Enjoyable Gameplay
House of the Dead gameplay is simple: you have a freely movable pistol, and your character moves automatically, with six bullets per reload and unlimited bullets. You shoot enemies before they injure you. I find blasting the zombies and other creatures to be very satisfying. Whenever an undead appears out of a corner, shooting and killing it gives me the ultimate satisfaction.
Diverse Enemies
House of the Dead is filled with diverse enemies with different animations and attack styles that hooked me. Depending on the level and scene, the enemy changes, and it never feels mundane as it’s not the same enemy type attacking you every time. From undead dogs, frogs, and bats to chainsaw-wielding zombies, the different enemy types kept me hooked till the end.
Interesting Boss Fights
House of the Dead features iconic boss fights at the end of every level. I still remember how hard it was to beat the Magician during my childhood. The boss has a lovely design with scripted attack patterns. Furthermore, during the introduction of a boss, the game shows you the weakness so you can know where to shoot to defeat the boss.
Impressive Sound Design
The game has a lovely sound design, with responsive sound effects when shooting and killing enemies. Moreover, I like the music, as it perfectly complements the environment. However, the voice acting is not impressive, but the other sound design choices compensate for the mediocre voice acting.
Final Thoughts
House of the Dead 1 is one of the most memorable rail shooters. It was a part of my childhood, and many others did. The gameplay and boss fights are incredible, which makes the game even more memorable. If you play it in an arcade with a free-moving pistol controller, it’s much more fun.
