouse chase with Daniella. She's more crazy than Debilitas and seems to be more violent (at least Debilitas had good intentions). This is when the player realises that things aren't going to get any easier.


9. Silent Hill 3 - Who is this?
What's going on?
Heather has gone to the Hospital to find Leonard Wolf as advised by Father Vincent. At this point she has spoken to Leonard over the phone and it seems that he is also against his Daughters actions. She has also been finding messages left by a deranged man named Stanley Coleman. After following Leonard's directions to where he is, Heather finds herself in the 'Alternate Hospital'. In entering a locker room, a pay phone is ringing inside one of the lockers. Heather answers it.



Why is it memorable?
OK, it's not scary nor is it an emotional scene. It does however do the job in confusing the player more so than they already are.
We don't instantly recognise the voice but he knows who Heather is. We only know of four guys so it's either Douglas and it isn't him, Vincent, Leonard or Stanley but the caller says he is neither. In fact he says that Leonard is a murderer and that Stanley is dead - but who left us those notes?
Another reason this scene is memorable is because of the birthday theme going on there. First he wishes Heather a happy 31st birthday and when she argues that it's not her birthday, he corrects her by saying it IS her 24th birthday. Heather is 17 years old though so he's confused us even more.


8. Silent Hill 4 - Cynthia's Death
What's going on?
Henry Townshend woke several days ago to find himself trapped inside his apartment. Doors and windows are locked BUT there is a hole in his bathroom wall. Going through the hole he finds himself in a subway but he's not alone, a woman is also there.
This is Cynthia and she's a little on the frisky side but she's friendly enough. Her confidence quickly disappears and fear begins to kick in. Henry loses her but she speaks to him over the tannoy, "Quickly, He's coming" she says. Unfortunately, Henry doesn't get to her in time.



Why is it memorable?
You expected Cynthia to be around for a long time, maybe even a sidekick to Henry so to find her brutally murdered was a shock.
From the start Cynthia shows herself to be cocky and confident and makes like nothing could brake her. In this scene however, she is in perfect fear at the prospect of dying - She thought she was dreaming but this is very much real. The chemistry between Henry and Cynthia was there from the start and it seems like they've known each other for years.
'Room of Angel' by Akira Yamaoka, playing in the background, adds to the atmosphere as well. Other characters Henry meets will die later on but none of their deaths will have the same effect as Cynthia's.


7. Project Zero IV - Sae introduces Kusabi
What's going on?
Mio and Mayu are on holiday when they find themselves lost in a local forest. They arrive at a deserted village which is covered in fog and with nowhere to go they go to the village.
At this point in the game Mayu has gone walkabout and Mio is trying to find her. Clues have lead Mio to the Kurosawa house and whilst investigating the area she comes across the Great Hall.



Why is it memorable?
Project Zero is known for its crazy ladies and no one is crazier than Sae Kurosawa. The laugh alone makes this the most memorable scene of the whole series. This particular scene introduced us to the Kusabi which even now is considered one of the most scariest ghosts to grace the game.
Another thing to note is that the Kusabi hangs around when you get back control of Mio and the Camera Obscura is powerless against it. You really are moving target when the Kusabi is around.


6. Silent Hill 3 - The Death of Harry Mason
What's going on?
Heather Mason, out heroine, has found herself in a weird situation. Whilst at the mall to pick something up for her dad, she meets a PI named Douglas Cartland and a religious freak named Claudia. Whilst trying to escape these two strangers, Heather finds herself in hell - a world full of monsters. On her way home she's almost killed by a giant worm, a subway train and meets another whack job called Vincent.
Finally on returning home, she finds Harry, her father dead on his chair.



Why is it memorable?
If you played the original Silent Hill you'll know Harry quite well. He was the main protagonist of the game and boy, did he go through a lot. To see that Harry has been brutally murdered will make even the toughest fellas emotional at the thought.
If you hadn't played Silent Hill (I hadn't at the time) you see Heather's tough exterior fade away and get the true sense that the two were close.
The player starts to warm to Heather after this because from now on, she's not as smug as she was at the start.


5. Silent Hill 2 - Infamous Prison Scene
What's going on?
James Sunderland has come to Silent Hill to find his wife Mary after receiving a letter from her. His wife has been dead for two years so this is obviously odd enough. Even more odd is the fact that James has met a woman named Maria who is the spitting image of her. She went missing in hospital and was killed by Pyramid Head later on, or so we thought.
Whilst making his way through a labyrinth under an old local prison, he comes across Maria alive and well.



