Splatterhouse

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 78 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 78
  3. Negative: 8 out of 78
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  1. GamePlayCanada
    Nov 24, 2010
    9
    A must play for any fan of beat 'em up games or 80 's horror movies. Great art style, entertaining combat, and lots of gore. The voice acting is excellent and very humorous,The terror mask has some great one liners. One of the best rock soundtracks since Brutal Legend. Tons of unlockables and challenges to keep you busy for a couple run throughs. This is the Splatterhouse we have beenA must play for any fan of beat 'em up games or 80 's horror movies. Great art style, entertaining combat, and lots of gore. The voice acting is excellent and very humorous,The terror mask has some great one liners. One of the best rock soundtracks since Brutal Legend. Tons of unlockables and challenges to keep you busy for a couple run throughs. This is the Splatterhouse we have been waiting for, Good job Namco. Two severed thumbs up!!!!… Expand
  2. DigitalShark
    Nov 24, 2010
    9
    Much better than you'd expect, and catnip for horror and gore enthusiasts, and fans of the series. Given how little attention this game is getting, you'd think it was a disaster. What is surprising is how good Splatterhouse is, both at emulating the earlier games in the series and in making the gruesome splatter gameplay fun. The graphics are much better than you would expect, andMuch better than you'd expect, and catnip for horror and gore enthusiasts, and fans of the series. Given how little attention this game is getting, you'd think it was a disaster. What is surprising is how good Splatterhouse is, both at emulating the earlier games in the series and in making the gruesome splatter gameplay fun. The graphics are much better than you would expect, and transformed Rick feels and looks genuinely like a badass. The sight of limbs flying when you pick up a bladed weapon for example, and the sight of blood spraying everywhere in a way not seen in any other game to date gives the gameplay a power that is undeniably fun and satisfying. There are many fun references to classic and cult fave horror films (such as laughing animal heads on the wall) as well as to the writings of HP Lovecraft. The soundtrack is extremely enjoyable in the context of the game, as retro "haunted house" scores that emulate the feeling of the old Splatterhouse games help set the mood, while the licensed hardcore metal tracks kick in during key encounters and pump up the adrenaline in a way that seems missing from other games. The music, being speedy and powerful in a way music rarely is in games, gives the whole project a bit of a "punk rock" feel, in that it is genuinely unhinged and energetic, getting your pulse racing. Negatives? Odd loading times (the animation you see during loading, during my playthrough, would play 3 times before loading would be completed, and stutters awkwardly), repetitive splatter kills (fun and super gory, but you'll be seeing a lot of the same animations over and over if you do them a lot) and an abundance of rooms inside which you will have to clear waves of enemies to move on. However, I found myself using the word "fun" a lot in trying to write this, and that is the key that makes Splatterhouse a real treat to play. The negatives are quickly outweighed by the positives. It is just plain fun and a viscerally satisfying experience that is unlike any other horror survival game released this generation. Considering it is also clear that Splatterhouse does not have the resources or mammoth budgets of other games, the fact that this reboot was pulled off shows a lot of love went in to making it. This is the kind of game that deserves to be purchased, as the makers of this game should be rewarded for doing something this over the top and ambitious. The one mistake they made, in my opinion, was not giving this some kind of unique title to separate it from the mobile versions, as I think it has contributed to confusion and a lack of attention. If you try to search for reviews, for example, engines will most often take you to mobile reviews of the old game (which is getting some poor reviews). They should have called it Splatterhouse "insert something here (what could be debated)" to denote this is a separate game that reboots the series for current generation consoles.… Expand
  3. mrbakasan
    Nov 24, 2010
    9
    I've been playing the Splatterhouse games since the days of the Genesis and I have been looking forward to this title ever since it was announced. To say that I had high hopes would be an understatement, but I was concerned that it could never live up to my expectations. Well, it has met my expectations and exceeded them in many ways. The combat is fantastic, fun, and challenging. TheI've been playing the Splatterhouse games since the days of the Genesis and I have been looking forward to this title ever since it was announced. To say that I had high hopes would be an understatement, but I was concerned that it could never live up to my expectations. Well, it has met my expectations and exceeded them in many ways. The combat is fantastic, fun, and challenging. The animations and graphics are excellent. The soundtrack, generally, is great too. However, the only thing keeping me from giving Splatterhouse a 10 is that some of the background music is insane, over-the-top trash metal with lyrics. Not a big fan of that genre of music at all, but in the context in the game it works fairly well. However, it would have been my preference not to have it. Regardless, I'm likely in the minority there and it certainly adds to the intensity of the game. The gameplay really is top notch as are the animations. The amount of gore is so excessive and absurd, it doesn't really come across as gross or distrubing (which I think is a positive). This game is not groundbreaking for the hack-and-slash genre, but it doesn't need to be. It has a great pace, cool side-scrolling segments, and the original Splatterhouse trilogy (which are easily unlocked along the way). The Lovecraft influences are obvious which, if you are familiar with Lovecraft, is pretty darn cool. Awesome, awesome game. Give it a try, I'm certain you will be pleasantly suprised at how fun and well crafted it is!… Expand
  4. NJLVFX87
    Jun 22, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I didnt get to play the original Splatterhouse when it came out over 20 years ago but i did play 2 and 3. They still hold a special place in my mind, Looking at this new game it does try to stay true to the originals but also reinvent itself.

