They Will Strip…Your Flesh – House of the Dead Series Returns

Fun n’ Games was an arcade at the Willowbrook Mall in Wayne, New Jersey. There, they had House of the Dead 3 and it was probably the last true quarter pumper I will ever play. At the time, having worked close to the mall, I would go to Fun n’ Games with coworkers and we would dump about five bucks into the machine in an attempt to beat it during our lunch.

If you have any fond memories of first-person rail shooters, you should check out House of the Dead: OVERKILL. It is silly, but it is also good and tight. With a cleaned-up version of the original released on the Wii, the Extended Cut comes brimming with many more weapons, enemies and options. Also included with the game are two new levels that work into their wacky universe. And, since Extended Cut has been made exclusive for the PS3, it will, of course, keep with true B-movie form and be in 3D.

Extended Cut is built with the PlayStation Move in mind or, more specifically, with the PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter peripheral. Having been skeptical of the Move at first, I was quite impressed by how solid it felt and accurate it was on the screen. By keeping the gameplay simple, the gun aspect has a real sense of immersion. No need to add crazy Move features to games that don’t need it.

I don’t think I would sit on the couch and play this game. Sitting and playing with the Sharp Shooter would only get in the way. You can, however, play with just the controller, by moving the reticle manually; I won’t be able to honestly vouch for that kind of gameplay experience. This game was meant to be played with a light gun – treat her right.

You will also want to play this game co-op. This is where these rail shooters really shine – two player gameplay. Those real-life social experiences seem lost now with the lack of arcades on the landscape. I can remember being at an arcade and joining a stranger’s game just because they might have gotten farther than I had. In the arcades, the goal was to beat the boss battle, no matter who it was with, regardless of whether it was the creepy kid that delivered your paper or one of your closest friends.

House of the Dead: OVERKILL Extended Cut is by no means subtle – as a fan of go-go dancers and general sleazy behavior, I embrace the very cheesy ’70s B-movie feel this game revels in. Stripper zombies, big guns and gore – how can I deny those things?

You have friends. Invite them over, drink some beer and shoot up a strip club.

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Find Chuck tucking a buck @JapanDudeGirl.