A movie-based “JU-ON: The Grudge” videogame is scheduled for release in October 2009 in North America by Xseed Games, and in Q4 2009 in PAL territories by Rising Star Games.
It’s a “haunted house simulator” / adventure developed by FeelPlus & AQ Interactive of Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360) and Blue Dragon Plus (DS) fame. Using the Wii Remote as a flashlight, JU-ON: The Grudge has players move forward with the touch of a button and explore haunted areas such as an abandoned warehouse, a dimly lit hospital and a mannequin factory.
With a story revolving around the unfortunate Yamada family, JU-ON: The Grudge features a new unique gameplay mechanic that measures your movements during play – the more you flinch and jump, the worse your success rate becomes. The player can progress through the game with bad scores, but it is those with a steady hand and nerves of steel that will have the most to gain from this experience. For example: while one player explores the game’s dingy environments using the Wii Remote as a flashlight, a friend can grab a second controller to trigger in-game scares.
“We are absolutely delighted to have secured JU-ON: The Grudge for a European release,” enthused Yen Hau, Rising Star Games’ product marketing assistant. “This is a renowned horror title not only in its native Japan but also in worldwide cinema. With [the film’s director/writer Takashi] Shimizu-san also heavily involved in the creation process of the game [as a creative consultant], this is as close as you can get to an interactive horror movie and is perfectly suited to join the Rising Star Games family.”
“Ju-on: The Grudge makes quick scares accessible to anyone with a Wii,” said Xseed Games president Jun Iwasaki in a statement. “Players can even hand the Wii Remote to their mother and enjoy watching her play and get scared.”
About JU-ON: The Grudge.
It is said that when a person dies with a deep and burning grudge, a curse is born. When an average housewife in Nerima, Japan, was murdered in a grisly fashion, it gave rise to a curse so powerful that it threatens to kill at a pace thought unimaginable before.
The curse manifests on those who encounter the curse by any means, such as entering the house or being in contact with somebody who was already cursed. Once Erika Yamada is exposed to the curse while searching for her dog in an abandoned warehouse, the entire Yamada family is put in grave danger as soon as she reunites with them at home. They must now face their individual challenges alone, and only by overcoming the curse together will their family truly be free again.