The bloodiest retro video game series paved the way for modern horror franchises

By Namco Sketch House the series is the gore-soaked B-grade horror franchise that has never shied away from giving players the most over-the-top action and violence possible. Sure, plenty of other games feature heroes fighting all sorts of creepy monsters, but not every game lets the hero rip off his own arm and pummel said monsters with it. Horror comes in all shapes and sizes and Sketch House He knows exactly what type he wants to be. Sketch House exudes the overflowing fun and excess of classic horror films like Dead alive, The thingAND Resuscitatorjust with a good dose of arcade action thrown in for good measure.

Like a series, Sketch House has always been the black sheep in Namco's long history of video game development. Like the very company that created Pac-Man, Dragon SpiritAND GalagaIt is extremely jarring to see such a radical and ridiculous change of tone with the Sketch House series. While depictions of violence have never been new to the arcade market, Sketch House did it all David Cronenberg and delivered the most deliriously excessive gore possible. Mixing juicy zombie horror with diabolical Lovecraftian tradition, the beat-em-up horror series delivers all the best kinds of gross-out, spooky fun. Sketch House has long maintained a cult status among fans, and despite a troubled reboot that seemingly buried the series for good, there's still plenty of bloody fun to be had in this arcade gore-fest.

Splatterhouse breaks into arcades in a shower of blood and viscera

Rejoice, body horror fans!

The original Sketch House tells a simple story. Two college students, Rick Taylor and Jennifer Willis, decide to take refuge in the infamous West Mansion one night during a terrible storm. Nicknamed “Splatterhouse” by locals due to rumors of bizarre and bloody experiments being performed there, the West Mansion is the last place anyone would ever want to go. Of course, the stories were all true. When Rick suddenly finds himself waking up in the dungeon beneath the mansion, a sentient mask known as Terror Mask tells Rick that Jennifer has been kidnapped and the only way to save her is to don the mask.

When Rick puts the Terror Mask on his face, he transforms into a gigantic brute, capable of dispatching the countless hordes of monsters that live in the West Mansion. As an arcade action platformer, Sketch House It's pretty basic. Rick walks from left to right, punching and kicking enemies that come near him. He can occasionally pick up weapons like machetes and shotguns to defeat enemies more quickly, and aside from one or two sections that require some jumping, the gameplay remains simple and straightforward.

Sketch House more than makes up for its basic gameplay offering some of the most grotesque and disgusting images in arcade video game history. Mangled bodies, dripping corpses, and slithering mutant monsters fill every screen. Every area is filled with carnage, goo, and the unquiet dead, all intent on silencing Rick. It’s a shocking, yet awkward, and sappy ode to gore that fans can punch their way through.

While Sketch House It wasn't the gigantic success for Namco that Dig-Dug was, but it still performed well in the arcades. A year after its release, Sketch House received its first sequel, Splatterhouse Wanpaku GraffitiInstead of doubling down on the gruesome visuals of its arcade predecessor, the new Splatterhouse is completely chibi.

In the Famicom exclusive, Jennifer is captured by the Pumpkin King, with Rick not far behind. It's a simple, super cute Halloween romp, filled with silly jokes and visual gags, making it much more suitable for a younger audience than the arcade game. What's interesting about Wanpaku Graffiti It's the ending that suggests that this is a prequel to the original arcade game.

Two more sequels spilled even more blood on the Sega Genesis

The Terror Mask's thirst for violence could not be quenched

The success of the original Sketch House was largely due to its unapologetic depictions of midnight horror movies. A sequel was released four years later exclusively on the Sega Genesis. Sketch House 2 saw the return of the Terror Mask, this time promising revenge for Rick after the shocking climax of the first game.

Sketch House 2 saw much the same as its predecessor, but with the addition of new weapons and a password system for players to continue their macabre adventures. With better music and detailed graphics, Sketch House 2 it was bigger and better than the first titleFans who wanted even more buckets of blood and gore to wade through got what they wanted, as Sketch House 2 saw a satisfying conclusion to the story presented in the first title.

But if horror movies have taught fans anything, it's that no good monster ever stays truly dead. Sketch House 3Another Genesis exclusive, Rick finds himself back in the grip of the Terror Mask. With Jennifer and Rick and Jennifer's son David held captive by the Evil One, Rick dons the mask once again, this time in his mansion. Sketch House 3 introduced a lot of new content for players to try their hand at.

Featuring a completely non-linear mansion to explore, players were tasked with completing each stage as quickly as possible to prevent Jennifer and David from suffering horrific fates. With a special meter that could transform Rick into a super-powered form, new moves to perform in battle, as well as digitized cutscenes that progressed the story in terrifying detail, Splatterhouse 3 was a huge step forward for the series. Horror fans would be able to spot deformed dog enemies that were ripped straight from John Carpenter's film The Thing.

Splatterhouse's big return turned into such a nightmare that the series may never recover

While not terrible, the 2010 reboot isn't that great.

Despite the modest but solid success of the Sketch House series, it would be 17 years before Rick Taylor reappeared. 2010s Sketch House It served as a reboot of the seriesgiving new flesh to old bones. When Rick and Jennifer enter Dr. Henry West's mansion, Jennifer is captured by his monstrous experiments and Rick is mortally wounded. When the Terror Mask appears and promises to help Rick save Jennifer, he dons the mask and begins to work brutally.

The new Sketch House churns out large amounts of monsters, monster blood, monster body parts, and monster beatings. As the first 3D entry in the series, Sketch House (2010) incorporates unlockable moves, giant boss fights, levels that take Rick through time and space, and even some retro-style platforming sections. Featuring a soundtrack full of licensed metal tunes and the vocal talents of Jim Cummings as Terror Mask, Sketch House (2010) goes out of its way to deliver the best monster-smashing experience possible.

Unfortunately, a troubled development set back the reboot, eventually leading to Namco themselves directing the final stages of the game's creation. Critics were disappointed by the repetitive gameplay, limited enemy variety, frame rate issues, and performance-impairing bugs. To be fair, Sketch House (2010) didn't have a smooth development, so it's great that it was released. There are fans who appreciate it for what it is, and it's even managed to amass a small cult following. This title isn't perfect, but there are glimpses of how amazing it is. Sketch House (2010) could have been if it had been given a proper development cycle.

Splatterhouse desperately deserves another chance, regardless of what the critics think.

A talented team of developers could work wonders with the arcade classic

As deliriously fun as it is to bash disgusting monsters and watch raspberry jelly fly everywhere, it is extremely unlikely. Sketch House will see another entry soon. It's been fourteen years since it received a new entry, and considering how desperately Namco wanted to leave the 2010 game behind, the chances of a remaster or sequel are slim.

It's a shame because the series still has a lot of potential. With the success of games like Friday the 13th: The Game, Dead in the light of day, Don't open that doorAND Evil Dead: The GameHorror games are alive and well in today's market. While a new Sketch House It doesn't have to be an asymmetric horror game, there's enough of a market for a gory action title to succeed.

Sketch House it's the game evil Dead. It's full of blood and guts, but it's so over the top that it quickly comes back and becomes a loser. After all, Sketch House tells a love story that succeeds against all odds. Rick can wear the Terror Mask and punch ghouls until they explode, but beyond the absurd aesthetic of the series, he is a person fighting to save the woman he loves. Endless hordes of monsters, evil spirits and mutants can stand between them, but in Sketch Housetrue love comes with a chainsaw and a shotgun. It's definitely not everyone's cup of tea, but Namco should know that horror fans are still waiting for Rick Taylor's next adventure with the Terror Mask.