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The year behind us might be all just a blur as we set our sights on the games of the year ahead. Admittedly, there were some disappointments in 2011, but that’s not to say that there were a lot of games that really impressed us as well. Let’s take a few minutes to reflect on the last year and all the horror games it had to offer – for better or for worse.
Jurassic Park
What we said: 7/10
We kind of wished that Jurassic Park were a horror game, but we weren’t about to penalize it for catering to a different audience – one that likes point-and-click puzzle adventures. We also didn’t penalize the game for a lack of foresight on Telltale’s part by artificially padding their Metacritic score, either.
When you look at Jurassic Park for what it is, it’s a pretty decent game. It’s a good addition to the numerous Jurassic Park games and a to the Telltale Games catalogue, and eats up a few hours to play, with a little bit of a replay value. The PG-esque nature of the game makes it great for younger gamers, or those just cutting their teeth on horror games.
House of the Dead: Overkill Extended Cut
What we said: 7/10
House of the Dead: Overkill Extended Cut is more than a mouthful. This refresh of the 2009 Wii title for the Playstation 3 contains new game modes, including a Director’s Cut version, new weapons to decimate the undead with, Trophies and other unlockables that add an insane amount of replay value. Extended Cut also features an online leaderboard, plus the ability to play the whole thing in either stereoscopic 3D or anaglyphic 3D. All together, they make this the definitive version of the game to own. The swearing, sexuality and gore definitely earn this game a mature rating, and after a few levels the vulgar language starts to grate the nerves.
A couple of control issues, some artifacting and a little bit of an underwhelming online component prevent Extended Cut from being a perfect 10, but if you have a Move Controller and are a horror fan, you should definitely pick this up.
Afterfall: Insanity
What we said: 7.5/10
Seeing as how the Pre-Order for a $1 didn’t pan over well with its prospective audience, $35 isn’t a bad for the kind of experience that Afterfall: Insanity gives you. It was enjoyable with a nicely sized campaign, but little replay value. It was extremely atmospheric, and kept me on the edge of my seat for the duration. The character interaction speech-wise, and their motivation seemed authentic, and despite a couple of shortcomings, the whole thing was wrapped up in a beautiful-looking package.
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record
What we said: 8.5/10
Is re-buying the same game a year later warranted if it’s better? That all depends on how much you like the game it seems. Dead Rising 2: Off The Record ended up being better than Dead Rising 2 because of its character change to Frank West rather than Chuck Greene, as well as some gameplay tweaks, but then again, those things wouldn’t sell everyone into buying essentially the same game all over again. This game is certainly for those who love their Dead Rising or for those who missed out on the release of the original sequel.
Zombie Apocalypse – Never Die Alone
What we said: 8/10
Comparatively speaking, if Housemarque’s Dead Nation is like Dawn of the Dead, then Konami’s Zombie Apocalypse: Never Die Alone is Shaun of the Dead. What differentiates this title from all the other zombie titles out there, specifically the twin-stick shooters is how serious it takes itself. The humour-well doesn’t run dry either, taking jovial jabs at all sorts of other zombified entertainment. If you’re looking for a light-hearted romp through the Zombie Apocalypse, this co-op sequel to 2009’s Zombie Apocalypse is sure to please.
Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X HD
What we said: 9/10
Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X is severely underrated amongst many fans of the franchise. It may not be amongst the best like Resident Evil 2 or 4, but it still deserves much praise. It took the series to new places and expanded the story greatly. We got introduced to a great cast of new faces, most notably the Ashfords (with Alfred and his annoying voice, of course). We also get a little romance going on with fan-favorite character Claire and the new guy Steve. Hell, we even got to play as Chris in his own dedicated scenario in the second half of the game. Oh, and how can I forget about that epic Chris vs. Wesker showdown at the end, that was truly amazing. You owe it to yourself to download the game, now in HD, if you haven’t already played through it in the past.
Resident Evil 4 HD
What we said: 10/10
What else could be said about Resident Evil 4? HD or not, this is still the same masterpiece it was back when it made its debut on the GameCube. Now it looks nicer and is available to a broader audience with this HD release. While the argument relating to the game’s visuals will continue to rage on, one shouldn’t overlook this title as just a half-assed port of a great game. Even if you’ve already owned a copy of the game before, you need to have this in your console’s hard drive, especially if you’re a big Resident Evil fan. It is, after all, one of the best games of all time, too. And come on, who doesn’t love Leon?
