Think of all of the iconic masks throughout pop culture. The myriad superhero and supervillain masks across DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, etc., obviously come to mind. Jim Carrey's bizarre, blockbuster, smash hit The Mask. The entirety of one of my favorite Legend of Zelda games: Majora's Mask, is hinged entirely upon Link having access to a collection of masks that grant him strange powers. I do think there's a specific mask that seems to sit on the top of this mountain of iconic face coverings though. A mask that used to be known just for a sport, namely hockey. Ever since 1982 though, the hockey mask has been synonymous with violent, bloody, gory horror, thanks to the slasher movie icon, Jason Voorhees.
Jason's well-known design was obviously a direct influence on the lead character of Splatterhouse. And let me just say, given the horrifying, bloody, graphic nature of this game, it feels right controlling a guy that you can easily pretend is Jason Voorhees. Splatterhouse is a sidescrolling, beat-em-up game by Japanese company Namco, first coming out in arcades in 1988, before being ported to a small selection of home consoles.
The story of Splatterhouse, like with most horror plots and also with a lot of games of this era, isn't particularly deep or profound in any sense, but it is fun and schlocky. This game is about two university students, Rick Taylor and his girlfriend Jennifer. They duck into a mansion to seek shelter from a bad storm and Jennifer vanishes, while Rick blacks out and awakens in a dungeon of sorts, under the mansion, wearing a strange mask, called the "Terror Mask." If you've seen the first season of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, the Terror Mask is comparable to the stone mask that Dio wears. It is a sentient ancient Mayan sacrificial artifact that attaches to Rick and turns him into a hulking behemoth capable of great strength. Rick, wearing the mask, battles the monstrous experiments and ghouls located in and around the mansion, in his desperate quest to find and save Jennifer. Unfortunately, when he does find her, she has been converted into a monster, and Rick must kill her. He eventually discovers that the mansion itself is also alive, and he must defeat the spirit of the house. Upon escaping, the mask breaks and Rick is free. Or so, you are led to think.
Like with any beat-em-up, Rick can punch and kick enemies, and these basic attacks form the core of the game's combat. But, the true joy in the gameplay comes from the various brutal weapons that he can pick up in each stage. Whether it be a chainsaw, a shotgun, or a femur, Rick has a full artillery of blunt, ranged, and sharp weapons to wipe out the haunted creatures and demons of the mansion. Using a weapon is, as you would expect, much stronger than just using Rick's hands or feet. And sometimes saving a ranged weapon, like the shotgun, for annoying enemy types makes some sequences much easier. The violence of this series is downright shocking. Each and every kill
involves dismembering your enemy or otherwise blowing them into pieces
or a slurry of gore and viscera.
Related: Splatterhouse 3 Review
Most of Splatterhouse's stages are set in the various spooky rooms and chambers of the massive, sprawling mansion. Though there are a couple of bizarre, unexpected stages, like one that has Rick battling through the disgusting sewers or rooms that are just full of undefined gore. There's also a straight up church located somewhere, presumably under the house, like you'd find in a Castlevania game or something. Each stage concludes with a horrific boss fight featuring some new monstrous enemy standing between Rick and freedom. Some of these are seriously disturbing. Watching Jennifer transform into a giant deformed ghoul and then being forced to slay her was a wild moment that I really wasn't expecting.
I really enjoyed my brief time with Splatterhouse. Its reputation as an iconic horror game is well deserved. I will say that it can be quite tough. I had to utilize save states several times to get through some of the tougher stages and boss fights. If you're looking for a quick horror title to enjoy this Halloween season, you should give this classic a chance.
VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on Arcade
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