Set in the late 1980s, gamers take on the role of a fearless mountaineer as he climbs into the Himalayas on a quest to find his lost brother. As he ascends the mountain, he encounters an ancient curse: the souls of the people who died in that region are stuck in limbo, caught in the Shadow World. Villagers, pilgrims, mountaineers and Buddhist monks - dead but not yet reincarnated - are all that is left on the mountain. Terrible visions will disorient him, and ghosts and demons block his path. But the question remains - is his brother still alive...?

Cursed Mountain is a survival horror game, designed specifically for the Wii, in the same vein as Silent Hill and Resident Evil.

Very rarely do I get spooked by console games (I think the last time was the original Silent Hill game), but playing Cursed Mountain was a pretty nerve wracking experience. This is a game you have to play alone, in the dark, with the volume turned up. The first ghost I encountered was so unexpected that I jumped out of my skin. From that point on I was apprehensive about what was around every corner.

The game is set in the mountains region of Tibet, backlit by the desolate icy peaks of the Himalayas. You are a mountaineer who is searching for his lost brother, who went missing while on a recent expedition.

In your quest you encounter the Tibetan monks and must unlock their ancient secrets in order to help you find clues that will lead you to your lost brother. These skills allow you to unlock special powers (like being able to see things that the naked eye can't, or the ability to shift objects with your mind).

Along your route you will come across journals, letters and other objects which allow you to piece together what is going on in the region and what fate has befallen your brother.

The Wii controller and nunchuk are used to walk and look around your environment, but can also be used to perform special moves by waving the Wii controller in a certain direction.

If I had any complaints, it was probably that there is not too much opportunity to roam your environment freely. You can generally only follow one path, with all other routes being blocked. There are also a few too many "look" sections (where an icon appears on your screen asking you to press the "A" button so that you can examine something) that are pointless and lead nowhere - all they seem to do is waste your time.

Ignoring that slight moan, this is a fun game that will keep you engrossed for hours - just don't forget to have a spare pair of underpants on standby.

8

Pete Boomer