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Siren | 
 enlarge | From: Sony Computer Entertainment
Category: Video Games
List Price: $19.99
Buy Used: $6.89
You Save: $13.10 (66%)
New (18) Used (18) from $6.89
Avg. Customer Rating:  64 reviews
Sales Rank: 6152
Platform: Playstation2
ESRB: Mature
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: No
Age: 17 - 20 years
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.1 x 0.6
MPN: 97355
Model: P2SNY 711719735526
UPC: 711719735526
EAN: 0711719735526
ASIN: B0001NBNGG
Release Date: April 20, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Choose to play one of 10 characters -- all with their own equipment, abilities & storylines | | • | Use your wits, senses & ability to move fast -- stay out of sight or the zombies will come after you in force | | • | Some characters have companions -- you'll have to defend them while you play | | • | Stealth action combines with strategic gameplay, as you avoid the zombies and prepare to fight through them when you must | | • | Eerily realistic characters with motion-captured movements, combined with cinematic camera angles, bring this creepy game world to life |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Siren is a new kind of horror game, sure to raise goosebumps with its aura of suspense&fear. In a remote Japanese fishing village, there is a terrible earthquake, and a mysterious siren blares. The next morning, the village is isolated by a sea of blood. Out of this sea crawl the former residents of the town -- now transformed into hideous zombies. A few have not been changed - lead them off the island to safety at all costs. Players have the unique power to see through the eyes of the undead, for a new level of strategy and terror -- try not to jump when you switch views&see the undead sneaking up right behind you!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 59 more reviews...
Cracks in the Fourth Wall November 16, 2008
There seem to be a lot of reviews hitting the two extremes with "Siren" (or "Siren: Blood Curse", depending who you talk to). I'd like to hit the middle and provide you with some decent pros and cons. On the one hand, the atmosphere is spooky and dark, the survival is not a twitch-fest like Doom3, and the concepts and characters are certainly unique. But on the other, you have a system that promises an experience it can't deliver: immersion, the most important requirement of a horror game.
Maybe this has to do with its age--the controls can get awfully kludgy when you're trying to run down a darkened street, climb a low wall, and psychically tune in to your enemies to double-check if they see you. Context menus drive some actions (similar to the Hitman games), while just standing in the right spot and pushing the stick will trigger others (like climbing).
The character textures of course look dated, but the developers really went out of their way to stylize the whole look and feel, and it makes it easier to deal with because it all seems to fit into the tone of the game. Unfortunately, the final clincher that keeps Siren "good" but not "great", is the unfortunate translation and voice-over work. A series of British accents and much grunting and filler lines like, "Wha?" or "Huuuh?" make it difficult to really care whether these textured puppets live or die.
I understand this game is being remade for the PS3--unless you're getting a cheap deal on Siren, you might want to hold out and see if the next generation systems can give this clever piece of work the proper interface (and translation) it needs.
Disturbing intriguing storyline but not much else... July 11, 2008
Now, I stuck with this game and played it all the way through to the end.
So I can say it was one of the most challenging survival horror games and be honest about it. Moreso than those reviews that state they never finished the game.
Story-wise it was interesting and different from what I've played before. I wouldn't necessarily compare it to Silent Hill. Silent Hill has a far more solid story. Whereas Siren has numerous plot holes that leave you quite confused at the end. A lot of questions are left unanswered.
You never know why or what exactly is happening in the game. You're left clueless while trying to survive in this frightening reality where zombie-like people, Shinobi, are trying to kill you.
Whether or not being left clueless was intentional to make it scarier, it made it rather complicated. So you may not understand it on your first try.
As for the gameplay itself, this is where I'm sure you've heard most people complain. And for good reason.
I won't lie. It's frustrating because there's no savepoint at all. So if you die, you die. And you restart the entire level over, unless you've gotten to particular checkpoints. So your strategy is: NOT to die. The problem with that is, of course, there is basically a hundred possible ways to die in a level.
Mainly by just getting hit or shot four or three times by Shinobi.(Female characters are two or one hit) Did I mention there's no health item at all?
