Cursed Mountain set to scare Wii gamers

Cursed Mountain is the first true survival horror game for the Nintendo Wii. Unlike other horror games, Cursed Mountain doesn't rely on blood and guts to shock you. It has atmosphere and storytelling to that instead.

The story of the game has you climbing a mountain looking for your lost brother, Frank, who disappeared when searching for a Buddhist artefact called "Terma". It's the combination of Buddhist and Eastern philosophy in Cursed Mountain that gives it a very unique feel, as well as a deep well of background to draw upon.

As the game is on the Wii, you might assume that the lack of graphic gore is because the platform isn't great at graphics, but actually Cursed Mountain has some of the bets visuals the Wii has yet seen.

As well as the graphics in the game, the controls make the most of the Wii. Unlike ported games where developers have clearly tried to work out how to make some sort of gimmick out of the control system, Cursed Mountain has every part of the game developed from the ground up with the controller in mind, whether it's walking across a chasm bridge or fighting off malevolent spirits.

It's not a one dimensional route to the top of the mountain either, as you can choose your route. As you progress upwards, the game offers more puzzles and challenges, such as the depleting amount of oxygen in the air the higher you get, making you race from one oxygen bottle to the next.

It's this mixture of new gameplay and puzzles with great graphics - unseen before on the Wii - and a proper, involved control system, that makes Cursed Mountain a game worth investigating. It's not one for the kids, but a great game for those in search of something a little less childish to play on their Wii.

A Nintendo Wii only game, Cursed Mountain has a release date of 4th September 2009.

David Taylor is the Publishing Director for the digital games magazine portal, GamerZines.com. There's more about Cursed Mountain in the exclusive Cursed Mountain magazine, as well as in the free Wii magazine, PlayZine, which is published monthly and offered for free download.

Cursed Mountain set to scare Wii gamers

Looking for something a bit less cute to play on your Wii? Cursed Mountain is a survival horror game that plays to its strengths of story and atmosphere.

The game sets you off climbing a mountain in search of Frank, your sibling who got himself lost earlier while looking for Terma, some sort of Buddhist treasure. Eastern philosophy and Buddhism combine in Cursed Mountain to create a believable and compelling back story.

As the game is on the Wii, you might assume that the lack of graphic gore is because the platform isn't great at graphics, but actually Cursed Mountain has some of the bets visuals the Wii has yet seen.

Graphics aside, the control system has also benefited from being developed solely for the Wii, with careful consideration as to how to make the most of the controller for each bit of gameplay, rather than trying to force things onto it as happens often with games ported from other platforms.

The way up the mountain isn't predefined. You can choose how you try and make it to the top, and as you move forwards, Cursed Mountain throws new challenges at you, such as the thinning of the air as you climb, making you race around trying to find discarded oxygen bottles from unfortunate climbers.

Combining new gameplay and puzzles as it goes, together with finally some decent graphics on the Wii, and a control system that makes sense for the controller, Cursed Mountain is worth consideration of any grown-up gamer.

Cursed Mountain is out 4th September 2009 and is only available for the Wii.

David Taylor is the Publishing Director for the online games magazine portal, GamerZines.com. You can find out more in the exclusive Cursed Mountain magazine, and in their free Wii magazine, PlayZine, which is a free, every month magazine available by instant download..