Not So Classic Games: Juggernaut (PS1)

Juggernaut, a psychological horror adventure game that I consider one of the best games I played with my PS1. It suffers a bit from some very dated graphics, but its deliberately slow pace and constantly frightening atmosphere will draw in those looking for a big change of pace. I wasn’t expecting too much of this games since I heard from a few people that this game was pretty lame. But after establishing some quality time into this one, I came to the conclusion that some reviewers seem to be forgetting that the games that they play are not just for them, but for fans of that particular genre or for people looking to expand their gaming horizons! Let’s go on with the review now!

The Plot

The game begins as you arrive at your girlfriend's house after receiving a phone call from a strange man. You get there, only to find out that the man who called is a priest, and your girlfriend is possessed! You find out that an 'evil force' has entered her body and the only way to save her is to enter her soul and cleanse all the evil forces that are there!  And before you know it, the priest is sending you off on your journey (by plunging a knife into a bible?!), and you arrive on a beach, with a bloody-red sun in the sky. And that's only the first four or five minutes of the game!

The Gameplay

Juggernaut’s gameplay is purely point and click, which is a really major turn-off for those who don't like games like Riven or Myst, but the disturbing storyline is a big draw. As you make your way into the game, you will notice that the sound design is quite excellent. It has some of the strangest sounds and music that will ever come from your TV. The backgrounds, while static screens, have an unusual life to them, and the puzzles were some of the most logical I've ever played. Games like Resident Evil and the like usually have the kind of puzzles that are way too abstract in the context of their respective storylines. The puzzles in this game feel just right. After solving the first sequence of puzzles, you end up in a creepy mansion, but without your body! You find yourself only able to pass through tiny holes in the walls until you find a suitable body. Searching for a new shell then becomes the object of the game and the mission to destroy each part of the evil that is inhabiting your sweetie.

My Final Words

It's just not possible to go into more detail on the story without giving it away- except to say that there's a very long journey ahead of you, if ever you decide to take it. From solving cool puzzles and finding and creating necessary items, there are more than enough to keep any gamer with an open mind busy. The cinematics move things forward and things get weirder as the game progresses, and that was just enough to keep me playing! This isn't just the type of game where you blow away lots of stuff or shoot laser beams from your fingertips -- but as I mentioned before, if you are looking for a different type of challenge (and you still own a PS1), then Juggernaut is something I would highly recommend!

Source: Everything Zombie 101

Urban Legends Around the World: Toilet Ghosts (Japan)

Hanako

Hanako San is an infamous Japanese urban legend about a young girl’s ghost that’s supposed to haunt school bathrooms, scaring everyone who enters. She is said to knock on the stall, and calls her name. You might think this absurd but the thought of Hanako San really creeps me out.

Hanako, almost achieved the status of a national phenomenon in Japanese myth 20 years ago, when numerous stories of ghost-sightings swept all throughout the nation’s school buildings. Every student had a “Hanako” story to tell. Of course, there are a lot of stories but each one varied. I’m sure every schoolchild in the country, at one time or another, has been reluctant of going to the school toilet alone.

Kashima Reiko

Kashima Reiko is a female ghost without legs who also haunt in school bathrooms. You can hear her asking “where are my legs?” when people enter the toilet. You must answer her correctly unless you want your legs to be twisted from your body if you give her the wrong answer.

There are different ways to answer. Here’s an example of one version:

When she asks you where her legs are, you should answer " at Meishin Expressway". She will then ask you another question, “who told you that?”. You should reply with "Kashima Reiko told me that."  That way you’ll be saved.

Aoi Kami / Aka Kami

Another version of the Japanese toilet ghost is Aoi Manto or Aka Manto, a male ghost who waits in the last stall in the girls’ bathroom (this ghost sounds like a pervertJ). Anyone who enters the toilet hears a voice asking, “Which do you prefer, the blue paper or the red paper?” If they pick “blue,” then they’re going to get killed by hanging. If they pick “red,” he then kills them by slashing their neck or back repeatedly with a blade, to make them look like they’re wearing a red cape.

So the next time you’re in Japan (or maybe just anywhere else) and you hear someone call your name or ask you a question and you don’t know who, think twice before answering and I would even suggest that you get out of there and run as fast as you can.

Source: http://zombiegames01.wordpress.com