Since the inception of the survival horror genre, countless unlucky heroes and heroines have been fighting off the undead and mutated in spooky mansions and isolated towns. Proving they're masters of innovation, SCEI is taking the genre where it has never gone before -- into space. Phase Paradox, the company's recently announced PlayStation 2 thriller, looks to pull players in with its impressive visuals and unique setting.

Jude wakes up from the nap he took after the explosion...

    Phase Paradox takes place aboard the starship Gallant, which is severely damaged in a freak explosion that spawns a series of mysterious events. The vessel had been heading towards planet 220 in response to a rescue mission request. Jude, a lieutenant in damage control, saw a "circle of light" just before the accident, which sent the ship out of control. When he awakens, only two members of his unit, known as DaCT, are still alive. Together, they begin searching the crippled ship for survivors.

    Along with Jude, players will be able to control two other characters: Rene, a soldier, and Ira, a lab scientist. The three characters' stories will intertwine throughout the game and their interaction will help solve the increasingly mysterious happenings onboard the Gallant. There will be ten locations to explore, including a transporter, a bridge, a Medical area, and a bio-laboratory. Of course, no horror game is complete with out enemies; the halls of the Gallant will be populated by both aliens and members of the crew given greater agility by the accident.

... And immediately hits up the espresso machine.

    The developers have been putting extra care into the game's presentation. Though the game has a futuristic feel to it, all of the environments and the articles found within them are based on objects found in today's society. Roughly four hours of cinemas will be interlaced through the game and all of the character animation was motion-captured to provide realistic movement. The movies will include voice-overs in both Japanese and English.

    Phase Paradox will hit the shelves in Japan on June 24th. No U.S. release date has been announced, but considering the game's recognizable hook and English dialogue, as well as Sony's lack of first-party presence in the states, it seems like an ideal candidate for localization.