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House of the Dead III
Available via the PSN, House of the Dead
III is a perfect arcade port of this popular light gun series that pits
gamers against a whole house of nasties. Although the game supports the
DualShock controller, a lightgun is the preferred way to play this title
and more specifically, the new PlayStation Move controller that with a
gun adapter, allows you to play this title how it was intended. So pop a
few pellets into your shotgun or slap a cartridge into your Uzi because
you're about to eliminate a variety of foes as you wander through this
house of violence and old school gaming clichés. Story? What story! Evil
haunted house, heroes must enter and save the day, that's about it. Add
in some very amusing cutscenes and this helps progress the story along.
Although not as fun as House of the Dead Overkill which was easily one
of the best "lightgun" games in quite some time, House of the Dead III
returns players to a more simpler time but given the cost on the game,
it's still value for money, even though you can complete the game in one
sitting. This was also true of Overkill. The gameplay is also a on the
rails experience as you are taken through the gaming environment like
you are on a rollercoaster and the only thing you need to be worried
about is shooting your enemies, reloading your weapons, finding health
and making sure you don't get attacked in the process. Add in some boss
fights and that pretty much sums up the experience in House of the Dead
III.
The
game also has a score system which is based on your attacks and misses.
The more hits you have and the fewer rounds you use, the higher your
score will be. The difficulty level of the game can even be raised for
those hardcore fans of lightgun games. You can also team-up with a buddy
(local co-op only) which is just as fun but at the end of the day,
you'll be breezing through this title like you're a professional hired
gun. This is good but it does limit the replay value, unless you trying
to complete the game on one of the higher difficulty levels which can be
a challenge. There is also a Time Attack mode which does increase the
longevity of the title plus online leader boards but at the end of the
day, House of the Dead III is like an enjoyable meal, once you're
finished... you're finished.
Graphically, the title looks just like the arcade game with it stylised
yet simplistic graphics with plenty of blood and gore. Even though the
violence is quite over the top, it's quite cartoon-like in appearance.
For such a violent game, it's quite bright in terms of its graphics.
Given that the game is a little dated in this department. Sound effects
on the other hand BOOM through your surround sound system and the music
does become annoying. Voice acting is what is to be expected from a
lightgun game...horribly bad yet amusing.
Final Level
If you're craving for a lightgun game or need a title that supports the
PlayStation Move controller, then House of the Dead III is definitely
that game. It's affordably priced and plays well on the PlayStation 3
which is only hampered by some lack of originality and dated graphics.
Although it doesn't support online multiplayer support, local co-op is
definitely better as it mirrors those classic arcade experiences.
All in
all, a fun yet ultimately forgettable experience.
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