The House of the Dead: Overkill
Encyclopedia
The House of the Dead: Overkill is a first-person rail shooter video game developed by Headstrong Games
and published by Sega
. It is the fifth game developed in the The House of the Dead
series, a prequel to the original House of the Dead
chronologically and the first in the series to be released exclusively on a home console. It was released on February 10, 2009 in North America
and February 13, 2009 in Europe
. The game was released in Japan on September 17, 2009 bundled with the Wii Zapper
accessory. The Japanese release, however, had to be drastically censored in order to still get the CERO
D rating.
at the screen, moving the aiming reticle. The player can point the reticle near the edge of the screen to move the camera angle slightly in that direction, allowing a further field of view known as "Danger Cam". The story mode can be played solo or with another human player, with one weapon or dual-wielding controls.
Players can also build up a combo meter by killing mutants to receive a score, with further points gained by performing head-shots, shooting bonus pickup, saving civilians and attaining multiple kills without missing a shot. If a player dies, points from his or her overall score can be spent to continue playing. At the end of each level, the player is awarded a grade that depends on his or her final score among other factors such as not dying, and accuracy of shots. Along with score bonuses, other pick ups scattered throughout levels include health packs, grenades and the "Slow Mo-Fo" pick up that puts everything into slow motion temporarily.
New guns and gun upgrades can be bought with cash earned from the player’s end of level score, between levels at the Gun Shop. Upon completing the story mode, Director’s Cut is unlocked providing the same game as story mode but with tougher enemies, extended levels and a limited amount of continues.
In 1991, AMS Special Agent G is given his first assignment and sent to a small town in Louisiana
to investigate a series of disappearances and hunt down a deranged crime lord, Papa Caesar. Due to the presence of mutants, G is forced to team up with Detective Isaac Washington who is out to get revenge on Caesar for apparently killing his father.
In the first episode 'Papa's Palace of Pain', the pair first storm a mansion owned by Caesar out in the woods. Upon entering the basement, they find Caesar has fled, and the disabled scientist Jasper Guns, whom Caesar used, is horrifically mutated from injecting himself with an unknown substance. Upon defeating Jasper, G and Isaac meet Varla Guns, a stripper and Jasper’s older sister who vows revenge on Caesar.
In the second episode 'Ballistic Trauma', G and Isaac track Caesar to a hospital that is swarming with mutants. After killing the mutants and a mutant woman called the Screamer, the hospital is set to explode. G and Isaac escape in the nick of time with Varla on a motorbike.
In the third episode 'Carny', they stop at a mutant infested carnival
to investigate the mutant situation, in the process defeating former circus entertainers turned horrific creature Nigel & Sebastian.
In the fourth episode 'Scream Train' Caesar escapes on a train with G and Isaac giving chase while Varla is left behind. The pair made their way through the mutant-infested train, defeating a mutated mantis, the Crawler, in the process. The train then crashes in a swamp where Caesar takes Varla hostage and drives off before throwing a tape to Isaac.
In the fifth episode, 'Fetid Waters', G and Isaac make their way to the swamps, finding an alternate way to wherever Caesar and Varla were heading for, and in the process, defeat another boss mutant called the Lobber.
In the sixth, penultimate episode 'Jailhouse Judgment', G and Isaac track Caesar to a high security prison. Before they enter, they run into its strange warden, Clement Darling, who noticed where Caesar and Varla headed but knows nothing about the mutants. As G and Isaac shoot their way through the prison they finally reach the electric chair
theater where Varla and Caesar are strapped into the chairs. Clement then appears and, in a plot twist, reveals that he was behind the mutant outbreak and that Caesar was just an accomplice. Clement then executes Caesar, robbing Isaac of his revenge. Clement explains that his experiments were to save his dying mother (Following this, it is implied Clement has an incestuous relationship with his mother). Clement then descends on a giant elevator along with Varla, his mother, and Caesar's corpse. Seconds later, Clement tells G and Isaac to look at the stage behind them where two gigantic, physically enhanced, convicts wearing black masks lumber in through the door. Clement reads the two convicts previous crimes which include murder, assault, rape, and even eating a little boy's puppy. One of the convicts, Brutus, suddenly turns around and beats his fellow convict to death before turning his attention to G and Isaac.