    On the plot its similar to the original game but with some more history of the characters and their development. This at least gave the game a more interesting cast. Some things from the previous games were included such as the Terror mask being able to talk, as voiced by the brilliant Jim Cummings (the voice of doctor robotnik in the sonic the hedgehog animated show). Giving the mask a voice added some comedy value and more of an individuality to the mask itself. While the ending itself is ambigious it will leave it open to continue a sequel, I do hope that a sequel is made but the problem is where to go with the plot from here?

    graphiclly this game has some very beautiful FMV sequnces which suit the mood of the game perfectly BUT then when the gameplay begins the whole look feels different, almost less serious and lacked any of the horror themes i felt in the FMV's. The Crackdown style look of the game does allow for alot of gore and over the top violence but i feel it detracts from the games overall look and feel. Some of the enemies work well while other seem a little out of place or just not right.

    Gameplay it plays very similarly to many of the recent button bashing games as i call them, such as, God of War, Dantes Inferno and Devil May Cry. A lot of combos and other attacks are used as your basic offence which are done beautifully by the main character Rick, you can feel the sheer power of each of the blows. Then we move onto Rick's Super Form, its like a Uber Evil edward scissor hands on a rampage, its works a little but with the graphics it looks like a gory super sonic trying to stab people. Finally you have the chance to perform a splatterkill. Very similar to the QTE's of God of War this requires a set sequence of buttons to be pressed. The kills themselves are extreamly grusome at the best of times, even the most disgusting one nearly made me hurl (ripping someones intestines out of their arse!!!) BUT only one splatter kill per creature is actually available, after seeing them 2 or 3 times you start to get fed up and just want to pummel the monsters instead of doing splatter kills.

    Another classic thing that comes back is weapons, all the old favorites are back, 2x4, 2x4 with nails, meat cleaver, chainsaw, even the shotgun. Some new ones make an appearance as well. You can even use your own severed arms as a club which adds a whole new dynamic to the game. This makes it more interesting and over time you can see your arm grow back from bones, muscles and skin in realtime. This has been a welcome innovation to this game and could be further developed if a sequel is made.

    Some of the game does have some platforming elements to make the game easier but this can sometimes make the game seem too dumbed down for players, since this is rated 18 i wouldnt expect many 18+ people having trouble with falling off an edge or anything like that. The transitions from Free Roaming levels to Side Scrolling sections is a brilliant nod to the classic game play of the original trilogy and keeps the players interested.

    Even when the main game is finished there are alot of extras to collects such as photos of Jennifer in various raunchy poses, Dr Wests diary records. These kinds of extras are a good addition to the series.

