Calling reaches out, touches Wii owners in 2010

Hudson horror adventure game aims to scare with ghostly communications through Wii Remote.

What sort of roaming charges are imposed on calls from beyond the mortal veil? Soon that question might be answered--but probably not--as Hudson Entertainment today announced the horror adventure game Calling exclusively for the Wii.

"Hey Fred, what's up? Fred? What? Ah, sorry, I must have the wrong number."

Calling will take players on a trip through limbo, kept company by a series of phone calls from otherworldly entities. Hudson will use the Wii Remote as a stand-in for the main character's cell phone, piping voices from beyond the grave through the controller's built-in speaker. Once in limbo, players will have to stave off attacks from wandering spirits, avoid traps, and solve puzzles if they want to unravel the game's mysteries.

"Players will be asked to use their wits and senses to survive the world of Calling," Hudson marketing director Mike Pepe said in a statement. "It is a game that revolves around real people and real emotions--no chainsaws or suits of armor. The game is traditional survival horror at its finest."

Hudson Entertainment will publish Calling in North America in 2010. Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH will handle the game's European distribution and has specified an early 2010 launch window for the game.

92 Comments

  • QtrArt

    Posted Sep 6, 2009 6:36 am PT

    2010 ? it's Good Really Good I must buy one that game

  • nosferatusbutt

    Posted Jul 20, 2009 11:10 am PT

    I am half on this. I think it is an awsome and unique game idea. It is great to see new idea's in a horror game. I think they need to try that in the movie biz with alll the crappy horror remake's. Anyway my only complant is the speaker on the remote. I am not sure if it's going to be a pain in the a** to try and hear the action.

  • geedotherodian

    Posted Jul 17, 2009 12:16 am PT

    I dont know the speaker in the wiimote is pretty crappy....

  • CapedCod

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 10:05 pm PT

    This will probably scary as all get out, but I hope they don't forgo actual game play mechanics as a result. If it has sorry game play, you might as well go to a haunted house at an amusement park rather than wasting time and money on a gimmick game that falls flat.

  • leeko_link

    Posted Jul 14, 2009 11:40 am PT

    This game is right on spooky, can't wait to dig into it. Ashame Nintendo lock Fatal Frame IV away, now we get to wait another year to play an alternative.

  • oWn_U_8569

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 10:50 pm PT

    This makes me really miss Fatal Frame, though I'd much rather see FF come back on the 360 or PS3. (It still sucks that they're not porting the latest one though) The things they could do atmospherically with all of the extra processing power on those systems would be amazing. The Calling sounds cool though, I think the phone thing is a great idea if they can clean up the sound on the remote's speaker.. It's these types of attempts at innovation that attracts me to games on the Wii. I'll be keeping an eye on this one.

  • Valen_Ca

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 8:04 pm PT

    This is a bad idea, I mean if the Wiimote speaker was higher quality then ok, but it was hard enough hearing what Sylvia in No More Heroes was saying when they tried it there. Ah well, maybe they will have the option to put it through your TV or home theatre speakers.

  • qubeley

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 7:27 pm PT

    @Dshenlong: Yeah I totally agree with you. I think Tecmo has never thought of Nintendo doing that. The thing is the more Nintendo is doing that, the less developers will want to work with them. Project Zero has such a cult following that it will definitely move the Wii profile up instead of being a console flooded with shiat games. I mean they should have worked with Capcom to remake RE2 and RE3 on the Wii as they did with Remake and Zero, instead of just having Capcom re-releasing these two Cube games on the Wii for quick profit.

  • Glade_Gnarr

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 1:29 pm PT

    Now just bring Fatal Frame to america. Maybe Atlus can convince Nintendo.

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 1:22 pm PT

    Sounds interesting...

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 10:42 am PT

    @cjasko94
    I am calm It's really that I wish I had more to play on my Wii is all.

  • Captain_Spoono

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 9:52 am PT

    i wonder if they can shoot for a T rating...cuz i want to play it

  • cjasko94

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 8:36 am PT

    @CamiKitten
    Calm down , its just a horror game coming to the wii. really.

