Splatterhouse series / スプラッターハウス Supurattāhausu

[ACSeraph]

Ah I see, I always end up getting the first crystal ball but never knew what it was for. I thought it was just some totally random thing in a game full of a lot of totally random things. Guess I should try to get the true end then.

Splatterhouse 3

For the tentacles (and the roundhouse also) just do it really really slow. You would be surprised how slow you can do it and still have it read. Just use the first stage to practice the movements a bit and you'll get it down. Once you can do both with 100% consistency the game becomes ridiculously easy.

As for routes, initially I just went towards the nearest yellow door at all times. This way you'll easily find all the extends and the teleports almost always go in your favor. I suggest intentionally taking your time with the game initially and ignoring the timer. Just fully explore every floor so you know where everything is and plan accordingly in the future when you decide to go for the good ending.

[Pretas]

Probably been mentioned already, but Splatterhouse Part 3 JP has better balancing and is the preferable version of the game.

[MOSQUITO FIGHTER]

I've thought about buying the new Splatterhouse, just to have the old games on console. Don't know if I can stand that game for nine hours, though.

[ACSeraph]

^It's totally worth it just for the classics, even if 3 is the US version.

The reboot itself is playable I guess. It doesn't even come remotely close to living up to its namesake, but I still completed it and didn't 100% hate it. More than how stupid it was (which I expected) I felt like the enemies had way too much health and it really hurt the pacing.

---

I want a Splatterhouse 4 where Rick has been locked away in a mental hospital after being found in his house catatonic and covered in blood in gore alongside the mutilated corpses of his wife and son post the events of 3's bad ending. The game itself could play out in Rick's own mind as a waking nightmare he has while locked away in the hospital.

That one's free Namco, make it happen

[Squire Grooktook]

The game itself could play out in Rick's own mind as a waking nightmare he has while locked away in the hospital

Nah man, I'm sick of this "it's all in your head" cliche that modern survival horror has milked to death. Gotta be REAL MONSTER ACTION or bust.

[ACSeraph]

I was thinking it would turn out in the end that he had actually broken out of his cell and all the monsters he was splattering was actually the hospital staff. Cut to a broken rick staring at the blood splattered mask in his hands as it laughs maniacally. /credits

(also no stupid metal soundtrack, we need dat SPH1 ending theme to make a comeback!)

[JBC]

I see post-apocalyptic. The Mansion is huge in itself but exists in the game as a hub-world to other dimensions & ruined areas of Earth. The mask possessed Rick for a long ass time to cause it all, but in the beginning he regains control & sets out to fix things. Any surviving humans should react to him accordingly.

Think of the world from Vampire Hunter D, but way worse. Sorta Metroidvania or Zelda-like, but 3D - like Demon's Souls. The monsters would have formed a balanced ecosystem by now, which you could destabilize over time in your favor. Needs good combat, & maybe some weapon/trap crafting. Splatterworld!

[drauch]

Fuck it. Go the Death Wish route, which Splatterhouse already sorta did. Stick Rick in another mansion/the surroundings with his wife and son to just have everything go sour and an excuse to get revenge. I don't need no stinkin' other plot; I just want Rick doing what he does best: pulverizing living rotting corpses into mush in a dilapidated mansion.

[BIL]

No joke that US version has one mean power kick. I just wish the tentacle attack wasn't so hard to pull off (it seems far more finicky than the roundhouse).

NB (already mentioned it, but just in case it helps): the roundhouse will register no matter which direction you hit first. The tentacles require you to hit "away, towards, away" - the inverse won't work. So it's probably a good habit to always use away.

---

Ongoing Super Fun Tymes with SH3MD: I already knew Normal Rick's "jab-jab-body-upper" combo stored its current state if interrupted, provided you don't grab anything or get hit (eg, if a monster falls on the second jab, the next punch you throw will be the body blow followed by the uppercut). This is a useful tidbit, since the uppercut is an instant knockdown and, AFAIK, invincible.

WHAT I DIDNT KNOW THO rather than depending on a monster to fall, or (suicidally) turning away from it mid-combo, you can manually break the combo with a roundhouse (which is totally invincible and a guaranteed knockdown itself). Dead easy, just keep "attack" depressed and hit "jump."

Spoiler

Keeping "attack" held in the heat of battle is a good habit. Reaction RH will save your ass and look SUPER 1337 too!

Spoiler

BOOF! OH ALSO: both normal and monster specials are excellent at shoving stubborn corner-lurkers into the screen center. I always enter a room holding "attack" so I can quickly get a wall at my back and boot backstabbers clear in one stroke.

All of the above applies to Monster Rick's bludgeoning barrage from what I've seen. But more research required, on this and many other fascinating issues! I love this game. Savage violence, mean challenge and finessed play in spades, with a highly revisitable super meter system. It's got its rough edges for sure* but as Rob once said, perfect games are overrated. Very nearly as enjoyable a console beater as Natsume's outstanding The Ninja Warriors Again (SFC).

MISC PROTIPZ

1) unfortunately enemies can force you to execute a grapple, even when the pad's neutral. This is really dangerous when attacking multiple foes, since headbutt and throw are both very unsafe. Always hold up/down while attacking crowds so you'll automatically use body slam, which is far quicker and will knock down would-be exploiters too.

2) autograpple can be exploited for instant grabs on enemies getting back to their feet, if you know your spacing.

3) as noted above, up or down works fine for their associated grapple attacks (body slam/body blow). Good to know if you're really caning it (or racing a dwindling POW meter) and need a move out pronto.

*BILRZR0471AM's THEORY LABEL**

*all cutscene skip toggle in Options Menu, why are Gleylancer and Vampire Killer seemingly the only games with this
*fix lazy hori/vert movement drift, be moonwalkin up in this mufucka
*less knockdown-happy Game Master diff, I can take a beating but don't make me wait for it (・｀ω´・)
*monsters don't drop on hitting low HP, you take what i'm givin out cocksucker (・｀ω´・)
*grapples can't be initiated by monsters while pad is neutral, get outta mah face muhfucka (・｀W´・)

**(naww IDGAF, original code or bust 凸(｀⌒´メ)凸 and by "bust" I mean TRADE 4 BOOZE ;3 ;3 ;3 )

[Austin]

I've thought about buying the new Splatterhouse, just to have the old games on console. Don't know if I can stand that game for nine hours, though.

Fortunately you don't have to play for nine hours to unlock the originals. If I remember correctly, they unlock fairly early in the game.

Get over the extremely frustrating first hour or two and you might find yourself enjoying the new one in the process.

[ACSeraph]

Damn it BIL quit making me want to throw down mad cash on a Megadrive!

Fortunately you don't have to play for nine hours to unlock the originals. If I remember correctly, they unlock fairly early in the game.

Can't you pay a couple dollars to just open them straight out with a DLC code?

[BIL]

If it's any consolation I'm currently without mine too. :3 Left most of my machines back home, wish I'd brought my current most-played (FC and MD) along but at the time I'd yet to rediscover either (also, didn't want 'em getting banged around in transit).

[Austin]

Can't you pay a couple dollars to just open them straight out with a DLC code?

I don't think so. I believe the dlc options consisted only of masks and extra survival maps or something like that.

[ACSeraph]

My copy (Asian version) actually came with a DLC code that unlocked the originals that's why I was wondering. Says a lot about your game when the bonus DLC is: "You don't have to play our new game."

[EmperorIng]

Splatterhouse 2 finally arrived.

One thing I notice is that it feels a little more sluggish than the first game. For some reason it feels harder to pull of a slide, but that might just be the MD/GEN controller.

While it's fun to have more Splatterhouse, I feel like some of the levels are a little too long for what the game is asking. In the original, individual sections were fairly quick, even with checkpoints to make things go faster. Splatterhouse 2 has long stretches of levels that you have to complete in one sitting. I am sure that with time they will feel easy, but it is frustrating to make it all the way to the end of a stage, only to repeat it.

Some of the enemies feel a bit random - particularly the screaming mimis or jumping jehosaphats or whatever they're called. I haven't quite gotten down avoiding all of them without getting hit.

I sort of like the first game a bit more, but I hope the sequel will grow on me. I made it up to the Dr. Mueller boss fight before giving up. Stage 4 feels like it goes on forever.

[ACSeraph]

You'll get used to it, actually the game feels like it's paced similarly to the first one to me, but it will feel long at first when you are dying and continuing a lot.

It is slower with the combat; you can't switch instantly between high and low attack which ends up changing the combat a bit. You have to be a lot more deliberate with your attacks. As for the slide, the timing is just a bit different from the original. The trick is to do it a little bit later than you would in the first game, and try tapping attack twice upon landing rather than once. Mashing won't help, but using two quick taps on landing I can get the slide to come out 99% of the time.