    Overall i feel this has been an excellent remake which has been sadly underratted thanks to a lack of PR and more high profile games over shadowing its release. The Crackdown style graphics do allow for better violent content BUT it doesnt quite gel with the FMV sequences and makes the game less scary. Fans of the original will love this while newcomers to the franchise will finally be able to enjoy what they will have missed out on from the originals. I would recommend anyone to play this but i would advise caution if your squeminsh, this is one of the most gory games i have played and it is NOT for anyone with a weak heart!!!    … Expand
  5. TDK1984
    Nov 30, 2010
    7
    This game deserves a solid 7/10. I don't feel the visuals are overly impressive, but I feel that game play and a wonderful job by Jim Cummings as the "Mask" pull this game above mediocrity. I will admit that the load times in this game are horrendous (install to HD - it helps a bit), the platforming segments are a borefest, and the game difficulty is horribly inconsistent, but there isThis game deserves a solid 7/10. I don't feel the visuals are overly impressive, but I feel that game play and a wonderful job by Jim Cummings as the "Mask" pull this game above mediocrity. I will admit that the load times in this game are horrendous (install to HD - it helps a bit), the platforming segments are a borefest, and the game difficulty is horribly inconsistent, but there is something to be admired by this title. Perhaps it's like watching a horror film that seems cliche, too familiar, but at the same time we embrace that familiarity. I highly recommend as a weekend rental or a purchase once it drops to the $30 mark (a 5 hour campaign is NOT worth the asking price for this title). And I will warn people this game is crude, violent and shouldn't be played by minors.… Expand
  6. AiqueBR
    Dec 7, 2010
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Nunca vi um game nessa geração que seja mais sangrento que esse.
    A trilha sonora reune bandas de metal que eu não conhecia, e que por sinal são fodas!
    Itens coletáveis; existem pedaços de fotos da garota que devem ser achadas.
    Os diálogos são pesados e muitas vezes engraçados.
    Existem partes das fases que o game fica em 2D. (achei do cacete)
    Combos disponíveis para compra com a moeda do jogo (sangue).    … Expand
  7. Iron_Mal
    Jan 30, 2011
    9
    Before I say anything else I need to point out that Splatterhouse is the kind of game that you need to know what it really is before you get into it or you're going to be disappointed. Splatterhouse is loud, explicit gorey, grusome and brutal. It is very clearly not for everyone (and that's ok), but, it is still a great game if you're looking for a gorey, over the top, gruesomeBefore I say anything else I need to point out that Splatterhouse is the kind of game that you need to know what it really is before you get into it or you're going to be disappointed. Splatterhouse is loud, explicit gorey, grusome and brutal. It is very clearly not for everyone (and that's ok), but, it is still a great game if you're looking for a gorey, over the top, gruesome horror/black comedy game.

    The story is actually better than it sounds initially and will feel creepily familiar to fans of the classic 2D games (it's taken the Doom 3 approach of simply taking the first game's story and expanding on it as a way of making it fresh) and the characters actually have depth and personality to them (it could have been very easy for the Mask to come off as annoying, Rick to come across as bland and for you to wonder why you even WANT to save Jen).

    People always say that this feels like a God of War rip off but I actually feel this game has more in common with Ninja Gaiden II, evading enemies is your best defence and button mashing will get you killed most of the time. The difficulty curve is a tad on the high side (there is no shame in playing on easy for your first playthrough) but overall the game felt fair yet challenging (except for the black and red guys with the club-arm, I hate those guys).

    As for extras, all of the classic Splatterhouse games are in there but they'll mostly only be of interest to veterans of the series (lemme put it this way, I'm stuck on the first one, the final boss of 2 still kills me every time and don't get me started on 3), the journal of Dr. West does make for some interesting exposition and back story to the main game but they are pretty lengthy and the handwriting has so far proven impossible to read. Finally I am left with the nude photos of Jen, collecting them made me feel very awkward and uncomfortable, that is all that I shall say on the matter.

    Overall, I loved this game, it had fun gameplay, was a great challenge, had a pretty good story and above all else, it had a sense of humour about itself and was just generally enjoyable (if not for the weak of stomach or easily offended).    … Expand
  8. Makaveli
    May 13, 2012
    7
    Someone once told me that they didn't like this game because it had no story. WTF do you expect out of a game called "Splatter House" I've had the game for awhile andit's still fun to play. If you had a bad day at work, this game can be fun. It's not the best game ever. I'm just glad it's not Call of Duty..
  9. SargeGO
    May 25, 2011
    5
    The biggest problem with this game is that it is just way to repetitive. While the voice acting and story are not good at all, I could get over that if it was a fun beat-em-up. And for the first 30 minutes to and hour it was. It just got way to repetitive after that.
  10. MaiquelP
    Jul 19, 2011
    8
    Melhor visualizado em: criticalplayer.com.br

