Splatterhouse 2 is somewhat difficult to discuss. It's a lot like the first game, which I just reviewed. In fact, the first time that I reviewed the games, I had just critiqued them jointly in one article, because they're almost identical in many ways. But, we try to be a professional site and give each game their own individual scores and analysis, so I'm attempting to make the effort of splitting the games into their own reviews.
I'd argue that Splatterhouse 2's greatest achievement was that it essentially gave the Sega Genesis audience the opportunity to experience the first game's visuals and gameplay, as that original title never came to Genesis. The initial Splatterhouse game was locked to platforms like the arcade or the extremely niche TurboGrafx-16. So now a much larger playerbase was able to enjoy the gore-soaked shlockfest that is Splatterhouse. I imagine this move to the Genesis paid off for Namco, as Splatterhouse 3 would also release on the console as an exclusive game.
Similarly to the first title, Splatterhouse 2 has a bare bones story, and it serves as a continuation of the original game's plot. You'll remember that Splatterhouse was about Rick Taylor and his girlfriend Jennifer who were tormented by the horrific inhabitants of a haunted mansion. Rick, possessed by the sentient Terror Mask, fought tooth and nail through several hellacious environments to save Jennifer, only to realize that he was too late. This resulted in him having to kill Jennifer, who had become a hulking monster, and ultimately facing off against the sadistic Terror Mask itself, in a desperate attempt to free himself.
In Splatterhouse 2, three months have passed and Rick is having nightmares about the Terror Mask and feeling completely wracked with guilt over his failure to rescue Jennifer. The mask has willed itself back into being and convinces Rick that Jennifer can still be saved if they go back to the mansion. So Rick dons the Terror Mask again and heads to that infernal hellhouse. After battling all of the nightmares and monsters that the house can throw at him (including some truly disturbing new bosses), Rick manages to rescue Jennifer and get her out of the mansion.
Gameplay wise, Splatterhouse 2 is identical to the first game. Rick walks from one side of a stage to the other, punching and kicking every rotten ghoul that gets in his way. He finds myriad weapons that are extremely helpful in taking out harder enemies. Then each stage ends with a grotesque boss battle. There's a boss encounter in this game that is almost shockingly offensive, which is really saying something given how graphic and obscene the series has been. At the end of Stage 3, Rick must battle a group of what strongly resembles hanged infant corpses, and he uses a chainsaw to do so. I've seen some horrific things in my years, and this sequence actually had me stunned for a minute.
Ultimately, I'd still recommend Splatterhouse 2, especially if you're confined to original hardware, as you wouldn't be able to play the first game on your Genesis. The narrative, while weak, does offer an intriguing twist by bringing Jennifer back to life, which is relevant in the third game. Splatterhouse 2 will offer you a very brief, unbelievably bloody experience to play through one night this Halloween season, though if you've played the first game, this will feel quite familiar. Your mileage may vary.
VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on Genesis
Available On: Genesis
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