| Zero Shisei No Koe (Project Zero 3) review |
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When the Zero series, more commonly known as Project Zero in the UK and Fatal Frame in the US, first appeared on the PS2, it was an oddity. A game that not only relied on Japanese settings and the complex mythology of the Land of the Rising Sun but also used a unique system to fight hordes of unpleasant spirits – an antique camera with mystical properties.
Now in its third incarnation, Shisei no Koe (‘Voice of the Tattoo’) stays true to the elements that made the previous titles so successful while also trying various new ideas. The largest of which is the division of the game – a la Silent Hill: The Room – between the dilapidated dream dimension known as the House of Sleep, and the daylight world of a suburban Japanese home belonging to the freelance photographer, Rei Kurosawa.
Rei was recently involved in a car accident that led to the death of her fiancé, Yuu, and is still consumed with grief. Life must go on and so she accepts a commission involving a house reputed to be haunted. It is while photographing the ruins that she takes a picture of her deceased love and becomes the latest cursed soul to wander the House of Sleep in her nightmares.
Shisei no Koe also sees the introduction of two other playable characters: Miku Hinasaki (the heroine of the original title) and the first playable male character, Kei Amakura. All three have different abilities (for example, Miku can use her innate psychic abilities to slow time whilst Kei can move heavy objects and jump from building to building) and the gameplay itself is split unequally between the three, with Rei receiving the most missions, then Miku and finally Kei.
During the waking portions of the game, players take the role of Rei as she wanders around her home looking for items and clues that will help her (and us) to understand what is going on. If she is dressed then it is a signal that there is a task to be accomplished such as answering the phone or developing some photographs. The moment that objective is accomplished, the scene changes and Rei switches to her nightdress, signalling that it’s time to return to the House of Sleep.
Miku, Rei's reseach assistant, does just as her title describes. While Rei spends her nights in the scary nightmare dimension taking pictures that manage to return to reality with her, Miku begins digging into the history of the haunted house where the two were working and the various souls enountered within, who have fallen into an eternal sleep before wasting away and becoming trapped in the House of Sleep forever.
In the early part of the game, the real world provides a welcome sanctuary but as the player progresses through the title’s thirteen chapters, the spirits Rei encounters in her nightmares begin to bleed into reality, adding to the level of unease. Like its predecessors, much of Shisei no Koe’s back-story is imparted by collecting files, notebooks, newspaper articles and in letters sent by Kei that can be found lying around Rei’s home.
On the other hand, the nightmare world is an vast area for gameplay and this can be irritating. Getting to a particular room which is geographically next-door often involves climbing up and down several flights of stairs on the other side of the building. However, as you move from one section to another, which is signified by the opening of doors, the game can lag for a few seconds while the room beyond loads.
Each character begins in different sections of the mansion but later in the game, when all the doors are unlocked, the three protagonists can roam where they please. The central area is based on the ruined house Rei was photographing and the east wing incorporates locations from Minakami Village (the setting for the second adventure Crimson Butterfly) while the west wing includes various rooms from the original game’s Himuro Mansion. Both of these also include various ghosts from the respective titles as well as cameos from previous protagonists, Mio and Mafuyu.
One issue with the Shisei no Koe is that ghosts appear to re-spawn indefinitely and this can become annoying as it is impossible to get through the House of Sleep without running into a restless spirit, even if it can be defeated in less than a minute. Some ghosts float and swoop down on you, others try to pin you in a corner and go at you with spears or there are tiny shrine maidens or 'mini-Miko' who like to hammer nails into your feet. If you cross paths with the priest and his large, bloodied cleaver, just run.
The concept of the camera as a weapon makes a welcome return, with each of the protagonists possessing their own version. Various grades and strengths of film can also be found and a basic stock of film and health items will automatically re-spawn whenever you return to the House of Sleep. Lenses and various power-ups can be found during the game or purchased using points accumulated from killing spooks. However, to get all the abilities for each of the three characters requires replaying the game several times. On top of this, each camera has a different emphasis so the difficulty level during battles changes depending on the character and their camera.
Much of the latter part of the game involves a side quest of collecting blue Tattoo Candles that prevent Reika – the bare-breasted antagonist – from sensing your presence. Should the candle burn out, the screen turns to black and white, and she will soon track you down if you don’t find another candle or the nearest exit. This use of monochrome game play adds an eerie definition that has not been used since the opening level of the original game, and it adds a sense of urgency, which only serves to heighten the fear.
Shisei no Koe also utilises a variety of different puzzles taken from the previous games as well as some new additions. These can involve breaking the protective barriers that seal off certain rooms by defeating a particular spirit, photographing an object or collecting sacred orbs and using them to create a haunting lullaby. The pentagram locks from Himuro Mansion also make a return while other doors must be unlocked using stones with a set number of moves; taxing but not to the point of irritation.
The game also has a high replay value, with three modes of difficulty and two endings. Upon completion, various alternative costumes become available for all three characters as well as Miku’s cat Ruri. There are also nightmare and mission modes, as well as extra lenses and a promotional gallery containing artwork, videos and a primer on the series.
Considering Shisei no Koe is believed to be the final game of a trilogy, Tecmo have done an excellent job in creating a truly epic storyline that, while original, also binds together with the other titles in the series. The cut scenes are lavish and the game is complemented by a chilling soundtrack and an excellent cast of voice actors which makes it a must for all fans of the series as well as those testing the waters of the survival horror genre.
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System: Sony PlayStation 2
Genre: Survival Horror
Developer: Tecmo
Publisher: Tecmo
Players: 1
Version: Japan
Reviewed: Feb 2006
Writer: Lesley Smith
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Pros:
- A complex and compelling storyline which connects this title with its predecessors
- The use of audio and visual effects make the game genuinely creepy
- Strong replay value
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Cons:
- In-game loading causes lag
- Ghosts respawn indefinitely, including the bosses
- House of Sleep can take some time to navigate
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Zero Shisei No Koe (Project Zero 3) Video: 2.6MB
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