The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended
Review
That good old arcade feel
by Kiran Sury
reviewed on PS3
Beautification
In a new trend that’s both alarming and welcome, Wii games are getting an HD spit shine and are being ported to the PS3. Titles such as No More Heroes and Dead Space Extraction have been given a second life on the more powerful system. While it’s disappointing that Sony doesn’t have enough quality first-person software to support the peripheral without help, PS Move owners at least have something to play with. House of the Dead Overkill: Extended Cut is the latest game to make the move to the Move, and while not a completely different experience from the Wii version, is one of the better options available on the PS3.
The game keeps the zombies the franchise is known for, albeit with a slight shift in tone. (It wouldn’t be House of the Dead if you were fighting aliens, would it. Then again, zombie aliens would be awesome. Did I just come up with the plot of Overkill 2?) Instead of a disgusting horror vibe, players are treated to a hilarious disgusting horror vibe that echoes B-movie gems like Grindhouse and Machete. This is not a game for kids, unless you want your children to learn their curse words as well as their ABCs. The plot is fairly incomprehensible, but if you can unclench and enjoy it for what it is, you’ll find it to be a hilarious experience.
Controller Un-Friendly
The HD upgrade is certainly an improvement over the Wii version, but that still isn’t saying much. It’s almost a blessing that the textures are only average because some of the zombies are pretty gruesome and I don’t think I could take that much detail. A film-grain effect adds to the 80s theme, but the visuals are not that impressive. Most PS3 games look better. The voice actors are a bright spot. You can tell that they had a really good time as they drop f-bombs with gusto. Still, you don’t play light-gun games for the graphics. You play them to kill some motherf*cking zombies on this motherf*cking plane.
Overkill can be played with a standard controller but, and I wish to emphasize this, do NOT do this. Just don’t. If you don’t have the Move, don’t get the game. It’s that simple. The experience of moving your joystick around doesn’t just pale in comparison to the Move, it practically fades away. The Move itself is responsive, and while more fun with one of the plastic shooting attachments, does an admirable job of tracking your reticle where you want it to go. When you really get into the game (and you absolutely must play it in coop, it doubles the fun), it recalls going to the arcade and pumping your quarters into the original House of the Dead machines. What more could you ask for in a home version?
Move With It
This remake adds two new levels and a Director’s Cut difficulty option, but don’t expect it to last you that long. The game never gets very difficult, and can be blasted through in under five hours (less if you play with a friend). If you’re a high-score junkie or under the age of 16 you’ll probably enjoy playing the levels over and over again, but the less patient will find something else to do.
Overkill provides a brief but enjoyable experience. Playstation Move owners could do a whole lot worse and, considering the dearth of quality titles, can’t do a whole lot better. Gamers hankering for a good light-gun game and a reason to dust off the peripheral will find a lot to enjoy in the latest reanimation of House of the Dead.
7.0
fun score
Pros
One of the best light-gun games on the PS Move
Cons
Useless for non-Move owners, short length
