Splatterhouse to feature regeneration mechanic, storyline by Gordon Rennie
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Namco Bandai made its Splatterhouse redo even more official today, revealing that Killzone scriptwriter Gordon Rennie (better known for Judge Dredd and Necronauts comics, among many others) has signed on to help retell the story of Rick, a college student who attempts to rescue his girlfriend from the evil depths of the sinister West Mansion, only to be transformed by his own inner demons when he dons the ... Terror Mask. Rennie's "original storyline" will deviate from the 1988 arcade game as Rick ventures "beyond the mansion" and into the Sega Genesis sequels to "the ends of the world." But let's be real, this sorta game lives and dies by its blood, guts and gore; not plot twists or character development. Enter: BottleRocket Entertainment.
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Founded by the team behind the ultra-violent PS2 classic, The Mark of Kri, developer BottleRocket ain't about to shy away from the dark shadow cast by the original Splatterhouse. (Fun fact: When Splatterhouse hit arcades in the late 80s, it was the first game to bear a parental advisory disclaimer.) Yes, the trademark 2x4 will make its return, along with other "weapons," including dismembered heads and limbs (fallen foes' bodies can be reanimated to battle alongside Rick or help solve puzzles), but the real gross-out moments come from the new regeneration mechanic. A traditional health bar will be replaced by visual cues seen on the character model. Players will know Rick's hurting because enemies actually dismember him, "savagely tearing away limbs and ripping at his flesh to expose his internal organs." Yikes! And it gets better. The healing process is just as graphic: "To survive, Rick must call upon the power of the Terror Mask to regenerate his mutilated body, allowing players to watch in gory detail as bones, veins, muscles and skin return to his body in real-time" -- just like real life! Oh, and did we mention Rick can "leap" now? It's official: We've just elevated the anticipation status from certified dud to "meh."
Splatterhouse is planned for release in 2009 on Xbox 360 and PS3.
