Bloody-Disgusting is in full force checking out the multitude of horror releases at the E3 Expo in Los Angeles. Today we got an early look at Ju-On: The Grudge, which will release this October exclusively for Nintendo Wii. X-Seed rep Jimmy Soga previewed the game today for BD and gave us a little background on what the game is all about. Head beyond the break for the exclusive interview and report.

Described as a “Haunted House Simulator,” the game is based on the themes of the movies from Takashi Shimuzu, although it is not based on any particular film. Shimuzu has been very involved in the game’s development, serving as a consultant and general overseer.

“It’s not, per se, the game version of the movie,” says Soga. “The curse is there and it’s attacking this other family.” The opening scenes of the game are live film footage shot in the house from the original Japanese film.

Control-wise, the gameplay takes advantage of the Wii control system. It’s super simple,” says Soga. “You just use the Wii remote as a flashlight and you just wander around using the “B” button to move forward.” Since the flashlight is the basis of the control scheme, the entire game takes place at night and in dark areas. The battery in your flashlight has a meter and when it runs out, you’re a goner.

Your job as the player is to survive the curse and get the hell away from it. “It’s not a chainsaw, shotgun-using haunted house-type thing. It’s a haunted house simulator. It’s like going to a theme park Halloween horror night. You cannot fight them. Just like in the movie, it’s not something you can swing a bat at and knock down. It’s all about trying to figure out what’s going on, run away and survive.”

Areas for players to explore include an abandoned warehouse, a dimly-lit hospital and a fashion design studio filled with creepy mannequins. The total gameplay equals about ten hours, assuming you manage to survive the curse’s attacks and limit your amount of, well, dying.

The game looks and feels like you’ve stepped into the world from the movies. The graphics look sharp and clean, especially in light of the Wii’s graphical limitations.

In terms of Shimuzu’s involvement, he is officially working as a consultant, although his influence is felt on many aspects of the project. The games designers are defaulting to the series creator to make sure the game maintains the feel and tone of the movies. “[Shimizu] gives every kind of tip on the curse, the ghosts, how they move, appear and should look.”

“There’s a lot of jump scares,” admit Soga. “But Shimuzu wanted to emphasize that he didn’t want to make it like a real haunted house with just things popping out left and right. He really wanted that eerie, ‘I don’t want to be in this situation’ kind of fear. At the end, depending on how well you’ve performed, it will tell you how wussy you are and it will say something like, ‘Okay, you’re a coward that runs around with a chicken heart,’ or something like that. It tells you what kind of player you are and it pretty much mocks you.”

Although hardcore gamers may also enjoy the Ju-On experience, X-Seed is aiming the title more at horror fans and fans of the movies. “It’s more for the casual gamer who want to play a game and enjoy a little scare-fest at their house.”

We’ll have more from the E3 convention later including a look at two highly anticipated titles from Konami, Saw and the new Silent Hill re-imagining for Wii.