Fans of the survival horror genre can rest easy the Xbox now has it's own spooky third-person adventure game to keep you awake at night.

The storyline revolves around Miku, a girl with a keen sixth-sense who ventures into the foreboding Himuro mansion to rescue her brother. As the game unfolds disturbing information about the mansion's involvement in the grisly murders and rituals of an evil cult come to light. Following the clues you control Miku as she ventures deeper into the mansion, facing a wide variety of challenges and destructive spirits.

The format is similar to the classic Resident Evil games, but rather than heavy artillery, Miku is armed with a trusty supernatural camera. The foes are also more elusive: Lumbering zombies are replaced by elusive ghosts that materialise and dematerialise at will. By pressing the B button on the joypad the view switches from 3rd person to 1st person allowing you to look through the camera's view finder and point it at the attacking spirit. This adds to the tension as your view is restricted by the camera and keeping the ghosts in sight can be tricky. Only after the camera has successfully locked on to your foe can you take a picture and destroy it. This works well and really gets the adrenaline pumping at moments of high tension.

The puzzles are hardly taxing but they afford enough reward to heighten the enjoyment of playing and you are never funnelled along or patronised by the game. If you get stuck a perusal of the various notes and clues you've picked up along the way usually brings to light a solution, so there's none of the frustration of reaching a brick wall.

The game is also satisfyingly spooky, using the vibration function in the joypad to give you the sensation of sharing in Miku's sixth sense for the supernatural. It's a great touch that really enhances the game.

Addictive and frightening, this is an original addition to the growing survival horror genre.

April 23, 2003 11:30