    Poucos são os jogos que conseguem te deixar com â
  11. PandCadventure
    Mar 19, 2012
    8
    I won't give splatterhouse a bad score, it really wasn't a bad game. Don't expect anything philosophical or a metaphysical experience, but do expect blood soaked action, thrash metal (municipal waste!), and just as much slaughter and brawling as the original. It was alright, and I had fun playing it. 13 bucks used at GameStop, I recommend this to anyone looking for a gory beat em' up!
  12. malc1976
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Im a big fan of the 1988 arcade and this remake is really good i payed full price for this game when it was released and still play it to this day .I cant understand why it got slated in the reveiws like it did maybe its because Namco Bandai didnt pay off the so called professional reviews unlike other companies do.
    I almost forgot the Classic arcade version of Splatterhose and the two    Im a big fan of the 1988 arcade and this remake is really good i payed full price for this game when it was released and still play it to this day .I cant understand why it got slated in the reveiws like it did maybe its because Namco Bandai didnt pay off the so called professional reviews unlike other companies do.
    I almost forgot the Classic arcade version of Splatterhose and the two Megadrive games are unlockable aswell so thats vaule for money in its self.    … Expand
  13. FaceVol5
    Nov 26, 2010
    10
    The long awaited return of the classic title "Splatterhouse" beat em' up game. I really like the art style so far & it seems challenging enough. The game has actually called me out for dying on a level by simply shouting "FUCKIN NOOB!" LOL. So far iam enjoying it. 8/10 fuckin bloody as hell too.
  14. RockstarDE
    Nov 24, 2010
    9
    The gore and bad language makes this a must!!!! The gameplay is solid and the animations are great. This is how violent games should be :) Blood blood and more blood - and saving your sweetheart from an evil doctor are good ground works for an epic game.
  15. Ccreepincrud
    Nov 26, 2010
    8
    I must admit I was very surprised by this game. I don't base my purchases strictly on reviews but I do like to see what folks say. Like many of you I was disturbed by the lack of professional reviews. I bit the bullet and bought it simply for my love of the franchise from the old days of gaming. I am not even a fan of beat 'em ups. But this game has surprised me in every way. Graphics,I must admit I was very surprised by this game. I don't base my purchases strictly on reviews but I do like to see what folks say. Like many of you I was disturbed by the lack of professional reviews. I bit the bullet and bought it simply for my love of the franchise from the old days of gaming. I am not even a fan of beat 'em ups. But this game has surprised me in every way. Graphics, game play, atmosphere, enemy types and the kills. Oh and finding all of the Easter eggs and finding out that the story is loosely Lovecraftian was a very nice surprise. Still only on phase 4 and here are my complaints. Camera: only the tiniest bit annoying and not all the times. The side scrolling can be a bit dodgy but still lots of fun. I had one glitch where the BGM disappeared after re-loading. That sucked as I do like the retro music for the side scrolling portions. Load times are a little longer than you think they should be. No major complaints. The game can be hard but that is in no way a complaint. Get this game!… Expand
  16. cee
    Nov 24, 2010
    10
    This was way better than I thought it would be! Guess it was a good thing they gave it to a different game studio, the BottleRocket screenshots from a few years ago looked terrible. I'm loving the 3 free original games. I have not beat the game yet, but I'm on level 9 - its been pretty fun so far. Heavy Metal Rocks!!!
  17. Ibrkcontrollers
    Feb 21, 2011
    4
    I must have been playing a different game than everyone else. One of my earliest video game memories was the original splatterhouse on the turbo grafx 16. Needless to say, I was excited at the thought of a reboot. However what I got was a game with potential ruined by clunky controls and overall unnimpressive graphics. The cut scenes were great in terms of presentation and artwork but theI must have been playing a different game than everyone else. One of my earliest video game memories was the original splatterhouse on the turbo grafx 16. Needless to say, I was excited at the thought of a reboot. However what I got was a game with potential ruined by clunky controls and overall unnimpressive graphics. The cut scenes were great in terms of presentation and artwork but the in-game graphics fall short, real short. Furthermore the game forces you to fight rehashed monsters all with