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Is Forbidden Siren any good?
- Thread starter Zushin
- Start date
Green Card
Member
If you like horror games you can give it a shot but be warned it relies on stealth which I didn't like. All I remember is I kept dying to a sniper in a pitch black tunnel (they show a kill cam when you die). The PS3 one is great though. I highly recommend that one.
yes. but it's pretty much a horror themed adventure game with lots of time being spent putting strange items in your inventory and using them in weird ways. Also the game has a mission structure and the story is played out of order with very many playable characters, so it's quite different from most horror games.
KennyLinder
Member
I loved it, thought it was very different at the time and creepy af.
Did they change the voice acting in the 'HD' version? The original PS2 game had amazing/awful cockney accents for the English VO (at least in PAL land).
Did they change the voice acting in the 'HD' version? The original PS2 game had amazing/awful cockney accents for the English VO (at least in PAL land).
KennyLinder
Member
I forgot they released this on PS4. I assume this is a straight port from PS3? I didn't really follow what they did from PS2>PS3 tbh. I remember it came out as chapters separately, with a complete disc version later on.
It is PS2 on PS4. The PS3 version blows compared to the original anyway.
No, that's Siren: Blood Curse, which was a remake of Forbidden Siren but with better control, easier/clearer objective, and mostly Western cast.
KennyLinder
Member
Ah yeah, that's it, I remember now.
I played them both back on PS2, but I remember so little about the 2nd game.
It's a great game with a very unique setting and atmosphere, but it aged very, very poorly in terms of controls and mechanics. Or maybe it was already considered cryptic when it came out.
I'd go for it because it's cheap and there's nothing else quite like it. But be prepared, some frustration will probably occur.
I'd go for it because it's cheap and there's nothing else quite like it. But be prepared, some frustration will probably occur.
SlipperyFishes
Banned
Loved those accents.
It's a unique horror game, you won't find anything like it. The vulnerability of your characters combined with the opressive world which gets more twisted as you progress makes for a really tense and horrifying game. Also the sight jack ability is probably one of the best horror mechanics in any game ever.
Be warned though, the first game is obtuse as hell, you will have to replay some chapters to fulfill certain side objectives you missed which are needed to progress the story further and some of these objectives are some 90s point and click game-tier of shit. It's also probably the hardest horror game you'll play. Getting seen by the enemies is in most cases an instant death but that's really a part of the charm for me.
So, if you are ready to deal with some obtuse shit and don't mind the janky controls, go for it. It's a challenging experience, but a rewarding and unique one too.
Be warned though, the first game is obtuse as hell, you will have to replay some chapters to fulfill certain side objectives you missed which are needed to progress the story further and some of these objectives are some 90s point and click game-tier of shit. It's also probably the hardest horror game you'll play. Getting seen by the enemies is in most cases an instant death but that's really a part of the charm for me.
So, if you are ready to deal with some obtuse shit and don't mind the janky controls, go for it. It's a challenging experience, but a rewarding and unique one too.
Ragnar Blackmane
Member
I'd recommend Siren: Blood Curse over it to be honest, especially if you want to get into the series. Basically a retelling of the first game that is much easier to enjoy because you don't have to deal with cryptic level unlocks based on bizzarre 'optional' items you need to pick up in hard to find locations in levels nearly as much. Looks much better and the presentation is also above the original IMO. Great game like all the Siren games, but has a special place in my heart.
Also it was a free game on PSN about a year ago, so you might actually have it sitting in your library.
Also it was a free game on PSN about a year ago, so you might actually have it sitting in your library.
345triangle
Member
i dug it a lot but it was ultra-janky even at the time. i don't know that i'd be able to play it today.
Alexander DeLarge
Member
Off topic but I really hope Kojima does a horror game with Project Siren one day.
Plumpbiscuit
Member
The Siren games are really good horror games and are up there with Silent Hill 1-4 in terms of atmosphere and scariness, some may say the SH games aren't scary, but they mean more in terms of the amount of cheap jumpscares. The Siren and SH games have things in common such as Keiichiro Toyama being the director of both Siren and SH.
