As a newcomer into the survival-horror genre of gaming, I was particularly excited to hear about Siren being reborn for the Playstation 3.  My giddyness escalated even more when I found out it would be released via episodic format via the Playstation Store.

When the original Siren came out for Playstation 2, it was welcomed with mixed reviews.  The game went on to prove that a lukewarm reception does not always equate to failure, though. As is the norm with many survival-horror games, Siren grew to become a cult classic. What it failed to deliver in gameplay, it made up for with a compelling story as well as a memorable environment.

Siren: New Translation is true to the title it was given. It isn't so much a remake as it is a retread. While the game takes place in the same area and follows roughly the same concept as the original, it introduces new characters as well as a few different elements in terms of storytelling and the inevitable improvement in graphics. 

Each episode contains an opening and finishing sequence, but they still all tie in in one form or another. The plot revolves around an American TV crew visiting a suspicious town in Japan, which provides a fair amount of different characters and perspectives for the player to enjoy.

Siren: New Translation, a retread, is ironically taking a very futuristic approach to getting itself into the hands of gamers. Rather than creating a tangible product for people to purchase, it is coming out in the increasingly-popular episodic format; a form that I personally find to be fresh and exciting.

PS3 owners, no more complaining about the lack of survival-horror for the system. While Siren is only one game, it's recognizable success will surely pave the way for developers to begin work on more titles within the genre.

Links: Siren: New Translation Trailer