After descending the elevator in pursuit of Clement in the final episode 'Overkill', G and Isaac shoot their way through hordes of mutants inside Clement’s underground lab before finally reaching his center of operations. They discover Varla’s brain has been taken out, kept alive in a jar, while Clement’s mother’s brain has been transplanted into Varla's body. At first it seems the experiment was a success, then Varla’s body begins to vomit and she falls into a pit after being gunned down by G and Isaac, mutating her into a giant monster. G and Isaac draw their guns and aim them at the newly mutated Mother. The duos' statements lead gamers to believe that they are about to play a frantic last stand shootout against the giant mutant, but then the screen cuts to a missing reel screen for a few moments. Once the reel resumes G and Isaac are outside claiming victory over Clement and the giant monster, thanking the use of minigun
s they found randomly lying around nearby. However, the monster returns and the pair battle her again. After finally killing it, Clement appears and seeks to atone for all the problems he caused by "returning to the womb".
G and Isaac are picked up by a helicopter along with Varla’s (still active) brain in a jar where Isaac releases the detonator to destroy the facility. G tells Varla of his feelings for her, prompting him and Isaac to discuss the moral and political messages in the game's storyline and potential backlash, particularly from feminists. Soon after, the two realize the helicopter is being piloted by a mutant and points their guns at it, ending the game.
After the credits roll, Caesar's tape recording from before is played, revealing a message to Isaac that Clement's plans were small-minded but he had powerful friends (possibly future characters Curien and Goldman), and that Isaac's father is still alive.
were also considered. Headstrong ultimately chose a theme inspired by exploitation film
s after watching the film Planet Terror
, which inspired the art direction, plot and marketing.
Most of the main characters were presumably modeled after several famous individuals. For example, Detective Washington was modeled after rapper Common, Varla Guns after glamor model Vikki Blows
, Papa Caesar after Burt Reynolds
, Jasper Guns after Stephen Hawking
, and Agent G on Keanu Reeves
as he appears in Point Break
.
The game is also available in a limited collector's edition that includes a graphic novel prequel
to the game called Prelude to an Overkill. A special release of the game in Australia, the "Bang Bang Box", comes packaged with the graphic novel in addition to two Wii Remote
gun shells modeled after the AMS pistols carried by the main characters in the game (somewhat similar to a Desert Eagle
pistol).
with PlayStation Move compatibility along with the Sixaxis controllers and DualShock 3 titled, The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut. Extended Cut features the same On-Rails gameplay with all new redone High Definition cutscenes and levels, albeit still identical to the Wii version. The game also has 3D compatibility with the use of an HD 3D TV. Music and audio are still the same along with new music featured. Exclusive are two new levels not included in the original Wii release titled, Naked Terror and Creeping Flesh. They both serve as a backstory in-between the main game featuring Varla Gunns and a new female character, stripper Candi Stryper. They contain new monsters, additional bonus materials for you to collect, and new enemy bosses. New weapons like a crossbow and a few others have been added to Extended Cut as well as an entirely new in-game screen layout. Extras from the Wii version like the mini games and Director's Cut mode also make it to Extended Cut, along with new content.
and 79/100 at Metacritic
. Many critics praised the fast paced balanced gameplay, with X-Play
stating "the arcade style shooting is satisfying and provides a challenge for experienced players" yet "easily conquered for those who can’t aim a Wiimote to save their life." Games Radar found the simple gameplay to be "varied enough to keep the momentum going." Although considered to be easier than past games of the series, GameSpot
calling the difficulty a "cake walk" at pure gore and bloodiest game times, Eurogamer
said the game "almost never tries your patience, and it's made with such infectious and irreverent glee and such obvious pride, you can't help but join in."