So why do I recommend Forbidden Siren? Well, the Siren series really is unique as somebody above said and there isn't anything other than SH that is like it. The atmosphere, ambience, pacing, graphics, lighting and exploration are really well done. Both games are quite difficult and utilise tank control movement, with the 1st game being very difficult and trial and error, you'll most likely need a walkthrough. Some of the puzzle solving requires replaying certain missions and doing things in a certain order, so either use a guide or keep trying. Having said that, there are actual puzzles in this game, not just run around like an idiot collecting keys or sheets of paper.
There's also lots of playable characters and their faces are all creepy, but in a good way, since they use motion captured faces of real people but they are also low poly so it looks creepy and imo adds to the scariness of the game. The voice acting is laughable though. But it's the enemy designs where the game shines, the main enemies "shibito" are all really creepy, especially in the first game. It's unsettling to see them run at you from the darkness ahead, but you can use a mechanic called "sightjack" to enter a first-person view that shows where the enemy is and what direction they are facing. It's actually a pretty cool system that eliminates the need for a mini-map in an immersive way, though if you're gonna play on native hardware it causes lag at times.
Anyway, without even a hesitation of doubt I recommend Forbidden Siren, they're a bunch of actually well-designed horror games despite a few shortcomings and frustrations. You aren't running from slender guy, or dudebro shooting your way to victory, or looking for big circles saying "go here idiot". You're on your own once you're out there and you'll need to read the mission objectives and - God forbid - use common sense while exploring to get around enemies and solving most of the puzzles. There is one infamously difficult puzzle in the first game that I do find unacceptably hard, but other than that, it's a matter of either replaying the mission or being mindful as you explore. You'll know what puzzle I'm talking about when you find out you can't beat the mission without doing it lol.
But yes, PS2 survival horror is absolutely fantastic and is the best that horror video gaming has to offer. Silent Hill 1-4 and all three Siren games are fucking phenomenal, scary, well-designed and creepier than making Shrek have human skin.
You've noticed by now I've neglected to mention Siren: Blood Curse up until now, mainly because this thread isn't about that, but because I find it the least strongest entry into the series and it's a re-imagining of the first game (note: not a remake) and has some... questionable design choices. Though the graphics are a vast improvement as was the idea of doing episodic content makes more sense.
So why do I recommend Forbidden Siren? Well, the Siren series really is unique as somebody above said and there isn't anything other than SH that is like it. The atmosphere, ambience, pacing, graphics, lighting and exploration are really well done. Both games are quite difficult and utilise tank control movement, with the 1st game being very difficult and trial and error, you'll most likely need a walkthrough. Some of the puzzle solving requires replaying certain missions and doing things in a certain order, so either use a guide or keep trying. Having said that, there are actual puzzles in this game, not just run around like an idiot collecting keys or sheets of paper.
There's also lots of playable characters and their faces are all creepy, but in a good way, since they use motion captured faces of real people but they are also low poly so it looks creepy and imo adds to the scariness of the game. The voice acting is laughable though. But it's the enemy designs where the game shines, the main enemies "shibito" are all really creepy, especially in the first game. It's unsettling to see them run at you from the darkness ahead, but you can use a mechanic called "sightjack" to enter a first-person view that shows where the enemy is and what direction they are facing. It's actually a pretty cool system that eliminates the need for a mini-map in an immersive way, though if you're gonna play on native hardware it causes lag at times.
Anyway, without even a hesitation of doubt I recommend Forbidden Siren, they're a bunch of actually well-designed horror games despite a few shortcomings and frustrations. You aren't running from slender guy, or dudebro shooting your way to victory, or looking for big circles saying "go here idiot". You're on your own once you're out there and you'll need to read the mission objectives and - God forbid - use common sense while exploring to get around enemies and solving most of the puzzles. There is one infamously difficult puzzle in the first game that I do find unacceptably hard, but other than that, it's a matter of either replaying the mission or being mindful as you explore. You'll know what puzzle I'm talking about when you find out you can't beat the mission without doing it lol.
