:Deep Fear

File:Deep Fear gameplay.jpg

Deep Fear is a survival horror video game where players take on the role of John Mayor fighting mutants that are overrunning the Big Table underwater research base. John and other characters and enemies are portrayed using 3D models, while the environments are pre-rendered and shown through fixed camera angles. John is controlled through both traditional tank controls, or with full analogue control using the Saturn's 3D Pad gamepad.{{sfn|Manual|1998|pp=20-24}} The player navigates the Big Table, completing missions by finding certain characters and mission-related items, managing ammunition and resources such as first aid kits, and fighting enemies scattered through the environment.

Combat relies on guns, with John having limited movement while his weapon is drawn. New weapons can be found at lockers scattered through the Big Table, which also allow the player to restock ammunition. John can also carry one powerful "Special" weapon at a time.{{sfn|Manual|1998|pp=54}} A key mechanic in-game is that each area in the Big Table has a limited air supply, which is depleted over time and decreases quicker with gunfire. The air supply must be recharged at Air System terminals, with different areas having different air level limits to manage.{{sfn|Manual|1998|pp=50-52}} The player must also use a breathing mask with limited air to explore underwater areas. The Air System terminals also act as save points.{{sfn|Manual|1998|pp=50-52}} The player meets a game over if John's health is depleted by enemies, John's breath runs out, or local air supply runs out.{{sfn|Manual|1998|pp=28}}

Deep Fear begins when a space capsule presumed lost for forty years crashes into the Pacific Ocean. A US Navy submarine picks up the capsule and brings it to the Big Table, an underwater research facility. Emergency Rescue Service member John Mayor, recently transferred to run safety drills and currently suffering from a cold, investigates with his submersible pilot Mookie after contact is lost with the submarine's crew, revealed to be due to crewmembers mutating into hostile monsters. Mookie picks up a survivor, who transforms after John disembarks and kills Mookie, sinking the submersible. The infection spreads onto the Big Table, mutating both the living and dead into monstrous creatures. Gena Wiseberg−who cares for a chimpanzee Anthony−discovers that Mayor's cold is preventing him from being infected. Under orders from the Big Table's controller Clancy Dawkins, the Mayor works with both other survivors and a SEAL team to contain the infection. Their efforts, and the impact of the creatures, slowly cripples the Big Table.

The rest of the Big Table's personnel, including the SEAL team, are ultimately either mutated or killed aside from Mayor, Wiseberg and Dawkins. Dawkins, unhinged by events, attempts to escape in the remaining submersible but dies to a stowaway mutant. Mayor and Wiseberg decide to use the moon capsule to reach the surface, but once there Mayor learns that Anthony was discovered on board. Wiseberg reveals that Anthony is the source of the infection, a radiation-mutated bacterium that was being used by Wiseberg and Dawkins in experiments related to deep space travel and hibernation. Mayor attempts to kill Anthony, which triggers Wiseberg's mutation into first a monstrous and then an angelic form. Mayor sets off the Big Table's self destruction sequence and uses the capsule to escape. When Anthony tries to follow, the defeated Wiseberg holds onto him, both dying when the Big Table is destroyed. Mayor, together with an uninfected dog, are rescued by the Navy.

Deep Fear was co-developed for the Sega Saturn by System Sacom and Sega CS2, later known as Overworks. The CGI graphics were created by Highwaystar, while game studio ISCO was in charge of movie production. Rieko Kodama, who had worked on multiple Sega projects, was invited to assist on the project as co-producer by Noriyoshi Ohba. Deep Fear was her return to leading game development after a period in management, and she enjoyed the experience of working with external developers and staff. System Sacom put together a team specially to design the game. Kodama described the game as a science fiction take on a "Mansion Mystery", a genre popular in Japan featuring mysteries set in a Western building. The goal was to evoke fear and horror from the environment as well as the monsters. Executive producer Youji Ishii stated the team's wish to emulate the gameplay of Resident Evil (1996), while co-director Kunihiro Shirahata cited John Carpenter's movie The Thing (1982) as inspiration for the narrative. The scenario was written by Yuzo Sugano.

