Splatterhouse 3

"The best in the series..."

Ok, what was it that the other Splatterhouse games lacked? A story. This one has a story, and a rather good one at that. It has an intro, cut scenes between the stages, and an ending.

After rescuing Jennifer in the second Splatterhouse, they (assumedly) get married and have a boy named David. Oddly enough, they live in a mansion...I wonder if it's the same mansion that all the demonic/mutant stuff came from? Not a good idea, Rick.

So of course, the model American family goes to hell, and rick wakes up with the cursed mask on his face again. (which is a lot cooler looking now, IMO) His family are isolated from him and in danger from all the monsters about, and it's up to you to save them.

*spoiler*
This time it's the ''dark one'' that's causing all the trouble for Rick and his family. Rick's son, David is a latent psychic, and the dark one needs him to complete a ritual that will make him all powerful.

The really neat thing about this game is that it's non-linear. You can either save your family, or they can be killed by the monsters. The story and following stages change accordingly to what happens. You are allotted a certain amount of time to finish each stage, and what happens afterwards is determined by how much time you have remaining. (if any)

The gameplay is much improved over the previous two. Instead of just being a side-scroller, you now have total range of motion...you can move up, down, left or right. The fighting elements are improved as well, now you can execute special moves like roundhouse kicks by tapping certain button combinations. Also, by picking up certain items, you can fill up a meter that allows you to change into a more powerful version of yourself until the meter is depleted, giving you a wider arsenal of moves as well.

Ratings
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Graphics: 8/10

Very spooky and fitting for the title. The game even has a few seconds of FMV on it! Yes, that's right...FMV on a cartridge. The backgrounds are well drawn and rendered, and very detailed. The enemies and rick are detailed and have a lot of animation to them, especially in comparison to the previous two titles in the series.

Sound: 9/10

The music and sound effects in this game are top-notch. Very little distortion or imperfections, the music is very fitting and eerie, while the sound FX are where they should be.

Control: 7/10

Basic movements and attacking are very simple to learn and master, but special attacks are a pain to get to work correctly.

Replay Value: 8/10

The multiple endings and non-linear stages offer more replay value than any other title in the series. There are at least 4 different endings, and there are secret stages to be found as well.

This is one of my all-time favorite Genesis games, and the best installment in the Splatterhouse series. If you're a fan of gory beat-em-ups and like a good story, definitely check this one out.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/01/01, Updated 11/01/01