Spring TGS 2001Phase Paradox hands-on

Sony Computer Entertainment had playable builds of its PlayStation 2 survival-horror game, Phase Paradox, on display at the ongoing Tokyo Game Show 2001 Spring. Each of the three demo kiosks featured a playable level for each of the three selectable characters, two females and a male character. However, despite the differences in their respective missions, all three levels seemed to take place in the same medical facility. The story behind Phase Paradox is relatively simple: The player must save humankind from an advanced race of aggressive alien beings. Despite the abbreviated back story, Sony promises that the final game will have a deep and winding plot. As they play the game with one of the main characters, players will encounter the other two characters in key merge points in the game--here all three characters' stories merge in crucial hubs within the game's overall plot.

The gameplay in Phase Paradox is more action-adventure than survival-horror. In the demo we played, we found ourselves searching through the various levels of the laboratory facility and solving simple puzzles to advance through the game. However, there was some backtracking involved. For example, in one section of the demo, we had to activate a computer system we encountered earlier in the game in order to open a locked passageway in a later area.

Graphically, at this point, the game doesn't compare favorably with other second-generation PlayStation 2 games. It uses prerendered environments that, perhaps as a result of the limited scope of the laboratory setting, isn't overly impressive. The surroundings, at least in the demo we played, are frequently cluttered with lockers, computer systems, control boards, and medical facilities, which could become repetitive. However, the characters are nicely modeled and generously textured, particularly when seen close up. Their eyes, eyebrows, and mouths move to convey varying levels of expression, while the animation is fluid and realistic for the most part.

Phase Paradox for the PlayStation 2 will be released this year.