Why is it memorable?
It's memorable because it makes the player even more confused. How does Maria know about the video tape in the hotel? Is Mary alive or what? What the hell is going on here.
It's also where Maria/Mary makes finally makes sexual advances towards James and in agreeing to make his way to her, it seems James has accepted the request. Also, in a time when voice acting wasn't a main priority, the acting in this scene is pretty amazing.


4. Silent Hill 4 - Trailer/Opening Scene
What's going on?
Nothing has happened yet. If you wait long enough at the start screen this scene will appear. It was also a trailer for the game before release.



Why is it memorable?
This is one of the scenes I was most freaked out by and it's also why this game is still my favourite Survival Horror of all time.
What this scene does primarily is get the player excited about what they're about to play - it really gets the adrenaline running. In between the songs 'Room of Angel' and 'Resting Comfortably', the best sound effects EVER take precedence. I remember being getting so excited after seeing this, especially at the monster at the end of the film. Unfortunately the screams were taken out of the game for some silly reason. There is no doubt that this opening trailer sets the atmosphere of Silent Hill perfectly.


3. Silent Hill - Lisa's Death
What's going on?
Harry Mason is in Silent Hill looking for his missing daughter Cheryl and during his search for her he meets Lisa Garland, a nurse at Alchemilla Hospital. We only ever see her in one room within the hospital, never anywhere else until we see her in an area referred to as 'Nowhere'.
In this scene she has realised that she is no longer real and is "just like them" but she still needs someone to care for her. When Harry pushes her away this happens...



Why is it memorable?
Throughout the game, Lisa is shown to be very vulnerable and helpless. She also very likable so to find out that she's actually dead is quite upsetting. After this scene, if you go back into the room, Lisa is gone but her diary is there. Reading about her traumatic experiences makes this scene more upsetting.


2. Silent Hill 2 - Pyramid Head Rape
What's going on?
James has found himself in an apartment complex in Silent Hill where he has come to search for his late wife. Whilst investigating the area he enters a room but someone is already in there doing dirty things.



Why is it memorable?
For one it's the first time we properly see Pyramid Head and the things he's capable of. It's one of those, to quote Henry Townshend "what the hell" moments. It makes you dread having to see him again which you know you will. I remember being quite scared that the Monster's he was raping were going to attack me when I left the closet. Luckily they didn't but this scene is one of the best in the series.


1. Forbidden Siren 2 - Mother Pays a Visit
What's going on?
You have no real clue as to who the main antagonist of this game is, sure the Shibito are giving us a hard time but they're easy. This is the scene where we find out.
Mamouru Itsuki has just been tricked into opening the "7 Gates" for Yuri Kishida - Guys will do anything for a pretty face, and the two descend underground.



Why is it memorable?
Mostly, this scene is memorable because it's freaky. When Yuri opens her blouse you're blown away immediately at the freakiness she's hiding.
This scene also marks the occasion where the Yamirei (soon to be Yamibito) are introduced to the game.
Another memorable part of this scene is that with the young Ichiko Yagura crouching over the now dead, Shigeru Fugita. Throughout the first part of this game, Ichiko comes across as a lost little girl and now, suddenly, she's killed one of our characters. Why did she do that?
We're made aware here that things are starting to kick off now, unfortunately though, this video has more effect on a bigger screen.


Others memorable to me

Silent Hill Homecoming: Scarlet's transformation
Why? Dolls are creepy, I think most people feel the same way and when she appears from the ground, shivers go down your spine.

Silent Hill Homecoming: Asphyxia Arrives
Why? Firstly it makes you jump, secondly the look on Alex's face when Asphyxia grabs Wheeler mirrors your own shock. It's easy to miss but Holloway's face on leaving leaves you wondering.

Silent Hill 4: Ghost Appearances
Why? The most scary parts of this game are when you come across the ghost of the various characters that were murdered throughout. Cynthia's and Andrew's in particular are very creepy.

Arrival of Cynthia
Arrival of Jasper
Arrival of Andrew
Arrival of Richard

Silent Hill 2: Maria's final death
Why? The most gruesome scene of the game and when both Pyramid Heads appear at each side of James means that a hard battle is on the cards.

Project Zero III: Battling Crawling Woman
Why? As soon as you get under those floorboards you know something is going to happen and it does. The detail in her face and the fact that she gets right in your face scares the s*** out of you.