  • efunk25

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 8:06 am PT

    The people at the old folks home will be buying this game up like hotcakes...

  • CamiKitten

    Posted Jul 13, 2009 7:26 am PT

    It's interesting to see Nintendo picking up more horror titles to reach out to a broader fan base. Just worried it, like many other games, might turn out to become the next wave of shovel ware. Or something seemingly interesting that turns out to be bad quality once again.

  • Dingle_Dootie

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 11:43 pm PT

    *looks below* Ah, I'm really late to the party. There's already a Fatal Frame discussion.

  • Dingle_Dootie

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 11:42 pm PT

    I also can't wait for that Fatal Frame game on the Wii--oh, wait.

  • Dshenlong

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 10:37 pm PT

    @Qubeley

    The funny thing is I heard out of all of them (in Japan at least) it sold the best. Probably because Grasshopper was involved with the project. Still, when it comes to survival horror, Resident Evil and Silent Hill are the only two guaranteed to do fairly well, so I don't see how they could set there expectations so high, especially since they've only brought out...3....maybe 4 good games in the past 6 MONTHS.

    And since Nintendo themselves admitted that their console is losing steam (which is a shame as it does have great potential) I think they would be willing to bring out ANY franchise that's been proven successful over here.

    This is why Nintendo has so much trouble getting third party support. You give them control and they decide not to release your game overseas, which, as Tecmo stated, they had every intention of doing.

  • qubeley

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 7:49 pm PT

    @Dshenlong: it's because Nintendo snapped up the publishing right and then decided not to do it overseas. Maybe they didn't sell enough units in Japan so they decided to save resources by not publishing it. And at the same time refuses to let other overseas publishers to publish it in case there are enough noise to guarantee a success in the future. Just plain hypocrisy and selfishness on Nintendo's part

  • Dshenlong

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 7:06 pm PT

    @Spainomack and nini20

    I'm not complaining about them bringing out this game. (In case I was one of the people you were addressing). I buy every good system that comes out. I've been playing Fatal Frame since the first game and I enjoy the series greatly. All I'm saying is that if they can bring out this horror game (which may or may not be great, as we've only seen a couple of screens), as well as Cursed Mountain, why not bring the newest Fatal Frame out when it's an established series with an established fan base? As you said they are trying to bring good games out for the system instead of mini-game fests, so why not Fatal Frame as well?

    That's the point I wanted to make.

  • martin_king18

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 5:29 pm PT

    its good that nintendo are making some horror hardcore games, and i TOTALY Agree with nini200, that if the game comes out great, GS willl looke for some bad things about the game like what nini200 said , like what they do to the conduit .

  • nini200

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 1:43 pm PT

    And I bet that even if this game turns out great, GS will bash it and state something like Steep learning curve or Waggle or something to try and deter the people from buying it. Just watch. I'm going to laugh when they do.

  • nini200

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 1:37 pm PT

    @SpainoMac8982
    Completely agree. I honestly could care less about Fatal Frame as it wasn't scary to me, while it did have it's every now and then suspense, it wasn't scary. The Calling looked like a better game to me anyway especially since I like First Person Horror Games better than Third Person. It gives you a better sense of being there and a greater suspense feeling. For that matter, Ju-on - The Grudge looks better and scarier than Fatal Frame In my opinion.

    Also, Nintendo has always tried to please the hardcore *cough*jerks*cough* out there and even when they release a game that the Hardcore nagged and begged for, they still complain because now that they have it, they're not satisfied because it doesn't live up to the hype THEY created and then end up disappointed. Only way most "Hardcore" (and I use that term very extremely loosely) fans will be satisfied is if Nintendo releases a new Zelda. Nintendo can just scrap all the other awesome franchises they have and come out with nothing but Zelda and the HC people won't complain. Its really sad.

  • SpainoMac8982

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 12:50 pm PT

    Nintendo is trying to make hardcore games for you guys and all you're doing right now is complaining about them. God da*n you guys just cant be pleased can you?

    Titles like this have the potential to be awesome and it's also Nintendo trying to support core games that we've been demanding. So what if it's not Fatal Frame. As a Wii owner, I welcome all games like this that arent mini game fests.

