Many games nowadays ask you to work the camera yourself to get a good view of your character. Michigan asks you to get a good view of television reporters covering some really freaky horror-happenings in the title state, with suspenseful, gruesome, or occasionally erotic results. You can’t say this game from the same studio that brought us the mind-jarring Killer 7 isn’t interesting, but while importers may be intrigued they may not be entirely happy. Take it from the dedicated news team at X-Play: Michigan is screwed up in more ways than one.

Something Weird in the Neighborhood

What exactly is going on in Michigan? Well, a strange, Stephen King-like mist has crept into the area, seemingly turning people into bloody mutations with gigantic mouths capable of engulfing normal people like you and I and turning us into bloody mutations as well. There’s a lot of speech and text, but non-Japanese speakers will still be able to experience what Michigan has to offer. But do they want to?

On Camera

As a loyal but unfortunately mute employee of Zaka TV, you’re a camera man, looking through the eye of the camera as the reporter and the sound guy experience the horror and confusion of the situation while trying to deliver a decent news story. You won’t be able to use your hands, but you can kick things (although that’s pretty much limited to certain doors and your sound guy). More importantly, you can draw attention to objects in environments which you’re more or less free to roam by focusing on them (and tapping a button). Once you’ve done that, you’ll follow your reporter and watch the events unfold.

The entire game is seen from a first-person view, and at no point will your camera be replaced by a gun or on-screen fist of fury. Outside the mostly optional kick, zooming and focusing are as close as you get to an active role. If you’re a total action monkey, this may enrage you. There are certainly valid complaints. It’s hard to know if you’re focusing on the right things when you’re in life or death situations involving tough-to-see monsters. You can have a dead reporter on your hands because you couldn’t quite get the camera in the right spot. But it has to be said that giving the player a passive role turns out to be the single most interesting thing this game does. While there are some downright infuriating things about the gameplay, it's even more likely that the creepy situations the game puts you in will provoke a reaction.

Morality

Make no mistake, there’s a strong chance Michigan will offend you or make you uncomfortable. The game awards you points in three different categories: "S" for suspense, "E" for erotic, and "I" for immoral. With the weird mist, monsters, and all kinds of unexplained violence and mystery afoot, suspense points are the most natural to capture. Filming your reporter deliver her live segments, capturing dramatic off-air banter between crew members, or uncovering a corpse stuffed into a box or a ghost flickering in the background all build "S." "E" points are disgustingly easy to get if you lower yourself--literally. These basically involve the player getting a low angle to film up the reporter’s skirt, or using the camera to point out something lewd like an adult website on a computer screen. None of the "E" points stem from R-rated content, but if you do go for the four-minute up-skirt shots, telling yourself you’re only doing it to see what you’ll unlock, you’re probably going to feel pretty weird. This takes away from the suspense though, and you can’t have it both ways.

Which brings us to the "I" points, and here’s the kicker. Michigan creates situations that would make the heads of anti-game critics explode in absolute shock. At certain times, short movies are used to depict things that the game’s modest graphics can’t adequately express. During these scenes, which can get pretty vile, you can’t control the camera. You only have a yes or no option. In some scenes you can press X to help the reporter. During others, such as a young woman having her stomach ripped open by a ravenous monster, all you can do is push X to stop filming. Letting the scene run tags you with major "I" points, indicated in sickly dark-red on your point meter, and triggers a scolding sound effect, but you know the developers were daring you to see how far you would go.

You might give in to morbid curiosity and let these scenes play to their grisly end and think “How could they put this in there? This is utterly disgusting! I’m contacting my congressman!” but remember, you could have pressed the button to stop it. Well, in most cases. Michigan wants you to explore your dark side, but it might be a little too eager. Certain scenes don’t give you the option to intervene, and force you to watch helplessly as something really gruesome happens. This deals a potentially fatal blow to the game’s integrity, points out that the game uses movies because it’s in-game graphics aren’t good enough, and drives home the point that the game takes control away from you during some of the most interesting or exciting moments. 

Flaws in the Ointment

If you don’t mind games screwing with your head, and are willing to look past a few issues and flaws, or anyone who really liked Killer 7, Michigan might be worth an import. If you’re looking for a game that feels right, stay far, far away. Whatever its merits, this game has serious issues.