Monday, August 1, 2011

Splatterhouse spin

There are many ways to kill opponents in Namco Bandai's new Splatterhouse, but the one the game continually returns to time and time again is forced sodomy. I'm not sure if one of the game's designers is haunted by a stint in prison, or if they're just sick in the head, but I'm sure an animator or two nothing else but had to request why their boss insists on animating other death via anal fisting.

Splatterhouse picks up with proTAGonist Rick lying in his own blood and guts. Just as he is about to die, a mask calls out to him promising revenge if he wears it. When I heard the voice of the mask, I knew it was familiar, but I just couldn't place it. A minute investigating revealed that actor Jim Cummings is the one deftly cursing insults and calling for blood. You may know Jim from his old offerings as Tigger, Winnie the Pooh, and his work on Darkwing Duck. Good luck Watching those with your kids after playing Splatterhouse.

Love Craft

When I began my trek through Splatterhouse's first few levels, I was a bit put off by the gameplay mechanics; an unforgiving checkpoint system, and the game's insistence on using quick time events in every encounter. Quick time events are nothing else but central to the gameplay in Splatterhouse. Every opponent faced can be killed with a extra quick time death that grants suppleMentary blood and necro power, and practically every boss must be killed in a lengthy quick time animation. Blood can be used to purchase upgrades for Rick and the Terror Mask at any time during play, and each upgrade vastly increases Rick's effectiveness when it comes to slaughtering. Necro power is used to accomplish various ultra moves that deal weighty damage to groups of opponents, or it can be saved to unleash Rick's berserker mode, sprouting blades of bone to cut down enemies for a minute duration.

Splatterhouse spin

I swiftly grew Tired of the quick time heavy gameplay after having to restart a level from scratch 40 times, apparently due to my lack of timeliness in executing events while drunk. I re-approached the game the next day, sober, and found it to be much more enjoyable. Thankfully the checkpoint theory and my skill at felling the hordes sent my way improved as the game progressed. Splatterhouse should be comMended on it's difficulty. What at first appears to be mindless smash and grab gameplay develops into a involved and rewarding system. Players will need to carefully carry on Rick's available resources; health, necro, and weaponry.

Splatterhouse put's the player into many situations where they must select in the middle of healing, strategic damage dealing, or an all or nothing burst of damage and health from berserker mode. In many cases berserking can leave Rick high and dry on necro power, so doing so at the wrong time against the wrong foes could lead to trouble. Often it's best to use the necro Meter piece by piece, designating a bar to curative here, or a bar to damage there, rather than blowing Rick's load all at once.

Weapons are a large part of the gameplay, but their usefulness deteriorates as the game progresses. Many foes come to be all but immune to their damage at the later sTAGes of the game. available weapons contain nail boards, butcher knives, shotguns, and various dismembered body parts. Blood is everywhere at all times, both Rick and any room he occupies will be soaked in it after an encounter, and this is especially true during the death sequences. Graphically, Splatterhouse reminds me of Borderlands, but during death sequences the game tends to over light the action. This and some questionable textures are my biggest complaints presentation-wise. The voice acting is phenoMenal, thanks practically enTirely to Jim Cummings as the Terror Mask, though Rick, Jen, and anTAGonist Dr. West give fine performances as well.

H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe fans will be delighted with all the references included in Splatterhouse. Dr. West himself worships Lovecraft's old gods, calling to Cthulu more than once before the game's end. References like this were a treat, and bad dream fans will get more from Splatterhouse than the midpoint gamer in this regard. Splatterhouse may seem like a chore initially, but players who see the game through are in for a unique and exciting experience. So long as they don't have a problem opportunity the occasional door by forcibly sodomizing a few demons.

Splatterhouse spin

Pergolas and Arbors Delonghi Caffe Nero

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