Sega’s House of the Dead franchise has been around for over 15-years and it has been a main stay in many arcades over the years. My local arcade still has a coin operated House of the Dead machine buried in the back corner of the shop. Every so often I pump a few coins into the game for old time sakes. Even to this day it is not only a decent looking game but also an enjoyable one too. There is something highly enjoyable about using a plastic six-shooter, pointing it at the screen, and mowing down mutant zombies. So when the opportunity came along to give ‘The House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut’ a spin I jumped on it. Not to mention, considering I recently inherited a PlayStation Move thanks to our Editor in Chief, I was very curious to see how the game would play and if this House of the Dead game could re-capture some of the magic I felt when I would dump half my paycheck into the coin operated arcade machine back in the day.
Much like the 1996 arcade version of House of the Dead, House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut is a first person shooter that plays on rails. All your movements are pre-determined as the game guides you through narrow hallways, open rooms, courtyards, basements, attics, and all sorts of gruesome levels as you take down mutant zombie after mutant zombie. You can use either your PS3 controller or the PS Move to shoot enemies; however, I warn you as the game is far more enjoyable using the PS Move. If you are one of the lucky ones who picked up a Sharp Shooter for your PS Move then your House of the Dead experience on the PS3 will be even better.
Before you start a game you will need to calibrate your Move which only takes a couple of minutes. Once you are ready, the aiming reticle will appear on screen and after some over the top cut-scenes you are ready to start blasting away. When I first started shooting the creatures with my PS Move I was simply amazed how responsive the controls were. Shooting down zombie mutants is accomplished with ease. It is very sensitive but also very precise. I still found there was a learning curve and mastering the game’s controls to the point where you can perform headshot after headshot, or shoot down all those in-game bonuses that get you extra cash or slow down time, will take some practice. That said, after you have played the first couple of levels and have become acquainted with the game’s controls you are well on your way. Regardless, I was impressed with how good the game controlled and how enjoyable it was to use the PS Move to shoot down the enemies.
Much like previous House of the Dead games, there is a semblance of a storyline but it is a very basic one. Mutant zombies have invaded and overrun a small southern American town. Four crass and foul-mouthed playable characters are tasked with figuring out why the mutants have run amok and the only solution they have is to kill everything in sight. That is the storyline in a nutshell. Yes there are much more to it than that as the game does have some twists and turns along the way.
What makes Overkill such a unique mutant zombie killing experience is not so much the storyline or the shooting mechanics, but rather the style and presentation which is very slick. Overkill pays homage to the grindhouse genre of movies with its exploitation style cut-scenes and over-the-top mature rated dialogue. There are themes of sex, violence, and bizarre subject matter in Overkill. The cut scenes are delivered as if you are watching a low budget film in a seedy movie theatre. The cheesy narrator also adds to the atmosphere with his over the top lines and predictably awful one-liners. It is so bad it makes you laugh as it is perfectly suited for such a game that never seems to take itself too seriously. At the very least it is highly entertaining and the amount of cleavage in the game will certainly grab your attention.
Making your way through the games nine levels is accomplished fairly quickly. In fact, the single player campaign should only take you 4-5 hours depending on how many times you die and how long it takes you to take down each of he the “end of the level” bosses. It is definitely a fast paced game. The only time things slow down to a halt is during the game’s final boss fights. They tend to drag on and on. Dishing out damage to the bosses can be a painfully slow process as their health meter takes what seems to be an eternity to drain out. It is certainly more of a test of patience than skill. Otherwise, Overkill is not a game that requires a great deal of skill.
Overkill’s story mode can be played solo or with another player. The co-op mode can certainly be a blast and makes for some entertaining moments. Shooting and mocking a Jabba the Hut-like stripper mutant is something that should be truly experienced with a buddy.
In terms of replay value, Overkill does feature a plethora of pick-ups and score bonuses in the game. You can pick-up health packs, grenades and power ups that slow down time temporarily. You can also upgrade your gun in the gun shop and replay levels in an attempt to beat previous scores. Other than this, there really isn’t a great deal of reason to go back and play Overkill more than a couple of times unless you are a PS3 trophy hound.
Visually, Overkill is not a bad looking game but it isn’t a great looking one either. The character models are so-so and barely push the limits of the PS3 hardware. The cut scenes look decent, but again lack that polish we have seen in so many other PS3 games in recent years. I was impressed with the game’s nasty looking environments and the unique presentation of the game is impressive. That being said, by no means is Overkill a high end graphical stunner for the PS3.
In terms of the games audio, Overkill is about what I expected. The narrator is certainly one of the highlights, but the frequent f-bombs and repetitive music tended to grate me after awhile. Needless to say, this is one game you will want to play when the kids are in bed.
Overall, ‘The House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut’ does a wonderful job paying homage to the original House of the Dead game I played in arcades in the mid-1990’s. The games grindhouse-like style works well and the PS Move’s shooting mechanics feel natural and very responsive. While Overkill may lack the depth and polish of many other shooters on the PS3, it makes up for this in other areas. If you are looking for some cheap Mature rated thrills over a weekend while the women are out of the house, then ‘The House of the Dead: Overkill – Extended Cut’ is most likely a game for you.
