Calling on the Nintendo Wii is Hudson Soft’s survival-horror RPG that fully utilizes the Wii Remote. Set to release March 9th, I had a chance to play the first few chapters of the game. Although I only I played through this short amount of time Calling had already given me mixed emotions as I played through it. There are a lot of horror games that failed to give us that scary feel we expect from a horror title but for some reason, Calling might be the one to do it.
Guessing from the title of the game, the first impression that you will have in this game that it involves a cellphone and some kind of a phone call. Rumors have been spreading that there is a site that acts like a bridge that connects the living to the dead world. With many people interested in checking the site out, people are starting to chat about it on the internet. Thus, it starts the mystery of the Black Page. Four people will be intertwined in this Japanese survival horror story that will somehow unlock the secrets of this so called ‘Black Page’. With the use of the cellphone, they can connect with the dead and guide them.
The Possession is the level I played in Calling. The graphics are somewhat average even for a Wii game. It fully utilizes the Wii Remote control as you search for items and clues by pointing. You will be able to find a flashlight along the way and you can use it as you go through dark areas. The game somehow reminds me of AO Interactive’s JUON: the Grudge that was released last year but Calling gives a lot more depth to it. This is not a haunted house simulator because there’s a deep and involving story in this games amidst all the madness.
The cellphone is one of the unique features in Calling. Using the Wii Remote as your cellphone, you will sometimes receive phone calls that will give you hints and you can only hear them through the Wii Remote’s speaker. With the cellphone, you can also take pictures to grab some evidence. To the point where I was exploring the first part of the game, it somehow gave me an atmospheric feel of horror and suspense. One cliched thing that I didn’t like is that a ghost will sometimes pop up out of nowhere and of course, make you jumpy – especially when it happens to you for the first time!
You will be spending most of your time searching room by room finding clues. The first chapter you will play sees you exploring a house with a lot of dolls. This game sure does give you a lot of goose bumps but as you go explore the house, expect lots of ghosts popping out of nowhere. In order to get them the hell out of your sight, all you have to do is to keep shaking the Wii remote. Once, they’re out, expect more unexpected apparition.
From the voice-overs I heard so far, it is somehow decent. It is not the best I have heard but since I only played the first chapter of the game, things might hopefully change. Overall, Calling has the potential to be a great survival-horror title but it’s hard to say for sure unless it is played from start to finish. It is a lot better than JUON: The Grudge on the Nintendo Wii since you will find more interesting things in Calling.
Calling for the Nintendo Wii will be released March 9 2010. The game has gone gold and there shouldn’t be anymore delays. Check back with us for our full review soon.
