 |
  |
 |
  
   |
|
RATING: (weak) 1 2 3 4 5 (awesome)
|
IN BRIEF
Pros: Petrifying depictions of demons and their slaves; solid, enveloping sound effects. Cons: With absolutely no ability to aim, your only option is to face the ghouls, hack away, and hope for success. In a nutshell: All the thrills and spills you can handle as you track down your girlfriend and rescue her from power and flesh hungry demons. Multiplayer: No *ESRB rating: Mature |
FACTS
Game Title: Evil Dead: Hail to the King Platform: PC Developer: Heavy Iron Studios Publisher: THQ, Inc. Accessories supported: Gravis Gamepad, Microsoft Gamepad Release Date: March 27, 2001 Price: $44.99 |
THE REVIEW by Thomas Oberheide for Gamers Today
Campy horror flicks are notorious for compelling an engrossed viewer to exclaim "You idiot! Don't go that way! " Now you can explore your own fight or flight tendencies when confronted by terrors, in a game based on the Evil Dead movie trilogy. Take the lead role in Evil Dead: Hail to the King and delight in the whimsy of a certifiable gore orgy.
You are the strapping Ash, who, despite previous fateful encounters, continues to mix with the wrong crowd. The Dark Ones, demons condemned to their purgatory ages ago, want to break through and rule the earth. They must first get their claws on the Necromonicon ex Mortis, the Book of the Dead, and your girl, Jenny. Your mission is simple: find the book, save your girl, and the world.
By following clues found in the otherwise hopeless forest, you search for the missing pages of the Book of the Dead and find your way to Jenny. A map shows the paths that lead to foreboding places, along which you hack up the gruesome servants of the Dark Ones. These skeletal ghosts initially provide quite a jolt as they spring maniacally from the earth. However, the predictability of their attacks is aggravated through the course of gameplay.
Your main weapon is a chainsaw permanently attached to your right arm. Your left hand is free to use any number of other flesh tearing weapons you find in the woods. The camera's angles change frequently, making it hard to tell where you are in relation to whatever terrifying creature you are battling. In this regard, Ash seems as capable as a crazed lunatic running in circles trying to chainsaw a non-existent fly.
But the game isn't all blood and gore. Strategy is mandatory when fighting the more lethal creatures at the end of each stage. Once you apply your cunning appropriately, there is little challenge. The battle is over quicker than your mom can say, "chop, chop."
Everything about the way the game looks is chilling. The Hellbillies, demonic inbreeds you find around an old shack, are horrific with their jagged clothes, white eyes, and lanky limbs. All throughout the game you see objects that are inherently, albeit predictably, creepy. Pitchforks, broken down cars, and abandoned but littered picnic sites foreshadow delights to come.
When a demon screamed I almost fell back in my chair, convincing me that we are dealing with some invigorating sensory effects. I can almost feel my feet stick to the drying blood on the floor. And the always sarcastic Ash has something funny to say at your command like, "You wanna taste it?" when fighting.
As a horror film spin-off, Evil Dead: Hail to the King has stayed true to the nature of the beast. With enough suspense to instill that feeling of panic and the right degree of corny humor to laugh away the fright, you'll be entertained until the end. This devilish crusade is fun as hell.
*For a complete explanation of ESRB ratings, check out the official ESRB Web site.
