Direct resumption of the first episode requires, the basics of the scenario therefore remain identical in this new generation Splatterhouse. You play as Rick, a young student who has come to visit the famous Doctor West with his girlfriend Jennifer. Unfortunately for them, the latter turns out to be completely mad and kidnaps the young girl, leaving Rick considered dead. But as often happens, a magic mask hangs around and decides to resuscitate the latter by giving him gigantic powers. All for dark and mysterious purposes. Clad in a “metro ticket” scenario, Splatterhouse therefore functions like its elder, being able to rely only on its gameplay to hope to exist. But where the first opus brought a certain originality to its time, this remake does exactly the opposite, even if it means seeking its salvation at all costs on the side of ease.
A lot of blood for nothing
In order to remain faithful to its origins, Splatterhouse takes horror, even gore, as its background framework, pushing them to quite dizzying levels. A bloody excess that seems to play on the second degree but without ever really knowing where to go. Unlike a MADWORLD which aestheticized violence and put it not only at the service of a message but also of quirky and original gameplay ideas, Bandai Namco Games' game is just in excess. A kind of very adolescent and somewhat silly spectacular gore whose sole purpose is weariness and a certain disgust after several hours of play. Worse, this bloody side seems only present to give cachet to a title whose dated mechanisms are proof of a profound lack of inventiveness. By removing the liters, even the dekaliters of blood, it is possible to see indeed a beat'em all pure strain which is based on a gameplay also exploiting hemoglobin. With no healing items or other potions found behind a wall or in a hallway, Rick must suck the blood of his victims to fill his life bar. An action that will draw on reserves that are also necessary to trigger special attacks that are not impressive at all. A principle therefore limited to the usual cogs of the genre which even manages to regress on certain points, in particular the famous finish. Supposed to bring a dose of the spectacular with a sudden unleashing of power, in the style of a God of War, these executions, ripping off of arms and beheadings are done during out-of-game sequences.
Unlike a MADWORLD which aestheticized violence and put it not only at the service of a message but also of quirky and original gameplay ideas, Bandai Namco Games' game is just in excess.
As soon as an enemy is sufficiently weakened, it is indeed possible to pass on a black background which clearly depicts the cruelty of the action with a lot of QTE, before returning to the playing area. A cut that completely breaks the rhythm of the clashes, especially since these kills are excessively long and very uninspired. Admittedly, the latter have their small effect on the rare interesting bosses of the game, but are sorely lacking in renewal. Like these phases on a 2D plan intended as tributes to the original game which continue to be based on identical situations, which are moreover handicapped by a handling that is not really precise and a quickly painful inertia in the flat phases -forms or dodges of various and varied traps. As much for once to take advantage of the three original episodes that it is possible to unlock in your progress, ultimately the only acceptable goal of this bloody quest. An adventure that sometimes tries to offer a certain variety by using various interactions with the scenery, but which boils down to throwing all the deformed creatures on spikes, in jaws, under presses, all to unlock access to another area. Seen and reviewed that is not adorned with any additional layer of interest. Yes, Splatterhouse is relaxing and allows you to pass your nerves by hammering the three main action keys, but it only sticks to this observation. A hobby that is not very shrewd, graphically dated and showing regular frame-rate drops, and which therefore has difficulty in being seen as entertainment. What remains is a soundtrack studded with very punchy hardcore tracks that will please fans who have accidentally fallen on this Splatterhouse. As with the cursed mask, there is still time to say no.