Apparently the game developers thought it would increase the horror if they made the character's health and stamina realistic. Now, I admit, it does add to the anxiety of not getting caught or seen by Shinobi. Which can create fear. But for most people it can turn irritating.
**This game is STEALTH-BASED. Meaning you're not meant to go out and kill Shinobi. It's very STRATEGIC, because you have limited ammo or melee weapons. You're mainly sightjacking (seeing through the eyes of Shinobi) and learning their movement patterns and then deciding what you need to do to get by them.
Without a doubt this story frightened me in a way that left me feeling uneasy and unsettled. Not keep-the-light-on scary, but just psychologically frightening. It's a very interesting and different type of horror I've seen.
If you're a very patient person, who doesn't mind taking their time, or like strategy games, you will enjoy this a lot. If you're a fan of the J-horror movies that have those plots that are complicated and need a lot of thought, you may enjoy this.
What most people don't realize is that this is NOT Silent Hill. It's not a game with a lot of monster-fighting action. You're practically helpless, and depend on strategy and stealth. So action lovers, stay away.
Overall it was fair for me. It had its up and downs.
 A Waste of Time.....and Life... February 7, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I stopped playing this game after about 10 minutes. I have never quit a game no matter how bad it is, I usually stick it out, but this was just ridiculous. It's just question after question. "You have the key to the car, would you like to insert?" yes "would you like to open the door" Yes "would you like to get in the car?" YES! meanwhile, someone is trying to shoot at you during this whole situation.
It was just too obnoxious for me to even go pass the first few minutes. Unless you're into that kind of thing, have fun! For me, not so much.
I can't believe all these good reviews... January 2, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Rarely have I been so motivated to review something. I was looking for a copy of "Clock Tower" (much superior to this game) when I noticed "Siren" listed in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" area. I couldn't believe the approval rating. Am I the only one who played this piece of junk while _not_ smoking crack? I not only hated this game, it angered me, it irked me, it roused an undying fury in me that I will carry to my grave. Possibly beyond.
I have nothing good to say about this game, except that apparently some people, somehow, enjoyed it, and good for them. For me it was the height of awfullness. Bad graphics, bad story, worst gameplay I have ever, ever seen. Yah I think someone at the start of development had some good ideas, too bad we now have "Siren"... Too dark, horrible controls, no sense of direction, path, or goal. Being constantly disoriented and hearing fumbling sounds from my nearly dark TV is irritating, not scary. Not fun.
So anyway, I just want to warn you, of all the bad games I've played this is the worst, it was a real disappointment after reading reviews and expecting some decent scares along the lines of "Resident Evil" or "Silent Hill". Hey I can stand a bad game, but this one was so bad I quit after about 15 minutes, it went to Goodwill (sorry folks at Goodwill). Yet another reason why I'm getting leery of sinking money into games.
If you're one of the lucky few who can somehow enjoy this piece of garbage, then more power to you. Otherwise, check out some of the really good games people don't seem to know about, like "Ico", man that one will reward you.
Big dissapointment for a true horror survival fan. December 3, 2007
I can't write a full review on this game, due to the fact that I barely got anywhere in this game. I will give it this, it had a frightening feeling. The atmosphere was spooky, and graphics were good.
Here's where it went downhill..
The action is thrown at you. If you're into that type of action game, it will be good for you, but for my Silent Hill style of play, I wasn't ready for it. I didn't know how to react or what to do. I don't see how anyone could get past the first stage. I remember that you could do any fighting, but you used some type of psycological power with your brain. It was dumb. I was in a situation (no more than 7 minutes in the game) where I had to use some dumb mind reading ability that some chick just taught me in the game, the place that i was at was filled with zombie people that I barely got past. What makes it worse, was some guy was shooting at me. And i couldn't see crap at all! You could have no knowledge of what to do without the walkthrough! and that I looked at after I sold the game.
All in all, you'll have to try it. I didn't make it past the beginning, i'll say. But yet, i'm not good in the whole "everything is in your control" type of games. So i'll stick to my silent hill and what-not.
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