The "A Blast from the Past" series continues with Splatterhouse, a game developed and published by Namco Bandai in 2010.
It's a 3D beat 'em up brawler, inspired by the original 2d sidescroller with the same name on the Sega Megadrive and it’s basically a modern reboot of that IP.
Let me make something clear right off the bat: Splatterhouse is rough around the edges. And when I say rough, I mean… VERY rough. It’s got quite some jank, load times are slow enough to microwave a burrito, the camera sometimes takes a long, tragic journey away from the action and visually the game isn’t polished.
But you know what? I had a blast anyway. And I say that as someone who isn’t easily won over by surface level gore or edgy aesthetics. This game owns its trashy, cartoonishly violent identity and just goes for it. It's like a blood-soaked, low-budget horror movie with zero shame and maximum attitude. Or a PEGI 18 explicit version of Looney Tunes.
And I respect the hell out of that.
You play as Rick, a scrawny dude who gets mortally wounded while trying to save his kidnapped girlfriend, only to merge with a sentient mask that turns him into a hulking slab of muscle and rage. The Terror Mask is basically Deadpool's messed-up cousin, with equal parts of bloodlust and sass. Genuinely funny, in a twisted, late 2000s way. Dude had me laughing out loud mid-dismemberment.
Combat is a mix of 3D brawler chaos and throwback 2D platforming sections (which are surprisingly cool). You rip enemies apart and then beat other enemies to death with their limbs. You collect blood (literal blood, not metaphor) and use it as XP to buy new, more deranged moves. Some finishers are so over-the-top they feel illegal. One involves crushing a skull inward like it’s a stress ball. Another is straight-up sodomy-by-spike. I’m not even exaggerating. This game goes there.
And yes, it’s repetitive in the way all beat-em-ups are, but once you start unlocking more abilities and get a feel for the rhythm (plus the very basic but oddly strategic healing system via Splatter Siphon), it clicks. The Berzerker mode, where you grow bone claws and turn into a walking blender, is just pure Mortal Kombat. Add some glorious metal tracks from bands like Lamb of God and Mastodon, and you’ve got the perfect storm of power gore fantasy.
I would add (without any spoiler) that some boss designs are crazy stuff.
Oh, and bonus points: they included all three original arcade Splatterhouse games as unlockables. That’s the kind of fan-service more studios should take notes from.
On a final note, if you’re squeamish, steer clear. If you love gore, metal, dumb jokes, horror movie vibes, and don't mind a bit of technical slop, then you can consider Splatterhouse your personal underrated gem that deserves more love than it got.
Not perfect, but perfectly fun.
Did you know about the game already? Have you played it? How would you rate it?
8 Comments
One of the best gems of that generation. 10/10
I had a fun time with Splatterhouse on my Xbox 360, the enemy kills were really cool and gory. Also the voice actor for the Mask was going all out and having a blast with his lines! They devs totally nailed the environments and the animations. Great mid budget action game!
Sadly, I got maybe 3/4 the way through my first playthrough of Splatterhouse, when I hit a dreaded save bug. It deleted my save file and I didn’t have a backup. What a huge bummer, but I watched the ending on YouTube.
I’m not your momma asshole!
Damn, 2010, feels like not that long ago.loved Splatterhouse 2 on Genesis, this was a lot of fun as well, felt awesome being all jacked and beating the crap out of things lol.
Splatterhouse 2, let’s go.
The OG version of this and Bloody Wolf made me want a TG-16 back in the day.
Splatterhouse 1-4 were really good, but Splatterhouse 5 was crumby.
I remember playing Splatterhouse 2 on the Sega Mega Drive/Genesis. The sound and visual design on that game was phenomenal for it’s time. Really freaked me out as a kid. The howls of the screaming mimis were haunting.
Surprised it didn’t get banned in Australia given uncensored L4D2 and Mortal Kombat did. 😂
Played all three of them and Splatterhouse was probably the most gory of them, tbh.
Loved this game as a kid