The over-the-top B movie
grindhouse style was particularly praised. Game Informer
stated "the parade of F-bombs
and one-liners fit in perfect harmony with the grindhouse presentation", even recommending it to Tarantino
fans. GameSpot claimed it "reinvents the aging shooter series for the better with an over-the-top grindhouse theme that resonates in its every aspect, from the hilarious story to the fantastic vintage soundtrack." Due to the adult nature of the game, GameDaily
called it "a digital slaughterhouse full of carnage that'll make you happy to be an adult Wii owner" and Nintendo Power
calling it "one of the Wii's greatest guilty pleasures". Edge
stated that Overkill "raises the bar for third party production values on this generation’s best-selling console."
Though 1UP
"still enjoyed the game", they did consider that "with its constant stream of expletives and toilet humor, it may turn just as many people away", starting their review with a disclaimer for younger gamers not to play, being strictly an adult game. Another issue critics found was a number of technical issues, particularly with the frame rate, which IGN
called "sketchy" and "sad to see in a game that has so much amazing content in it." GamePro
also experienced this, notably when "the screen became cluttered with enemies", originally hoping the issue to be fixed before the game’s final release. Another issue were glitches, with Computer and Video Games
reportedly experiencing no enemies appearing at all at times and sometimes requiring to restart the console.
It was recently confirmed by Dread Central the game is set to receive a Guinness World Record
for being the most profane video game in history. Yahoo! News Canada
quoted Jonathan Burroughs, the game’s writer, in an article about the World Record, he said: “It is a dubious honor to receive such an accolade working in an industry where so often the fruits of your labors are derided and dismissed for being puerile or irresponsible." Burroughs went on to say, "But in the case of The House Of The Dead: Overkill, a little puerility was the order of business. Parodying the profane excess of grindhouse cinema was (game developer) Headstrong Games' objective and I am flattered that this record acknowledges that we not only rose to that challenge, but entirely exceeded it." This record was beaten a year later by Mafia II
. The game has also been nominated for a writing award.
NPD Group
reports that the game sold 45,000 units in the United States in its debut month. Sega of America
has expressed satisfaction with the game's sales numbers, claiming that it has "absolutely met our expectations."
On the Special Achievement Award, GameSpot
awarded Overkill Funniest Game of 2009, going on to say "The interplay between Washington and Special Agent G is pure gold. Like Martin and Lewis with F-bombs
. Mix that up with grindball atmosphere and Overkill cements its place as the funniest game of 2009."
Kuju Entertainment
Kuju Entertainment is an English computer and video game corporation consisting of three studios, two of which are located in the UK: Zoë Mode , Headstrong Games , and one in the Czech Republic: Vatra games...
and published by Sega
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
. It is the fifth game developed in the The House of the Dead
The House of the Dead (series)
The House of the Dead is a video game franchise published by Sega and created by in-house designer Atsushi Seimiya of AM1....
series, a prequel to the original House of the Dead
The House of the Dead (arcade game)
The House of the Dead is a first-person, light gun arcade game developed in 1996 and released in 1997 by Sega.Players assume the role of agents Thomas Rogan and "G" in their efforts to combat the products of the dangerous, inhumane experiments of Dr. Curien, a madman.-Gameplay:The House of the Dead...
chronologically and the first in the series to be released exclusively on a home console. It was released on February 10, 2009 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and February 13, 2009 in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The game was released in Japan on September 17, 2009 bundled with the Wii Zapper
Wii Zapper
The Wii Zapper is a gun shell peripheral for the Wii Remote. The name is a reference to the NES Zapper light gun for the Nintendo Entertainment System...
accessory. The Japanese release, however, had to be drastically censored in order to still get the CERO
Computer Entertainment Rating Organization
The is a Japanese entertainment rating organization based in Tokyo. rating video game content in console games with levels of rating that informs the customer of the nature of the product and for what age group it is suitable...
D rating.
Gameplay
Like previous games in the House of the Dead series, Overkill is a rail shooter, with pre-determined character movement, while the shooting element under player control by pointing the Wii RemoteWii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
at the screen, moving the aiming reticle. The player can point the reticle near the edge of the screen to move the camera angle slightly in that direction, allowing a further field of view known as "Danger Cam". The story mode can be played solo or with another human player, with one weapon or dual-wielding controls.
