Since I just got the new Splatterhouse game today (boy that's a heckuva lot Splatterhouse-related posts lately!), I decided to surprise you guys with this little "unexpected" review.
It may not be part of Namco's Splatterhouse series, but it is in its own rights something worth mentioning for any fans of the serie (that is, me!).
Let's dig in.... The Splatter Action!!
VGR: Simple 2000 Series Vol. 64 - The Splatter Action aka Splatter Action or Splatter Master (Pal)
From D3 Publisher/Vingt-et-un Systems
Played on PS2
Also available on /Type Sidescrollin' beat 'em all
Year 2004
First a little introduction on D3 Publisher, for I may review some other titles from them in the future!
D3 Publisher is a little low-budget studio who's been making, developing and producing very cheap games since the PS1-days.
They sort of developed this B-movie-like line for small budget games.
Their games are numbered (like old 8-bits titles) and come out on either their Simple 1500 Series, Simple 2000 series or Simple 2500 series.
Why those names? It's the price they're sold at, the Simple 2000 games cost 2000 yens (which is more or less ~20 US dollars).
Sadly... most of their games use the same engine, end up pretty boring and repetitive. And they don't usually look that great either.
On very rare occasions they are published outside Japan, when they gain a sort of cult or have pretty high sales. (The Oneechanbara series for exemple)
But like B-movies, some pearls may come out every now and then and even the worst of their games can easily be enjoyable for what they are (mindless fun not-expensive games) and like I say, a bad small budget product never deceives as much as a bad AAA blockbuster title.
Ri....? Rick!? Is that you? - note the Alex Kidd-like attacks!
What is Splatter Action?
The story goes like this:
The evil demon Jagado was awaken! Now he's resurrecting all sort of nasty demons to help him conquer the world!!
A gentle scarecrow, Kakashi, was given life in his path. Kakashi wants to avenge the farmers, his "parents", who were injured by Jagado.
I wouldn't call this plot good literatur, but hey, anything works as an excuse for this funny chibi beat 'em all!
As you can imagine from the title, the game is in fact a parody of Splatterhouse.
It draw directly from Wanpaku Graffiti which this game sort of is a spiritual sequel.
Killing chibi monsters has never been so fun and so gruesome at the same time! °__O
The gameplay is pretty simple.
The game even draws some elements from Splatterhouse 3 in this aspect.
You play on an isometric sidescrolling plan.
Unlike Wanpaku Graffiti, it's more Beat 'em all oriented.
The game offers 7 long stages (which can be seen as short for a PS2 game), tons of cartoony enemies to kill and huge bosses to defeat.
You start around the farm, go to a city, a jungle, a iceberg, canyon and finally a mansion! Yes, it is more exotic than your regular Splatterhouses.
Kakashi uses his punch (like Rick in the original Splatterhouse) to kills enemies and as a super attack in the form of his trusty double chainsaws.
The chainsaws are limited in time but are much more effective against large group of enemies. You need to collect fuel to use them. (L1+R1 equips/unequips them in a spinning melee attack)
The game is meant to be played arcade-style, in one sitting, from beginning to end...
But it's almost impossible to do since the difficulty increases pretty fast.
Fear not, cause the continues are infinite. And quitting after dying (but not during a playthrough!), the game will let you save your current stats.
....Jennifer is that you?? - the Shop allows to upgrade Kakashi's health and other aspects.
The game tries to offer variety every now and then with little different segments (some light platforming to do, projectiles to avoid..)
The coins Kakashi collects - which the enemies drop - can be used in a little shop that appears sometimes in-levels and after the boss fights.
To build some replay-value, there's various items to buy in the shop, which you won't be able to on the first playthrough, including the Terror Mask itself from Splatterhouse 1/Wanpaku Graffiti!
There's also multiple endings depending on the way you play and an alternate mode called "Another Story" which mixes elements and enemies!
The bosses are pretty challenging and quite creepy.
Finally, I'd say this is one of D3's best entries.
Most of their games feel pretty empty or unfinished.
This game's quite polished, has nice j-rockin' tunes (plus a creepy Splatterhouse-like eerie atmosphere for the last level).
The gameplay is tight, precise and fun!
The game may look cartoony-SD, but it's pretty gory. VERY gory! The monsters as funny as they look (short Hockey mask-wielding creatures, crows, killer garbage bags..) die in awful lots of blood splurts.
And the bosses are rather pretty creepy, monstrous creatures and hideous "things". Such as a freakish train, a fake-Moon dropping out of the sky on a rampage or the strange Fast Food Mascot turning into a Terminator...
The graphics are pretty detailed for a budget game and colorful. The enemies get a bit repetitive past the last couple of levels, but at least they're funny to look at!
Overall, it was quite the surprise for me when I first tried it!
I wasn't expecting something this funny or good.
It gets harder near the end and is fun enough to deserve a second playthrough.
Sure, it isn't an AAA-title from a super popular gaming studio...but it's still is an entertaining game!
It's a budget game that succeeds in his goal and offers a nice moment for any horror/gore/Splatterhouse fan out there!
This parody was at first only available in Japan but came out in Europe as Splatter Master.
If you want to try it, do like me, import it and play it on a Japanese PS2! :P
It's not very "text-heavy", but most of the menus and options are in English while the story and PS2-data info are in Japanese. (the story which I already summarized here)
Try it!
It may not be the best game you'll see out there and won't change your (biased) opinion on small dev. teams. It's not "great" nor fantastic, but it's still pretty fun.
For fans~
I give it:
