Cold Prey
Genre: Semi-survival semi-horror mostly-action/adventure with bits of mountain-climbing simulation
Developer: Deep Silver Vienna
Publisher: Koch Media / Deep Silver
Mode: Single-Player
Requirements/Support: Nunchuk required
ESRB Rating: Mature (17+)
Dead of Winter
Eric Simmons, veteran alpinist, sets out on a final trip to rescue his brother Frank who has gone missing in the heights of Chomolonzo. Hired for an expedition to obtain an artefact that, legend has it, is hidden at the mountain’s peak, the ardent relative made his way for the goal, albeit being warned by the prayerful natives of a deity guarding the sacred place. This is the seemingly tame premise to “Cursed Mountain” – a 3 party effort aimed to fill the empty niche of horror titles for the Nintendo Wii. Unlike other Western developers whose perception of horror is limited to level-flooding zombies, Deep Silver Vienna chose an interesting setting - that of Buddhist theology, with a strong emphasis placed on inner demons and related rituals.
Stir of Echoes
While ascending the path up the hill, our protagonist locates fog-embraced villages, abandoned by the Buddhist monks. All fled, for their ancestors don’t rest in the earth anymore, but roam the settlements in search of the last living souls. For starters, the player only has his ice axe to offer in defense, but will soon chance upon a Katrika (all capitalized terminology mentioned in the article is used in-game – reviewer’s note). Supplied with this utensil, you’ll be able to repulse the haunt more effectively and aren't limited to close combat anymore. The relic allows you to glimpse into the so-called Bardo, an intermediate state after death, and give the swarms of apparitions a taste of astral firepower. By holding the c-Button to activate the alternative perspective, the camera swings from the regular 3 person view to the character’s shoulder (similar to the latest Resident Evil additions) and displays a reticle, for the purpose of aiming and firing using the Wii Remote. Once you hit the target a couple of times, a particular mark will appear on the spectre's appearance. Herein lays the cornerstone of combat in Cursed Mountain: by selecting the crosshair and pressing the A-Button, you will trigger a set of movements to be performed with the WiiMote and the Nunchuk respectively. These action patterns supposedly imitate tantric ceremonies to banish heinous spirits – a well-executed act of in-game exorcism will partly restore your health and, in addition, stun surrounding opponents for a crucial moment (perfect opportunity to retreat to a safe distance, since you cannot move while in "3 eye mode").
That’s all there is to the action scheme and, apart from your apparatus being upgraded every once in a while in order to face advanced enemies and several boss fights, in essence, it remains the same throughout the adventure’s duration. The rest of the gameplay consists of aspects that you can consider “creatively borrowed” from contemporary titles, mainly the “Silent Hill” series. During intervals between the demonic encounters, you will be exploring environments in attempt to recollect recent events. Fortunately your expedition isn’t limited to tiresome wandering - as an alpinist you’ll have to cover ground with respective equipment. With every step you breathe new life into the apparently forsaken territory: thanks to the diligence of scenarists, the storyline of “Cursed Mountain” is provided an authentic atmosphere that convinces you to continue. Though the foreword isn’t exactly inspirational (ancient curses are deservedly met with a "duh" even by general public), a take on Asian horror by PAL-region developers is a refreshing occurrence to happen in the video game industry. Maybe the tension is not quite up to par to established horror franchises, but the title still conveys a radiant aura that will likely suck you in if you care to give it a chance. Themes of Tibetan folklore are implemented into the narrative with remarkable attention to detail, meaning that the (generally considered) "illiterate" gamer every so often will stumble upon a reference to some local k ukuxumushu. However what truly shines in context of the original setting, are the caringly crafted environments, whether it be the snowy landscapes, the deserted villages or the desolate temples. Approaching new areas feels somewhat bracing and, surprisingly, introduces diversity into the game: whereas the Buddhist "vibes" start to wear a bit thin, Deep Silver confront us with increasing heights and difficulties. Though admittedly linear and not all too interactive except for doors and barrels, the level design is certainly above all praise, considering the technical drawbacks of the Wii...
What lies beneath
...which brings us to the game's issues. The environmental allure refers solely to the artistic side of graphics. As for the technical specs, the nicest thing one could type about Cursed Mountain is that it looks more "at home" in lower resolutions, rather than your ∞ -inch HD set. Reflecting on the engine in-tact, thoughts start to surface that the title might have met local success if it were released, say... just before Silent Hill 2? Though Deep Silver applied certain amounts of spit polish, comprised of motion-capture animations and some post-processing, it isn't enough to cover up Cursed Mountain's "polygonal age". However, as Wii owners are rarely treated to eye candy, this aspect doesn't come as much of a surprise. What really crosses up the project is not the hackneyed appearance, but the motion-controlled system's archenemy - namely, busted controls. There is only one particular "handicap" involved: during the "exorcistic" passages described above, both the Wiimote and the Nunchuck more often than not refuse to register the movement of going "up", while "left" and "right" function almost without inconsistencies. It may not seem as much of a bother on early stages, until you come to realize that the entire game is built around this feature and there is absolutely no way to circumvent it: "killing" enemies (without exercising them) as they grow better, faster, stronger not only proves itself difficult, but completely unprofitable, since you would purposely undercut the main source of your "health income" and will be forced to survive until the next chapel or so, where you can (literally) light a candle and recover. Otherwise, brace yourself with Buddhist patience and try not to hurl the Wiimote at the screen as you are bound repeat the same movement again, again and again until it finally clicks. In hindsight, it turns a relatively easy game to beat into a technical torture of sorts in which you have to throw a hefty fit every time it advises you to "move up" .
Despite not putting its best foot forward, Cursed Mountain is, at its core, a deeply ambitious game. It shows especially towards the later stages which take the pace up notch as you approach a forlorn camping site of fellow alpinists, eloquently nodding towards John Carpenter's "The Thing" . Further more, it introduces complementing gameplay mechanics, such as the necessity to keep yourself warm among the chilly ambiance as well as several quick-time events, thankfully integrated better than the other movements. Another well-implemented aspect are the complimenting sound effects, sometimes even coming out of the Wiimote speaker, like the transmissions from a handheld walkie-talkie you receive at some point, adding that final touch to the overall atmosphere. The English voice acting, though not all too frequent and not sporting a starry cast (the French version includes a few local celebs at least), is also spot on. The soundtrack didn't strike as anything worth listening to separately, no Akira Yamaoka here on the boards, sadly; though, I could also address a similar regret, how Team Silent wasn't responsible for entire development et cetera... Combined with its budget price tag (and technical difficulties), the title makes for a satisfactory challenge for seasoned survival horror connoisseurs who unlocked the UFO-Ending in Silent Hill 2 years ago, but its hard to recommend it to anybody else. The credits roll after approximately 6-7 hours of control-wielding without any replay value to speak of. Bottom line: Cursed Mountain is best served as a side-dish to the subsequently released Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, thus elongating your weekend of snowy holidays spent wrong, if you catch my drift.
