Siren

[D-SG]

a review the following week.

And hopefully another review in the following five months when a version is released with story, dialogue and character development comprehensible to more than 5% of this site's readership?

Mind you, it's hardly an RPG, so I should just shut up.

[Square]

The Air-raid sirens from SH1 are back with a vengeance in this game too.

YES! That siren was so spooky in the Silent Hill series. Is it in number 3?

[PeteJ]

No sirens in Silent Hill3, though it doesn't surprise me they return in...Siren.

If the game is virtually impossible to play due to the heavy text and Japanese, then I will most likely do a full-on preview instead. It's only fair on the game

[Tokyo Trash Baby]

Its my most anticpated game, but Im reluctant to buy because of the language barrier like you guys. Are there any impressions of the game posted anywhere that can clarify just how much Japanese there is?

I got a video DVD from Sony at the TGS recently and it has SIREN game footage and from what I see its all in Japanese but it does look like a killer game! I also want it bad but will probably wait till I hear what other gamers say about it on gamefaqs. Thats probably the best advice for all I think.

[Vaipon]

I've got my copy. I'll post some impressions tomorrow when I've had a few hours on it. There is a warning on the front of the box in Japanese and English basically prohibiting sale to anyone under 18 years of age, big white sticker. Never seen a Japanese game with it on before.

[PeteJ]

How come you've got it so early?

Maybe tomorrow...

Let us know either anyway.

[Vaipon]

Ok, I've just literally had 10 minutes on it, so here is a very brief impressions.

There is an English supplimental manual in my version (so guessing it's tjhe asian release),which explains the concept of the game and what all the controls do. This is a big help. Sadly, it's all Japanese dialogue as we expected, although I suspect that it will still be playable as all the action and the hide-and-seek nature of the game is very arcadey. The story will be largely uncomprehensible to any non-japanese speakers though. Presentation on the menus is also superb, with a nice intro leading to the title page complete with air-raid siren whining in the distance. Great visual design. The intro begins with the title "Project Siren" on the screen too.

Visually it is ****ing amazing. The cutscenes run realtime in a slower framerate than the game with a lot more visual detail. Character's faces and the fog effects are great, and the sight-jack effects are reminiscent of anything you've seen in the Ring films (tv static etc). The first stage of the game is played with a zombie cop chasing you with a gun and torch. The torch effects are good, and there are moths attracted to the light when switched on. I turned my torch off and went to hide. The cop could no longer see me after I did this, and shuffled around searching the yard. The sound is very creepy, similar to Silent Hill 1, and it's raining at night in the first stage of the game also. I wasn't able to use the sight-jacking in the first level, probably a skill you pick up later on, so the beginning of the game was more about hiding from the zombie. If you are killed, you get a great first-person view from the enemy which is presumably what the sight-jacking looks like, very creepy. I'll post more impressions tomorrow when I've played it properly, these are just very rough early thoughts on the game. So far though, it looks pretty incredible to me, with some amazing visuals and audio creating a great atmosphere.

Btw, dunno why mine has arrived early. I ordered from play-asia same day as you PeteJ. You'll probably get yours tomorrow at latest I would say.

[dave heats]

Nice initial impressions vaipon, most grateful. Im very tempted to order this, but will see how it stands up to a more prolonged playing before I get it. It sounds great.

When you hide from the zombies, is the AI half decent? Also, why were you hiding in the first place? Is it merely a case of surviving for a certain length of time to reach the next 'level'?

[Vaipon]

There is a specific objective(s) to each stage, it's not just a matter of hiding for an amount of time. Hiding does play a large part though, as it'snormally a very bad idea to engage enemies unless absolutely necessary.

[PeteJ]

Nice impressions, I really want it to come tomorrow now

Did you order it with cheapy postage? I hope so...

[Moodmon]

Zombies = Good
Stealth = Bad
Zombies + Stealth = Worst game ever

Just ignore me.

[PeteJ]

W00t

The Ring influence is clear from the very start - 'Project Siren', very nicely presented...

The intro isn't very good, though it gets to the point quickly. RUN AWAY. Run. A. Way

So I did, I ran. Not being able to see much, about 2 inches ahead in fact, meant that running is quite tricky, but the controls are fairly zippy (even if the character isn't). I found a car, which I decided to crouch behind in hope of hiding behind the quickly approching zombie. I switched off my light, because I could.

So there I was, hiding away behind a car, when I realised I couldn't actually see what was coming, so I shuffled to the edge and with the right stick made it so I could see anything coming. Well, I could see naff all, but I could hear something...
Fiddling with the controls had me discover the Scream command. Great.

"OI, OVER HERE"

The music kicks in, the sounds get louder. I panic.

Well, to cut a short story shorter, the zombie didn't come from the direction I was expecting, it came around the back of the car and shot me to pieces.

A great start to the day I thought.

I've only seen the Sight-jacking in video form (if you leave the game running at the title screen), and it looks as if it could work extremely well.

Only played 10 minutes, but this has real potential. Just don't scream when trying to hide.

[iloveannie]

So there I was, hiding away behind a car, when I realised I couldn't actually see what was coming, so I shuffled to the edge and with the right stick made it so I could see anything coming. Well, I could see naff all, but I could hear something...

Very good :-) Had me nervous ... and I'm sat in front of the PC reading it!

[SharkAttack]

Trailers

http://up.isp.2ch.net/up/52fde00ced07.mpg

http://up.isp.2ch.net/up/9ec14d0462c8.mpg

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i await yah impression petej, before i order this beeswax! please can you tell me if it will scare the beeswax out of me even if i dont understand the lingo. Thanks!

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