Hype Muffin
Some strange disappearances prompt AMS Special Agent G to head to Louisiana, where he makes an unlikely partnership with detective Issac Washington. Together they take on Papa Caesar, dangerous crime lord of the Bayou involved in some disturbing human experiments leading to bloodthirsty zombies (or mutants, as Agent G corrects Washington). Along the way they blast apart a few hundred mutants and meet up with Varla Guns, a voluptuous stripper looking for revenge against Papa Caesar. Their investigation leads to some deranged ends, and disgusting scenes. The basic idea is derivative, but the dialogue adds layers of absurdity and hilarity. G and Washington's banter is comical and packed to the brim with swearing, which is amusing in its own way. It should go without saying that this is not a game for those with a weak disposition, but the game is indeed quite crass and brutal. The game concludes with a disgustingly twisted finale; it will either have you in stitches or washing your brain with bleach. Ultimately the story is basic but amusing with some comically exaggerated characters.
Overkill is an on-rails light gun shooter, meaning all you have to do is point at the screen, fire, and watch those zombie (mutant) limbs go flying. Somehow this simple formula is always satisfying, and Overkill is no exception. Early levels start off slow, but soon there will be plenty of enemies charging at you from every inch of the screen, requiring quick reaction time, or the helpful hand of a second gun. Co-operative gameplay is available on every level, significantly lowering the game's difficulty, but also making a high score a little more challenging. By not missing or taking damage, you can increase your combo meter (leading to the aptly named goregasm) and earning more points, meaning a higher grade and more unlockables when the level is over. Watching your combo meter means shooting carefully and giving you a sense of direction rather than bombarding every inch of the screen with bullets like in previous games, which in the end makes for more depth in the gameplay.
The game isn't limited to simply using a single gun to kill every zombie (mutant) that crosses your path. Between levels players can buy new weapons: shotguns, machine guns, and after completing the game once, the hand cannon (a seriously powerful magnum). Each gun can have its attributes upgraded (including fire power, clip size, and reload speed, among other features) with cash earned by completing levels with high scores. Upgraded weapons remove a lot of tension from the game--an enhanced shotgun is a destructive powerhouse--to the extent that even the last levels can be a breeze. In contrast, automatic weapons make combos virtually impossible, even if you can rattle off a dozen bullets into everything that moves. In addition there are grenades to obliterate enemies that you can collect during levels, as well as slow motion icons that, yes, slow everything down, making headshots easier. Slow motion is fun but be careful reloading, it's slowed down as well, and grenades, though effective, are scarce and limited in range. The variation is a nice feature, though levels are still in essence largely similar.
The story mode is divided into seven chapters and is over quite quickly; approximately a few hours (though admittedly this is longer than House of the Dead 2 & 3). But the game offers plenty of replay value, from aiming for higher scores, to Director's Cut mode--a harder version of the main game--to dual wield mode, where one player can pick up two Wii Remotes and exercise both trigger fingers. While Director's Cut is a fun retread of the game with some additional challenges, dual wield mode feels gimmicky--it's not a great incentive to keep playing. There are also three minigames available for up to four players, but these feel underdone. They are simplistic and rather bland, and seem more like last minute add-ons than a full secondary or multiplayer experience.
All you need to play is the Wii remote; just point and shoot, simple as that. This is perfect for the fast and frantic gameplay, but there are also grenades you can pick up in some levels, and switching between two guns. Grenades are lobbed by pressing the minus (-) button, and switching guns requires you to press 1 or 2. With your trigger finger on the B button this means stretching your thumb to make the changes; not the easiest of movements. It's a bit of a mystery that the developers did not think of using the A button or D-pad--almost guaranteed to be far easier.
The graphics aren't the best seen on the Wii but the zombies (mutants) are good and bloody, which is all you really need. Unfortunately cutscenes are pretty disappointing; the character models are rather clunky, and other details are far from smooth. The music is great, with some funky tunes and upbeat tracks, but the voice work is hit and miss. G and Washington are good (even if there is excessive swearing--but then that's just one of the comical aspects of the game), but Varla sounds severely bored throughout the harrowing adventure, and other voices like Papa Caesar can be annoying after hearing them for awhile. Overall the presentation is a step up from past games, but not on par with the best of the Wii.
With House of the Dead games, there's really only one thing you're looking for: blasting away zombies (or mutants, as it were). There's plenty of that in Overkill with some fun variations, but ultimately this isn't a game you take home to mother. Overkill is certainly an improvement over its predecessors, but like past titles, it's good for a weekend, then easily forgotten.
7.5/10
Images from IGN.com
