The House Of The Dead: Overkill Review
By Schrekdog + Wrecker
The House Of The Dead is a classic Sega arcade game; most people remember it because of the curtain attached around it to shield younger eyes from scenes of animated gore. It was famous for its cheap thrills, cheesy dialog and good, clean zombie killing action. Last year's release of “HOTD 2 & 3 Return” on Wii provided some nostalgic novelty, but overall really showed just how dated the series had become. Until now. The House Of The Dead: Overkill is just that. Overkill. Prepare to be shocked (and amused!).
Sega & Headstrong games have created what might be the most controversial game for Wii this year (pending the release of MadWorld). It's bloody, it’s violent, it’s crude and contains enough swearing to make Gordon Ramsay sound like Mother Teresa… it’s awesome!
The atmosphere in the game is really well done. If you are familiar with Quentin Tarantino’s films then you will instantly see a resemblance to his “Grindhouse” double feature, Kill Bill and even a touch of Pulp Fiction (the ice cream truck scene). The whole game has a retro film filter applied complete with scratches and stains on the screen, there is a overdramatic voice over that sets each scene and the character acting is top notch.
This is the first House Of The Dead game to be developed by Headstrong games and they have taken the series into a bold new direction. The game is actually set before the first HOTD game. We join the action with the rookie Special Agent “G” on his first assignment and Detective Isaac Washington who is hunting for “Papa Caesar,” who killed his father. Right from the start this game gets to the point; if the strip style opening credits don’t shock you then you will be blown away by the first line spouted by Washington. The over the top one liners are actually quite funny provided you don’t offend easily.
The game itself is simple. This is a rail shooter, a game where you don't control the movement of your character(s) but instead you get to concentrate on shooting things! You will need to point, shoot and reload until you either finish the level or die. It’s simple but addictive and the out of control story ensures you will be amused (and shocked) along the way; you will find yourself wanting to know how on earth this sordid tale ends. It’s like you are disgusted and amused and at the same time just can’t stop playing it.
The game has a story mode that you can complete with either one or two players. Two players are recommended so you can really have a laugh and continue to ask each other if you really just heard/saw that. The story mode is split into seven episodes that are presented like individual “Grindhouse” style features including “Papa’s Palace of Pain”, “Ballistic Trauma” and “Scream Train”. Each episode will unleash the next part of the crazy story with loads of throwaway one liners and heaps of zombie killing fun. In the tradition of the other HOTD games, the episode gets progressively difficult as you are move through it and will end with a boss battle that can be completed once you find the boss’s “hidden” weakness. Look out for the excellent “Screamer” mutant boss chick. The levels are well designed and each has their own unique theme. Once you have completed story mode you will get access to the extended “Director’s Cut” version of the game which has more scenes and is more difficult.
During each level you will be able to earn points for each kill or headshot you make. You can chain these together to earn combos for even more points, gradually increasing your violence level until you reach “Goregasm” mode where you earn the most points per kill. When you die you will be able to “buy” back in depending on how many points you have earned. There are boxes of health and other items such as grenades scattered around the level. There are also "Slow-Mofo" power ups to collect that will slow down the game to allow greater accuracy and maximum carnage.
The controls are easy to master, trigger (B) button will fire, (A) button reloads and the nunchuk can be used to change weapons or throw grenades. At certain stages in the game you will have to shake the remote to escape zombie clutches or to regain your senses after being deafened by screaming mutants. The only minor complaint would be occasionally confusing your target icons when playing in multiplayer modes.
At the end of each episode/level you will get cash depending on your statistics from that level, such as “greater than 70% accuracy” or “X number of headshots”, etc. This cash can then be used to purchase new weapons including a shotgun, automatic shotgun, sub machine gun and an assault rifle. You can also upgrade these weapons by buying enhancements such as more ammo capacity, higher fire power and less recoil, etc. The automatic shotgun is great for chaining combos! You will also unlock memorabilia such as artwork, videos, music and 3d models, which is a nice touch.
There are a series of 4 player mini games; including “Money Shot II” which is a carnival style shooting gallery with targets; “Victim Support” where you must help civilians to safety before the zombies get to them; and "Stayin’ Alive" where players must fight until the death while facing increasingly difficult waves of zombies.
Now this game is not for everyone, just like some films are not for everyone. At some stages during this game you may question the moral aspects of some of the content and the never-ending "F" words dropped by Washington. However, it doesn’t have the dark and sickly feel of the “Manhunt” series; this game is disgusting but humorous and cheeky at the same time.