Project Zero III: Shower Scene
Why? This scene will send shivers up your spine.

Condemned: On the Train
Why? Condemned will make you jump but there's few intense scenes. This one however reminded me that this was indeed a horror game.


Other recommended by others

Resident Evil: Jill Sandwich
On the video's You Tube page it seems this is mostly remembered for comedy reasons.

Resident Evil: Attacking Dogs
Well, it makes you jump and scream.

Silent Hill: Meeting Dahlia
She looks crazy and turns out to be just that. The person that recommended this said they didn't know why they liked it but they did.

Silent Hill 2: Wanna watch a video?
This when everything is made clear. I don't find it very memorable myself but these sure do:

"I was so shocked my mouth literally opened and I sat on the couch just like James...I've NEVER played another game and have EVER had the same reaction I had while playing this game. This game is beyond a masterpiece." - YouTube

"Best moment scene in gaming history!" - YouTube

Silent Hill 2: Angela on Fire
I don't like Angela very much so this scene means nothing to me but this is what was said:

"This moment was fantastic 'cause it gives you an insight as to how, while in the other world, minds can connect! Worlds overlap, glitches mix, etc. It was a wonderful scene with wonderful music." - Personal Contact

Silent Hill 3: Heather's Reflection
You're trapped and something bad is going to happen. Threat much?:

"I kept on spamming the x button on the door at this point." - YouTube

"I was in there more 3 minutes I couldn't get out, it was freaky." - YouTube

Silent Hill 3: They look like Monsters to you?
Another scene that is vague... This is what the person who chose this scene had this to say:

"What is really a joke? [it] is a question left open to interpretation." - Personal Contact

Biography

http://gamingissues.blogspot.com/2008/07/7-memorable-survival-horror-moments.html

http://boardsus.playstation.com/playstation/board/message?board.id=offtopic&thread.id=649230

http://www.cameraslens.com/forum/index.php?topic=8221.0

Project Zero Survey Results

Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly emerges victorious.

Around a month ago I asked fans from several forums and websites to complete a survey on their likes and dislikes regarding the Project Zero/Fatal Frame Series.



100 responses were received and the results were published on the following websites:

• Playstation.com


• Cameraslens.com

I was hoping for people to comment on the results before putting the results on this blog but only one person replied :( (Thanks Elwing from Cameraslens.com).
So instead I'll give you the results without any insights and include the link to the charts and statistics etc at the end if you're interested enough to do so.

Let's begin:

Favourite Protagonist:

WINNER: Miku Hinasaki (35%)
RUNNER UP: Mio Amakura (30%)
Others mentioned: Rei Kurosawa (21%), Mayu Amakura (7%), Kei Amakura (5%).



Favourite Antagonist:

WINNER: Sae Kurosawa (45%)
RUNNER UP: Reika Kuze (36%)
Others mentioned: Kirie Himuro (19%)



Favourite Ghost:

WINNER: Chitose Tachibana AKA Crimson Kimono
RUNNER UP: Akane and Azami Kiryu AKA The Kiryu Twins
Others mentioned: Blind Maiden, Woman Brushing, Crawling Woman, Kusabi, Broken Neck (PZ2), Fallen Woman, Engraver, Broken Neck (PZ1).

This was an open question so there were a lot of different responses. Those above were all in the Top 10.



Which was best for...Storyline:

WINNER: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (59%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero III: The Tormented (33%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero (8%)




Which was best for...Ghosts:

WINNER: Project Zero III: The Tormented (55%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (23%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero (21%)




Which was best for...Scares:

WINNER: Project Zero (41%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (32%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero III: The Tormented (28%)




Favourite Game Overall:

WINNER: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (52%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero III: The Tormented (34%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero (14%)




Worst Protagonist:

LOSER: Mayu Amakura (36%)
RUNNER UP: Kei Amakura (35%)
Others mentioned: Rei Kurosawa (16%), Miku Hinisaki (6%), Mio Amakura (5%)





Worst Antagonist:

LOSER: Kirie Himuro (43%)
RUNNER UP: Reika Kuze (33%)
Others mentioned: Sae Kurosawa (23%)




Which game was worst for...Storyline:

LOSER: Project Zero (47%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero III: The Tormented (36%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (16%)




Which game was worst for...Ghosts:

LOSER: Project Zero (53%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (26%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero III: The Tormented (21%)




Which game was worst for...Scares:

LOSER: Project Zero III: The Tormented (38%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (32%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero (31%)




Worst Game Overall:

LOSER: Project Zero (53%)
RUNNER UP: Project Zero III: The Tormented (31%)
Others mentioned: Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly (16%)


I then went on to ask people what they thought about the situation regarding Project Zero IV and the future of the franchise...


