Splatterhouse
“If you want a break from mind-bending puzzle games or JRPG detritus, you would be doing yourself a great service by picking up Splatterhouse, shutting your brain off for a while, and smashing monsters into a goopy red spray with their own limbs.” – by Beanzfury
Supported Platforms:
Xbox 360, PS3
Facts/Features:
- Single-Player, Custom Soundtrack, DLC
- Rated for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes and Strong Language
Known Performance Issues:
- Frame-rate suffers a bit during enemy-loaded areas
Mechanics
- Flow: 4
- Consistency: 4
- Communication: N/A
Visuals
- Frame Rate: 3.5
- Textures: 3.5
- Effects: 3.5
Sound
- Effects: 3.5
- Interference: 3
Score: 3.5 out of 5
Review
Mechanics
- Flow: Combos are simple; and you can gain different character aspects (by absorbing blood from defeated enemies which you spend in the level-up menu) like weapon/berserker/grab/combo mechanics. Different combos also work differently with each other, but most players will probably find their favorite handful and utilize those til the next level-up. You can also spill more blood from enemies by grabbing them when they’re close to death (they glow red). Grabbing them in this state activates a QTE in which you move the thumbsticks in different directions in order to rip apart your enemies.
- Consistency: The mechanics are very, very consistent. Read: repetitive. You can find a few combos you like, level the combo meter up, and mash your way through the levels for the most part. It is fun to experiment with different attack methods like rolling and countering though. The action is changed up periodically when the viewpoint changes from arena style combat to side-scrollin beat-em-up. These sections don’t play well due to control/platforming issues, but at least they break up the pace of the game. Bonus: You can unlock all three original Splatterhouse games by smashing and tearing your way through the credits.
- Communication: N/A
Visuals
- Frame Rate: Solid for 85% of the game, but during larger areas with more than about 10 enemies coming to rip your skin off the frame-rate can drop noticeably. Not enough to hamper the gameplay, but it is noticeable.
- Textures: The semi cell-shaded graphics work well for Splatterhouse. The backgrounds can be dark and ominous; so it helps Rick and his enemies pop a little in the sets. The blood, of which there is copious amounts, sprays fountains of the luminescent reddish-pink goop as you tear your enemies limb from limb. The skin tearing effect as Rick gets his ass handed to him is nice; showing off bones and muscle tissue as his health is depleted.
Sound
- Effects: Visceral and raw. Thumping metal rocks the (Splatter)house as Rick both induces and receives bone-shattering smackdowns and limb-ripping squishocity. Everything sounds wet and painful. Just as a visit to Splatterhouse should. The narration and insults that the Mask delivers are both funny and help in the story-telling.
- Interference: Dialogue can be faint and overcome by the soundtrack and if not jacked up in the options.
Overall, this game gets an average review. A definite pickup for some shut-your-brain-off-and-rip-monsters-apart gaming time.
Our Thoughts:
by BeanzFury:
While Splatterhouse definitely has some issues with frame-rate and repetitive game mechanics, I had a lot of mindless button-smashing fun with it. The combo system works very well by amping grabs, slams, and various limb-tearing abilities as you power-up. The QTE are fun (if a little finicky/weird on timing) and grotesque as you pull out eyeballs, crush heads, and tear off limbs to beat your enemies to death. The graphical style works well with this setting. It makes characters pop from the backgrounds and gives satisfying conclusion to defeating your enemies. To those reviewer(s) that say they were desensitized by the amount of blood/gore that the game throws at the player; I say look at the meaning of the word desensitized. The blood is part of the game, and while it may become normal to see the huge amounts of gushing red life-force during the course of Splatterhouse, do you really think you’re not going to react if you saw that crap go down at a house party (due to playing Splatterhouse)? And… the Mask is a great narrator and companion. It throws insults at Rick (Rick is apparently a huge vagina according to the Mask) and provides story background as you progress. Splatterhouse has great voice-work that really adds to the setting. The only thing that really detracted from the game (for me) was the ending. No spoilers, but don’t blink because the ending is about 15 seconds long. I play the game for 14 hours and all I get is 15 seconds? That’s like paying an escort 400 bucks and all she does is deliver your goddamn mail! If you want a break from mind-bending puzzle games or JRPG detritus, you would be doing yourself a great service by picking up Splatterhouse, shutting your brain off for a while, and smashing monsters into a goopy red spray with their own limbs.