The graphics in The House Of The Dead: Overkill are very good for the Wii. As mentioned already the presentation is excellent, with a gritty, deteriorated film grain quality that looks great; you really feel like you are watching a game directed by Quentin Tarantino. The game opens with an unexpected but effective video that sets the tone for the rest of the game. The intro shows a classy young ladette showing off her assets and bandoliers of ammo with 70’s style credits rolling over the top.
The graphics are greatly improved over the original HOTD. The levels are dark and atmospheric. The character models are nice but perhaps the lip synching could have been a bit better, then again this may have been done on purpose!
There is no denying it, there is a load of swearing and sometimes it can be a little overbearing. However, the dialog is well suited to the B-Grade movie plot and the acting itself is well done. The prison warden is especially creepy! The narrator sounds like he’s from an old 80's action film trailer or the voice over for the A-Team. Sometimes the “reload” prompt can get a bit annoying as it will continue to say this over and over if you don’t continue to restock ammo.
There is a lot of original music ranging from 90's rock and funky 70’s tracks, to hill-billy rock and James Bond style tunes. There is one ballad track that is especially offensive that you are sure to get a few laughs out of if you’ve ever listened to Kevin "Bloody" Wilson or Rodney Rude. The sound effects are decent with guns blazing, explosions and zombie splatter.
In terms of bang for buck, HOTD: Overkill provides a fair amount of replay value. The game can be finished in a few hours but there are incentives to replay levels to obtain all the goodies and goals to unlock extra content; the “Director’s Cut” includes new scenes and challenges and the 4 player mini games are a laugh. There is even an old fashioned score chart for each episode. You’ll also want to have this title on your shelf to show off to unsuspecting friends and relos for the novelty shock value!
It seems that Sega is trying hard to break the Wii's genre stereo-type with this game and the upcoming title MadWorld, which is already causing controversy by “tainting” the Wii’s “family friendly” status. This said there is something guiltily refreshing about playing this game after the oversupply of cutesy, thinking, puzzle and sports games on the Wii. However be warned this is not a kid’s game and for those that can’t stand swearing or watching zombies squish body parts into a meat grinder should probably go and buy Cooking Mama 2 instead.
Gameplay: 8.0
This game is entertaining, simple, fast & addictive. Not for the faint hearted or easily offended. It’s just plain wrong!
Graphics: 8.5
Great presentation with unique “Grindhouse” inspired look and feel. Nice menus and decent character models.
Sound: 8.5
Features entertaining dialog with decent voice acting. Good music and sound effects. Bucket loads of swearing!
Difficulty: 5.5
Very easy to pick up and play but gets difficult the further you get.
Value: 7.5
Can be finished in a few hours but there is incentive to replay the levels. Director’s cut mode. There is lots of unlockable content. The shock factor will ensure this becomes a collector’s item.
Overall: 8.1
In short this is probably the best HOTD game released to date; HOTD and Tarantino fans will love it.
The House of the Dead: Overkill is now available exclusively for Nintendo Wii for a RRP $68.
About House of the Dead: Overkill
They've come for brains, you'll give them bullets!
The House of the Dead: OVERKILL™ charges you with mowing down waves of infected, blood-thirsty zombies in a last-ditch effort to survive Bayou City and uncover the horrific truth behind the origins of the House of the Dead.
Survival horror as it's never been seen before! A pulp-style take on the classic SEGA light-gun shooter series. Back when the famous Agent G was still fresh out of the academy, he teamed up with hard-boiled bad-ass Agent Washington to investigate stories of mysterious disappearances in small-town Louisiana. Little did they know what blood-soaked mutant horror would await them in the streets and swamps of Bayou City.
Features –
• Pulp Funk Horror.
Zombie cool, one of the most popular shooter classics injected with a whole new retro b-movie look.
• An utterly in-your-face zombie-dismembering blast.
Non-stop light-gun style action on Wii, blow apart zombies for high-score thrills.
• Superb co-op action on Wii.
Bring a friend and play the game as intended in your own buddy action movie as two of the meanest characters in video gaming.
• Relentless, gore-drenched, over-the-top action.
Only the coolest, most cold-hearted agent's going to keep his head against the zombie flood. Use "Slow-Mofo Time" to make the perfect head-popping shot and "Evil Eye" to spot moments of opportunity that'll send the whole environment up in flames.
• Wiimote reactions.
Get knee-deep in the dead with motion-sensitive Wii-controls. Shuck a shotgun and when the zombies get too close, pistol whip jaws off or cave some heads in with the stock of your pump-action – all in stomach-churning close-up.
More Info - Official Site