The Horror Video Game Highlights of E3
Steve Barton
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There were lots of huge horror-themed video games on display at this year’s E3 that have been covered here relentlessly: Twisted Metal, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon, Rise of Nightmares, just to name a few. In celebration of the dark days ahead, we figured we’d show a little love to the other games that made a big buzz along with some of the lesser known ones you should keep an eye out for.
NeverDead (Konami) – Directed by Shinta Nojiri, NeverDead follows the story of Bryce Boltzmann, a wisecracking demon hunter who was cursed with immortality 500 years earlier by a demon king. Along with a private investigator named Arcadia, Bryce spends his time hunting demons for money and revenge while trying to stop a demonic invasion that has ravaged the city.
I saw this game in a private demo with Nojiri himself (watch this space for an upcoming exclusive interview), and he had some interesting things to say about some of Bryce’s characteristics. If Bryce’s arms are dismembered, said arms can still fire the gun it’s holding and he can also detach his own head for “spinning head” attacks … cool, right?! Bryce also has the ability to manipulate the environment (like making floors or walls collapse) to destroy enemies. If you or Arcadia dies, you go back to the last checkpoint to try again. Both characters are playable.
Pretty interesting game, and while I find it to be horrorific, Nojiri finds it to be more in the fantasy genre. Hrm.
NeverDead features 4-player co-op and competitive modes. Set for release sometime this fall for Xbox 360 and PS3.
Rage (Bethesda Softworks) – As a member from an Ark (a world-wide movement which took scientists and other significant people and froze them underground in cryo-pods so they could rebuild Earth), the player comes to realize that his Ark has malfunctioned and that he is the only survivor.
Ooh …
Rage has two multi-player modes: Combat Rally and Legends of the Wasteland. Combat Rally utilizes up to six players who compete in a free-for-all match inside an arena made for vehicles in order to snatch up rally points around the arena while killing your opponents and stealing their points. Legends of the Wasteland is made of two-player bonus co-op missions based on stories that you hear during the single-player campaign.
Rage is set for release this October 4th (US)/October 7th (EU) and will be available for PC, Mac, PS3 and Xbox 360 with iOS being available November 18th.
The Darkness II (2K Games) – Darkness II takes place two years after the events of the first game. According to the game’s wiki, “He (Jackie Estacado) has been unable to shake the thoughts of his dead girlfriend Jenny since he contained his supernatural powers, and now the Darkness ‘wants out’. A sudden, unprovoked attack on Jackie’s life heralds the start of a full-scale mob war, which has clearly been orchestrated by some outside force. The assassination attempt reawakens the Darkness, sending Jackie on a mission to discover the mystery of the attack and motivations of the Darkness itself. This quest brings Jackie into confrontation with The Crippled Man, a mysterious figure who knows what the Darkness is and wants the power for himself. The Crippled Man is the head of a mysterious organization known as the Brotherhood, formed hundreds of years ago for the sole purpose of destroying the Darkness once and for all.”
If you’ve played the first game, you’ll be familiar with the HUD and gameplay, but be on the lookout for a new feature known as “quad wielding“, which allows Jackie to use his darkness powers while shooting guns at the same time. You’ll also have a sidekick “darkling” that can fire guns AND can interact with items like workers’ drills to attack enemies. Jackie can also interact with the environment and, unlike in the first game, can now use his weapons and darkness abilities IN PUBLIC.
The Darkness II is set for release on October 4th and will be available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3
Silent Hill: Downpour (Konami) – Silent Hill: Downpour follows prisoner Murphy Pendleton, who finds himself stranded in Silent Hill after the prison transport he’s on goes off the road, and the plot’s events take place in the southeastern region of Silent Hill (which has never been explored in previous games in the series); the plot will be unrelated to previous installments.
Players will only be able to carry one weapon at a time and these weapons may break. Downpour will feature puzzle difficulty selections while side-quests have the ability to change depending on the player’s play style. Buildings featured in previous installments of the series will be excluded while the element of water will be holding a prominent role.
Eyebrows have been raised as this is the FIRST game in the series NOT composed by Akira Yamaoka, and vocalist Mary Elizabeth McGlynn has also opted not to return with composer Daniel Licht (“Dexter”) picking up the reins and Korn performing the game’s main theme song. Only time will tell on this one.
Silent Hill: Downpour is slated for release later this year and will be available for the PS3 and Xbox 360
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (Capcom) – This third-person shooter takes place during the events of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis and is a reinterpretation of the events that occurred in the original games, changing certain facts in the series. There are six playable characters in the game: Vector (recon expert with cloaking ability); Spectre (sharpshooter); Beltway (explosives expert); Four-Eyes (scientist); Lupo (assault class/team leader; and Bertha (medic). Along with single-player, RE: RC will also include four-player co-op, pitting USS against US Spec Ops. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City is slated for release later this year and will be available for PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.
Check out this Licker … I know, right?! Scared of you.
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