Dementium: The Ward
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dementium: The Ward | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Developer(s) | Renegade Kid |
| Publisher(s) | NA Gamecock Media Group JP Interchannel-Holon EU SouthPeak Interactive [1] |
| Designer(s) | Jools Watsham (director) |
| Engine | Renegade Engine |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Release date(s) | NA October 31, 2007 JP June 26, 2008 [2] EU April 17, 2009 [3] |
| Genre(s) | Survival horror, First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | CERO: D ESRB: M OFLC: MA15+ |
| Media | Nintendo DS Game Card |
Dementium: The Ward is a Nintendo DS survival horror first-person shooter video game developed by Renegade Kid and published by Gamecock. Dementium was released in North America on October 31, 2007.
Contents |
[edit] Gameplay
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2009) |
Dementium features full 3D environments and a real-time flashlight. Creative director Jools Watsham also said the game's touch-screen controls are based on those used in Metroid Prime Hunters.[citation needed]
The game was originally set to include a multiplayer mode, but this was dropped so that the development team could focus on the single player aspect of the game.
Among several other features utilizing the touch screen, the game includes a notepad.
[edit] Plot
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2009) |
Dementium tells the tale of a man who awakens to find himself alone in a mysterious, derelict hospital that is frozen in time. Confronted by the deadly, grotesque surgical experiments that wander the halls, a series of challenging puzzles and a cast of peculiar characters, he must face his deepest fears, unlock the mysteries of the hospital, and escape with his life.
[edit] Reception
| Compilations of multiple reviews | ||
|---|---|---|
| Game Rankings | 73% (based on 24 reviews)[4] | |
| Metacritic | 75% (based on 24 reviews)[5] |
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| Publication | Review Score | Awards |
| Computer and Video Games | 7.9 out of 10[6] | |
| GameSpot | 7.5/10[7] | |
| GameSpy | 3.5/5[8] | |
| Game Informer | 5.75 out of 10 | |
| IGN | 8.0 out of 10[9] | DS Best First-Person Shooter[10]
DS Best Graphics Technology[11] |
| Nintendo Power | 8.5 out of 10 | |
| 1UP | C+[12] | |
Dementium received generally favorable reviews. Craig Harris of IGN said that the visuals were "outstanding: the lighting effects and texture work in Dementium: The Ward are pretty special when you consider the Nintendo DS' capabilities." He also noted "the flashlight effect might not match what other developers have done on more powerful systems" but "it's a believable technique that's pulled off better than anything seen on same-level hardware."[9]
Dementium was criticized most prominently for its short length and lack of replayability; but also for its save system, and that most of the in-game enemies respawn on revisit, leaving a player short on items and ammunition and discouraging exploration.
On September 22, 2008, the Japanese Association of Psychiatric Hospitals published a protest against the game,[13] asking the game to be taken off the shelves because "the game uses the tradition of psychiatry in name but uses imagery of attacking patients".[14]
[edit] Sequel
Prior to E3 2009, Renegade Kid released a teaser trailer announcing the development of Dementium II for the Nintendo DS. It has since been announced that the game will be released in February of 2010.
[edit] External links
- Dementium: The Ward official website
- Dementium: The Ward Developer Interview
- Renegade Kid website
- Gamecock website
[edit] References
- ^ Game information at reliable video games website
- ^ Dementium: The Ward Info - Dementium: The Ward Information - Dementium: The Ward Release Date
- ^ Official Nintendo Magazine competition showing the release date
- ^ "Dementium: The Ward Reviews". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/939863.asp. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "Dementium: The Ward (ds: 2007) Reviews". Metacritic. http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ds/dementiumtheward. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "DS Review: Dementium: The Ward - ComputerAndVideoGames.com". http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=177448. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "Dementium: The Ward for DS Review - DS Dementium: The Ward Review". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/ds/action/dementiumtheward/review.html. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "GameSpy: Dementium: The Ward Review". GameSpy. http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/the-ward/832793p1.html. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ a b "IGN: Dementium: The Ward Review". IGN. http://ds.ign.com/articles/831/831835p1.html. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "IGN Best of 2007". IGN. http://bestof.ign.com/2007/ds/4.html. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "IGN Best of 2007". IGN. http://bestof.ign.com/2007/ds/12.html. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
- ^ "Dementium: The Ward DS Review Index, Dementium: The Ward Nintendo DS Reviews". 1UP. http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3164762. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ "Letter of Protest". Japanese Association of Psychiatric Hospitals. http://www.nisseikyo.or.jp/home/about/05teigen/2008/2008_12.html. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
- ^ "Japan Psychiatric Association Wants Survival Horror DS Game Pulled". Shacknews. http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/55040. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
