Project Zero Preview

By Tom Bramwell Published 19 June, 2002

Another terrifying horror game finds its way onto the PS2

Flashy visuals

'Project Zero' Screenshot 01b

Miyu, kids

Teenage high school student and part-time videogame heroine Miyu has ventured into the cursed Himuro mansion to try to find her brother, who disappeared without trace whilst filming a documentary. The prologue - shot in artsy high contrast black and white - shows roughly the events preceding Miyu's adventure, but obscures the conclusion to leave her brother's fate hanging in the balance. Throughout the game, the story of the brother and sister and the mansion's former occupants is told through the documentary team's scattered research notes and Miyu's supernatural flashbacks.

The game's first major departure from previous survival horror releases - particularly those from the Capcom stable - is that violence is hidden from you until after the fact, or seen through various graphical filters. Darkness also plays more of a role, with many rooms pitch black except for torches, moonbeams and Miyu's piddly flashlight, while the soundtrack is ambient and eerily unsettling. The darkness, awkward noises and implied threat are all very Alone in the Dark, but the real-time backgrounds of Project Zero and the Alien-esque school of fear-mongering through suggestion makes for a much more intelligent fright-fest.

Miyu's only weapon against the ghosts of the Himuro mansion is an old camera found early on, which can be used to kill (or at least vanquish) roaming spectres. Activating the camera gives you access to a first-person view, and the viewfinder highlights clues and acts as an aiming reticule. It also highlights once again the marginalisation of violence.

Snappy combat

'Project Zero' Screenshot 02b

Phantastic [fired -Ed]

This so-called combat is infrequent, and usually pits you against a convincingly translucent enemy who must be snapped, having been held in the viewfinder for as long as possible to charge up the 'attack'. Looking like extras from a Ghostbusters movie and zipping in and out of view, the ghosts are worthy adversaries and decidedly un-cute. Getting rid of a ghost is useful because he or she deposits spirit energy, which can be converted into a sort of spiritual currency to spend on improving your camera. This aspect of the game is somewhat unlikely, but it makes a nice gameplay addition, providing features like a faster charge rate, a larger viewfinder and special capabilities to your quasi-arsenal.

Project Zero also makes a bold impression with its changes to the control system. As with Resident Evil, Silent Hill et al, the camera switches perspective regularly, an action which confuses your control of the character, but Tecmo has managed to get round this problem to a certain degree by giving the square button the function of 'moving forward'. Whichever direction you find yourself facing on the screen, square takes you directly ahead, which, when coupled with strafe and 180-degree-turn functions, makes for a manageable game which is less frustrating to direct than it is to play. No more sliding along the walls for us!

Tecmo's Project Zero was released earlier in the year in the US, having made a successful start in Japan (both games were sold under the title Fatal Frame), and it should be released in September of this year by Wanadoo, at the cost of £29.99 - not bad going. It's a well-crafted adventure which gives PS2-owning survival horror fans annoyed by Capcom's decision to back the Cube pseudo-exclusively something to shout about. Or whisper about. The walls… they have ears.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (15) Latest comment 10 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • pjmaybe #1 10 years ago

    Hmm, I keep reading about this game - sounds pretty original but we'll have to wait and see whether it's truly terrifying (never played a game that is so far!)

    Peej

  • skalmanxl #2 10 years ago

    I see dead people.

    And I love it!

  • hulahoops #3 10 years ago

    Shouldn't that be "another terrifying horror game with a ridiculous name finds its way onto the PS2"

  • Blerk #4 10 years ago

    It had a pretty bad name to start with, then the Americans got hold of it and made it sound like a 'straight to video' action movie 'starring' Jean-Claude Van Damme.

  • skalmanxl #5 10 years ago

    For what it's worth, Fatal frame is a lot better then Project Zero.

  • mal #6 10 years ago

    I saw Ring again only recently, and with its own 'spectral images through cameras' theme this looks like it could scare the proverbial out of me if it's done right. If I see sadako in it I'll really be bricking my keks though!

  • Gestalt #7 10 years ago

    "Sadako is one scary bitch"

    Seen the prequel, Ring 0, yet? Yikes.

  • skalmanxl #8 10 years ago

    Who's Sadoko? Haven't seen the Ring movies.

  • Gestalt #9 10 years ago

    Sadako's this creepy woman with long hair and no fingernails who scares people to death. Both the viewers and the characters in the films. ;) I love all three Ring movies, and highly recommend them.

    Speaking of freaky Japanese movies, anyone else seen Gonin? Mad, absolutely mad.

  • Bru-Man #10 10 years ago

    I want to see the one based on the manga Uzumaki. I've only heard a little about the film, although I've read most of the manga. It's about a seaside town which becomes infested by spirals - starts off with little wind devils, then peoples faces start to spiral inwards and eventually an entire Japanese naval fleet is sucked down a whirlpool off the coast as they come to investigate.

    The Ring movies are definitely recommended - still to see Ring 0 myself though.

  • Max Diablos #11 10 years ago

    Either way, it’s a well-crafted adventure which gives PS2-owning survival horror fans annoyed by Capcom’s decision to back the Cube pseudo-exclusively something to shout about.

    I feel a sudden urge to buy a Gamecube.
    Edited by 1 at 20/06/02 @ 02:47

  • Slacker #12 10 years ago

    Bru-Man, is that the manga where people turn into snails and others try and eat them?! I have read a little bit of that.... bizarre!

  • Gestalt #13 10 years ago

    I must admit I really liked Ring 2, I thought it was even more eerie than the first one what with all the weird visions and psychic stuff going on. If anything Ring 0 is probably better than the first two movies though. Well worth getting if you liked the others.

  • Gestalt #14 10 years ago

    Yup. £12.99 - bargain.

  • Bru-Man #15 10 years ago

    That sounds superb! Must get hold of that :)