Hotel Dusk Creator Back on Nintendo DS

Cing, the makers of Hotel Dusk and Another Code, is back once again on the Nintendo DS, this time under the wing of Tecmo for the release of its new adventure Again: Eye of Providence. The mystery game is currently set for a Spring 2009 in both Japan and the US and gamers take on the role of Special Agent Jonathan Weaver, someone who has the special ability to see things in the past.

Rather than the hand-drawn, newspaper effect used in Hotel Dusk, Again uses video captured real-life models for character portrayal. As Producer Koichi Yamaguchi explained to IGN's DS channel the game is split into two main sections:

"In one you talk with NPCs and gather clues for the investigation of a series of murders that occurred 18 years ago. Yamaguchi recommended we hold the DS vertically like we would a book, and on one side appeared the characters we were talking to and on the other a selection of clues and conversation points.

"Investigation is the other portion of the game. Using the D-pad you'll move Weaver around 3D locations in the game, such as the scenes of crimes. On the right side will be the scene as it appears in the present, and on the left will be the screen as it appeared in the past. Your job is to recognize when the past and present don't match up and then investigate that area. By clicking on objects in the environment, you can trigger flashback sequences to play on the left side of the screen, giving you clues as to how to proceed."

With Hotel Dusk performing so well here in Europe, it would be extremely surprising if Tecmo did not come to some agreement, perhaps even with Nintendo, to get the game out over here as soon as possible.