If ever a game deserved its 18 certificate, House of the Dead: Overkill is it.
This unrepentant tribute to, and parody of, grindhouse horror sees you blasting your way through bloody hordes of hideous mutants to a continuous litany of expletives and single-entendres, and culminates in easily the most twisted, sickening and genuinely disturbing finale to a video game, ever.
The spoof B-movie theme is reasonably well executed, with vintage film stylings and humorously-themed levels laying out a hideous story in which even requited Oedipal love and necrophilia are overshadowed by acts so wrong they don’t even have names.
On the downside, while graphics are good overall, sprite glitches and ugly frame rates crop up all too often, making split-second reaction shots all but impossible in some cases, while two player co-op is marred by the cursors being very hard to distinguish.
Given that shooting ‘em up is most definitely the name of the game here, some type of gun add-on is recommended – the wiimote just doesn’t feel right for blasting mutant scum. I opted for an official wii-zapper, which turned out to be heavy and quite uncomfortable for extended play. Something light, and preferably handgun-shaped, would have been better.
The plot isn’t as funny as it thinks it is, but there are a few laugh-out-loud moments, and despite a shortage of weapon variety there is a pleasing upgrade path, along with unlockable extras including dual-wield and a director's cut mode, granting plenty of re-playability. A generous continue system means you won’t find the game a challenge to beat, but it is rewarding to master.
Nintendo’s Wii is desperately short of adult-oriented titles, and this game really is a genuinely enjoyable addition.