Calling - Details explored

The Nintendo Wii has been look down by some as a smaller, tamer console - not able to hold its own due to a lack of mature titles. However, the console has gained a coveted list of successful survival horror titles ( Resident Evil 4, House Of The Dead: Overkill, Dead Space: Extraction, etc) for Wii fans to chew on. The latest, upcoming title to join the list is called Calling. Developed by Hudson Soft, this new horror game pays homage to the Japanese horror movie classics like Ju-On (The Grudge) with its gripping horror story, creepy ghost girl scares and mystery solving gameplay. Here are the basics:

STORY

The story of Calling revolves around a website called "The Black Page" that possesses a counter that is rumored to show the number of people who have died after visiting the site. Shinichi and Rin, the heroes of this scary tale are drawn into a dark void after visiting the website's chat room. The void lies between life and death which explains the ghostly threats that lie in wait to get them. Rin and Shinichi must uncover clues, dodge ghosts and use their cellphones in order to survive the horrors of The Black Page.

you know what they say, never look back ... I think!

SETTING

The game's world is separated into two plains; the normal plain and the void. The void looks just like the normal plain except that its dark and somewhat deserted. of course the ghosts will keep you company when its there time to scare you. Levels consist of an abandoned school, hospital, households and more and you'll be exploring them to find out what's going on while avoiding ghastly confrontations.

GAMEPLAY

Calling is played in first person perspective and characters are controlled using the Wii remote. Players will use the Wii remote's pointer function to interact with objects and the analog stick to move the character for exploring through the ghost infested buildings in the game. Players will engage in "sleuthing" meaning they will examine objects for clues to progress the storyline. When encountering ghosts characters must flee before the apparition grabs them. If this happens the screen will flash red and a heartbeat meter will show up giving and intense experience of adrenaline charged fear. The player will then have to shake the Wii remote and follow button commands until their character pushes off the ghost before its too late. Cellphones also play a valuable role in gameplay. They not only provide clues, they also act as communication between the characters and the ghosts...spooky.

Calling has the potential to be added into the Wii's hall of survival horror hits. Wait till its release sometime next year to see the review here on The Game Eye. Until then, keep informed gamers.