Would you have bought Project Zero IV if had been released in the UK/US:

Yes: 91%
Some of them actually did buy the Japanese game.

No, Not Interested: 0%
Not surprising seeing that only fans of the series responded to the survey.

No, Don't own a Wii: 9%
Don't Know: 0%


Were you annoyed that Project Zero IV was sold to Nintendo:

Yes, Very Annoyed: 63%
Kinda: 14%
No, I have a Wii so it doesn't matter: 22%


Would you buy Project Zero V if it was released:

Yes, definitely: 74%
Only if it's released on the PS2/PS2/360: 20%
No: 0% (Good news for Tecmo)
Depends on what it's like: 5%


Summary

Project Zero II: Crimson Butterfly is the clear leader here. It was the Winner of 4 polls including Best Game and Runner Up in the best categories 3 times.

The original Project Zero didn't fair as well despite winning more of the best categories than Project Zero III: The Tormented. It regularly placed top in the worst categories.



As for Project Zero IV, well it seems it would have sold well if released in the UK/US. It would have been well received by the fans if we were able to play it.

You can see the charts and my opinions on these responses in more detail HERE

The effect of the Next-Gen Consoles on Survival Horror

How is the next generation of Consoles effecting the Survival Horror Genre?

If only one console is credited for the rise of Survival Horror it is surely the Playstation. Resident Evil and Silent Hill both started off on the PS One, as well as games such as Clock Tower, Alone in the Dark and Parasite Eve.
When the Playstation 2 came out in 1999 these classic game series were brought to the newer console as well as new horror classics such as Project Zero and Siren. Obscure, Haunting Ground, Manhunt and The Suffering were also released for the console.

Nowadays however, Sony has more competition for it's games with the likes of the Xbox 360 and especially the Nintendo Wii now on the market. How exactly is the Survival Horror Genre changing with additions of these new consoles.


Increase in action orientated Horror
Offenders: Dead Space, F.E.A.R, Condemned, Resident Evil 4 & 5
Horror games are starting to get too action orientated these days with the male market in mind. The arrivals of the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 mean that game developers are focusing more on the graphics rather than the plots and story lines E.g. Resistance, Kill Zone, Halo (Feel free to backlash).

Survival Horrors are following suit. If we look at the last couple of games that were released in this genre we'll find that weapons and combat have a huge part to play. Dead Space (left), F.E.A.R, and even Horror Classics such as Resident Evil and Silent Hill are following suit with action orientated additions such as RE 4 & 5 and SH:Homecoming.
Luckily, even though it's agreeably much harder than it's predecessors, Silent Hill: Homecoming didn't stray away from the good story lines the series is known for. It did however include more combat than the previous games and health items were very hard to come by making the game more focused on the combat aspect of Survival.

Condemned was the Xbox 360's first attempt at Survival Horror and like Silent Hill Homecoming, had a lot of combat involved but it actually had plenty of scary moments that sent shivers down your spine. Later, Condemned 2 was released for the 360 and the Playstation 3 whose version received better reviews.[2]
Unfortunately games like Dead Space and F.E.A.R think Horror is about making you jump and Resident Evil has jumped on this band wagon. Horror fans and even fans of the game don't like to call Resident Evil a Survival Horror any more.

When was the last time a game freaked you out because the environment put you on edge or because you were scared out of your mind that you had nothing to defeat monsters with? When was the last time you had to put a game away because it was affecting you so much?
It seems those days have gone...


Console Wars
Offenders: Alan Wake, Project Zero IV.
OK, so the Wii is the market leader but that doesn't mean you will sell more games on that console than on any other.

Tecmo made this mistake lately with Project Zero IV: The Mask of the Lunar Eclipse. Leaving their Sony fan base behind, they sold the games rights to Nintendo who sold the game in the Japanese region. For reasons unexplained, Nintendo US and Nintendo Europe didn't feel it necessary to release the game in their regions.
The most likely reason is that the game isn't suited to their target market - family and children. Why Tecmo did this I will never know because the US and the UK (without the rest of Europe) have the two largest gaming markets in the world[3] (In fact, in the UK the Gaming Industry is outselling the music industry).[4]

Alan Wake is another Horror game that isn't to grace the Playstation 3. When it was first announced (I can't remember when because that was ages ago now) the game was to be on the 360 and the Playstation 3 but Microsoft managed to gain the rights to the game. This isn't much a loss on the West's part because the US and Europe are going to be able to play it - It's just a shame that Sony have missed out on what looks like an impressive game.