Players can also build up a combo meter by killing mutants to receive a score, with further points gained by performing head-shots, shooting bonus pickup, saving civilians and attaining multiple kills without missing a shot. If a player dies, points from his or her overall score can be spent to continue playing. At the end of each level, the player is awarded a grade that depends on his or her final score among other factors such as not dying, and accuracy of shots. Along with score bonuses, other pick ups scattered throughout levels include health packs, grenades and the "Slow Mo-Fo" pick up that puts everything into slow motion temporarily.
New guns and gun upgrades can be bought with cash earned from the player’s end of level score, between levels at the Gun Shop. Upon completing the story mode, Director’s Cut is unlocked providing the same game as story mode but with tougher enemies, extended levels and a limited amount of continues.
Characters
- Agent G: Inexperienced but already highly trained and deadly, he graduated top of his class at the AMS academy and is now on his first assignment.
- Detective Isaac Washington: A hard-drinking, ladies' man, Washington is also a habitual rule and heart-breaker. He took the assignment to exact revenge for his father's death. He has a habit of dropping F-bombsFuck"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
. GameInformer ranked him among the "Top 10 Heroes of 2009," declaring that "Foul-mouthed, uncompromising, hard drinking, and unceasingly funny, Isaac Washington keeps everything grounded when the world is going crazy all around him. With tongue set firmly in cheek, Washington is a stereotypical career cop who can't finish a sentence without a few expletives thrown in for color. He keeps the action going, and never fails to say what the player is thinking when the zombie outbreak gets out of hand." - Papa Caesar: Deranged crime lord Caesar has forced Varla’s brother Jasper into devising a strange compound with mutagenic effects. With the help of Warden Darling he sets to work transforming the innocent inhabitants of Bayou City into mutants and monsters. He also likes Chinese food. GameInformer ranked him among the "Top 10 Villains of 2009," declaring that "Many villains have unleashed genetic abominations and blown us up, but none did it while wearing a stylish ascot. Papa Caesar makes engineering the zombie apocalypse look good. Analogizing Isaac Washington's death to a sweet and sour Chinese dinner seals his position on the list."
- Varla Gunns: The hottest stripper on the Bayou City club scene, Varla is also the older sister to crippled scientific genius Jasper Gunns. She joins the agents to stop Papa Caesar, and a love triangle develops.
- Candi Stryper A young stripper and former lover of Varla Gunns younger brother Jasper. After finding out the death of Jasper, Candi joins Varla to seek revenge against Papa Caesar and together, they fight off the mutants and seek Papa Caesar to avenge the death of Jasper. Candi is exclusive to the PlayStation 3 version.
- Warden Clement Darling: A strange and unsettling man who oversees a high security prison just outside of town, Darling is involved in gruesome scientific experiments to prolong the life of his elderly mother.
Story
Years ago during the cold war, the military made a new superhuman formula called Formula X. The project for its use failed. The bunker for the experiments was left unaccessed until now.In 1991, AMS Special Agent G is given his first assignment and sent to a small town in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
to investigate a series of disappearances and hunt down a deranged crime lord, Papa Caesar. Due to the presence of mutants, G is forced to team up with Detective Isaac Washington who is out to get revenge on Caesar for apparently killing his father.
In the first episode 'Papa's Palace of Pain', the pair first storm a mansion owned by Caesar out in the woods. Upon entering the basement, they find Caesar has fled, and the disabled scientist Jasper Guns, whom Caesar used, is horrifically mutated from injecting himself with an unknown substance. Upon defeating Jasper, G and Isaac meet Varla Guns, a stripper and Jasper’s older sister who vows revenge on Caesar.
In the second episode 'Ballistic Trauma', G and Isaac track Caesar to a hospital that is swarming with mutants. After killing the mutants and a mutant woman called the Screamer, the hospital is set to explode. G and Isaac escape in the nick of time with Varla on a motorbike.