The Haunted: Hell’s Reach
What We Said: N/A
This game is both challenging and a good time with friends, but doesn’t try anything new. In the style of games like Killing Floor or battle mode of Left 4 Dead, it’s a tense action-based arena battle with monsters from the undead and hell itself. Stylized with a bunch of gruesome kills and a gracious amount of gore, it has a good variety of monsters and weapons and a few fun modes but doesn’t quite get that addicting quality some other games of the type manage. As such, it’s a good time but can’t stand toe-to-toe with some of it’s competition.
Dead Island
What We Said: 7/10
We didn’t think it fair to review Dead Island right out of the gate, especially considering the horrendous clusterf*ck of problems that plagued its release. A couple of weeks in and we found it still enjoyable, if not disappointingly familiar. It’s a little bit like Left 4 Dead, it’s a little bit like Dead Rising and Fallout, but the truth of the matter is it’s all of those things, which is what makes it so great.
However, we did feel the voice-acting was about as flat as the playable characters and after a while, the fetch quests got to be a little…stale. The fact that the game is open-world and you could essentially do whatever the hell you wanted in between those missions negates the issue somewhat…somewhat. Some patches have fixed a lot of the glitches that were present at the game’s release as well.
Alice: Madness Returns
What we said: 8/10
We love it when a game brings all of it’s elements together, and unfortunately Alice: Madness Returns doesn’t always do that. Surreal goodness, an interesting story, and some rather fun gameplay is met with some tedious sections, some half-baked ‘minigames’, and it feels a bit more outdated than it should. But we’d be lying to say this wasn’t a good time for those looking for a grim fairytale and an immersive world.
Maybe more interesting than it is satisfying, but boy is it interesting. When it’s fantastic, it’s fantastically charming and dark and quite a bit of fun. An experience worth checking out for those who want some story-driven and darkly surreal hack’n’slash fun; but it is definitely not perfect.
Dead Nation: Road of Devastation
What We Said: N/A
A good bit of DLC never hurt anyone, and when it’s DLC for the PSN super-hit Dead Nation, it’s a good thing. The Housemarque funded DLC is playable as either single-player or online/local co-op and takes place directly after the end of Dead Nation. This bit of DLC offers up new enemies, new weapons and methods of dispatching enemies not found in the main game as well as a couple of Trophies to acquire.
There’s a lot to like about Dead Nation – Road to Devastation – but what we like the most about it is the replay value it brings to the table – all for just $3.99.
F.E.A.R. 3
What we said: 6.5/10
The less said about the story, the better. Forget the fact that you’re playing as some inexplicably mute clone who never changes the expression on his face and lacks any form of emotion, and his cannibal psychic ghost brother who’s just a general dick.
Unfortunately, the campaign fails to live up to its predecessors and becomes just like every other shooter out there – where most of the fun lies in multiplayer. Our recommendation is to find F.E.A.R. 3 when the price goes down a little bit, because it’s hard to recommend a game with a short-lived campaign and only 3 multiplayer maps. Long-story short: if you want an enjoyable FPS co-op experience with a few elements that might be considered horror, that’s F.E.A.R. 3.
BloodRayne Betrayal
What we said: 5.5/10
Another game this year that we really wanted to like. Sadly, BloodRayne fell far short of our expectations. BloodRayne treats its players how you would imagine Rayne would treat you in a relationship. She abuses you, gives unfair expectations, and when you finally complete your task after giving it your all, she gives you a bad performance grade – but she’s the one that has the problem, not you.
Sure, pretty much everything about the game looks and sounds fantastic. However the game often times achieves that awesome appearance by sacrificing other elements. Rayne’s actions seem sluggish, resulting in undesired response times and more deaths than is necessary. Betrayal is marred by too many annoyances that are difficult to overlook, and Rayne deserves better than this.
Catherine
What we said: 9/10
The story of Catherine is a real winner. It’s mature, adult and compelling, with believable characters and their motives. The writing makes the story flow at an eluding, but gripping pace. Not only are the people in the story believable, the themes are noble as well. Commitment, love, sexuality and trust – all of these will be put to the test in a game that at first blush, looks a little goofy. As goofy as it looks though, it’s very stylish with some classical music remixes thrown in as well.