The game's monsters were designed by noted artist Yasushi Nirasawa. He described the setting as "very movie-like and detailed", but had trouble with the designs due to conflicting requests for creatures that were both familiar and alien. He split the monster designs into three types; beings created through a "collage" of humans and something else, a "lost generation" second phase, and a stable and more alien design. He was dissatisfied with his final boss design, which strayed from the realistic approach taken with the other characters and monsters in favour of following developer requests. The characters were designed by Emi Konno. The music was composed and produced by Kenji Kawai. The music was kept for story sequences and boss battles, with ambient sounds dominating normal exploration and combat.

Deep Fear was published by Sega in Japan on 16 July 1998. To promote the game, Kodama and Tadashi Takezaki partnered with external PR companies to produce cinema commercials. A soundtrack album was released by Marvelous Entertainment on 17 July. The game was also released in mainland Europe on 24 July, and on 18 September in the United Kingdom. The PAL conversion was handled by ISCO. Deep Fear was the final Saturn game released in Europe. Speaking in a 2018 interview, Kodama was pleased that Deep Fear had a fan base, but felt that the game was "buried" due to its late release in the Saturn's life. A North American release was rumoured to be part of a "final batch" of Saturn titles before the release of the Dreamcast, but it ultimately went unreleased in the region.

{{Video game reviews

|Edge = 5/10

|Fam = 30/40

|GSpot = 7.8/10

|JXV = 14/20

|rev1 = Ação Games

|rev1Score = 9.5/10

|rev2 = Gamers

|rev2Score = 4/5

|rev3 = Gamer's Republic

|rev3Score = C

|rev4 = Sega Magazin

|rev4Score = 92%

|rev5 = Sega Saturn Magazine

|rev5Score = 86%

|rev6 = Sega Saturn Magazine (JP)

|rev6Score = 8.33/10

}}

Deep Fear saw positive reviews from Japanese and European publications, but English language reviews were more mixed. Reviewers frequently compared the game to Resident Evil, with some reviewers calling Deep Fear a poor imitator.

Japanese magazine Famitsu highlighted the tension created by the enclosed corridor environments, though one reviewer found controlling Mayor difficult. Sega Saturn Magazine (JP) likewise praised the tension created by the environments. GameSpot{{'s}} James Mielke found the oxygen mechanic and underwater setting a refreshing take on the survival horror formula of the time. Edge appreciated the plot-driven progression, but disliked the lack of tension and felt the gameplay was hampered by the game's other issues. Jeuxvideo.com noted the ideas behind the game, but felt it was let down by poor level design and minor bugs. Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) enjoyed the gameplay for its challenge, but faulted its linear design and low replayability. Gamer's Republic faulted the gameplay for lacking originality in the genre.

Edge described the game as having "wooden FMVs and atrocious dialogue", while by contrast Sega Saturn Magazine (UK) lauded the graphics despite noting poor character animation. Gamer's Republic noted the storyline and setting as "unique" compared to the rest of the game. The voice acting was generally panned, with the exception of Mielke who called it better than the first two Resident Evil games. The music and ambient sound design met with praise when mentioned.

Bob Mackey, as part of a feature for 1UP.com on Resident Evil "rip-offs", gave praise to the use of air supply to add tension to the genre formula, and faulted Sega's decision not to publish in North America. As part of a feature for Retro Gamer on gaming in August 1998, Richard Burton positively noted the game's design, noting the use of audio when creating tension and that comparisons to Resident Evil were inevitable.

