Review- House of The Dead: Overkill

 

My friend Paul and I have been hitting the Wii hard lately. Specifically, the wealth of arcade shooters that are available on the system. It's been a costly addiction but honestly, some of the most good, wholesome fun I've had playing video games in quite some time. Screw online multiplayer. A couple friends on the couch is a where it's at. There's a certain magic in the simple act of pointing at things to make them die as you scarf pizza and guzzle beer, all the while performing the delicate balancing act of co-operation, rationing ammunition, health and upgrades.
Of the games that we have played so far, House of The Dead Overkill is the clear winner. While it might be an entirely different experience solo (and I wouldn't recommend that you play any shooter solo, really), It's a gory, funny, kitschy, rollicking good time when you are playing with friends. You will scream at the TV and at each other and love every minute of it.
This game is essentially the closest any game has come to being an all-out homage to the film Grindhouse, even going so far as to copy and paste it's opening stripper cinematic. Throughout the game, there are the same gag tactics deployed as it the Tarantino/Rodriguez masterpiece, including over abundance if film grain, blatant over the top profanity and violence, missing reels, cheesy title cards, off the wall music selection and characters that seem ripped out of some lame 80's cop movie. All of this created an aesthetic that is engrossing, singular, and very entertaining. Unlike the previous House of the Dead games, where the presentation seemed like it was trying to be serious and failing miserably, Overkill know exactly what it is and plays to its strengths.
It's easy to make it through the entire game in one sitting, as with all House of the Dead games although this one is considerably longer than the arcade iterations. It's constructed in a more paced and thoughtful way than the others because It wasn't built with the intention of swindling quarters out of people, rather giving them an entertaining movie-length ride. And on that level, it succeeds marvelously. The only gripe is that it doesn't seem as tight, responsive or demanding as say, House of the Dead 2, a game that is tough as nails and not bashful about taking you for all your'e worth. Overkill is a hell of a ride though, and should not be missed by anyone who likes to play games on the couch with friends, perhaps the best way to digest any form of entertainment.

7.5 / 10

Review- Lollipop Chainsaw

 

Lollipop Chainsaw is the most recent release from Grasshopper Manufacture, aka Suda 51, aka "The Quentin Tarantino of Games". I'll say right now that I love Suda and all he does for gaming. His team brings a certain self-reflexive, ironic charm to every one of their games that in unmistakable. Like the films Grindhouse and Kill Bill, these games draw heavily from the well of pop-culture and come up with something that straddles the line between parody and post-modern brilliance. And while Tarantino's films' primary inspiration is other films and music, Suda adds video game references to the pile, to glorious effect. His surreal Killer 7, a nearly incomprehensible mashup of every influence the man has ever had wrapped in a utterly confounding game design, is one of the strangest shooters ever made, and a true classic. No More Heroes and Shadows of The Damned were slightly more accessible but not certainly lacking the outsider style and obscure design choices that made Suda famous.
Lollipop Chainsaw was released a mere year after Shadows of The Damned. If the new business model for Grasshopper is to drop a new title this frequently, I have to say, while I like that plan to a certain extent, I have my worries. Like Shadows, Lollipop is short and feels a little undercooked. You can breeze through this in a mere 5-10 hours. Releasing these games for 60 dollars is steep. As much of a fan as I am, I held off until the game was 30 because I KNEW what it was going to be. To an average consumer, I could see some cause for distress. That being said, take away the price factor and Lollipop Chainsaw is some of the most valuable time you can spend with a game. As a hack-n-slash, it's rewarding, addictive and propulsive. It's totally goofy, actually quite funny, and just a joy to play. Like Shadows, it's shlock. It's the kind of setup you would find in a made for TV movie or in a grindhouse theater, meaning inconsequential yet immensely entertaining junk food for the brain. Zombie, high school drama, demon slayer, Rock-n-roll and comic book tropes all mix together in a big goulash of crazy where you are genuinely interested to see what will be thrown at you next.
I talk a lot about art and aesthetic in my reviews. Probably even more than gameplay, in some cases. That's because art is what draws us to a game, and is with us the entire time. I hate spending my time in drab, uninspired digital worlds. Even if the gameplay is fantastic, if the style doesn't fetch me, I'm bored or frustrated at what could have been. Suda 51 games always shine in the presentation department despite not ever being technically impressive. Good presentation is about more than good graphics. It's about character design, level design, menu layout, music… Damn, does this game have an incredible soundtrack. Master video game musician Akira Yamaoka is present, shredding guitar along with Jimmy Urine of Mindless Self Indulgence. And if that wasn't enough, a slew of iconic cheerleader, surf, and 80's pop is peppered throughout. Hearing Toni Basil's "Hey Ricky" as the power up theme is one of the best musical moments in gaming I have ever experienced, as the song was seemingly written as a musical accompaniment to the gleeful slaughter of zombies via chainsaw, as rainbows and golden coins abound.
Other moments of glee include references to old school arcade games, mushroom trips, cheerleading minigames, excellent boss battles and cutscenes that, although shlocky, manage to elicit constant smiles and an occasional big laugh. And yet, Lollipop Chainsaw is a minor victory. It still remains to be seen whether Suda 51's masterpiece is ahead but as of now, it's still Killer 7. For all of it's wonderful quirks, Lollipop is an inconsequential piece of pop-fluff. It's the sort of thing that you enjoy the hell out of while you are in it but scarcely return to. It's a fun little game held back by less than perfect mechanics, limited scope, and the fact that it just won't be a lot of people's cup of tea. An extra bit of time in the cooker could have done this game well but really, I'm not complaining. The guys who make these games clearly have enough ideas in their heads to keep this stuff coming fast and hard. I await the next undercooked nugget of brilliance eagerly.

8 / 10