| Gameplay | B |
|---|---|
| Controls | A |
| Graphics | B+ |
| Presentation | A+ |
| Audio | A |
| Value | B |
| Multiplayer | +++++++ |
| Vital Stats | |
| Publisher | SEGA |
| Developer | Headstrong Games |
| Price | $19.99 |
| buy at MotionGaming | |
| MetaCritic score | 78 |
review by David V
Reviewer's Note: familywii.org would like to stress that this game is inappropriate for children and is intended for adult gamers only. Always manage M-rated games in your household responsibly.
I must admit, I'm not a huge fan of rail shooters. I like shooting things as much as the next person, but I'm a control freak. I'd prefer to totally clean house and get every single collectible that exists. When you're playing a rail shooter, you have to make your peace with the fact that you're not going to get everything. That bugs me.
On the other hand, when a game is done well enough, you can forgive a lot, and House of the Dead: Overkill is going to make a lot of rail shooter fans very very happy. This update of the classic arcade series from SEGA (which had already been ported to Wii shortly after launch) presents you with seven rounds of zom-...mutant-shooting goodness, all done in the style of '70s exploitation films. The presentation is darned near note-perfect, capturing the grungy '70s style perfectly.
You play as the team of Agent G and Detective Washington as they mow down room after room of violent flesh-craving monsters. Although it's not a very big game, it's the type that's built for replay. Playable solo or as a two-player co-op, Overkill moves you through settings at a pretty quick pace. There are power-ups that boost your health and slow down time, and there are golden brain collectibles as well as a number of civilians to save in each round. The rounds play as separate splatterhouse movies, complete with their own corny trailers that lead into the action (skippable by pressing the A button) and each has its own leaderboard.
The graphics are very well done, and during my review I saw none of the frame rate hitches cited by other critics. The controls are quite tight, with lots of IR pointing and enough motion controls to be interesting, and there's an option to tune the pointer to your own eye. You also have the option of having a targeting reticule or not (I always turn mine on). The only drag on the graphics I noticed were a definite sameness to the enemies, with lots of repeats. While not quite as good a looking game as the Resident Evil rail shooters, they're more than good enough, with even a limited amount of body dismemberment -- shoot off an enemy's arm, and he'll hold the stump and continue shuffling towards you.
The audio is also a department where this game shines. While the voice acting is a bit forced at times, and there's a lot of f-words sprinkled liberally into the script, there's a lot of it and it's otherwise well-done. The writing is campy and genuinely funny in places, adding to the ambiance. The soundtrack is a good hard mix of thrashy '70s-style rock and borderline EBM (electronic body music).
I won't recommend House of the Dead: Overkill to everyone. It's raunchy and violent and gory, so definitely earns its M rating. You really need to be a fan of rail shooters to enjoy this game. If you do, add half a letter to the final grade. If you're not, or you're not sure, it's at the very least a solid rental that you'll enjoy while it lasts.