• List of underwater science fiction works

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|refs=

{{cite magazine|author=Nutter, Lee|title=Showcase: Deep Fear - The Poseidon Adventure|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine|publisher=EMAP|issue=35|date=August 1998|pages=40–45}}

{{cite video game|title=Deep Fear|developer=Sega CS2|publisher=Sega|platform=Sega Saturn|date=24 July 1998|scene=Credits}}

{{cite magazine|script-title=ja:ディープフィアー|trans-title=Deep Fear|date=15 May 1998|magazine=Saturn Fan|volume=1997 |issue=5|page=27|publisher=Tokuma Shoten|language=ja}}

{{cite book|chapter=Interview: Youji Ishii|pages=270–284|date=February 2018|title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers|volume=3|author=Szczepaniak, John|publisher=SMG Szczepaniak}}

{{cite web|url=http://hws.co.jp/jisseki_consumer.html|script-title=ja:会社概要|trans-title=Company Profile|language=ja|publisher=Highwaystar|access-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010424014612/http://hws.co.jp/jisseki_consumer.html|archive-date=24 April 2001|url-status=dead}}

{{cite book|script-title=ja:NIRAGRAM 韮沢靖作品集 ニラグラム|trans-title=Yasushi Nirasawa Works Niragram|publisher=Media Factory|isbn=978-4889916850|year=1998|page=25}}

{{cite magazine | date=15 May 1998| script-title=ja:Deep Fear|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine |volume=16| publisher=SoftBank Creative| language=ja|pages=46–51}}

{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201904/11173828.html|script-title=ja:GDC アワード パイオニア賞受賞記念インタビュー、セガゲームス 小玉理恵子氏がゲーム開発に刻んだ足跡を振り返る|trans-title=GDC Awards Pioneer Award Commemorative Interview, SEGA Games Rieko Kodama looks back on her footsteps in game development|language=ja|magazine=Famitsu|date=11 April 2019|access-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412165953/https://www.famitsu.com/news/201904/11173828.html|archive-date=12 April 2019|url-status=live}}

{{cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/news/201810/22165809.html|script-title=ja:移植希望アンケートの影響は!? セガゲームス“SEGA AGES”の開発陣に今後の展望を聞くロングインタビュー|trans-title=What is the impact of the port request survey!? A long interview with the development team of Sega Games “SEGA AGES” about the future|language=ja|magazine=Famitsu|date=22 October 2018|access-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181022155909/https://www.famitsu.com/news/201810/22165809.html|archive-date=22 October 2018|url-status=live}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.isco-inc.co.jp/Web_izen/game_saturn.htm|script-title=ja:Game Development - Sega Saturn|language=ja|publisher=ISCO|access-date=8 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130226152152/http://www.isco-inc.co.jp/Web_izen/game_saturn.htm|archive-date=26 February 2013|url-status=dead}}

{{cite web|url=https://sega.jp/history/hard/segasaturn/software.html|script-title=ja:セガサターン専用CD-ROM（セガ発売）|trans-title=CD-ROM for Sega Saturn (published by Sega)|language=ja|publisher=Sega|access-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304081325/https://sega.jp/history/hard/segasaturn/software.html|archive-date=4 March 2020|url-status=dead}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.sega.co.jp/sega/saturn/main/news/9189.html|script-title=ja:新作タイトル紹介 - Deep Fear|trans-title=New title introduction - Deep Fear|language=ja|publisher=Sega|access-date=19 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990427213707/http://www.sega.co.jp/sega/saturn/main/news/9189.html|archive-date=27 April 1999|url-status=dead}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.sega-europe.com/saturn/satinfo.html|title=Saturn Info|publisher=Sega|access-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981202140918/http://www.sega-europe.com/saturn/satinfo.html|archive-date=2 December 1998|url-status=dead}}

{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_202_1998-09_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n39/mode/1up|title=Checkpoint|magazine=Computer and Video Games|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=202|date=12 August 1998|page=40}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/07/01/dreamcast-to-enter-the-baroque-period|title=Dreamcast to Enter the Baroque Period?|website=IGN|date=1 July 1999|access-date=16 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414110247/https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/07/01/dreamcast-to-enter-the-baroque-period|archive-date=14 April 2023|url-status=live}}

