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Nebula Echonight

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    Nebula Echonight

    So it's sort of an adventure game set in a space station or maybe you could describe it as a first-person horror game with 80% of the horror bits taken out and meaningful puzzles instead. I prefer the second description myself

    You're this astronaut guy who's searching for his fiance I think, except everyone on the space station has died and unusually, this time not one of them has turned into zombies.

    Instead they can be split into those who'll co-operate and those who don't want you anywhere near them. When you approach the latter type your guy starts ****ting himself and his heartrate jumps like crazy, despite the fact that that the spirits can't actually harm you. Anyway, you die if your heartrate hits 300(which happens pretty quickly if you don't get the hell away). I guess part of the horror factor is not knowing how each is going to respond to you until you approach them.

    You wear a space suit the whole time and it's not exactly the same kind that Samus wears - basically you can walk slowly or less slowly. Turning is a slow manouver in this game and as it's often very dark and you're relying on a flashlight for guidance, it's easy to panic when one of the less friendly spirits is in the area and you don't know which way to turn. Or worse still, if your flashlight batteries are about to run out and you need some more. Still, they're not half as determined as those I've been reading about in Siren - exit the room and they leave you alone.

    The default controls are of the 3rd-person kind but since this is a first person game I switched to setting C - dual analogue. The circle button is used for interaction and triangle adusts your flashlight's brightness.

    The game is all in Japanese, save for in-game signs and bits of the interface but that isn't holding me back tbh, I've solved quite a few puzzles so far. They basically come in 2 flavours: simple item puzzles for the friendly spirits and indirect puzzles for the pissed-off ones. By indirect, I mean that you have to appease them first before you can interact with them. Solving a puzzle means the spirit leaves its current existance and disappears.

    Part of the puzzle-solving equation involves using security cameras a monitor stations to spy on the souls, somewhat like Gregory Horror Show. Occasionally, zooming in on an important item leads you to a brief flashback via the security monitor, which serves as a clue.

    Some touches are thrown in to keep you tense - sometimes you're in a room and a glass on the table shatters or something gets thrown at you when your back is turned. The atmosphere is one of loneliness imo, not horror in general. You sometimes hear cries of sadness or anger as you listen to the spirits - everyone is all alone for some reason.

    It's an interesting, above average game so far but it hasn't become intriguing just yet.

    More info: www.nebula-en.net

    #2
    Interesting, I've been waiting for some impressions on this one, the whole idea of a 'Haunted House' in space appeals to me.

    How are the graphics? Merely workable or effectivly dark and moody?

    Thanks for the write-up, btw.

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      #3
      The graphics are mixed, I mean there's really nice reflection mapping all over the place but it tends to show up the low-res non-reflective textures. The reflective surfaces tend to give the whole place a ghostly feel when combined with the obligatory mist which you find in the more dangerous spots. It's not that dark compared to say, Silent Hill; you won't find any bloodstained walls in this game.

      The only language problems I'm having is in working out which things I can interact with, although I've usually got a good idea of what I'm supposed to do. Btw there isn't any Western release scheduled atm, I'm hoping that will change.

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        #4
        You can spacewalk in this game
        I mean PROPER spacewalking - on the surface of the moon! You can take huge floaty steps and if you're not careful you can float into an abyss.

        I've ALWAYS wanted to spacewalk on the moon in a videogame


        There is more important use for the cameras now: diversions. Some of the spirits can tell that you're spying them with cameras and... well I won't say what happens, but it was well tense

        The demented spirits are always surrounded by smoke and it is this smoke that makes them go crazy. Once you switch on the ventilation systems, the smoke clears and they calm down. The problem is that they won't let you anywhere near the ventilation controls.. so it gets pretty strategic.

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          #5
          "I've ALWAYS wanted to spacewalk on the moon in a videogame "

          I have no idea why, but that sentence triggered off memory of a game, that you could do quite realistic space walking.

          It was on the spectrum I'm sure.

          hm!

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            #6
            I ran around a bit, almost jumped at roof falling down, saw a robot wibble its head and met up with a ghost that kept laughing at me. From what I saw, this was sub-par, and I'd say from the reaction of everyone else watching, they thought so too :

            Intro was quite nice though.

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              #7
              Intro is pretty nice indeed.

              Play it some more, it's not sub-par.

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                #8
                Yeah I suppose, but it is difficult playing a single player game when 11 other people are watching your every move

                Witness: Me playing Bujingai, me playing Siren and me playing Breakdown.

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                  #9
                  Its ?4.00 now at play-asia for just this week, worth getting?

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                    #10
                    Get the US version instead, it's worth the extra expense as the Japanese version is not that import friendly. I've finished the US version, it's good enough game; short, but nice while it lasts.

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                      #11
                      Ah, I didnt know theres a U.S ver. cheers for the advice, is it under a diffent name or anything?

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                        #12
                        I cant find the u.s version anywhere to buy!?!?!

                        JammyD wanna sell me yours?

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                          #13
                          Think its called Echo Night: Beyond in the US - its available from VGP

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                            #14
                            Ah cheers

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