But yes, PS2 survival horror is absolutely fantastic and is the best that horror video gaming has to offer. Silent Hill 1-4 and all three Siren games are fucking phenomenal, scary, well-designed and creepier than making Shrek have human skin.
You've noticed by now I've neglected to mention Siren: Blood Curse up until now, mainly because this thread isn't about that, but because I find it the least strongest entry into the series and it's a re-imagining of the first game (note: not a remake) and has some... questionable design choices. Though the graphics are a vast improvement as was the idea of doing episodic content makes more sense.
Napalm_Frank
Member
Forbidden Siren PS2 is one of those games that I haven't played because of the anxiety if I'd need to use a guide or if I should go in blind (which I vastly prefer).
Å
Åesop
Unconfirmed Member
It's the Dark Souls of horror games!
Napalm_Frank
Member
Åesop;241506537 said:
Isn't that Bloodborne?
Dusk Golem
A 21st Century Rockefeller
Forbidden Siren will require a very specific person to play it all the way and enjoy it. In my opinion I think the two sequels are better (Forbidden Siren 2 and Blood Curse), but some people prefer the first one and I can completely understand that comes down to a matter of taste.
So to somewhat trim down my thoughts, here's things I can mention about the game:
-The enemies are creepy, the Shibito as they're called are very creative twists on just a typical zombie that manage to retain a level of creepiness through the whole game.
-The setting is fantastic, the rural Japanese village with all sorts of shanty towns and ritualistic sites is a good one.
-The music is original, fitting, and some of it even memorable in a very unorthodox way.
-The story is initially confusing and when you first beat it you may not 100% get everything, but there's a lot of small things to pick up on and a few things you may realize or notice that can completely change your outlook on certain aspects of the narrative.
...So let me get this all out of the way. All of the above I think is fantastic. So what issues do I have with it that makes me prefer the sequels to it?
It's fucking pacing and the format you play it.
In Forbidden Siren, the original, the game is set into different stages. For the start of the game you go between these stages in a linear fashion, until you break a 'loop', and then you get a stage select as you unlock more stages on this table graph which represents which character you play as and at what time along the timeline the stage occurs. In Forbidden Siren, there is a big theme of 'time loops', you need to change things to break out of a 'loop'. And what this translates into in gameplaty is replaying the same stages over and over again.
Siren at its core is a game about figuring out what the game wants you to do, then executing it well, and figuring out hidden objectives to do alternative things in stages. Each stage has two objectives and then possible one or a few hidden objectives. The only way to really progress in Siren is to begin to figure out how the game works, to both figure out how to deal with certain scenarios, enemies, situations, and pick up on the clues (sometimes cryptic as hell) for what to do in order to get a different outcome. That and figuring out which stage you need to go to in order to make this change, often doing a mission in one level will change something in another level as sort of a chain of levels you need to replay in order to make a change in a much later level so you can complete a hidden objective.
There is fun to this, I don't regret playing it, but this is up there as one of the longest and most demanding horror games. It sometimes is difficult, to the point of being cheap, and it's kind of hard to progress far until the logic of the game begins to click in you and you begin learning the sort of beats the game usually does for hidden things (though a few are still way out there). But I personally think because of how thoroughly you have to learn this game inside and out, the horror aspect is kind of front-loaded as there is basically no unknown to the gameplay as you get further along in the game as you literally have to figure out how everything works to progress.
It's enjoyable and unorthodox and some love how it's a lengthy kind of logic puzzle in a horror game with all of its challenges, but while I did enjoy it well enough I do think after my last playthrough where I near 100% the game I never want to play it again. Like literally expect to spend 40-80 hours to beat it. Also the game has a fakeout ending that's one of the loops and doesn't unlock multiple stages, missions, the final boss, the actual ending, etc., but you need to see this ending to break a loop so know that.