In the third episode 'Carny', they stop at a mutant infested carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
to investigate the mutant situation, in the process defeating former circus entertainers turned horrific creature Nigel & Sebastian.
In the fourth episode 'Scream Train' Caesar escapes on a train with G and Isaac giving chase while Varla is left behind. The pair made their way through the mutant-infested train, defeating a mutated mantis, the Crawler, in the process. The train then crashes in a swamp where Caesar takes Varla hostage and drives off before throwing a tape to Isaac.
In the fifth episode, 'Fetid Waters', G and Isaac make their way to the swamps, finding an alternate way to wherever Caesar and Varla were heading for, and in the process, defeat another boss mutant called the Lobber.
In the sixth, penultimate episode 'Jailhouse Judgment', G and Isaac track Caesar to a high security prison. Before they enter, they run into its strange warden, Clement Darling, who noticed where Caesar and Varla headed but knows nothing about the mutants. As G and Isaac shoot their way through the prison they finally reach the electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
theater where Varla and Caesar are strapped into the chairs. Clement then appears and, in a plot twist, reveals that he was behind the mutant outbreak and that Caesar was just an accomplice. Clement then executes Caesar, robbing Isaac of his revenge. Clement explains that his experiments were to save his dying mother (Following this, it is implied Clement has an incestuous relationship with his mother). Clement then descends on a giant elevator along with Varla, his mother, and Caesar's corpse. Seconds later, Clement tells G and Isaac to look at the stage behind them where two gigantic, physically enhanced, convicts wearing black masks lumber in through the door. Clement reads the two convicts previous crimes which include murder, assault, rape, and even eating a little boy's puppy. One of the convicts, Brutus, suddenly turns around and beats his fellow convict to death before turning his attention to G and Isaac.
After descending the elevator in pursuit of Clement in the final episode 'Overkill', G and Isaac shoot their way through hordes of mutants inside Clement’s underground lab before finally reaching his center of operations. They discover Varla’s brain has been taken out, kept alive in a jar, while Clement’s mother’s brain has been transplanted into Varla's body. At first it seems the experiment was a success, then Varla’s body begins to vomit and she falls into a pit after being gunned down by G and Isaac, mutating her into a giant monster. G and Isaac draw their guns and aim them at the newly mutated Mother. The duos' statements lead gamers to believe that they are about to play a frantic last stand shootout against the giant mutant, but then the screen cuts to a missing reel screen for a few moments. Once the reel resumes G and Isaac are outside claiming victory over Clement and the giant monster, thanking the use of minigun
Minigun
The Minigun is a 7.62 mm, multi-barrel heavy machine gun with a high rate of fire , employing Gatling-style rotating barrels with an external power source...
s they found randomly lying around nearby. However, the monster returns and the pair battle her again. After finally killing it, Clement appears and seeks to atone for all the problems he caused by "returning to the womb".
G and Isaac are picked up by a helicopter along with Varla’s (still active) brain in a jar where Isaac releases the detonator to destroy the facility. G tells Varla of his feelings for her, prompting him and Isaac to discuss the moral and political messages in the game's storyline and potential backlash, particularly from feminists. Soon after, the two realize the helicopter is being piloted by a mutant and points their guns at it, ending the game.
After the credits roll, Caesar's tape recording from before is played, revealing a message to Isaac that Clement's plans were small-minded but he had powerful friends (possibly future characters Curien and Goldman), and that Isaac's father is still alive.
Development
The game was originally to follow the same style as previous The House of the Dead games, while other themes such as steampunkSteampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
were also considered. Headstrong ultimately chose a theme inspired by exploitation film
Exploitation film
Exploitation film is a type of film that is promoted by "exploiting" often lurid subject matter. The term "exploitation" is common in film marketing, used for all types of films to mean promotion or advertising. These films then need something to exploit, such as a big star, special effects, sex,...
s after watching the film Planet Terror
Planet Terror
Planet Terror is a 2007 American action horror film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez, about a group of people attempting to survive an onslaught of zombie-like creatures as they feud with a military unit, including a go-go dancer searching for a way to use her "useless talents." The film, a...
