Welcome to DAY 4 of "31 Days of Horror". I'm your reviewer for the evening, ThatDudeWithTheSpreader (Yuzna).
Since my last review was 1992's "Alone in the Dark for the PC. I'm going to continue in this era and SOME early 2000's of gaming for the remainder of this edition of Lost Classics. But they're going to be different years, not chronological. I just want to be different from the other reviewers XD.
Anyways, tonight I'm going to review a game for the Sega Saturn. This particular game is considered by retro gamers (as i) more of an interactive movie than a actual game. But this game/interactive movie is entertaining non the less.
To the Lads and Ladies of theO Community, Tonight's Lost Classic is 1995's D.
(WARNING: This review is based off the Saturn Port.)
D or in it's native language, D no Shokutaku (Long Gone Video game Magazine, GAMEFAN translated it as "D's Dinner". While it's really "Dinner Table". Not Quote my on that!), was released on December 1st, 1995 for the Sega Saturn, PSX, 3DO & PC worldwide. The Sega Saturn version is the most known of the other ports.
The Game was developed by Japanese-based Company W.A.R.P. (This Company would be later know as Superwarp near it's end.) The Main Developer was Kenji Eno.
An Unknown WARP empolyee at the time, Fumito Ueda, would later leave WARP in 1997. He then joined Sony Computer Europe (SCE) as a developer. With SCE, Ueda would then create modern masterpieces with his own Team, Team ICO. These masterpieces Ueda would create are ICO, Shadow of the Colossus, and the upcoming PlayStation 3 game, The Last Guardian.
Also included in this Company's Team was Ichirō Itano, Artist, Producer & Director of the Famous Mech Series, Macross.
This Game was published in Japan by Panasonic Interactive Media. Acclaim, would publish the game, D, for the American Audience. The Only Port that didn't make it to the US Market was the 3DO Version. There is a Director's Cut version of D that feature deleted scenes that weren't used for the US Verison, the family's background & included in the package, a minidisc that contained D's Score that was also composed by the game's developer, Kenji Eno. However, This Cut of D is Extremely Rare. Think of this Cut to be: "SUPER ULTRA MEGA DEVIL DIRECTOR'S CUT!" XD
Thought This game did well in it's native, Japan. The US version, sadly did not.... And That's why it's a LOST CLASSIC!
Also, The US version was HEAVILY Censored! I Agree with the Happy Video Game Nerd, That D, is The Most Graphic T Rated Game I've Seen!
STORY:
The game's starts with the Main Character, Laura Harris. She's contacted by the Los Angeles police. Laura has received some disturbing news regarding her father, Dr. Richter Harris. Richter, a supervisor of a LA Hospital has gone on a killing spree. During this horrific event, he barricaded himself in the hospital. Laura, after hearing this horrific news, rushed to the hospital. She was hoping to find answers as to why her father, a well -respected doctor, committed these grisly deaths. As Laura entered the hospital, she is welcomed to the grotesque mutilated bodies laid across the hospital's dark corridors. Creeping forward, She is then taken by a metallic entity to an unknown, Gothic castle.
What Will she find in this terrifying castle?
What will become of her and her father?
Would we get an answer as to why Mr. Harris snapped?
You'll just have to play this game to find out......
GAMEPLAY:
It's hard to explain this game's control....
The way this game is played is, it's more of an interactive movie than a actual game. you move Laura with the d-pad. You also use the d-pad to highlight an item or when your doing a puzzle.
Also, The shoulder buttons are used to check your inventory. But, Be Warned Gamers! The Puzzles in D are HARD AS HELL!!!!!
Again, it's hard to say because it's a interactive movie. Think of D as a game based off of MYST. Except being on an island, it's eerie castle....
NOT GOING TO SHOW GAMPLAY!!!!
Even thought It's hard for me to explain to Gameplay, I can say this, the game WILL scare to living crap out of you!!! The Environment, both the hospital in the intro and the Castle gives you, the player, that feeling that this place is going to be the death of you! To other Horror fans, You know what I mean! :(
Also, If you take long enough for the time limit to run out, YOU DIE!!!!. Yes, I Forgot to mention that, there's a Time Limit! Also, No Save Points and Unable to Pause the game! Now that's what I call a good challenging game... WELL PLAYED WARP!
This Game also had three different endings (Good, Bad & Perfect).
Sadly, The Only flaw this game had..... IT'S SHORT!!!!
SCORE:
It's really impressive that the developer Kenji Eno, not only made this fantastic game, but made an eerie yet compelling score. Not only that, I would like to say that WARP's sound department, did a fantastic job. I really think it's on par with System Shock 2's Sound.
Sadly, There's no music that i could find from D that was uploaded onto the internet :(. Sorry guys, but trust me fellow gamers, when you do get the chance to play this masterpiece, you ARE gonna be shocked!
FINAL VERDICT:
I really had a very fun time playing this lost gem again. It's due to the fact that it feels like your watching a fantastic Japanese Horror film. Actually, I really think that's what developer, Kenji Eno, was try to accomplish with D no Shokutaku. If That's the case Eno-San, WELL DONE!!!!!
Now I hope that since D's, more of an interactive movie than an actual game, that it doesn't turn younger gamers away from playing this. Though it's a movie, the player will be terrified with the amount of gore & disturbing imagery that's shown in this game. Not only that, but whoever was the scriptwriter for D, did a Tremendous job. The Way he (scriptwriter) Executed the events that occurred was Fantastic.
Also, When playing as Laura, It feels like your playing as the typical last surviving girl in a 80's Slasher film. (i.e. Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween, etc.) Which always brings a smile to my face since i'm a Horror Buff.
My advice Otakus, NEVER PLAY THIS GAME WHEN IT'S DARK!!!!! Trust me fellow gamers of old & new, You'll thank me!
Also, since I played this game back in the late 90's, It got my into the J-Horror movies that have been causing a Huge Buzz these days....
Even though I just said, Not to play it in the dark....
Don't cheat yourself by watching various clips on youtube!!! Go Out, Buy a Copy & play the way it was meant to be played.
Having the Room be pitch Black and the Volume WAY UP!
As I end this review of D, let me quote what Derek Alexander, The Happy Video Game Nerd, said about this game:
"Though more of an interactive movie than a game, D is still one of the scariest and most unique experiences in gaming."
HIGH RECOMMENDATION!!!!
And to prove my point, that what both myself & Derek said about this game, Here's his (Happy VG Nerd)Review:
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And with this evening's review of Lost Classics finished, DAY 4 is done!
Tune in tomorrow evening fellow Otakus, for DAY 5 of "31 Days of Horror".
I'm ThatDudeWithTheSpeader! Thanks for reading!
Oh and Remember:
"When there's no more room in hell, The Dead will walk the earth!"
