Next-Gen have previewed the upcoming survival-horror title Fatal Frame IV, briefly outlining the gameplay and what we can expect to see in the game...

Summertime, and the living dead are restless.

Little specific information has been revealed about the scenario you’ll face in this latest game, although it once again centers on exploration and exorcism of haunted environments while equipped with little more than a camera. Zero on Wii handles in much the same way as Resident Evil 4, using the Nunchuk to move and the Remote to direct the camera, giving an over-the-shoulder perspective. You’re no Leon Kennedy, however, and as in previous Zero games your only form of defense against ghosts is to snap a picture of them, so sealing their soul into the celluloid.

Firing off the shutter randomly will rebuff angry specters only momentarily and it’ll take a well-framed pic to vanquish the malevolent spirits. Not all ghostly encounters are hostile, however, and the game promises as much puzzling as it does poltergeists, using the viewfinder to reveal things about the environment that are otherwise hidden.

Among the questions that remain about the latest installment is to what degree Grasshopper’s involvement will force the series in a new direction. A little reinvention is necessary, particularly when taking the series to a new console – but with another Zero game being so anticipated, Tecmo must be keen to make sure it doesn’t stray too far from its original appeal.

Miss Razz via next-gen.biz »