The year is 2029. The date is Christmas Eve. At the grand opening of the Japan Space Station Hotel, a horde of creatures bursts into the hotel and they start killing everyone. You manage to escape, but you are trapped inside a security room with no chance of getting out. Your only hope lies in Rio, a lone woman, whom you guide by talking to her. Guide her well, and she may be able to rescue you. Rely on her, for she is your one and only life line.
Lifeline is the first game on the PlayStation 2 that is entirely voice controlled. You do not directly control Rio. Instead, you speak to her and tell her what to do. If you want her to open the bathroom door, tell her to open the bathroom door. If there is a keycard laying on the table, tell her to pick it up. If a monster is closing in that she can't shoot, tell her to run away. You explore the entire Space Station Hotel, from the kitchen to maintenance to bedrooms to bathrooms, finding items and encountering a slew of different enemies.
The game recognizes over two thousand words and phrases. Commands generally consists of a noun and a verb, but many of those can be combined into a single command (e.g. reload, shoot, retreat). Rio can also be ordered to target specific parts of enemies to exploit their weaknesses and players can also change the attack order in a similar fashion.
A headset is required to play the game, from a game bundle, a third-party headset, or any headset compatible with USB.