Preview
Splatterhouse Preview (PS3)
Now, this title tries so hard to have a sense of humour. If it was a human, it would be the guy who stands up and lets a tongue-burner rip during a funeral, adding distaste to an already bleak environment. Of course, flatulence has been substituted for an insatiable amount of blood here- as Splatterhouse' desire to coat everything in crimson sticks two fingers up to those looking for something a little intelligent.
It's fortunate that our hero is a muscle-clad, steroid-inducing demon then. After a visit to Dr West's mansion alongside his girlfriend, Rick Taylor has a mission to complete. His lady friend has been abducted by the evil head of the house, and Rick's constant drug use is getting the better of him. Fighting for her return, only the playful quips of a mysterious mask guides our goon in the right direction. Not exactly mind-bending stuff, the straight-forwardness of this title feels deliciously old school, as we're going to bash skulls into a brittle mulch with the sole aim of rescuing the damsel in distress.
In many ways, Splatterhouse is using the 'look what we've copied from the original game' card all too often, and it looks to be falling short. While sudden changes to a side-scrolling element is fun, it's not something which adds much enjoyment to the title. The dreaded elevator fights also make a return, but in this day and age, they feel so archaic and mindless. We expected to see Rick roaming around in the traditional boiler suit but that has been left out, as the developers opt for a regeneration process instead. When Rick takes damage it'll be reflected on his largely bare body, meaning limbs may become exposed or muscle tissue poking through broken skin. As well as dishing out the pain, it looks like Master Taylor can take his fair-share of beating too.
When you've got so much blood on screen, the most memorable moments need to shock. We witnessed the arrival of some truly disturbing bosses; the first of which had me scribble down 'Giant floating baby, swinging dick' into my notepad. If that wasn't enough, we were treated to the dismantling of a giant serpent, and even a creature that you have to feed excessively until it belches so loud that you can hop into it's mouth and travel down it's oesophagus. More blood means Rick gains more power, so messy kills often result in a 'splatter move' that let you finish off the tormented souls in spectacular fashion. Or more to the point, completely stuttered, annoyingly jerky fashion at this stage.
Much like the god-awful and similarly grotesque Fairytale Fights from last year, Splatterhouse features different categories of weapons to do your business with. You can slice your foes up, bludgeon them to death, and even initiate in a mid-air head-butt by launching a decapitated skull towards the face of an unsuspecting demon. If all else fails, guns do make an appearance, and will have you haplessly spraying bullets with little regard for those forcing you to sit down, breathe slowly, and think about exactly what you've done. Many smaller enemies have been used in order to keep the flow of blood running consistently for Rick's power, much like Dracula sacrificing a group of midgets in order to keep his mind switched on for the next episode of LOST.
For now, there isn't much to suggest Splatterhouse will arrive appealing to those who aren't looking for a shallow experience. The added bonus of the original three titles being thrown in as Easter Eggs is welcome, but it wont excite many players who missed them first time round. The developer's objective to shock is well-misguided at the current stage, as the over-excessive violence and mutilation doesn't have the same impact as it did twenty years ago. Gaming has matured since then, and if Splatterhouse is to make any kind of impact when it's released this Halloween, it must grow up too.
 |
| "I told you I needed a tampon!" |
It's fortunate that our hero is a muscle-clad, steroid-inducing demon then. After a visit to Dr West's mansion alongside his girlfriend, Rick Taylor has a mission to complete. His lady friend has been abducted by the evil head of the house, and Rick's constant drug use is getting the better of him. Fighting for her return, only the playful quips of a mysterious mask guides our goon in the right direction. Not exactly mind-bending stuff, the straight-forwardness of this title feels deliciously old school, as we're going to bash skulls into a brittle mulch with the sole aim of rescuing the damsel in distress.
In many ways, Splatterhouse is using the 'look what we've copied from the original game' card all too often, and it looks to be falling short. While sudden changes to a side-scrolling element is fun, it's not something which adds much enjoyment to the title. The dreaded elevator fights also make a return, but in this day and age, they feel so archaic and mindless. We expected to see Rick roaming around in the traditional boiler suit but that has been left out, as the developers opt for a regeneration process instead. When Rick takes damage it'll be reflected on his largely bare body, meaning limbs may become exposed or muscle tissue poking through broken skin. As well as dishing out the pain, it looks like Master Taylor can take his fair-share of beating too.
When you've got so much blood on screen, the most memorable moments need to shock. We witnessed the arrival of some truly disturbing bosses; the first of which had me scribble down 'Giant floating baby, swinging dick' into my notepad. If that wasn't enough, we were treated to the dismantling of a giant serpent, and even a creature that you have to feed excessively until it belches so loud that you can hop into it's mouth and travel down it's oesophagus. More blood means Rick gains more power, so messy kills often result in a 'splatter move' that let you finish off the tormented souls in spectacular fashion. Or more to the point, completely stuttered, annoyingly jerky fashion at this stage.
 |
| Bosses are huge, and usually rude |
Much like the god-awful and similarly grotesque Fairytale Fights from last year, Splatterhouse features different categories of weapons to do your business with. You can slice your foes up, bludgeon them to death, and even initiate in a mid-air head-butt by launching a decapitated skull towards the face of an unsuspecting demon. If all else fails, guns do make an appearance, and will have you haplessly spraying bullets with little regard for those forcing you to sit down, breathe slowly, and think about exactly what you've done. Many smaller enemies have been used in order to keep the flow of blood running consistently for Rick's power, much like Dracula sacrificing a group of midgets in order to keep his mind switched on for the next episode of LOST.
For now, there isn't much to suggest Splatterhouse will arrive appealing to those who aren't looking for a shallow experience. The added bonus of the original three titles being thrown in as Easter Eggs is welcome, but it wont excite many players who missed them first time round. The developer's objective to shock is well-misguided at the current stage, as the over-excessive violence and mutilation doesn't have the same impact as it did twenty years ago. Gaming has matured since then, and if Splatterhouse is to make any kind of impact when it's released this Halloween, it must grow up too.
-
Splatterhouse E3 2010 Trailer
01:39 | 874 views | 0 comments -
Splatterhouse Splatterhouse EU Trailer
01:28 | 830 views | 1 comments
Comments
By Kres (SI Elite) on May 31, 2010
