The House of the Dead - What you need to know
By Gaetano Prestia
In 1996, SEGA released the light-gun arcade game House of the Dead. It was well received and still to this day can be found in arcades around the world, with people aged from 5 up to 40 throwing away tens of dollars at a time into the coin slot.
The arcade game helped revolutionize the light-gun game genre and its success would see it ported over to the SEGA Saturn and eventually the PC with far less wielding results. The Saturn copy of the game is considered a rare collectible today and sells for upwards of $90 US.
Since 1996, the series has seen three sequels, amply named The House of the Dead II, The House of the Dead III and House of the Dead 4, all of which appeared in arcades before being ported over to consoles.
In 2008, the Wii received ported versions of The House of the Dead II and The House of the Dead III in a compilation that received a mixed critical reception.
After the critical success of that title, SEGA announced the release of The House of the Dead: Overkill, and exclusive Wii title that would take advantage of the Wii-mote and offer Wii owners that rare mature gameplay experience.
The House of the Dead: Overkill Features
While The House of the Dead series has been known to have revolutionized the arcade shooting genre, this latest edition to the series looks set to revolutionize shooters on the Wii.
Several new features to the series have been included in Overkill, including "Mo-Fo time" (which is slow-motion), as well as the ability to use the Wii-mote to initiate melee attacks.
Also, a new feature called Battle Screen will add challenge to the game. It will expand the camera beyond the screen, forcing players to move their point of view. The game will also once again feature two player co-operative play.
The House of the Dead Story
The House of the Dead
Special Agents Thomas Rogan and "G" are sent to investigate a slate of disappearances at the Curien Mansion, home laboratory of Dr. Curien, after a distressed called from Rogan's fiancée Sophie Richards. Dr. Curien went insane after delving into the unknown science of life and death and released his scientific experiments into an unsuspecting world.
After confronting several terrifying beings, Rogan and G confront "The Magician", the strongest of all of Dr. Curien's beasts. Ironically, as Curien lets The Magician go, the beast kills him, before Rogan and G engage in a final battle and destroy The Magician.
There are several alternate endings that are instigated by the players actions in the game, and Sophie's survival or transformation into the undead is dictated by this.
The House of the Dead II
Following the events of the first game, the sequel takes place in the year 2000. G has gone missing and is found by Agents James Taylor, Gary Stewart, Amy Crystal and Harry Harris in Venice, Italy. Meanwhile, the secret international agency, AMS, have launched an investigation into the occurrences at Curien Mansion. Soon, strange things start happening in Venice, and Caleb Goldman, the president of the eminent DBR Corporation and an expert on the genome theory who funded the experiments of the late Dr. Curien, releases an undead hoard of enemies on the city.
After some epic battles between the agents and the undead, Goldman resurrects The Magician to give birth to The Emperor, who is killed by the agents. Goldman kills himself after stating that "...in time, a successor shall come".
The House of the Dead III
Set well after The House of the Dead II in post-apocalyptic 2019, civilization has collapsed. Ex-AMS agent Thomas Rogan and his team investigate the EFI research facility, which they believe has direct links to the fall of mankind. After contact with Thomas is lost, his 19-year-old daughter, Lisa, and Rogan's former partner, G, travel there two weeks later to investigate.
Flashbacks are shown to give a bit of an insight into Dr. Curien's insanity. We see that he has a terribly ill son, so he investigates the nature of life and death, looking for a cure.
After some nasty confrontations, Lisa is reunited with her father, before the three of them meet Daniel Curien, son of Dr. Curien. As G leads Rogan to safety, Daniel and Lisa confront The Wheel of Fate, who has the ability to change the world if mutated with The Magician. They kill The Wheel of Fate and one of four possible endings are shown.
The House of the Dead 4
Set shortly after The House of the Dead II and 16 years before The House of the Dead III, AMS agents James Taylor and newcomer Kate Green are gathering intelligence at the fifth basement floor of the AMS European branch office. The former of the two still has the events of the 2000 "Goldman Case" on his mind, and believes that the ordeal had not yet ended. A sudden earthquake rocks the room while they talk, collapsing the basement walls and leaving the agents trapped.
Several days later, Kate and James await a rescue team. James' PDA goes off, and a group of undead are seen on the security cameras. Realizing that they are in danger, James has Kate gather all the weaponry they can find in preparation for the arrival of their foes. Soon after, the two travel through the sewers to an information room where they uncover a plot to fire nuclear missiles worldwide within twenty-four hours' time
James and Kate then learn that the one-time president of the now-defunct DBR Corporation, Goldman (who committed suicide in 2000), is responsible for the resurgence of undead. After reaching the surface, finding the city about them completely obliterated, James and Kate receive a PDA message sent by Goldman: the nuclear missile launch will occur in 1 hour.
After the agents set out for the abandoned "Goldman Building", a levitating humanoid prevents their advance in the foyer as a "test of strength". Destroying The Star (and therefore passing the test,) the agents continue onwards. Ultimately, they arrive in time to halt Goldman's plans, though it is revealed that his true intention is to revert humankind to its original state in order to prevent them from harming the planet any further. As such, his final legacy, The World, is released in the opening of "Pandora's Box" to fulfill its role as the successor to his original Emperor project in 2000, having developed underground since his death. As the AMS agents fight it, the World continuously alters its form to meet their threats, each time growing larger and more powerful. Following the World's second defeat, James sets his PDA to self-destruct, telling Kate not to give up hope, sacrificing himself, alongside the World, in the following explosion. James' heroic act bestows hope upon humanity, giving Kate the resolve to move on.
The House of the Dead: Overkill
Overkill is a prequel to the original game in the series and takes place in 1991. It follows Special Agent G in his first ever assignment. Teamed up with Detective Washington, they are sent to investigate stories of mysterious disappearances in a small town in Louisiana and to hunt down a villain known as Papa Ceasar. Little do they know about the blood-soaked mutant depravity that awaits them in the streets and swamps of Bayou City
Sources:
Wikipedia
The House of the Dead: Overkill will retail for RRP. $68. It will hit Australia shelves on February 19th, 2009, exclusive for the Wii.
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04/02/2009
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