Gamertell

Happy Halloween everyone! In honor of the spookiest holiday of the year and the fortunate (or is it misfortunate) coincidence that my column would land on this date, I decided that it would be a good day to honor some particularly spooky Japanese video games.

All of the games below have never been released in the US, so hopefully you’ll learn about something scary and new that would delight while possibly frightening you. Then tonight, go out and trick or treat, party, watch a spooky movie or play a spooky game in honor of the holiday. I’m having two wisdom teeth removed today, so I know I’m in for a fright.

Title: Nanashi no Game aka Nameless Game
System: Nintendo DS
Genre: Part RPG, part point-and-click adventure
Original Release Date: July 3, 2008
Region Released In: Japan
Description: Nanashi no Game takes place in both the real world and a game world. The protagonist learns about a nameless rpg. Anyone who plays it, ends up dying. Instead of just leaving the game alone, the protagonist decides to play it and try and overcome the curse. The traditional RPG begins affecting reality, and strange things begin happening in the protagonist’s life. A US release hasn’t been announced, but let’s hope Square Enix decides to release this game outside of Japan.
Import-Friendly: It is very text heavy, so no.
Creep-factor: Slightly unsettling.

Title: Dark Messiah aka Hellnight
System: PlayStation
Genre: Action
Original Release Date: JP: June 11, 1998 EU: December 30, 1999
Regions Released In: Japan and Europe
Description: Dark Messiah/Hellnight is set in Tokyo. The player is first being pursued by cult members, who he escapes by getting onto the subway. Unfortunately, a scientist-turned-monster has found his way into the subway and attacks that particular train. The hero and a girl named Naomi manage to escape while the creature destroys everyone else on the train and a team sent to kill it. The two travel through the subways and find an underground civilization of people, the Mesh. The same creature from before is still hunting them, so players have to team up with Naomi and other friendly citizens from the Mesh to survive. The twist is that you can’t attack the monster, you have to run and outwit it (similar to Clocktower), and to switch assistants that person has to die. Since different possible partners have different abilities, you may have to be willing to sacrifice to team up with another character.
Import-Friendly: If you have a modded or European PS1, you can easily import and enjoy a copy of Hellnight.
Creep-factor: Not as scary as Fatal Frame, but probably as creepy as the original Silent Hill.

Title: Sweet Home
System: NES
Genre: RPG
Original Release Date: December 15, 1989
Region Released In: Japan
Description: Sweet Home was one of the first horror games. It was an adaptation of a Japanese horror movie of the same name. It also was a source of inspiration for the first Resident Evil game. In Sweet Home, you play as a team of five researchers exploring a haunted mansion to take pictures of its’ dead owner’s frescoes. Once they enter the house, the previous owner’s ghost traps them there. You then have to use the unique abilities of each of the five characters to escape. Depending on how you play, and if characters die (death is permanent in Sweet Home), you’ll get one of five different endings.
Import-Friendly: An English fan translation was released online. If you can find the original game, you’d probably have troubles playing as there is quite a bit of text to decipher.
Creep-factor: Harmless, unless pixels scare you.

Title: Kyoufu Shinbun (Heisei-Han): Kaiki! Shinrei File
System: PlayStation 2
Genre: Action/Adventure
Original Release Date: August 7, 2003
Region Released In: Japan
Description: Kyoufu Shinbun (Heisei-Han): Kaiki! Shinrei File is based on a Japanese manga, and was created by Konami with assistance from the manga’s artist. The main character ends up receiving a newspaper one morning, he reads it, but then realizes it is a haunted, supernatural newspaper and he has only 100 days left to live. So players have to use a flashlight, a cellphone and their wits to survive and save one of the character’s friend from suffering the same fate. It is a single player game, but both controllers are used. The second controller is an enemy/ghost detector, and if an enemy is in an area you are investigating, that controller will begin to vibrating to warn you how close it is.
Import-Friendly: Since a major part of Kyoufu Shinbun: Kaiki! Shinrei File involves talking to NPCs and working out situations, it is definitely not for people who can’t speak Japanese.
Creep-factor:More unsettling than scary.

COMING NEXT WEEK: Next week Important Importables will talk about what happens when Japanese popular mascots get games. If you don’t miss a single installment of Important Importables, or want to know right away when the next column is up, then sign up for the Gamertell Newsletter and RSS feed.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Last week Important Importables reviewed Princess Maker 5 Portable.Site [Play-Asia] Site [YesAsia] Site [NCSX] Site [Himeya Shop]