Topic: Siren: Ward of Despair

[Saner]

Siren Ward of Despair hints at how Siren games can evolve.

Yeah it's actually a Playstation Home-based zone.   But it is free and
actually very good for something so simple.

it works like this, the first zone is outside, which is very dark and scary.  Looks even better than how Blood Curse graphics look.   and Home has better character models too.

anyways.  once you go in, there is a lobby with a shibito nurse at the front desk. 

okay, now since this is a Home zone first and foremost, it has its rough edges.

First only 5 players can play Ward of Despair at the sametime.   And they have 5 minutes to clear it.  This means that if its packed with people trying to get in, you
have to be lucky, and persistent mashing X while
waiting for the light bar to turn blue and says "Play".
First come first serve, and there are always people there,
but I've played it over a dozen times already, and figured how to beat 2 of the 3 scenarios.

Yes, scenarios.   You see while it's the same layout
(1st floor and basement), the situation may be 1 of 3
situations.   This leads to different requirements to
complete the level.  And also different routes, different items, and different solutions to progress.

Oh yeah and if you touch a nurse or alter a nurse that 
you can't escape from, its game over and you're back to
trying to get in next time.

But I swear, its the most addicting game since Resident Evil Outbreak.   Yeah it's no where near as long or large
or complex,  but it still HOLDS a very significant glimpse
at how much better and revolutionary survival horror can be with online multiplayer. 

I was using text chat at some points, and me and my teammates worked together to solve things, and also alert people when the coast is clear, or when we unlocked a door,
or got an item we need. 

The top left display notifies people if someone got killed,
what you need to find or do to progress, if you picked up an item, and how much time is left.  But of course it's hard to notice while you are franctically trying to survive
and weave your way around the somewhat maze-like location
(yes your first times, you do feel lost. which is cool.)

And yes, there IS in fact at least ONE VERY SCARY MOMENT
in that experience. I won't spoil it but you'll have to
discover it yourself.  I swear that thing scared me and caught me off guard as much as any scary moment in any survival horror game (Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, etc.)
high TV volume helps too. 

And no, you can't fight the nurses, but in a sense, you
kind of can scare them off with a flare or fire extinguisher.     

also, the camera isn't always Home style (you can click
R3 like before and either zoom in or have a zoomed out camera.)  there are some static camera angles, and you
just have to control your character around it kind of like
a classic RE game.

But it's really great.  And there are prized to be won
too, some that are wicked hard requirements to get.
prizes include either a t-shirt, doctors clothes, nurse clothes, a black dress, and I heard a sword display cabinet for your apartment.

But something like this shouldn't be limited to home.
Cause yeah the only real downside is the first impressions
people get when they enter the room and they see all those
people and bubble machines (yeah there are fools that
annoy people with that.) 

*But people have to learn that you
can target anything AND cycle through the targets to get
the Ward of Despair pop-up.  you don't need to squeeze up front to select it. 

*And also, people have to remember that they can't play until the other team either got wiped out or 5 minutes are up.    so instead of chatting, they should focus on
pressing X the instant the blue Play bar appears while
selecting ward of despair.  (I mash X and it gets me in
there 8 out of 10 times.  There is more than 5 people trying to get in, so the system has to randomly choose
based on the first dozen or so that pressed X.)

Considering it's a free game, and its more puzzle based  and harder than the entirety of Resident Evil 5.  it's a really good demonstration of a cooperative survival horror experience without needing to go guns blazing.

^^And now to the point of this is how inspiring this game
is that it can potentially deliver a full game that
support online group co-op, character creation, and deeper
levels of gameplay (some combat would be nice, and of course
much larger levels and more variety of levels.  And more
animations, like holding a flashlight instead of having
some invisible light source, lol.

but yeah, Resident Evil Outbreak and Left 4 Dead showed
examples of how fun survival horror can be with online
co-op.

I think an Online Siren or online Fatal Frame with up to
5 friends and customizable characters can be scary, fun, addicting, and refreshing from what we played before.

The only downside is that character creation has never
been done before in survival horror. and they rarely look
as good or customizable as the character models in Home.

if Siren's developers and Sony could collaborate so that
Home avatars can be used in a next-gen online group co-op Siren game, that would be so jaw droppingly awesome, it would really show the industry and the gamers how much
better survival horror videogame entertainment can get.

but as of now, Siren: Ward of Despair is the only taste
of what could have been a revolutionary and incredible
full game experience.

the only thing holding this concept back is that developers
(Siren, Fatal Frame, Silent Hill)
usually are more inclined with linear and preset single player story driven stuff.  I mean even Valve's L4D is very strict with what kind of characters you can use, and how
the progression flows.  And besides L4D despite its great teamwork elements and 4p online co-op, is still just a shooter at heart with a few tweaks.  it doesn't use the enviornment and other survival elements as much as Siren games do. 

But I appreciate what was done for Siren on Home.  Now if only Sony realized what they have in their hands...and
how it could become a full game that could spark an entirely immersive, intense and unique experience that could end up spawning its own award-winning series!   

[Munchy]

Thanks for the info! I love the PS2 Siren and am infinitely jealous of PS3 owners for this and Blood Curse.