Enemy Zero

Enemy Zero
European Sega Saturn cover art
Developer(s)Warp
Publisher(s)
Designer(s)Kenji Eno
Writer(s)Yūji Sakamoto [ja]
Composer(s)Michael Nyman
Platform(s)Sega Saturn, Microsoft Windows
ReleaseSega Saturn
  • JP: December 13, 1996
  • NA: December 1, 1997[1]
  • EU: December 5, 1997[2]
Windows
  • EU: September 18, 1998
  • NA: November 5, 1998[3]
  • JP: November 28, 1998
Genre(s)Adventure, interactive movie
Mode(s)Single player

Enemy Zero[a] is a 1996 horror-themed adventure video game for the Sega Saturn, developed by Warp and directed by Kenji Eno. Players assume the role of an astronaut who awakens from cryogenic sleep to find her spaceship overrun by invisible creatures who are hunting and killing the ship's crew. They must navigate through the ship in a combination of puzzle-driven exploration rendered in full motion video and first-person shooter sections rendered in real time, during which they must rely on sound to either avoid or kill the invisible enemies.

Enemy Zero was initially designed for Sony's PlayStation, but due to grievances with Sony, Eno announced the game would be Saturn exclusive in a dramatic press conference stunt. As support for the Saturn outside of Japan was waning at the time, finding overseas publishers for the game became an uncertain struggle, with Sega itself ultimately taking on publication of the game in both North America and Europe. Upon release the game met with a wide spectrum of responses from critics, with some finding the game slow-paced and frustratingly difficult, while others praised its innovative emphasis on sound and the unique tension resulting from the gameplay design and setting.

Despite the divisive critical response and the exclusivity to a declining platform, Enemy Zero was a modest commercial success. After its Saturn release, it was ported to Microsoft Windows. It was the second game to star the "digital actress" Laura, the first being D. Laura is voiced by Jill Cunniff of the band Luscious Jackson in the English versions and Yui Komazuka in the Japanese version.

  1. ^ "Press release: 1997-12-01: Sega's New Pistol Packin' Heroine Kicks Butt She Can't Even See in "Enemy Zero"". Sega Retro. 2023-11-15. Archived from the original on 2023-11-15. Retrieved 2023-11-15.
  2. ^ "sega-europe.online". 1998-12-02. Archived from the original on 1998-12-02. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  3. ^ Gentry, Perry (October 30, 1998). "What's in Stores Next Week (We Think)". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved December 6, 2019.


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