| Hotel Dusk: Room 215 | |
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| Developer(s) | Cing |
| Publisher(s) | Nintendo |
| Released | NA January 22, 2007 JP January 25, 2007 AU February 22, 2007 EU April 23, 2007 |
| Genre | Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Ratings | ESRB: Teen CERO: A OFLC: PG |
| Platform(s) | Nintendo DS |
| Media | Nintendo DS Game Card |
| Input methods | D-Pad, buttons, touchscreen, built-in microphone |
Hotel Dusk: Room 215, released in Japan as Wish Room Tenshi no Kioku (ウィッシュルーム 天使の記憶 Wisshu Rūmu Tenshi no Kioku?, lit. "Wish Room: Angel's Memory"), is a graphic adventure game for the Nintendo DS. Originally announced on October 5, 2005 as Wish Room,[1] the game made its first public appearance on May 9, 2006 at that year's E3 convention.[2] It was released in North America on January 22, 2007, before being released subsequently in other regions. The game supports the Nintendo DS Rumble Pak accessory. The game takes place in the fictional Hotel Dusk, a small, somewhat rundown hotel located in the southwestern United States near Los Angeles, California during the year 1979. The game's protagonist is Kyle Hyde, a former member of the New York Police Department searching for his old partner, Brian Bradley. During his stay at the hotel, Kyle unravels a mystery shrouded in the hotel's past that may lead him to the answers he's looking for.
Contents |
Gameplay
The player, as Kyle Hyde, moves around and interacts with the environment using the DS's touch screen and must solve a variety of puzzles using the handheld's various features including the touch screen, microphone, and closable cover. The DS is held rotated 90 degrees from normal, like a book, with an option in the game to allow the player to switch which side the touchpad is on depending on which hand is dominant. Throughout the game, the player must speak with the various hotel patrons and employees in order to uncover vital information. The player can show the characters items that Kyle has collected, or ask questions that have been brought to Kyle's attention. By asking the right questions, Kyle will uncover the information he needs. If he asks the wrong question, makes a wrong assumption, or shows the wrong item, he may confuse or anger the person. This is usually indicated by a darkening of the character in question. This can result in Kyle being forced to retreat to his room or getting kicked out of the hotel, leaving him unable to solve the mystery. The game is filled with puzzles. Most of them involve using the touch screen. Movement is made by leading an iconic representation of Kyle around a map of the hotel on the touch screen while a first-person three dimensional view is shown on the other screen.
Story
Past
Robert Evans and Dunning Smith were friends at college, but went their separate ways. Evans inherited his family's art gallery, while Dunning wanted to become a professional painter. Both married and each had a daughter, Jenny and Mila. In 1960, they reunited in an airport, after both of their wives died in a tragic plane crash. A year later, Evans came up with the idea of "Osterzone", a dead painter whose works would be highly valued. Evans deeply admired Dunning’s skill at painting, and offered him to paint works to be credited as Osterzone’s, to which he agreed. While Dunning painted, Evans displayed the works in his art gallery. He also wrote a fake biography of Osterzone's life, how he died, and how the lost paintings of his were found. The scam was successful, the paintings sold for fortunes, and Evans and Dunning became rich. Osterzone's paintings became highly valued, particularly one called "Angel Opening a Door". As time went on, Dunning began to feel unsatisfied with being a ghost-painter and wanted to stop painting as Osterzone. Unfortunately, Evans' art dealings had attracted crime syndicates, including one called "Nile". In 1969, Evans bought Hotel Dusk with the intent to use it as a meeting ground for Nile, and as a location where Dunning could secretly paint. One day, Dunning had been invited to Hotel Dusk. Jenny, Dunning’s daughter, was brought along and was left to play with Mila, Evan’s daughter, unsupervised in another room. While discussing with Evans, Dunning refused to continue painting, and as a result, a Nile agent kidnapped Jenny. Mila was frightened and tried to stop him, but was lifted and rendered unconscious into a coma. When they came back, Mila was unconscious on the floor and Jenny was missing. Evans transported Mila to Robbins Memorial Hospital and came back to the hotel the following morning. He told Dunning that if he wanted Jenny back, he would have to continue painting as Osterzone. In the meantime, Evans continued to visit Mila at the hospital once a month without fail. After becoming too involved with Nile, Evans was forced to close down the art gallery and sold Hotel Dusk to Dunning. After three years of painting, Dunning decided to quit after losing hopes of retrieving Jenny. Dunning received a letter written by Evans, promising Jenny would be returned if he would be patient and wait at Hotel Dusk. Dunning reopened Hotel Dusk in 1974, after hiding all evidence of Osterzone and Nile. Rumors about Jenny being stolen at the hotel began to surface, which resulted in Dunning making up a story about Room 215 being able to grant wishes to attract customers.