the same or similar sets of attacks. Boss battles are yawn worthy and commonplace as you'll find yourself fighting the same ones over and over. Oh wait this time there's two! Yes, the further you play the game, the more enemies you fight at once. Don't get me wrong I love crushing things into a bloody pulp, but the clunky mechanics/camera make enjoying the brutality hard to do. The game tries to shine by having ultra bloody finishing moves. Or should I say move because to say the variety of finishers is limited would be a serious understatement. This namco gem also attempts to pitch a 2D throwback to the originals. I was delighted to see this but unfortunately ithey dropped the ball yet again. It has to be the worst attempt at 2D platforming I've seen in quite a while. I could go on and on about the disappointment this game was but to be fair there are some good aspects of the game. You can play the original splatterhouse series then when you're done with that you can remove the disc, post an ad on craigslist and salvage at least a little bit of your wasted money. They could have and definitely should have done better.… Expand
  18. SherlockHolmes
    Dec 8, 2010
    5
    Sorry to bust your bubble, but this game is not very good. At all. In fact it's pretty lousy. I don't know if some of the people who wrote reviews here worked on the game or what, but they are not being very nice. Tricking consumers into buying a lousy game is mean. Don't buy this turd. Rent it if you must, but save your money.
  19. Steyraus
    Aug 29, 2021
    9
    Dont listen to the casuals, this game is a blast.
    Brutal and badass , this beat em up, slasher is a hell of alot of bloody fun. Yes ocasionally you need good timing , but as long as your not a games joyrnalist youll be fine.
  20. splathouse4life
    Nov 23, 2010
    10
    This game is absolutly amazing. Best next gen graphics I have seen since two worlds. Most own for anyone who is a fan of pure awesomeness. The story is top notch and the voice acting is out of this world. The robust combat system never grows old and the enemy variety is insane. The music score rivals even that of the final fantasy series. The side quests keep you coming back for more withThis game is absolutly amazing. Best next gen graphics I have seen since two worlds. Most own for anyone who is a fan of pure awesomeness. The story is top notch and the voice acting is out of this world. The robust combat system never grows old and the enemy variety is insane. The music score rivals even that of the final fantasy series. The side quests keep you coming back for more with enough unlockables to keep you busy for days. Even the achievement list is top notch with a lot of variety.… Expand
  21. ThePotnoodleBoy
    Jun 21, 2014
    4
    At first, the game offers easy playthrough but becomes increasingly difficult. The main reason I let this game gather dust was the sheer amount of cheap deaths, spawn kills and incredibly difficult boss battles. Only for die hard original fans of Splatterhouse. However, the metal soundtrack fitted the game very well, as you rip apart hell beasts.
  22. NikeSh
    Jul 15, 2019
    7
    Об игре расскажу вкратце, т.к. особо говорить и нечего.
    Это мясной, кровавый, брутальный слешер.
    Всё прохождение вам придётся только рвать и метать врагов. Про сюжет говорить не буду, его здесь мало, иногда возникает ощущение что он исключительно для галочки. Визуально игра выглядит красиво, стильно, в первую очередь заинтересовала игра своей стилистикой. Геймплейно играется всё    Об игре расскажу вкратце, т.к. особо говорить и нечего.
    Это мясной, кровавый, брутальный слешер.
    Всё прохождение вам придётся только рвать и метать врагов.
    Про сюжет говорить не буду, его здесь мало, иногда возникает ощущение что он исключительно для галочки.
    Визуально игра выглядит красиво, стильно, в первую очередь заинтересовала игра своей стилистикой.
    Геймплейно играется всё весьма приятно, кроме момент когда игра превращается в платформер, в этот самый момент вы сразу же понимаете насколько не отзывчив ГГ и управление, когда вы не можете прыгнуть в нужное время, на нужную длину и начинаете всё по новой и ещё раз и снова, некоторые моменты проходил почти что с десятой попытки.
    Музыка драйвовая и наверняка известна многим, всегда играет в нужный момент.
    Также в игре интересные коллекционные предметы, это фотографии вашей девушки, в первое время вы их собираете не особо горя желанием, но каждый уровень фотка своя и в какой-то момент вы понимаете что уже пошли не просто фотографии, а обнажённые, и из чистого (кхм) интереса вы начинаете рыскать по уровню чтобы посмотреть что разработчики любезно оставили вам посмотреть.
