GENRE
	On-rails Shooter
	DEVELOPER
	Headstrong Games
	PUBLISHER
	SEGA
	NUMBER OF PLAYERS
	1-4
	WI-FI ENHANCED
	No
	DS COMPATIBLE
	No
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Taking a page out of the Grindhouse film by Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, the House of the Dead franchise returns on Nintendo Wii. The series was an arcade staple for four canon installments, but SEGA has opted to give Wii owners a strictly console experience courtesy of Headstrong Games. Even with these changes, fans of zombie-decapitating action will feel right at home with Wii remote in hand. Get ready for some F-bombs, undead nurses, super slow-mo caps to the head and even incest in this over-the-top, on-rails shooter known as House of the Dead: Overkill.

visuals

The Grindhouse feel is evident throughout the game. The visuals sport a ‘70s movie reel-like quality, with cigarette burns and missing frames strewn throughout. It's a grimy, yet campy feel, which is perfect for the zombie genre. It also helps that the undead explode and lose limbs to pixel-perfect aiming. A shot to the leg will make the mutants fall to their knees or become legless, which makes for a visceral experience. Finally, the level diversity brings it all together, as the story line delves through a blood-soaked hospital and evil carnival, among many others.

The only problem is the frame rate, which will stutter occasionally through each level. This slowdown leads to shots being misfired or power-ups missed. It’s by no means totally awful, but definitely noticeable.

audio

Vulgarity galore. It’s not too often that dialogue consists of phrases such as “You’re an F-ing MF-er.” But it’s found in Overkill. Some will find it funny, while others may decide to mute the television whenever Detective Washington is speaking. But what isn’t as polarizing is the musical score, with a nice mix of rock tunes that harkens back to the ‘70s, just like the visuals. Add in some booming gun sound effects and the package really comes together from the visual/audio side.

gameplay

House of the Dead: Overkill follows in the footsteps of the franchise by offering an on-rails experience. An on-screen reticule reacts to the Wii remote IR, as the camera moves on a predetermined route. Honestly, it’s a perfect genre for Wii. The IR functionality works very well, except for when the frame rate chugs a bit.

On top of the solid controls, Headstrong Games delivers a great gameplay experience. Each stage has very fluid pacing, with a mixture of slow and exhilarating segments. The down time successfully raises the tension for more intense situations. A couple of bare rooms, for example, will usually be interrupted by sprinting zombies, giving the player a quick scare. Other parts of the game, by contrast, will be total mutant war, with the undead filling the screen.

The game does have a couple of problems. One problem with the genre, in general, is the short length. Overkill does provide a longer experience than most, but that only accumulates into three or so hours. A "director’s cut" mode is available to fix that complaint, but it really doesn’t feel too much harder or offer up enough new areas to add to the replayability too much. A second problem is the difficulty -- boss battles, in particular, are a breeze. Only with the last boss was there any doubt about staying alive.

What does work and feel refreshing, though, is the inclusion of unlockable and upgradeable weapons. Only a pistol is available at the start, but with precision shooting and hitting small collectibles like golden brains, new weapons become available with money, like a SMG. If that's not enough, each weapon can be enhanced by power, reload, etc. This little mechanic really drives players to keeping dipping into levels so new guns can become available.

Another grand feature implemented is a combo system. It sounds rudimentary, but blasting mutants in succession and without missing will add a multiplier to the score. This plays into scoring extra cash and the fun weapon system, and as such, adds another layer to the gameplay. Once one "gorgasm" is reached -– the ultimate combo multiplier –- an addiction to reach that level again will occur.

Headstrong also offers a couple of mini-games –- which seem to be required in every Wii game –- and achievements, too. The mini-games are forgettable, but the achievements are pretty cool and open up galleries, images, songs and even trailers. The setback is that there’s not a list of the achievements; instead, the extras gallery must be navigated to see requirements.

multiplayer

When killing zombies, it’s always better to have a companion. Overkill allows for one other person to experience the ride –- since there is two main characters, Agent G and Washington. It really is the way to play and does enhance the experience, although online would have been tremendous. Yes, physically sitting next to friends is great fun, but some people don’t have that option. With WiiSpeak also readily available, a co-op online mode is sorely missed. The developer does allow for four-player support on the mini-games, but this in no way smoothes over the lack of Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection.

overall

This third-party on-rails shooter really nails the genre. The Grindhouse look and feel melds well with the House of the Dead franchise. The console is perfect for this genre, and Headstrong builds on the concept with clever level design and addictive gameplay additions. There are a few problems with the frame rate and the overall length of gameplay –- and missing online is sad – but there’s no doubt this is a horrifically splendid experience. Blowing away zombies feels fantastic with Overkill. Hopefully this isn't the last in the series for Wii.

8.2/10