Catherine’s gameplay is split into several types – puzzle climbing, which is the majority of the game, and hanging around in the Stray Sheep, where main character Vincent can chat with his friends or play at the arcade. All in all, Catherine is a must-play experience.
Limbo (PSN)
What we said: 9/10
Playdead’s Limbo isn’t the type of game that’s going to appease the gamer enthralled by constant hellfire raining down on them. These people unfortunately will be missing out on one of 2010’s most unique experiences for the XBLA – in 2011 finally available for PS3 and PC gamers as well.
Despite a couple of shortcomings, we had a really good time playing through this title. The game’s dark overtones, remarkable difficulty, and the fact that it was just so different to anything we’ve played in a long time made it all the more enjoyable. Why would you want to punish yourself by not picking this up? Short answer: you wouldn’t.
Corpse Party
What We Said: 8.5/10
The title and anime archetypes are very misleading, Corpse Party is one of the best, if not the best, 2D horror games to exist. Given that’s a rare breed, but Corpse Party oozes with atmosphere and the unexpected, putting intuition and trust against you. More a visual novel with RPG elements rather than the other way around, it features deliciously disturbing scenes, some of the most gruesome death scenes we’ve ever witnessed, as well as an intriguing story and fantastic audio experience.
Unfortunately the novelty is worn a bit thin as the text is unskippable and you may have to go through sections several times just because you’re dying too much. Something that may be surprising and terrifying the first time isn’t the fifth time you go through it. A glaring flaw on an otherwise fantastic package, Corpse Party is a party best experienced alone and recommended to horror-loving PSP players.
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
What We Said: 5/10
The side course served as the main dish, with DRM added in like too much salt. The Mercenaries 3DS takes everyone’s favourite side-quest and turns it into the main feature of the game. No story –nothing else. Being one of the first Nintendo 3DS games we were truly excited for, this dish disappointed horribly, but at least got a pass.
The basic premise of Mercenaries is fun – shoot the enemies in the given amount of time for points, unlocking goodies as you go along. The visuals were pretty damned good despite being crushed into a tiny screen and the move-while aiming feature was a welcome addition to the series. We can’t help but feel that Capcom could have put a little bit more into this release. We certainly hope that Nintendo does bundle it together in a Resident Evil 3DS bundle with Revelations – because that would just be cool.
Shadows of the Damned
What we said: 9.5/10
We might say this a lot, but this is truly one of the best games of the year. In a market where FPSs and sequels dominate, Shadows of the Damned is a truly refreshing experience. Taking on the role of demon hunter Garcia “Fucking Hotspur,” traverse through Hell and back to get your girlfriend back.
The game looks and sounds great, with Hell being both eerie and inviting at the same time. The humour is a little on the immature side, with the game being rife with sexual innuendos. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, which seems to be a running theme with good games this year. Shadows of the Damned is a game you’re going to want to play through again after the credits roll – and we don’t blame you.
Lords of Shadow: Resurrection
What we said: 9/10
“Resurrection” was an astounding final chapter for an already amazing game. The complete experience offered by Lords of Shadow has been truly memorable, not to mention debatable due to the epilogue and other elements, and “Resurrection” serves as the perfect ending to Gabriel’s tale. We got to see him go through hell and back, trying to obtain an ancient relic with the ability to bring back the dead, which in this case was his wife. We got to see him feel abandoned by God when his beloved didn’t actually get resurrected. Then, in “Reverie”, we got to see him start his descent into darkness, ending with him gaining vampiric powers. Now, with “Resurrection”, we see it all tie together and end in grandeur. Bring on the sequel, Mercury Steam.
Night of the Sacrifice (Ikenie no Yoru)
What We Said: N/A
A stealth-based horror game where you play as color-coded silhouettes of university students who went missing one night. The story and music are fantastic with some excellent scares, and evading the enemies while defenseless is genuinely terrifying. Unfortunately, it is also fairly repetitive and can be classed in the same category as Ju-On and The Calling also for Wii: Haunted House simulator missing the real meat of a game. It should be noted this game is at least crafted better than Ju-On and The Calling and has better scares, but with a concept and world with so much interesting promise it’s a shame to see the title fall into the mediocre rather than the sublime. If you have a method to play it might be worth checking out, though it is rather text heavy and as of now it’s Japan-only. You would need to know the language and have the methods to get past it’s region-locking to play it.