Present
Three years prior to the present in New York, N.Y.P.D's Kyle Hyde and partner, Brian Bradley, were investigating Nile in Manhattan. During that time, Bradley came across a man named Norman, whom he later learned was Robert Evans. Evans told him that Nile were holding his younger sister hostage (who was also named Mila), and if he didn’t leak confidential police information about Nile, Mila would be killed. Bradley, worried for his sister's safety, leaked the information and in turn, discovered the truth of Nile, Osterzone, and Jenny’s kidnapping. Feeling sympathy for Dunning, Bradley stole "Angel Opening a Door" in a warehouse run by Nile. Bradley did his part of the deal, but when he went to check on Mila, she was found dead at the hands of Robert Evans. Kyle, working at the police station, receives a phone call and learns about Bradley's treachery and turn against the police force. Because of the shock and confusion, Kyle confronts Bradley at the docks along the Hudson River and fires his gun at him. Bradley falls into the river and disappears, and Kyle presumes that he had been killed. Kyle leaves the force after shooting Bradley, and becomes a salesman for the Red Crown company. Bradley, however, managed to survive and six months prior to the present, found his way to Hotel Dusk. He meets Dunning for the first time, and explains to him that he knows about Evans, Nile, and Osterzone. Dunning, who didn’t trust Bradley, lied to him and told him he didn’t know what he was talking about. Knowing that Kyle would likely follow him, Bradley checked in under Kyle's name and left several clues. He also returned "Angel Opening a Door" back to Dunning. After his stay at Hotel Dusk, Bradley decided to visit Mila at the hospital, as she reminded him of his younger sister who shared the same name. Bradley gives her a bracelet that used to belong to his sister’s, which reads “Mila” on it. Shortly after this, Mila comes out of her coma, 10 years older, being mute and unable to speak. After waiting 6 months at the hospital for her father’s arrival, Mila decides to find him herself, but her only clue is an old Hotel Dusk brochure (which had been left by Bradley during his visit). While walking along the highway to Hotel Dusk, Kyle passes by her in his car and they catch a short glimpse of each other. She arrives at Hotel Dusk shortly after Kyle checks in, and this is where the story begins.
Reception
As of January 4th, 2008, Hotel Dusk has garnered a review score ratio of 80% at Game Rankings, and a 78% on Metacritic.[3] Most major review sources gave it high marks, including IGN (7.9/10), GameSpot (8.2/10), Electronic Gaming Monthly (8.67/10), and 1Up.com (8/10).[3] The positive critical reception commonly references the game's storyline and well-written character dialogue. Carolyn Gudmundson of Games Radar notes that the "...game is so well-written, and the dialogue is so natural, that it feels more like interacting with real people at times than following prompts in a game."[4] Alex Navarro of GameSpot notes that "...the characters that populate the hotel aren't just half-written caricatures, strictly designed to move the plot forward. These people have layers to them--legitimate character depth that shines through with each passing conversation."[5] The game was also selected as one of Gaming Target's "52 Games We'll Still Be Playing From 2007."[6]
References
- ^ Anoop Gantayat (2005). Nintendo Announces New DS Games. IGN. Retrieved on January 26, 2007.
- ^ Guy Cocker (2006). E3 06: Nintendo tips handheld hand. GameSpot. Retrieved on January 26, 2007.
- ^ a b Hotel Dusk: Room 215 Reviews. Game Rankings. Retrieved on February 1, 2007.
- ^ Carolyne Gudmundson (2007). The mystery of Hotel Dusk is rich and many layered. Games Radar. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
- ^ Alex Navarro (2007). Hotel Dusk: Room 215 for DS Review. GameSpot. Retrieved on January 27, 2007.
- ^ 52 Games We'll Still Be Playing From 2007. Gaming Target.
