Mystery counter found on Japanese PlayStation site

by Nick Doerr { Apr 15th 2008 at 10:30PM }

It's tough to discern what to make of the countdown found on the Japanese PlayStation site today. If you account for time zone differences, it's obviously aimed at Thursday's Store update. The background voices are in English. There is a lot of noise, mostly thunder and rain. The website itself has a ripple effect like rain. Could we be seeing a video for Heavy Rain surface on Thursday? Or is this something entirely different? Who knows, but that's our two cents. Anyone else have an idea?

[Thanks to everyone that sent this in!]

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

RazLeboL @ Apr 15th 2008 10:35PM

Or Siren as Kotaku suggested.

Laruku @ Apr 16th 2008 3:10AM

it's confirmed... famicom has spoiled sony's surprise... siren 3 (new translation)... release date = 7/24 in japan... it seems like a follow up on siren 1... from different perspective (foreigners??)... that kinda justifies why the voices on the website are in english...
here is the link... enjoy!!...^_^
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/584/viploader623729ez8.jpg

John Benoit @ Apr 15th 2008 10:51PM

I was going ta accept Kotaku's explanation of a new Siren game, but it would be great to finally hear more about Heavy Rain...

Jason B. @ Apr 15th 2008 10:57PM

Siren was released with Japanese dialogue. There would be no reason to have English speaking people on the Japanese site.

Popfrogs @ Apr 15th 2008 11:02PM

I think Kotaku nailed it. http://www.us.playstation.com/PS2/Games/Siren/OGS/ has rain noises in the background, lots of red, strange symbols, etc. Plus they make you check your age when you enter the site. The Japanese site here has some uh, adult language if you listen to it for a minute.

DomoBraden @ Apr 15th 2008 11:15PM

My money is on this being related to Heavy Rain, though a new Siren game seems logical also.

Haiddasalami @ Apr 15th 2008 11:21PM

Quantic Dream is not Japanese. Its Siren...

DomoBraden @ Apr 15th 2008 11:27PM

Siren wouldn't have English voice acting on a Japanese site. It's Heavy Rain. :P

Haiddasalami @ Apr 15th 2008 11:58PM

If you hear some of the voice rumbles, you can hear japanese. Anyways guess we wont know till that countdown is done

SSG @ Apr 15th 2008 11:27PM

I think it's HOME. It has to be.

DomoBraden @ Apr 15th 2008 11:29PM

That'd be effing sweet if somehow you were right. *votes ^*

Flame @ Apr 15th 2008 11:31PM

Yes Home or otherwise an ad for in-game XMB.

Desi_D @ Apr 15th 2008 11:29PM

It says Siren on there, what's the "mystery"? Maybe it wasn't there few minutes ago but it's there now.

RazLeboL @ Apr 15th 2008 11:42PM

Where? I don't see it..

playcrackthesky @ Apr 15th 2008 11:31PM

Right, its home. Like that would make alot of sense.

Im hoping for anything from ICO. Anyway, looks like Siren 3 is the go. But its not like that needed a countdown...right?

bs6268d @ Apr 15th 2008 11:33PM

I love new ps3 games yes another exclusive

Desi_D @ Apr 15th 2008 11:54PM

Maybe it was random. Last time I visited the site it flashed "Siren" for a second and had two links to the right of of the count down. Now it just repeats the audio. I wish I had taken a screenshot.

Tom @ Apr 16th 2008 12:01AM

I have a little proof that is is another siren go to this vidoe on you tube http://youtube.com/watch?v=0eoUiVAR6TY Pause it right away Under the name in the little print is a counter that is exactly like the one on the web site.

teranoid @ Apr 16th 2008 12:46AM

Siren.

The right side of the screen has the "SA" japanese hiragana on it

in japan it is sairen (さいれん）

Nick Doerr @ Apr 16th 2008 12:59AM

Now that I think about it (and playing the original Siren again to see if I can find any connection), I'm going to have to agree.

The static noise is the -exact- same as from the game and as other of you have pointed out with hiragana and other things, it's basically confirmed as Siren 3.

Too bad the second one never escaped Japan. Since there are already English voices, maybe chances are higher we'll see this one land in other territories.

Consolcwby @ Apr 16th 2008 1:02AM

Siren's website has a brief write-up: Siren puts the player into an alternate reality where horror lurks around every corner. Set in a fictional Japanese village, a terrible force slowly turns the civilians into vile creatures that are looking to destroy you. Ten survivors are trapped in this nightmare, and it's up to you to safely lead them out, one by one. Not every character has a weapon, so you must rely on your ability to see through the eyes of friends and foes around you. As you avoid zombies, you'll unravel the truth behind the mysterious force.

Unfortunately, it looks like another PS2 game. =S

Dragis @ Apr 16th 2008 1:20AM

Yup, that's definitely the "sa" character, however it's very odd that Siren would be spelled out in hiragana, as it's not a nattive word so katakana should be used.

However yes, siren in Japanese would be spelled something like "Sa-i-ren" in romanji.

stargateheaven @ Apr 16th 2008 9:57AM

Although those are the official rules of the language, you can do anything you want with it, although it's "wrong", you can still read it.

It's only the "SA" anyway, which would confuse Japanese people even more.

Also, it's "Romaji", not "Romanji"..

Phil0926 @ Apr 16th 2008 2:34AM

Iam i the only one on this entire site that hasnt seen the Video for Heavy Rain that was on the Aegia Phys X site almost 3 1/2 years ago its still there

http://www.ageia.com/physx/videos.html

its been here for a very long time before i even really even thought about the PS3