Resident Evil Mercenaries Vs (iOS)
What we said: 7/10
It may have technical shortcomings and it may not be rich in content, but Resident Evil Mercenaries Vs. provides a very nice experience on the iOS devices whether it be the iPhone/iTouch or the much more sophisticated iPad. At $2.99, you’ll get your money’s worth and you can always keep coming back to the online multiplayer mode which may even end up being addicting over time. And with future support for this game coming, by way of levels and characters, this little mobile version of the franchise’s popular extra mode not only serves as a suitable title on the iOS devices but also as a nice appetizer for what’s to come this summer on the 3DS. Go check it out.
The 3rd Birthday
What we said: 5/10
The long-awaited continuation of the Parasite Eve story, to say that The 3rd Birthday had some big shoes to fill would be an understatement. We enjoyed the amazing production values of the PSP title, the extended replay value of the game and the (at long last) comfortable controls. However in our opinion the title strayed too far from its roots, had an overly complex story and the exploitation of its lead character from a strong woman to a scaredy-cat little girl was just painful to watch.
The game is gritty and bloody, but lacks many of the other components that make a survival-horror what it is. The gameplay consists of run-and-gun, body-switch, shoot a bit, weird exploitation. We were hyped about The 3rd Birthday, and we really wanted to like it, but sadly it just wasn’t meant to be.
Castlevania Lords of Shadow Reverie
What we said: 9/10
While the in-game graphics may have been something fans would’ve preferred for the style of story-telling here, there’s no denying the prowess that Mercury Steam is portraying in ‘Reverie’ not just with the story but with the game-play as well. And while the ending does a really good job at making the wait for April’s ‘Resurrection’ even harder it still was missing something. It’ll be obvious once you’re experiencing the ending for yourself, especially if your expectations have been really high thus far for the big ”unruly evil” in ‘Reverie’. The duration of this DLC might also prove to be a negative aspect for some, clocking in at around a little over an hour depending on the player’s skill or how often and for how long they got stuck trying to solve the game’s puzzles. Despite these drawbacks, ‘Reverie’ is a solid add-on to an already amazing game and one can’t help but be extremely excited for ‘Resurrection’ and whatever may come beyond. Oh and don’t feel bad about making it a crucial mission to track and retrieve each of Frankenstein’s fingers, poor guy!
Dead Space 2
What we said: 10/10
Regardless of those small drawbacks, Dead Space 2 proves to be one of the best titles in its genre. From the slightly revamped controls to the totally revamped zero-g sections, which now enable free movement, to the breath-taking set pieces which includes a moving train and a giant vehicle scene that will bring back memories of a certain section in Resident Evil 4, Dead Space 2 delivers on all fronts. Right from the beginning of the game where Isaac wakes up in a hospital scene akin to the intros to horror classics like The Walking Dead and 28 Days Later all the way till you get to the end, Dead Space 2 is a non-stop roller-coaster that just keep delivering thrill upon thrill. Visceral got it right with this sequel, now I can’t wait to see what they give us in the inevitable threequel. So to answer a question I posed last year, yes, Dead Space 2 rivals those amazing survival horror sequels that we adore. Now, new game plus is calling.
Dead Space Extraction (Move Edition)
What We Said: 8/10
Dead Space Extraction was bundled with new copies of Dead Space 2 for the PS3. Bonus points right there for both games. This new and improved refresh of the Wii title of the same name still has the tellings of being a Wii port, but still keeps things top-notch.
Extraction takes what’s great about Dead Space and throws it into an easily-digestible on-rails shooter. A great anticipation-builder for Dead Space 2 if you haven’t played it yet. Added in is a little bit of exploration and collectible-hunting. The voice-acting falls dangerously close to the ‘horror movie cliche’ territory, but that’s not a deal-breaker though – it’s just part of the survival-horror/horror gaming routine.
Indeed, 2011 was a great year to be a gamer. Not just for fans of the horror franchise, but ‘any’ kind of gamer. We always love hearing from you and we want to know what your favourite games of 2011 were. Were they horror titles? Was it something else? Let us know in the comments section or on our Facebook page.
We certainly enjoyed bringing you all the news that’s fit to cover in 2011. We look forward to fulfilling your horror gaming news needs, as well as bringing you more podcasts, articles, comics and more for 2012 and beyond. From the staff at Rely on Horror, have a safe and happy New Year.
