D (series)
Encyclopedia
D is a series of video games that follow the events of "digital actress" Laura and were published
by now-defunct WARP. Officially, the series includes 1995's D
and 1999's D2, though 1996's Enemy Zero
is considered part of the series. Japan
ese musical talent Kenji Eno
directed and produced each game in the series, considered to be one of the original survival horror series. Despite low sales and largely negative reviews by critics, the series has become notable due to its controversial nature (with extreme blood and violence, and a plot that involved cannibalism
) and has generated a strong cult following.
caught his eye, due to its allowance of any playable software to be published, without restrictions, for the system. At the time video game violence was rare and simplistic, and due to Ds gruesome, violent story, Kenji Eno saw this as his only window of opportunity. With the use of only three Amiga
computers, and no prior programming experience, Eno formed WARP studios, and they were able to program then-innovative CGI visuals. Kenji Eno announced at a 3DO press conference that they would introduce the first “digital actress”, Laura into their new game. However, his plans were almost ruined when the controversy surrounding Night Trap
established the ESRB rating system. Eno was worried that his game would receive an "M for Mature" rating, reducing the chance of strong sales. When it was announced that D would receive an "T for Teen" rating, WARP, 3DO and Eno were shocked, yet relieved. D was heavily inspired by Polarware's (later Penguin Software
) Transylvania
graphic adventure series of similar theme.
took it upon themselves to port D over to the Sega Saturn
, PlayStation
and PC. Unfortunately, the release was plagued by controversy. Parents were outraged that the ESRB allowed such a tame rating to a game that discussed such subjects as cannibalism, insanity and mass murder. Besides the rating complaints, some said the emphasis on cinematic scenes over gameplay killed what could have been a great story, claiming that WARP's "interactive cinema" was more cinema than anything else. However, some agreed that D, along with games such as Sweet Home
and Alone in the Dark
, were inspiration for the hugely successful Capcom
series Resident Evil
, which created the survival horror genre.
After the low-key, cult success of D a series of limited editions were released. One of these was D's Diner: The Director's Cut. The director's cut featured new cinemas for the 3DO version (most scenes added were already featured in the Sega Saturn and PlayStation versions), an insert containing the game's story in detail and Kenji Eno's soundtrack.
The story begins when Laura is away at school. She is contacted by Los Angeles police and receives a disturbing message: Her father, Dr. Richter Harris, has gone on a mass murdering spree and has now barricaded himself in the hospital. In a panic, Laura rushes to the scene of the crime, desperate to find out what has made this studious and well-respected doctor kill. Upon entering the hospital, she is instantly horrified at the scattered and grotesquely mutilated bodies lying about the dark halls of the hospital. Inching forward, she is taken by a small metallic entity to a dark castle unknown to her.
Unwilling to give up her search, she continues through the dark, atmospheric corridors of this medieval hell. While attempting to find her father, she is frequently traumatized by a series of flashbacks of her mother's murder, visualizing her being continuously stabbed to death on her kitchen table. Eventually Laura reconciles with her father and is told a tale of her and her father's past. As the transformation begins, Laura has a choice: kill or be killed.
’s acclaimed console, the PlayStation
. Due to Sony’s content restrictions of what could be allowed in a video game, Kenji Eno began to get irritated with Sony, and at an E3 conference, made a move that went down in gaming history. Eno showed a preview of Enemy Zero and its advanced graphics. At the end of the clip, the PlayStation
logo appeared, but slowly transitioned into the Sega Saturn
logo.
While Eno did the music for D, Michael Nyman
was hired to create a score for Enemy zero.
Released and received with much hype in Japan at the end of 1996, E0 was released in North America and Europe in 1997 under Sega Enterprises. Receiving mediocre reviews, as did D, in 1998 it was ported by Sega to the PC nonetheless. As promotion for Enemy Zero a replica of the gun used in the game was delivered to 20 recipients by Kenji Eno himself. Due to its popularity in Japan
, Sega
sponsored the support of a few Enemy Zero items, such as the official Enemy Zero soundtrack by Michael Nyman and a strategy guide. Both were published by Smiles, Inc.
On a lower deck, a system failure in the storage bay is followed by a sudden impact of explosive force. The main computer engages its emergency program sequence, rousing the crew from their deep hibernation. Laura awakens as the nitrogen solution dissolves into mist, but the clouds of uncertainty remain in her mind. The system failure would only be activated if there was a problem.