{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=14708|title=ディープ フィアー [セガサターン] |trans-title=Deep Fear (Sega Saturn)|magazine=Famitsu|access-date=12 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112082338/https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=14708|archive-date=12 November 2018|url-status=dead}}

{{cite web|url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00013267-deep-fear-test.htm|title=Test - Deep Fear|language=FR|website=Jeuxvideo.com|date=14 August 2010|access-date=18 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823062044/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00013267-deep-fear-test.htm|archive-date=23 August 2010|url-status=live}}

{{cite magazine|url=https://archive.org/details/Official_Sega_Saturn_Magazine_036/page/n65/mode/2up|title=Review: Deep Fear|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine|publisher=EMAP|issue=36|date=September 1998|pages=66–69}}

{{Cite magazine|date=November 1998|title=Review: Deep Fear|magazine=Sega Magazin|language=DE|location=Germany|issue=60|pages=18–19}}

{{Cite magazine|last=Martinez|first=Humberto|date=September 1998|title=Acao/Saturno: Deep Fear|trans-title=Action/Saturn: Deep Fear

|magazine=Ação Games|language=PT|location=Brazil|issue=131|page=52|publisher=Abril Jovern}}

{{Cite magazine|date=1998|title=Saturn: Deep Fear|magazine=Gamers|language=PT|publisher=Editora Escala|issue=33|page=26}}

{{cite magazine|script-title=ja:Sega Saturn Soft Review - ディープフィアー|date=10 July 1998|magazine=Sega Saturn Magazine|issue=106|page=205|publisher=SoftBank Publishing|language=ja}}

{{cite magazine|title=Testscreen - Deep Fear|magazine=Edge|publisher=Future plc|issue=62|date=11 August 1998|page=94}}

{{cite magazine|title=World Republic: Deep Fear|magazine=Gamers' Republic|publisher=Millennium Publications|issue=5|date=15 September 1998|page=100}}

{{cite web|author=Mielke, James |date=25 August 1998 |title=Deep Fear (Import) Review |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/deep-fear-import-review/1900-2533885/ |website=GameSpot |access-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103193213/http://www.gamespot.com/deep-fear/reviews/deep-fear-import-review-2533885/ |archive-date=3 November 2012 }}

{{cite web|url=http://www.1up.com/features/biggest-resident-evil-rip-offs.html|title=The Five Biggest Resident Evil Rip-offs|author=Mackey, Bob|website=1UP.com|date=7 October 2012|access-date=24 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616113245/http://www.1up.com/features/biggest-resident-evil-rip-offs.html|archive-date=16 June 2017|url-status=dead}}

{{cite magazine|author=Burton, Richard|title=Back To The 90s: The Latest Gaming News from August 1996|magazine=Retro Gamer|publisher=Future Publishing|issue=145|date=10 September 2016|page=17}}

{{cite web |title=Deep Fear |url=https://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games90/deep-fear/ |website=Retro Gamer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220105062756/https://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games90/deep-fear/ |archive-date=5 January 2022 |date=May 9, 2009 |access-date=11 May 2024 |url-status=live }}

}}

• {{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/Deep_Fear_1998_E_6L/mode/2up|title=Deep Fear European instruction manual|publisher=Sega|date=24 July 1998|ref={{harvid|Manual|1998}}}}

• {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/19990427213707/http://www.sega.co.jp/sega/saturn/main/news/9189.html}} (Archived 1999)
• {{moby game|id=/deep-fear|name=Deep Fear}}

Category:1998 video games

Category:1990s horror video games

Category:Naval video games

Category:Sega video games

Category:Sega Saturn games

Category:Sega Saturn-only games

Category:Single-player video games

Category:Survival horror video games

Category:Video games scored by Kenji Kawai

Category:Video games set in Guam

Category:Video games set underwater

Category:Video games developed in Japan

Category:System Sacom games

Category:Video games with pre-rendered 3D graphics