New game system and character descriptions translated directly from the 5/19 Famitsu.com article:
-Those that weaved the nightmare:
The "Siren" series has always been based on various Japanese cultures and folklores. The base concept for this new game is "looking in from a different cultural perspective", with new characters giving the first game of the series a new translation. This is a introduction to two of those new characters that will appear in the game.
Prologue:
August 3, 2007. An American television crew has suddenly lost contact while covering their story in the deep mountains of Japan. The well-beings of the missing crew are still unknown. Up until the crew completely lost their contact, they were reporting on "found traces of human sacrifice" in the remains of a village which supposedly was wiped out by a land-slide in 1976. The name of that village was Hanyuda...
A bull-headed cultural anthropologist Sam Monroe:
A cultural anthropologist who works at an easy job at a third rate university. His stubborn personality always gets him into trouble by being perverse on his own believes and understanding of things. Having both family and financial troubles, Sam joined the TV crew out of desperation in exchange for a particular unknown condition. This caused Sam to be involved in the strange incident that happened in Hanyuda Village.
Cable TV Reporter Melissa Gale:
An American cable TV reporter. Divorced with Sam Monroe a few years ago. Melissa is troubled by the dilemma of her passion for work and the love for her daughter who lives apart from her. While reporting from the remains of Hanyuda Village, she is also one of the witnesses to the strange incident.
-Staying alive by using two modes of the "New Sight-Jack":
Changes made in the "New Translation" are not just the main characters' looks and stories. The series' unique game system of "Sight-Jack" has also been drastically refined. It is now possible to have split screens during Sight-Jack. With this new function, you will no longer need to switch screens to know exactly what the shibito's actions are. There will also be a "Search Mode" which allows you to Sight-Jack multiple shibitos at once, and a "Action Mode" which allows you to move while Sight-Jacking.
What is "Sight-Jack":
Sight-Jack is a unique game system to the series which allows you to look from other character's eyes/perspective. You need this to figure out the patterns of "the dead" to avoid danger, or to get certain informations that you will need in order to move to safety. There are many ways which you can utilize this function. Using the Sight-Jack to stay alive, will also be the heart of this game.
"Search Mode":
The screen will enter Search Mode when L2 button is pushed. You will be able to start search for "sights" when L1 or R1 is pushed. Up to 3 different found "sights" can be saved and displayed on screen at once.
"Action Mode":
During Search Mode, you can select one particular "Jacked-Sight" to enter Action Mode. This allows you to move and attack WHILE Sight-Jacking the enemy. The clarity of the Sight-Jack will also become clearer if your character stops moving for a certain amount of time.
Editor's Note: The above is a direct translation from the original Japanese Famitsu article with no alteration to the order of paragraphs. Pics are attached but you should also goto the original Famitsu.com page to see the pics to the descriptions accordingly.
"Siren: New Translation" is the Japanese release title for the game.
"Siren: Blood Curse" will be the US release title.
Siren: New Translation will be released in Japan on 7/24 this year for 5980 yen.
*Directer (Keiichiro Toyama) and Scenario Writer/Planner (Naoko Sato) for the Siren series are also the same Director and Scenario Writer for Silent Hill 1.