  • FFadikt

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 12:37 pm PT

    Sounds cool but now the whole Wii Remote as a cell phone fad is getting kind of old now :/

  • undeniablefate

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 11:42 am PT

    Tradition survival horror IS chainsaws or suits of armor (I don't see where they got that one).

    Hay look, my cell phone can call 911. *rings*

  • cluelesspug

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 11:29 am PT

    When it said "Calling reaches out" I thought it meant Nintendo was actually going to give Wii owners something they want. Guess I was wrong.

  • shufflezoom

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 10:53 am PT

    il just be playing fatal frame 4 here in japan
    even though its not that good

  • shufflezoom

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 10:50 am PT

    well just play fatal frame 4 here in japan
    even though it isnt very good

  • Miroku32

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 9:04 am PT

    Interesting

  • player_leo

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 7:38 am PT

    That sounds like a cool game, but can I get Fatal Frame 4 for the Wii also in the states

  • maverick_76

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 7:04 am PT

    Sounds promising but as always I'll wait and read reviews first.

  • nynthninja

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 6:02 am PT

    terturk

    i always found it funny a hot woman had to tell a grown man hes should probably take a dump before the boss fight.

  • terturk

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 5:56 am PT

    We already used Wii Remote as a cell phone in No More Heroes. (Remembered the calls before boss battles?) So there is nothing new.

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 2:14 am PT

    ugh, it just depresses me that we're not getting Fatal Frame IV outside of Japan, if this other wanna-be sucks it's just going to piss me off even more

  • Bballplaya8217 posted Jul 12, 2009 1:36 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Bballplaya8217

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 1:36 am PT (hide)

    This is a poor excuse of a game compared to what Fatal Frame has already established.

    Hudson, really?

    I dont even own a Wii and I can tell you this is a huge mistake that Nintendo is making. The Fatal Frame series of games are by far the best in its category and sounds coming from a cell phone through the Wii speaker is just terrible. Also, that picture of the ghost is probably the worst thing I have ever seen. Really. Temco has it down.

    And last, I just want to state that I think the Nintendo fans have been screwed over the most because the Wii's lack of selection which is dominated by Mario and other various Nintendo characters.

  • LithuanianGamer

    Posted Jul 12, 2009 12:34 am PT

    WiiPhone is here lol

  • shawn7324

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 11:40 pm PT

    Sounds weird.

  • lew_0911

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 8:39 pm PT

    This is great. I hope this could also convince Fatal Frame to do the same.

  • BarricadeS281E

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 7:27 pm PT

    Looks...OK - could be good or bad, but my question is: where the hell's Fatal Frame!!! Just tweak the controls and get it stateside already. Plus I want an official explanation on why they're choosing NOT to throw it over here - or other countries for that matter. I'm pretty sure they'd be making more green with FF than this.

  • travisstaggs

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 7:15 pm PT

    Hope it does good seems like Hudsons been doing good for themselves lately.

  • WhiteSnake5000 posted Jul 11, 2009 5:33 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    WhiteSnake5000

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 5:33 pm PT (hide)

    This looks terrible. Mark my words, it will flop.

  • VXLbeast

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 5:18 pm PT

    It could be very good, or very bad. Seeing as Hudson just developed Onsluaght, an awesome Wiiware first person shooter for only 10$, I have hope in them to do this right.

  • tennis12master

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 5:04 pm PT

    Sounds interesting.

  • FusionRain

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 4:42 pm PT

    hmmm ok we'll see dot dot dot -shakes head-

  • NuKkU

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 3:25 pm PT

    this sounds very unique

  • coolicolo

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 2:05 pm PT

    why are there so many thumbs down to StephenBassford, and this game looks like it has potential that is all I am saying right now....

  • D3A7HJ0K3R

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 1:44 pm PT

    Hope it doesn't fail like the conduit

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 1:23 pm PT

    Actually yeah the Wii remote speaker is a little tinny and not great quality. Here's hoping that Hudson will find some way to get the most out of it.

  • Dshenlong

    Posted Jul 11, 2009 12:21 pm PT

    You can bring this to the Wii but not Fatal Frame? WTF Nintendo...

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