There is something aboard the Aki other than its crew. An unseen predator, and enemy. Laura now must find a way to stop it, and to survive.
, Christmas 2000. In the skies over Canada, Laura's plane has been hijacked by terrorists. The plane is filled with screams, shouts and fear as the hijackers terrorize the passengers and crew. In one of the seats a black-robed magician gazes into a crystal, chanting the phrase "Shadow, the final destroyer". Mysterious indeed. Laura's compact begins to glow. A vision of a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth is reflected in the mirror. Suddenly the plane is struck by the same meteorite that appeared in the vision, and falls towards the frozen tundra below.
In the middle of a raging blizzard, Laura opens her eyes to find herself inside a mountain cabin. She was saved by Kimberly, one of the passengers of the wrecked plane. 10 days have passed since the crash but Laura can remember nothing, not even her name. The door of the cabin opens and one of the terrorists enters. While Kimberly and Laura stare in horror, he transforms into a hideous monster. He is not the only one. Other crash survivors and locals have mutated into terrifying monstrosities and attacked people. Is there anyway to survive this living nightmare? At present it is shrouded in mystery.
and D2. Since their roles differ in each game, information on each role is present on each game's individual page.
.
Many comparisons have been made between D2 and John Carpenter's The Thing, due to its location and similar symptoms after infection of the virus. Also, the plant-like creatures frequently encountered resemble a Thing seen near the beginning of The Thing, though they are not employed to as graphic an effect as in D2.
Video game publisher
A video game publisher is a company that publishes video games that they have either developed internally or have had developed by a video game developer....
by now-defunct WARP. Officially, the series includes 1995's D
D (video game)
is a survival horror puzzle-oriented adventure game released in 1995 by WARP. The first entry in the D series and one of the first games released by the company, it dealt with taboo content such as violence and cannibalism, featured 3D CGI full-motion video and a first-person perspective, and...
and 1999's D2, though 1996's Enemy Zero
Enemy Zero
is a 1997 video game for Sega Saturn, developed by WARP and directed by Kenji Eno. After its Saturn release, it was ported to Microsoft Windows. It was the second game to star the digital actress Laura.-Gameplay:...
is considered part of the series. Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese musical talent Kenji Eno
Kenji Eno
is a musician and video game designer based in Japan. He is best-known for his cult survival horror series, the D games and his audio game series, Real Sound.-Childhood and early years:...
directed and produced each game in the series, considered to be one of the original survival horror series. Despite low sales and largely negative reviews by critics, the series has become notable due to its controversial nature (with extreme blood and violence, and a plot that involved cannibalism
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
) and has generated a strong cult following.
Concept
As a teenager, Kenji Eno and some friends came up with the idea for a kind of game they christened "interactive cinema", which would revolutionize gaming. As Eno matured and gained programming knowledge, The 3DO CompanyThe 3DO Company
The 3DO Company , also known as 3DO , was a video game company...
caught his eye, due to its allowance of any playable software to be published, without restrictions, for the system. At the time video game violence was rare and simplistic, and due to Ds gruesome, violent story, Kenji Eno saw this as his only window of opportunity. With the use of only three Amiga
Amiga
The Amiga is a family of personal computers that was sold by Commodore in the 1980s and 1990s. The first model was launched in 1985 as a high-end home computer and became popular for its graphical, audio and multi-tasking abilities...
computers, and no prior programming experience, Eno formed WARP studios, and they were able to program then-innovative CGI visuals. Kenji Eno announced at a 3DO press conference that they would introduce the first “digital actress”, Laura into their new game. However, his plans were almost ruined when the controversy surrounding Night Trap
Night Trap
Night Trap is a video game that was released in North America on October 15, 1992 originally for the Sega Mega-CD. It was filmed over a three week period in 1987 for an unreleased game entitled "Scene of the Crime"...
established the ESRB rating system. Eno was worried that his game would receive an "M for Mature" rating, reducing the chance of strong sales. When it was announced that D would receive an "T for Teen" rating, WARP, 3DO and Eno were shocked, yet relieved. D was heavily inspired by Polarware's (later Penguin Software
Penguin Software
Penguin Software was a video game publisher from Geneva, Illinois that produced graphics software and games for the Apple II, Macintosh, IBM, Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari 8-bit, and Atari ST computers...
) Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
graphic adventure series of similar theme.