As a result, I find the game hard to recommend except for some specific types of gamers. I will say this though, there's hardly anything else like the Siren series or siren 1, all three Siren games have things in common but also drastic differences but all three are very unique.
So to somewhat trim down my thoughts, here's things I can mention about the game:
-The enemies are creepy, the Shibito as they're called are very creative twists on just a typical zombie that manage to retain a level of creepiness through the whole game.
-The setting is fantastic, the rural Japanese village with all sorts of shanty towns and ritualistic sites is a good one.
-The music is original, fitting, and some of it even memorable in a very unorthodox way.
-The story is initially confusing and when you first beat it you may not 100% get everything, but there's a lot of small things to pick up on and a few things you may realize or notice that can completely change your outlook on certain aspects of the narrative.
...So let me get this all out of the way. All of the above I think is fantastic. So what issues do I have with it that makes me prefer the sequels to it?
It's fucking pacing and the format you play it.
In Forbidden Siren, the original, the game is set into different stages. For the start of the game you go between these stages in a linear fashion, until you break a 'loop', and then you get a stage select as you unlock more stages on this table graph which represents which character you play as and at what time along the timeline the stage occurs. In Forbidden Siren, there is a big theme of 'time loops', you need to change things to break out of a 'loop'. And what this translates into in gameplaty is replaying the same stages over and over again.
Siren at its core is a game about figuring out what the game wants you to do, then executing it well, and figuring out hidden objectives to do alternative things in stages. Each stage has two objectives and then possible one or a few hidden objectives. The only way to really progress in Siren is to begin to figure out how the game works, to both figure out how to deal with certain scenarios, enemies, situations, and pick up on the clues (sometimes cryptic as hell) for what to do in order to get a different outcome. That and figuring out which stage you need to go to in order to make this change, often doing a mission in one level will change something in another level as sort of a chain of levels you need to replay in order to make a change in a much later level so you can complete a hidden objective.
There is fun to this, I don't regret playing it, but this is up there as one of the longest and most demanding horror games. It sometimes is difficult, to the point of being cheap, and it's kind of hard to progress far until the logic of the game begins to click in you and you begin learning the sort of beats the game usually does for hidden things (though a few are still way out there). But I personally think because of how thoroughly you have to learn this game inside and out, the horror aspect is kind of front-loaded as there is basically no unknown to the gameplay as you get further along in the game as you literally have to figure out how everything works to progress.
It's enjoyable and unorthodox and some love how it's a lengthy kind of logic puzzle in a horror game with all of its challenges, but while I did enjoy it well enough I do think after my last playthrough where I near 100% the game I never want to play it again. Like literally expect to spend 40-80 hours to beat it. Also the game has a fakeout ending that's one of the loops and doesn't unlock multiple stages, missions, the final boss, the actual ending, etc., but you need to see this ending to break a loop so know that.
As a result, I find the game hard to recommend except for some specific types of gamers. I will say this though, there's hardly anything else like the Siren series or siren 1, all three Siren games have things in common but also drastic differences but all three are very unique.
Plumpbiscuit
Member
Only Forbidden Siren has easy mode, Siren does not. Generally, people find Siren a lot harder than Forbidden Siren so they introduced easy mode in Forbidden Siren, which if I remember right gave the characters more health because people were dying a lot.
Brerlappin
Member
As a huge horror fan, id honestly have to say no. I played it back in the day and absolutely hated it, same went for the PS3 siren game (blood curse?). Good J-Horror aesthetics were about the only good thing in those games. The gameplay, voice acting, and everything else absolutely stunk. Stick with the Fatal Frame games if you want real, quality J-Horror
I'm a wuzz when it comes to horror games, so take this with that in mind. Siren PS3 is probably still the horror game I got least far into from the better known Japanese horror games (Resident Evil, Silent Hill, Project Zero & such) because it was just too scary. You're so helpless and the enemies are so creepy :S The controls/camera are perhaps a bit clunky, but nothing game ruining.