Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick

"Groovy"

Evil Dead. Well, what can I say about my favorite set of movies of all time (besides how much I hate the constant repackaging of them). Blood, violence, one-liners, I mean it's basically everything one could want in an action movie. Classic stuff, but what about another Evil Dead game.
The first one was medicore I thought, it just didn't capture the frantic evil dead feel and could get rather boring. Well a few years later we get A Fistful of Boomstick. This is a game that kicks your ass and asks for seconds and for only 20 bucks that's one hell of a great deal.
Through my review I will be giving two different scores for each category. The first is for the casual gamer score and the second is an Evil Dead fan score. Just remember, for $20 bucks it's a good deal no matter which way you look at it.

Graphics - 8/10 and 8/10
The game is very texture relient, which is my graphical style. Think State of Emergency (the game's engine it used) or GTA: Vice City. Ash looks considerably better than the rest of the characters though. His face has a raised eye-brow and his animations capture the Campbell feel. Lighting can be seen on his pants and it reflects somewhat. Not bad.
Other characters like Trish and the deadites, are not the same though. Less quality can be seen through messy looking textures. Hey, they're deadites with mangled skin and stuff, but it could look better.
The backgrounds are very good though. Different signs and building shapes create the Dearborn town. Don't think you won't get lost at the beginning though. One problem arises though through the level of interaction with the environment. There is none except breaking glass, which is ok with me although sometimes I want to knock over the nearest trash can or something.
FMV wise A Fistful of Boomstick flat out kicks ass. Think Splinter Cell quality movies. Overall the colorful graphics and the constant blood spraying are pretty good, despite minor problems.

Sound - 7/10 and 9/10
One look at this catagory and Evil Dead fans will think one thing, Bruce Campbell. One liners galore, and damn are they good. ''Kiss my boomstick'' Ok so they're good, but do they get repetitive? No way, baby! As you go further in the game more open up and Ash will constantly be saying new ones. Just push the triangle button and it's magic to a fans ears.
Sound effect wise, the game is ''ok''. Loud shotgun shells and a constantly running chainsaw are good. Other sounds footsteps aren't good though. If a deadite is running at you from behind you won't hear him.
To counter this, Vis made it so that the music change when one is near. A problem though is it doesn't always work. I've had the music change, then kill a deadite, then the music change soft again, then get attacked by a deadite. The music is not reliable, so be careful.

Gameplay - 8/10 and 9/10
Ah, the big category. Evil Dead fans get ready, because this game is like an ant farm and you, my friend, are the exterminator. Deadites will constantly swarm your ass left and right so slice away. Kill and kill again, that is basically an overall gameplay summary.
Basically, this game is an action game in it's own right. You go through town slaying deadites and completing different objectives, although the main objectives is clear at the beginning of the game. Stop the deadites. Simple as that.
The game is very bloody, which can be a good thing I guess. You can impale a Deadite with you're chainsaw and lift him into the air. Blood will squirt constantly and then when you're done, just blast him off your saw with your ''Boomstick'' and watch him fly. Fans will also quickly point out the over-the-shoulder shotgun blast. There are different combos, but you can figure those out when you play it.
Your main selection of weapons will grow over time. At first you start off with the simple stuff like the ''Boomstick'' and a shovel (you know what do with the shovel fans). Then the list will grow and each weapon will be able to upgrade with different ammo or other modifications. Now, this isn't a list like Vice City but it sure has quite a variety. Throw in the fact that you can use two weapons at a time using each hand and you can kill a deadite any way you wish.
In the first Evil Dead game, Hail to the King, you had to save using tapes. Think Resident Evil type of save system. In A Fistful of Boomstick that idea is not thrown entirely out the window. You can only save when you find a square rune, but this does have it's advantages. You can save anywhere and you will return there when you die. Now you're thinking, damn I gotta find one of these each time I want to save? Well, don't worry man because they are literally everywhere. On my first play through I had 22 runes left at the end, so don't be afraid to save if you're fealing uncomfortable.
Although I said killing is the basic game summary, that is not entirely true. You will have to use your brain in order to find your way into different areas, and it is not a walk in the park. Look at signs for clues, and talk to everybody. Bosses are also a little different. Each one can only be killed one way, and it is your job to figure that out. Let me just say you won't kill a boss the first time you see it.
The game truly is enjoyable to play. You can pick it up and screw around, continue with the main game, or whatever. Gameplay this good at only 20 bucks new is quite a rarity these days.

Replay - 6/10 and 7/10
Sure it's a blast to play through but will you play it more than once. Fans might, to enjoy more deadite slaying action (I know I did). Sure you can't complete objectives in different ways, but the gameplay is so good you might want to experience it again.
Length wise the game is a little on the short side. I completed it in around 6 hours, and I only play maybe an hour to an hour and a half a day. So it lasted around 5 days just doing the story mode alone, and the ending was pretty funny. Think Silent Hill 2 or the new Matrix game length.
The game does get some points in this category through it's arcade mode. Arcade mode is where you basically get a certain objective and you have to complete it. Whether it's finding items or just killing everything it's pretty fun. Each of the 30 levels has pre-set weapons and spells and is timed. It can get somewhat hard, but it's nothing to ''cry to mama'' about. After a level is completed you will be grading using an A, B, C scale. Points are scored for types of kills, time and life remaining, etc. Its pretty good.
Vis also threw in a making of feature. Yes, it does feature Bruce Campbell. Clocking in at 5-10min. it's an enjoyable watch. Different people talk about the game and what they wanted to put in it. Not bad at all.

Overall - 7/10 and 9/10
These scores are not on average, as they are just what feels right for a game like this. Evil Dead fans this is a must to check out, and casual gamers will want to also. It really is a great deal for a game only 20 bucks, and at such a price I suggest buying it over renting.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/01/03, Updated 06/01/03