Release
Though it initially sold well in Japan, D failed to make an impact in the US, likely due to heavy censoring. The video game company AcclaimAcclaim Entertainment
Acclaim Entertainment was an American video game developer and publisher. It developed, published, marketed and distributed interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms, including Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, Saturn, Dreamcast, and Game Gear, Nintendo's NES, SNES, Nintendo...
took it upon themselves to port D over to the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
, PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
and PC. Unfortunately, the release was plagued by controversy. Parents were outraged that the ESRB allowed such a tame rating to a game that discussed such subjects as cannibalism, insanity and mass murder. Besides the rating complaints, some said the emphasis on cinematic scenes over gameplay killed what could have been a great story, claiming that WARP's "interactive cinema" was more cinema than anything else. However, some agreed that D, along with games such as Sweet Home
Sweet Home (video game)
is a survival horror role-playing video game that was released for the Famicom in 1989. It features several elements of console role-playing games. Sweet Home was developed and published by Capcom and the game was never released outside Japan...
and Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark (video game)
Alone in the Dark is a 1992 survival horror video game developed by Infogrames. The game has spawned several sequels as part of the Alone in the Dark series , and was one of the first survival horror games, after the 1989 Capcom game, Sweet Home...
, were inspiration for the hugely successful Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
series Resident Evil
Resident Evil (series)
Resident Evil, known as in Japan, is a media franchise owned by the video game company Capcom. It was created by Shinji Mikami as a survival horror game series that was initiated with the eponymous PlayStation title Resident Evil in 1996. Since then, the game series has strayed from its roots to...
, which created the survival horror genre.
After the low-key, cult success of D a series of limited editions were released. One of these was D's Diner: The Director's Cut. The director's cut featured new cinemas for the 3DO version (most scenes added were already featured in the Sega Saturn and PlayStation versions), an insert containing the game's story in detail and Kenji Eno's soundtrack.
Story
Laura Harris is in her late twenties and is a teacher at a school far from Los Angeles. Her father, Dr. Richter Harris, is director and supervisor of a local area hospital in Los Angeles. Laura's mother, Dr. Harris' wife, was violently killed long ago; she was found stabbed to death with her limbs amputated. Laura’s only keepsake from her deceased mother is a blue compact which appears in D and D2 and holds a power that can show hints of the future. As such, it is of great use and value to Laura.The story begins when Laura is away at school. She is contacted by Los Angeles police and receives a disturbing message: Her father, Dr. Richter Harris, has gone on a mass murdering spree and has now barricaded himself in the hospital. In a panic, Laura rushes to the scene of the crime, desperate to find out what has made this studious and well-respected doctor kill. Upon entering the hospital, she is instantly horrified at the scattered and grotesquely mutilated bodies lying about the dark halls of the hospital. Inching forward, she is taken by a small metallic entity to a dark castle unknown to her.
Unwilling to give up her search, she continues through the dark, atmospheric corridors of this medieval hell. While attempting to find her father, she is frequently traumatized by a series of flashbacks of her mother's murder, visualizing her being continuously stabbed to death on her kitchen table. Eventually Laura reconciles with her father and is told a tale of her and her father's past. As the transformation begins, Laura has a choice: kill or be killed.
Production
After Ds mild success, Eno had a revolutionary idea for a game: a shooter where the enemy could not be seen, and sound had to be relied on for guidance. Enemy Zero began life on SonySony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
’s acclaimed console, the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
. Due to Sony’s content restrictions of what could be allowed in a video game, Kenji Eno began to get irritated with Sony, and at an E3 conference, made a move that went down in gaming history. Eno showed a preview of Enemy Zero and its advanced graphics. At the end of the clip, the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
logo appeared, but slowly transitioned into the Sega Saturn
Sega Saturn
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console that was first released by Sega on November 22, 1994 in Japan, May 11, 1995 in North America, and July 8, 1995 in Europe...
logo.
While Eno did the music for D, Michael Nyman
Michael Nyman
Michael Laurence Nyman, CBE is an English composer of minimalist music, pianist, librettist and musicologist, known for the many film scores he wrote during his lengthy collaboration with the filmmaker Peter Greenaway, and his multi-platinum soundtrack album to Jane Campion's The Piano...
was hired to create a score for Enemy zero.
