Post by Bytor on Aug 5, 2009 13:46:10 GMT -5
-Visuals- 8.8/10
The visuals are possibly the high light of the game. They are very similar in look at feel to Capcom's earlier release Clock Tower 3 but the frame work is much better, pretty close actually to seamless as you wonder from room to room. Once again it is the horror formula used by many other games, lots of gray and almost that sepia feel the Silent Hill series is famous for, although here there is much more use of color, which in a way actually high lights the gray and brings a more horrific feel to the game The animations are good and the movements aren't bad, a tad jerky at times but over all a really nice job.
-Sound- 8/10
The sound effects themselves are all very well done but the voice acting is at best average. Possibly just me but after awhile the "fear/panic" sounds started to get on my nerves just a tad, really nice at first, then it became overkill.
-Gameplay- 7.6/10
As I stated earlier the game is certainly very similar in style to ClockTower 3 but here the hiding aspect is much more difficult. If your antagonist is close to you then forget, try and hide and you are dead meat. Also, unlike poor Alyssa in Clock Tower 3 you do have some ability ti actually fight, and you have your trusty companion Hewie, the German Shepard to assist you (although Hewie is at times slightly difficult to control, it will drive you made at times when he decides to either misunderstand your directions or ignore them, lol). The major issue I had is at heart it is still a fight, run, hide, uncover part of the puzzle and then do it all again type of game. You will feel as if after @2 hours you've done it all except figure out the entire story. I don't know, maybe more changes of scenery (I swear I ran up and down the same stairs fifty times) or maybe a more varied cast of enemies would have helped, either way, it needs a bit more variety.
-Story- 7.5/10
You play as Fionna Belli who wakes up with no (or little anyhow) memories of where she is and how she got where she is, which is basically stranded in a huge castle with many, many rooms (all of which you will visit ten times shortly). The story is basically similar to many horror movies released in the last 20 years, pretty girl trapped in spooky mansion attempting to survive, and that's it weakness, the story has been done to death and although the graphics are wonderful a somewhat repetitious game and poor story bring it down.
-Overall- 8.3/10
A good game, unless you are into games with non-stop action, lots of fighting and a convoluted storyline, but in no way a great game, although along with Rule of Rose it's certainly a great looking game.