The Ghost Diplomat

One of the first things I did when I received my PS2 was to look over the list of available games on Sony's website, and write down any game that even sounded interesting. I've tried this with my other consoles in the past and sometimes it doesn't work, and sometimes it does. I'm not very far yet, but I think Echo Night Beyond is going to be one that works.

You have journeyed to a base on the Moon with your fiance, Claudia. The shuttle crashed, and you wake up in the shuttle (in your space suit), with your lady missing, and the words 'Go to the facility' scrawled on the back of the seat in front of you. Your lady also left her "promise ring" behind. You head towards the exits, and quickly run into a ghost, sitting on the floor, lost, confused, wanting his flask. You find it, give it to him, he drinks, and vanishes.

From what I can see, that's what the game will consist of, you trying to help ghosts find peace as you try to find your beloved. 'Course, it can't always be easy. There's a fog that permeates certain sectors of the base, and ghosts you encounter there won't be friendly. They'll attack, whether because they're angry or because they can't communicate what they want, I don't know. Either way, until you remove that fog, you aren't going to be able to help them, because their presence causes your heart rate to go bonkers, and if you don't change things*, your heart rate keeps climbing until it gives out. One upshot is there are monitor rooms throughout the complex, which you can use to scope out areas ahead of time. Also, the camera will pick up green imprints that are invisible to the naked eye, and if you zoom in, it triggers some spectral flashback.

There's also an android wandering the complex, and as you help ghosts, he paints their picture on the walls of his room. Why? He doesn't know, and neither do I. Personally, I think I'm heading to a Sixth Sense twist ending. I found a monthly report log, and the last report comes from 2040, 4 ago. If things had gone to hell like this 4 years ago, why would they have waited so long to send people? Actually, there's no evidence my character had any idea something was wrong, because he and Claudia were heading there to be married on the Moon (at least, that's what the instruction booklet says)**. Also, when you first meet the android, he knows you, but that's it's been quite awhile since you've been around. Yet the character doesn't act as though he knows the android***.

I figure we were headed to the Moon in 2040 when it all went bad, we died, and my character will realize this when he finds his wife's ghost and presents the promise ring to her, helping her find peace, and doing so will provide him with the peace that lets them move on together. I guess we'll see if I'm right.

* You can flee the room, clear the fog so the ghost calms down, or take a sedative, if you have one.

** They must be rich if they can afford to fly to the Moon just to get hitched.

** To the extent you can tell. If there's a way to get air in the complex, I haven't found it, so I'm still wearing my suit, and you can't see my face through the visor.