The Nintendo Wii
Offenders: The Grudge, Cursed Mountain, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

I don't have the strongest opinion of the Wii. Even though it's the main reason why the UK is the 2nd largest games market in the world, to me it defines everything that is wrong in the gaming industry.
We're living in the digital age but the graphics in the games that Nintendo bring out are going backwards and the imagination put into them are terrible. With games like the Imagine Series (Vet, Fashion Designer,Teacher), Dogz, Catz and Wii-Sports, the Wii is a novelty console at best.

Why developers are making Horror games for this console when they could be making them for the Xbox or the Playstation 3 confuses me. Sure, the games are cheaper and quicker to develop and I'm aware that Developers have a hard time developing games for the Sony console but surely they aren't going to sell very well.
There is currently one Survival Horror game for the Wii and two on the way...These are Cursed Mountain, The Grudge and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

Recently, it was announced that the Japanese film Ju-On (or The Grudge as it's known here) is to be made into a game. The decision to release this on the Wii is because of the Wii-mote's ability to measure hand movement. The more you're made jump and the more you shake determines your score at the end of the game. The game is to be sold in the US and UK but will it sell if the Wii's market is little children? Look at the front cover (left) and tell me what you think?

Another unfortunate point is that the best Survival Horror games are produced in Japan where the Nintendo Wii isn't necessarily aimed at the family/tween market.

Cursed Mountain is another Survival Horror game that is exclusive for the Wii and again, the Wii-mote is the attraction here. I don't know much about the game but the graphics, even though quite good for the Wii, are still leave something to be desired. (See Screenshot, Right).

The Silent Hill series has even joined the club releasing a game for the Wii. Konami however, unlike Tecmo, have stayed faithful to it's fan base of ten years, releasing the game on the PS2 and the PSP. Good news, but it's the Wii that has the better version again because of it's Wii-mote.
In Shattered Memories, you can use your Wii-mote as a Phone (you'll come across numbers to dial and the voice will emit from the speaker in the Wii-mote), Radio (again, the static will come out of the speaker), Pen (You can write notes on your map) and Torch (you can move the Wii-mote like a torch).
Shattered Memories may be more focused on the Wii, but at least it's stopping itself from being action orientated. There's no combat at all and it's going to make you think - that picture in the screenshot (left) remind you of anyone?


Summary.
A good Survival Horror game should have a plot which can get you thinking about how best to proceed. Give the player a bucket load of weapons and ammo then people are just going to blast their way through and hope for the best. Forbidden Siren made you think of a strategy to complete a mission without being spotted - you didn't get a lot of ammo in this game and most weapons you had to kill a Shibito for anyway.

Silent Hill made you think more on the storyline rather than combat. Most monsters could be out run in this game so combat wasn't always necessary but the game is still fun to play. The atmosphere in these games were the main reason why Silent Hill is scary - the thought of people watching you (Think of when Heather receives the letters from a Hospital Patient you never see yourself or when James is mentioned by name on a note put as graffiti on a wall).

Project Zero is yet another game that didn't focus on combat an those games were so scary that you had to pause the game to relax yourself a little (I know I did anyway).

Unfortunately, all these games are not as popular nowadays. Forbidden Siren has always been underrated, Nintendo decided that Project Zero IV should be kept away from us and Silent Hill is getting trampled on by those who would rather have Resident Evil because of it's "good combat an brilliant graphics".
People are even complaining that Shattered Memories isn't going to have any combat. I think it's a good thing that they're trying to put the Horror back into Survival Horror.

If games like Dead Space and F.E.A.R continue being more popular than the classics and if Resident Evil doesn't return to it's old ways, then I fear for this genre - I really do.


References:
[1] http://survivalhorroronline.com/articles/history.htm
[2] http://www.metacritic.com/search/process?sort=relevance&termtype=all&ts=condemned+2&ty=0&button=search
[3] http://www.ripten.com/2009/02/02/uk-overtakes-japan-in-the-videogame-market
[4] http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7709298.stm