Released and received with much hype in Japan at the end of 1996, E0 was released in North America and Europe in 1997 under Sega Enterprises. Receiving mediocre reviews, as did D, in 1998 it was ported by Sega to the PC nonetheless. As promotion for Enemy Zero a replica of the gun used in the game was delivered to 20 recipients by Kenji Eno himself. Due to its popularity in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
sponsored the support of a few Enemy Zero items, such as the official Enemy Zero soundtrack by Michael Nyman and a strategy guide. Both were published by Smiles, Inc.
Story
The exploratory biocraft Aki makes its way homeward through lonely vastness, its crew sealed in the long night of cryogenic suspension. Like a great steel heart, the spacecraft hangs floating in the black space. Shipboard system registers normal, and everything is quiet. Darkness, cold, silence and time. These are the elements of the void; in space, it is all there is…On a lower deck, a system failure in the storage bay is followed by a sudden impact of explosive force. The main computer engages its emergency program sequence, rousing the crew from their deep hibernation. Laura awakens as the nitrogen solution dissolves into mist, but the clouds of uncertainty remain in her mind. The system failure would only be activated if there was a problem.
There is something aboard the Aki other than its crew. An unseen predator, and enemy. Laura now must find a way to stop it, and to survive.
Production
D2 was the first game announced for Dreamcast, after the 3DO M2 was scrapped. Eno would have to start from scratch for the new system, developing a new plot in the process. D2 was never released in PAL territories, since the D series' meager sales previous to this title gave Sega the impression that there was little profit to be made. Generally noted for its amazingly detailed and large atmosphere, D2 was the first game in the series to mix three types of games play: Third Person (for exploration), First Person (for fighting enemies) and RPG. Due to its cult popularity in Japan, a comic book was released based on the game. It told of Laura Lewis's journey, with similar story lines of that in the game. Although reviews were more favorable for this title than its successors, said reviews were mixed, and sales for D2 were little better than those of D or Enemy Zero.Story
CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Christmas 2000. In the skies over Canada, Laura's plane has been hijacked by terrorists. The plane is filled with screams, shouts and fear as the hijackers terrorize the passengers and crew. In one of the seats a black-robed magician gazes into a crystal, chanting the phrase "Shadow, the final destroyer". Mysterious indeed. Laura's compact begins to glow. A vision of a meteorite hurtling towards the Earth is reflected in the mirror. Suddenly the plane is struck by the same meteorite that appeared in the vision, and falls towards the frozen tundra below.
In the middle of a raging blizzard, Laura opens her eyes to find herself inside a mountain cabin. She was saved by Kimberly, one of the passengers of the wrecked plane. 10 days have passed since the crash but Laura can remember nothing, not even her name. The door of the cabin opens and one of the terrorists enters. While Kimberly and Laura stare in horror, he transforms into a hideous monster. He is not the only one. Other crash survivors and locals have mutated into terrifying monstrosities and attacked people. Is there anyway to survive this living nightmare? At present it is shrouded in mystery.
Recurring characters
The D series is unique in the idea that a few of its characters are "digital actors", appearing in multiple games but with different personalities, last names, and backgrounds. The "actress" Laura appears in every game, while "actors" Kimberly and Parker appear in both Enemy ZeroEnemy Zero
is a 1997 video game for Sega Saturn, developed by WARP and directed by Kenji Eno. After its Saturn release, it was ported to Microsoft Windows. It was the second game to star the digital actress Laura.-Gameplay:...
and D2. Since their roles differ in each game, information on each role is present on each game's individual page.
D series inspirations
Various game reviews often cite the D series as being a progeny of other ideas. While D has yet to be quoted as being like something else, the same cannot be said for its "sequels". Enemy Zero shares many similarities with the popular 1979 film AlienAlien (film)
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto. The film's title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly aggressive extraterrestrial creature which...
.
- The reflection of the computers speaking in binary projected onto helmets appears in the opening scenes of Enemy Zero.
- The objective in both is to carry a deadly creature back to earth for research.
- The creatures in both often take refuge in the duct systems.
- The ships both have similar structures with separate designated towers.
- Enemy Zero features an African American actor named Parker who shares a similar appearance to Parker in Alien.
Many comparisons have been made between D2 and John Carpenter's The Thing, due to its location and similar symptoms after infection of the virus. Also, the plant-like creatures frequently encountered resemble a Thing seen near the beginning of The Thing, though they are not employed to as graphic an effect as in D2.
External links
- The D series at MobyGamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- D2 M2 Webpage