D-2

D2 for Dreamcast is a survival-horror adventure from WARP, directed by Kenji Eno and built exclusively for Sega's console. First released in Japan in December 1999, it reached North America through Sega on August 22, 2000. Although its title follows Eno's earlier D, this is a self-contained story rather than a direct narrative continuation. It again casts the studio's recurring "digital actress," Laura Parton, in a new and increasingly strange nightmare that combines exploration, shooting, and light role-playing progression.

The story begins aboard a passenger jet bound over Canada at Christmas in 2000. A hijacking, an ominous ritual, and a meteor strike send the aircraft down in the frozen wilderness. Laura wakes in a mountain cabin after the crash with no memory of her identity or of the days that passed before she was found. With fellow survivor Kimberly nearby and more survivors scattered across the region, Laura sets out to understand what happened. Her search leads through snowbound mountains, isolated buildings, and a growing threat as people around the crash site transform into hostile creatures.

Much of D2 is spent moving Laura through large outdoor areas from a third-person view, while many enclosed locations change to a first-person perspective. Progress means searching routes, examining locations, speaking with characters, and following the unfolding mystery. A map and status screen track Laura's location, equipment, and clues, while a snowmobile eventually helps her cross the wintry terrain. The shift between open fields, cabins, and other interior spaces gives the game a structure distinct from the enclosed settings commonly associated with survival horror of its era.

Combat interrupts exploration with separate, stationary shooting encounters. Laura cannot run around these battle screens; instead, the player turns to face attacks from different directions, aims at targets, and fires at the right moment. Bosses demand attention to weak points, and victories award experience. As Laura gains levels, her maximum health and combat skill increase. The game also lets her hunt animals for restorative meat, record hunting results, and use an in-game camera. Photographs can be saved to the Dreamcast Visual Memory Unit, whose display can also function as a compass while travelling in the field.

D2's path to Dreamcast was unusual. WARP had first developed a very different version for Panasonic's cancelled M2 hardware, then discarded that concept and created a new game for Sega's system. The title was notably announced early in the Dreamcast's public life, making it an important part of WARP's history with the console. Its blend of cinematic storytelling, a snowy Canadian setting, first-person shooting sequences, character advancement, hunting, and Dreamcast peripheral features makes D2 a singular entry in both the D series and the Dreamcast library.