    В общем, игра весьма неплохая, достаточно интересная, а местами дико сложная, месить врагов затягивает. Также игра почти не успевает надоесть, когда в тот самый момент когда она вас вымотала - игра заканчивается, всего в игре 12 глав.    … Expand
  23. hyun8801
    Nov 15, 2020
    0
    framerate drops + long loading screen (is this a **** skyrim? no) Cheap platforming and cheap trail and error deaths. Seriously this was one of the most frustrating action/beat em up games out there
  24. JDConspirator
    Feb 28, 2011
    5
    Splatterhouse is fun in places and provides some slasher intrigue but it is repetitive and boring in terms of level design. The gameplay itself is underwhelming and unspectacular and the voice acting and narrative elements are atrocious. The soundtrack adds to the immersiveness of being in a violent and scary place but the game can be summed up as not being as hard as it thinks it is, theSplatterhouse is fun in places and provides some slasher intrigue but it is repetitive and boring in terms of level design. The gameplay itself is underwhelming and unspectacular and the voice acting and narrative elements are atrocious. The soundtrack adds to the immersiveness of being in a violent and scary place but the game can be summed up as not being as hard as it thinks it is, the boss battles are easy beat em up squabbles and in general the game lacks challenge.… Expand
  25. Benny_Hahna
    Dec 1, 2010
    7
    Not too shabby! Not the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it's entertaining and pretty fierce. The story and the graphics are really solid. The characters are brought to life by some top notch voice overs though. If rated for the acting alone this would be a 10! The game play suffers a little from clunkiness but is not too bad and once you get used to the controls it's fairly good.Not too shabby! Not the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it's entertaining and pretty fierce. The story and the graphics are really solid. The characters are brought to life by some top notch voice overs though. If rated for the acting alone this would be a 10! The game play suffers a little from clunkiness but is not too bad and once you get used to the controls it's fairly good. Does take some getting used to though. I like this and will likely play through again sometime.… Expand
  26. kabulce
    Dec 20, 2010
    6
    if is now 2009 this game will be real hit , but in time with games with so good graphics scene , so good gameplay , interesting stories, this game look like some try to go with something non-seen in the other games and that is it. If you like blood everywhere on the screen , gore and again blood on the screen you'll get it here, I played this game 45min and I newer got a desire to play again.
  27. SFN
    Jan 4, 2011
    6
    a reboot of the 1980 arcade series game sounds good right? wrong, even thou this game is a improvement of the 1980 series it still has its problems , and i will admit i liked the storyline of the game and i also like how you use blood to do move called a splatter kill which means you can tear oppents in half or pop their head like a pimple and the game might see fun at first but aftera reboot of the 1980 arcade series game sounds good right? wrong, even thou this game is a improvement of the 1980 series it still has its problems , and i will admit i liked the storyline of the game and i also like how you use blood to do move called a splatter kill which means you can tear oppents in half or pop their head like a pimple and the game might see fun at first but after about a hour or so, it gets repeitiive and boring, its the same thing over and over again, you fight a room full of enemys, you move to the next and what do you know, a room full of enemys is waiting for you, theyn miss it up by dding weapons to the mix but the weapons seem to do nothing for you, and yeah you might get a few kills with it but then it breaks and you have nothing now, they also added power ups which you buy and even thou it adds more to fighting in this game but the more you progess the harder the enemys get and the more frustrated you get, the game is ok for what it is and is better than the original games but it fails to show you the brightness of a new game because its just a beat'em up type game and we all know it gets boring after awhile… Expand
  28. aryanrule
    Mar 10, 2011
    6
    Beat-em up until your A button crashes. Nice atmosphere and great acting, lots of gore which is excellent. Sound and graphics are great in this remake, so it should be played. but...deja-vu game...
  29. GodBleeder
    Jul 31, 2011
    6
    Splatterhouse is exactly like the old Splatterhouse titles on the Genesis/Mega-drive. It's a dumb but fun, button masher for people looking to break a £20 note. In some ways it transcends the old school Splatterhouse, and in others it does not.