, which inspired the art direction, plot and marketing.
Most of the main characters were presumably modeled after several famous individuals. For example, Detective Washington was modeled after rapper Common, Varla Guns after glamor model Vikki Blows
Vikki Blows
Vikki Blows is an English glamour model, most famous for her work with the Page Three section of British tabloid, The Sun. At the age of 15, she became a hairdresser and at the age of 17 she took part in a photoshoot and sent the pictures to an agent. At the age of 18 Blows appeared in Page 3 of...
, Papa Caesar after Burt Reynolds
Burt Reynolds
Burton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
, Jasper Guns after Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking, CH, CBE, FRS, FRSA is an English theoretical physicist and cosmologist, whose scientific books and public appearances have made him an academic celebrity...
, and Agent G on Keanu Reeves
Keanu Reeves
Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor. Reeves is perhaps best known for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Speed, Point Break and the science fiction-action trilogy The Matrix...
as he appears in Point Break
Point Break
Point Break is a 1991 action film directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Patrick Swayze, Keanu Reeves, Lori Petty and Gary Busey. The title refers to the surfing term point break, where a wave breaks as it hits a point of land jutting out from the coastline.The film was a box office success upon...
.
The game is also available in a limited collector's edition that includes a graphic novel prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to the game called Prelude to an Overkill. A special release of the game in Australia, the "Bang Bang Box", comes packaged with the graphic novel in addition to two Wii Remote
Wii Remote
The , also known as the Wiimote, is the primary controller for Nintendo's Wii console. A main feature of the Wii Remote is its motion sensing capability, which allows the user to interact with and manipulate items on screen via gesture recognition and pointing through the use of accelerometer and...
gun shells modeled after the AMS pistols carried by the main characters in the game (somewhat similar to a Desert Eagle
Desert Eagle
The Desert Eagle is a large-framed gas-operated semi-automatic pistol designed by Magnum Research in the U.S. and by IMI in Israel; the pistol is manufactured primarily in Israel by IMI...
pistol).
The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut
On October 25, 2011, the game was released on the PlayStation 3PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
with PlayStation Move compatibility along with the Sixaxis controllers and DualShock 3 titled, The House of the Dead: Overkill - Extended Cut. Extended Cut features the same On-Rails gameplay with all new redone High Definition cutscenes and levels, albeit still identical to the Wii version. The game also has 3D compatibility with the use of an HD 3D TV. Music and audio are still the same along with new music featured. Exclusive are two new levels not included in the original Wii release titled, Naked Terror and Creeping Flesh. They both serve as a backstory in-between the main game featuring Varla Gunns and a new female character, stripper Candi Stryper. They contain new monsters, additional bonus materials for you to collect, and new enemy bosses. New weapons like a crossbow and a few others have been added to Extended Cut as well as an entirely new in-game screen layout. Extras from the Wii version like the mini games and Director's Cut mode also make it to Extended Cut, along with new content.
Reception
Upon release, The House of the Dead: Overkill received a generally favorable response from critics, with an average review score of 81% at Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
and 79/100 at Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
. Many critics praised the fast paced balanced gameplay, with X-Play
X-Play
X-Play is a TV program about video games, known for its reviews and comedy skits...
stating "the arcade style shooting is satisfying and provides a challenge for experienced players" yet "easily conquered for those who can’t aim a Wiimote to save their life." Games Radar found the simple gameplay to be "varied enough to keep the momentum going." Although considered to be easier than past games of the series, GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
calling the difficulty a "cake walk" at pure gore and bloodiest game times, Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Eurogamer is a Brighton-based website focused on video games news, reviews, previews and interviews. It is operated by Eurogamer Network Ltd., which was formed in 1999 by brothers Rupert and Nick Loman. Eurogamer has grown to become one of the most important European-based websites focused on...
said the game "almost never tries your patience, and it's made with such infectious and irreverent glee and such obvious pride, you can't help but join in."
