D no Shokutaku 2

Description

D no Shokutaku 2 (lit: D’s Dining Table 2) follows Laura Parton after terrorists hijack her aircraft and a meteor strikes it above northern Canada. She awakens in an isolated cabin with fellow survivor Kimberly Fox, unable to account for eight days following the crash, as other passengers begin transforming into plant-like creatures. The mystery expands from personal survival into an apocalyptic struggle involving infection, religious symbolism, and a destructive force carried to Earth by the meteor. Though marketed as a sequel to the original D, it shares little beyond its protagonist, Laura, who returns as a “digital actress” in a completely new narrative.

The long cinematic sequences move between horror, melodrama, philosophical reflection, and deliberate absurdity, giving the frozen landscape an atmosphere unlike any other Dreamcast release. Laura crosses the snow from a third-person perspective, travelling between cabins and facilities while random encounters interrupt exploration with stationary first-person gun battles. Face-button prompts turn her towards attacking creatures, the analogue stick controls her aim, and defeated enemies provide experience that raises her maximum health. Her submachine gun has unlimited ammunition, while a hunting rifle kills animals whose meat can restore health. Interior investigation uses fixed first-person viewpoints and contextual movement, shifting the pace towards observation and object interaction. Laura also carries a camera, with photographs stored on the VMU for later viewing, while the adventure’s extensive cinematics account for a substantial part of its running time.

Development initially began for Panasonic’s cancelled 3DO M2 hardware under an entirely different concept, reportedly reaching substantial completion before Kenji Eno abandoned that version and rebuilt the project for Dreamcast. It also follows Enemy Zero in its use of Laura as a recurring digital actress rather than a continuously written character. Compared with Resident Evil Code: Veronica, it is less mechanically disciplined but more formally unpredictable, switching genres whenever the story demands another mode of interaction.

Contemporary reception was mixed, with critics praising the story, atmosphere, music, visual direction, and audacious genre changes while criticising repetitive snowfield travel, unavoidable damage, sensitive aiming, random battles, and long stretches with little meaningful player control. While its narrative can be compelling, the experimental approach to gameplay is more weakness than depth. Its reputation is now stronger among cult horror collectors than it was among action players at release.