    With the flat sprite sliding visuals gone, you're greeted by more atmospheric visuals but also,an awful camera, and some inconsistent    Splatterhouse is exactly like the old Splatterhouse titles on the Genesis/Mega-drive. It's a dumb but fun, button masher for people looking to break a £20 note. In some ways it transcends the old school Splatterhouse, and in others it does not.

    With the flat sprite sliding visuals gone, you're greeted by more atmospheric visuals but also,an awful camera, and some inconsistent textures. You get more moves to splat your foes, but some are just crap and not worth using. Another way in which it remains faithful, is the way in which it copies it's peers to a T. If Splatterhouse was trying to harvest some of the success of Streets Of Rage and Golden Axe, then it is most certainly now jumping on the God Of War band-wagon. Pulling levers, upgrading your combos, unleashing special power meters and initialising brutal quick-time finishers.

    This is the 3D beat 'em up template. For the most part it's a bloody good laugh. But there are some chinks in the terror mask that can make it a little annoying at times. On the back of the case, (the European case atleast) it reads, "THE UNMISTAKABLE SOUND OF TEARING FLESH". Sadly, the sound in the weakest thing in the game, and in my mind the one thing that really drags it down. All of the sounds, including the music are poorly mixed, the volume is all over the place. One minute the mask is shouting directions at you, the next you can only hear a faint mumbling, upon which the optional subtitles become essential. A punch is louder than a door being smashed, a creaking floor-board is louder than someone's head being forcibly removed. What good is squeezing some one's head until it blows-up if all you get is a muted squelch like someone manipulated jelly in there hands. Where are the snaps, the splats and the crunches. It takes away from the otherwise hilarious mayhem.

    Another final, but small issue, is the special meter. When it is partly filled you can harvest blood from enemies at any time to heal yourself. Fill it up and you can multiply your strength and go mental for 60 seconds. Problem is, it's pointless. When the minute is up, your meter is drained, so no more healing until you can pull off a big finisher. As for the going mental part? You can kill everything with a single hit, but you become so slow, enemies just evade you until it wears off, and there are never enough enemies on screen at once to make it worth doing.

    So crank up the volume, put on the subtitles, don't bother with the "Hulk smash" button and get splatting!    … Expand
  30. SuperFloorMat
    Apr 28, 2013
    8
    Splatterhouse can be taken away from the first impression of this game, With it's bad camera and sort of generic combat. But when I started to get into it and seeing the game express itself in it's amazing gore (Could of been better) and character skill development it becomes a very great game and it will forever be in my arsenal of video games.
  31. Sacatuki
    Feb 7, 2017
    9
    Good God! This game is a full on gore fest and does things no human could ever do upon another! I love it!! You play as Rick Taylor. A scrawny boyfriend who basically looked like he took a few wedgies in high school. Rick tags along with his girlfriend named Jennifer Willis in a interview with a professor of necrobiology named Dr. Henry West. Rick had this idea to ask her for her hand inGood God! This game is a full on gore fest and does things no human could ever do upon another! I love it!! You play as Rick Taylor. A scrawny boyfriend who basically looked like he took a few wedgies in high school. Rick tags along with his girlfriend named Jennifer Willis in a interview with a professor of necrobiology named Dr. Henry West. Rick had this idea to ask her for her hand in marriage when they arrive but are rudely interrupted by experimental monsters of the "good" doctor and Jennifer ends up being abducted while Rick is on the verge of death due to his wounds. But as fate would have it, Rick is clumsy when he is struck and mortally wounded because he broke a sarcophagus that contained a sentient mask known as the Terror Mask, which is one of the best dark humor characters I've ever seen or played as besides Deadpool. He calls out to Rick and bargains with him. The deal is if he puts the mask on, the mask will restore Rick, and then some, and can help save Jennifer. With very little choice, Rick places the mask on, becomes a giant hulk like monster, while still retaining his consciousness, and teams up with the mask to go and save Jennifer. With the story premise out of the way, lets get to gameplay. It's absolutely, horrifyingly, awesome! The guts, the gore, the dismemberment is disgusting yet artistic! The idea of restoration is awesome! It's like if Deadpool was contracted to take on Mephisto and Blackheart. The Terror Mask is the highlight of the duo with funny jokes, poking humor at Rick, and even the excitement he feels with the blood and carnage! It actually made me excited, which is kind of messed up but it's not humans you're dismembering anyways so you're pretty much safe with that. The game switches between 2D platforming and 3D hack n' slash where you can simply use your fists, your dismembered arm if you get it cut off, heads of your enemies, arms of your enemies, machetes, baseball bats, guns, and so much more! When you build enough blood points, you can use it to transform into an even bigger hulk like creature decked in spikes, long sword like claws similar to Baraka in Mortal Kombat, or when in normal form when you beat up an enemy long enough, you can do a finisher on each of your enemies with a tad of button mashing or using your analog sticks. It's beyond good! A worthy remake of a classic! However, the only thing I can say I don't like is what I said earlier, your own arm being cut off from an enemy. It's because you can't do any sweet combos but rather feel like your playing a dumbed down version of Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots. Other than those instances, it's a smooth game that's addicting, filled with gore, and awesome metal tracks from bands like Lamb of God, Five Finger Death Punch, and Mastadon. I personally would've preferred they didn't stay safe with bands like that and played bands like The Black Dahlia Murder, Thy Art is Murder, or even Decrepit Birth. Whichever port you get, you will be receiving one hell of a hidden gem in gaming. Thanks for reading my review and have a good one!… Expand
  32. fernandohgois
    Jun 20, 2019
    9
    good gameplay and extreme violence a half injoada campaign and a bad ending and a rock very cool
  33. ULTRAPARANOID
    Jan 24, 2020
    7
    "I love this ride!"