The over-the-top B movie
B movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
grindhouse style was particularly praised. Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
stated "the parade of F-bombs
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
and one-liners fit in perfect harmony with the grindhouse presentation", even recommending it to Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
fans. GameSpot claimed it "reinvents the aging shooter series for the better with an over-the-top grindhouse theme that resonates in its every aspect, from the hilarious story to the fantastic vintage soundtrack." Due to the adult nature of the game, GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
called it "a digital slaughterhouse full of carnage that'll make you happy to be an adult Wii owner" and Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
calling it "one of the Wii's greatest guilty pleasures". Edge
Edge (magazine)
Edge is a multi-format computer and video game magazine published by Future Publishing in the United Kingdom. It is known for its industry contacts, editorial stance, distinctive anonymous third-person writing style, yearly awards and longevity....
stated that Overkill "raises the bar for third party production values on this generation’s best-selling console."
Though 1UP
1UP.com
1UP.com is a video game website owned by IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation. Previously, the site was owned by Ziff Davis before being sold to UGO Entertainment in 2009....
"still enjoyed the game", they did consider that "with its constant stream of expletives and toilet humor, it may turn just as many people away", starting their review with a disclaimer for younger gamers not to play, being strictly an adult game. Another issue critics found was a number of technical issues, particularly with the frame rate, which IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
called "sketchy" and "sad to see in a game that has so much amazing content in it." GamePro
GamePro
GamePro Media was a United States gaming media company publishing online and print content on the video game industry, video game hardware, and video game software developed for a video game console , a computer, and/or a mobile device . GamePro Media properties include GamePro magazine and...
also experienced this, notably when "the screen became cluttered with enemies", originally hoping the issue to be fixed before the game’s final release. Another issue were glitches, with Computer and Video Games
Computer and video games
A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. The word video in video game traditionally referred to a raster display device, but following popularization of the term "video game", it now implies any type of...
reportedly experiencing no enemies appearing at all at times and sometimes requiring to restart the console.
It was recently confirmed by Dread Central the game is set to receive a Guinness World Record
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
for being the most profane video game in history. Yahoo! News Canada
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
quoted Jonathan Burroughs, the game’s writer, in an article about the World Record, he said: “It is a dubious honor to receive such an accolade working in an industry where so often the fruits of your labors are derided and dismissed for being puerile or irresponsible." Burroughs went on to say, "But in the case of The House Of The Dead: Overkill, a little puerility was the order of business. Parodying the profane excess of grindhouse cinema was (game developer) Headstrong Games' objective and I am flattered that this record acknowledges that we not only rose to that challenge, but entirely exceeded it." This record was beaten a year later by Mafia II
Mafia II
Mafia II is a third-person action-adventure video game, the sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven. It is developed by 2K Czech, previously known as Illusion Softworks, and is published by 2K Games...
. The game has also been nominated for a writing award.
NPD Group
NPD Group
The NPD Group, Inc. is a leading North American market research company. The NPD Group consistently ranks among the top 25 market research companies in the independent Honomichl Top 50 report, which the media and the research industry acknowledge as a credible source of information on the market...
reports that the game sold 45,000 units in the United States in its debut month. Sega of America
Sega
, usually styled as SEGA, is a multinational video game software developer and an arcade software and hardware development company headquartered in Ōta, Tokyo, Japan, with various offices around the world...
has expressed satisfaction with the game's sales numbers, claiming that it has "absolutely met our expectations."
On the Special Achievement Award, GameSpot
GameSpot
GameSpot is a video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information. The site was launched in May 1, 1996 by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady and Jon Epstein. It was purchased by ZDNet, a brand which was later purchased by CNET Networks. CBS Interactive, which...
awarded Overkill Funniest Game of 2009, going on to say "The interplay between Washington and Special Agent G is pure gold. Like Martin and Lewis with F-bombs
Fuck
"Fuck" is an English word that is generally considered obscene which, in its most literal meaning, refers to the act of sexual intercourse. By extension it may be used to negatively characterize anything that can be dismissed, disdained, defiled, or destroyed."Fuck" can be used as a verb, adverb,...
. Mix that up with grindball atmosphere and Overkill cements its place as the funniest game of 2009."