Oppressive Japanese survival horror from Keiichiro Toyama where stealth is vital against indestructible enemies. Borrowing Shibito senses to progress is original. Terrifying and stressful, it is one of the most intense horror experiences on PS2.
Your verdict
Category
Survival1 player16+
Description
A 2003 Japanese survival horror by Sony Japan Studio, released in Europe as "Forbidden Siren." Under the direction of Keiichiro Toyama (Silent Hill), the player tracks roughly a dozen characters across the cursed village of Hanuda, using the Sightjack ability to see through the eyes of the Shibito.
Forbidden Siren review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Japanese countryside drowned in night, scanned faces of disturbing realism and rare light: horror is born from a chilling naturalism. The grain of the textures and the oppressive darkness settle an unease at every moment. This visual direction, austere and harrowing, cultivates a terror of rare harshness.
A Japanese survival horror from SCE Japan Studio led by Keiichiro Toyama, Forbidden Siren plunges the player into a haunted village where you survive by sneaking through the sightjack, which lets you see through enemies' eyes to anticipate their movements. The oppressive rural atmosphere, the fear of the hunt and the Japanese folk horror weave an intense, singular experience. The fearsome difficulty and the stiff controls put off. An atmospheric survival to recommend for fans of demanding, atypical horror.