    I mean, this game is awesome. I played it much times on PS3 and X360, and 100% completed this on both platforms. The gore looks amazing. Best voice work I've ever heard. Jim Cummings as Terror Mask is incredible! (Winnie-the-Pooh **** you all the time -- what could be better?) Fighting mechanics are great -- beating and slashing are really enjoyable, and splatterkills    "I love this ride!"

    I mean, this game is awesome. I played it much times on PS3 and X360, and 100% completed this on both platforms. The gore looks amazing. Best voice work I've ever heard. Jim Cummings as Terror Mask is incredible! (Winnie-the-Pooh **** you all the time -- what could be better?)

    Fighting mechanics are great -- beating and slashing are really enjoyable, and splatterkills are beautiful, but them not enough.

    Graphics are good. Comic style is cool. But last levels of the game looks bad -- the lighting is awful. In the dark corners it looks very beautiful, but in the open air it sucks.

    The story is good, and unfinished. Now we know why Dr. West is a **** and why he kidnapped Jen, and how the Mask found Rick. It's bad that's we will never see the second part of this game. It have some perspectives. Refereces are great -- horror movies and Lovecraft's stories that added with fan love -- from horror fans to horror fans.

    I love this game, really. But bugs and other flaws are prevent me from rating above 7. It's a good project and great remake, I think you must try it at least once.

    X360 version looks better than PS3 version. You can install the game on your system and it will be work faster and better. But sometimes (I don't know why) this game may be crashed. After 2 phases it may lagged, and you will need restart your system. It happens, but very rarely, and yeah, on both systems.    … Expand
  34. saka7
    Nov 29, 2020
    10
    Best beat em up on the Xbox 360. Visuals and sound are great, gameplay is quite good especially after you unlock all skills. The only issues I saw is unacceptably slow and annoying loading screen. 10/10
  35. Mad_Batista
    Apr 3, 2021
    4
    Незаслуженно обруганный критиками, стильный боевик в стиле комедийных хорроров. Всё очень кроваво и играть за Джона Сину в маске интересно

Awards & Rankings

45
#45 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
62
#62 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
62

Mixed or average reviews - based on 51 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 51
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 51
  3. Negative: 4 out of 51
  1. Console Monster
    Jan 30, 2011
    65
    Splatterhouse is a strange one because there will be times when you will be having a ball, ripping limbs from zombie clowns or shoving your hand down a gremlins throat, but at other times the frustration of dying on the side scrolling levels and having to wait ages for the game to load up again is beyond words.
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  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 15, 2011
    50
    Take a meatchopper and use it on raw piece of meat for 10 minutes. Then ask yourself if you've enjoyed it. If YES, Splatterhouse is a perfect match for you. [Issue#199]
  3. GameCritics
    Jan 11, 2011
    65
    While there's no getting around the fact that Splatterhouse feels like something that could have significantly benefited from another six months in the oven, it's not hard to see that the developers have solid ideas that are on the right track.
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