As for randomness, theres almost nothing in the game that is random. This includes the hopping things. They come in a few different varieties AI-wise, but they always follow the same pattern in every playthrough and have some consistencies that can be exploited. One of them is that they will always hop towards you if hit them once, so basically after hitting them just keep mashing and they will jump right into your fist for the kill. The other thing it they have a tell for their attacks, you can see them raise their wrist up. Always wait for them to attack first and then run in and counter it. The standing ones attack once, while the bouncing ones will strike twice.

I do think the first game is a little better, partially because the graphics and colors do a better job of expressing it's world, but 2 is still really good and I enjoy it a lot. I actually took pretty thorough notes of my 1cc (something I do for most games I play). If you want I'll upload them here, its basically a mini-guide to getting a quick and dirty 1cc.

[Mortificator]

I'm a huge fan of the first game in this series, but none of the others satisfy me on the same level. With Part 2, there are still moments where I feel, "yeah, this is Splatterhouse," but at least as many that are lacking.

[EmperorIng]

Thanks for the pointers, AC. I'll try to play the game blind for a bit longer in order not to spoil myself on "best practices."

With Part 2, there are still moments where I feel, "yeah, this is Splatterhouse"

Right now I feel that part 3 of all things might be a bit more Splatterhouse-y, but my limited experience with either of the sequels might be behind that thought.

[Austin]

Some of the enemies feel a bit random - particularly the screaming mimis or jumping jehosaphats or whatever they're called. I haven't quite gotten down avoiding all of them without getting hit.

Give it more time. Through repeated plays you will find that very little is actually random in this game.

My copy (Asian version) actually came with a DLC code that unlocked the originals that's why I was wondering. Says a lot about your game when the bonus DLC is: "You don't have to play our new game."

That's interesting. It would have been nice if that was included in the US version as well. On the other hand though, it would have saved paper and made life easier on everyone if they just had them unlocked to begin with.

[CIT]

Spent this Halloween-weekend getting single credit clears in parts 1 (PCE version) and 2.

It's a strange series, because technically, there isn't much that is remarkable about these games, but I simply love it's brutal atmosphere and especially the bleak plot of part 1. Once you have the levels memorized there's a great satisfaction in trudging through the game like an unstoppable killing machine. Pretty much what it must feel like to be Jason picking off defenseless teenagers at Crystal Lake camp.

[EmperorIng]

I was able to 1cc the PCE version a few months ago. The extra health between rounds makes it far more manageable than the arcade. While there are minor changes and concessions (a far easier bubble foetus stage, for one!), I was really impressed at how close to the original it was, given the hardware.

I think the farthest I got one one credit on part 3 is the Evil One. So clooose...

[CIT]

Haven't touched Part 3 recently, and not sure if I will at the moment. Not in the mood for this type of gameplay right now.

Another thing about Part 2: I almost felt a bit disappointed that Rick and Jennifer got reunited. Kinda ruins the bleak plot twist in the middle of part 1.

So what are people's thoughts on Splatterhouse PS360, now that a few years have passed?

[Skykid]

I was able to 1cc the PCE version a few months ago. The extra health between rounds makes it far more manageable than the arcade. While there are minor changes and concessions (a far easier bubble foetus stage, for one!), I was really impressed at how close to the original it was, given the hardware.

The bubble foetus stage seems to be the clincher for everyone, but I'm interested you stepped down from arcade to PCE - I stepped down from FM Towns to arcade and found it way more manageable.

As we discussed in this thread earlier, the Towns cropped screen means those things are spawning out of sight. It's basically RNG foetus city. When I got pissed off with it I tried the arcade version and managed to get the 1cc quite fast.

What problems did you have with the arcade stage specifically?

[Strider77]

[EmperorIng]

Nice edit! I can only wish the first game got a loving NAMCOT MD treatment - though, in a way, Splatterhouse 2 kind of rehashes the first game, even down to the pointless "hold up to face up" thing.

The bubble foetus stage seems to be the clincher for everyone, but I'm interested you stepped down from arcade to PCE - I stepped down from FM Towns to arcade and found it way more manageable.

As we discussed in this thread earlier, the Towns cropped screen means those things are spawning out of sight. It's basically RNG foetus city. When I got pissed off with it I tried the arcade version and managed to get the 1cc quite fast.

What problems did you have with the arcade stage specifically?

AC's stage 6 is tough because you have to quickly react to a lot of spawning bubbles or you will be overwhelmed - I find if three or more foetuses hop towards me from different sides, I have a rough go at it. The boss compounds this by dividing your attention between it and potential threats, though that may be my frayed nerves at that point.

I think the biggest and most significant difference between the arcade and PCE stage 6 is that a bubble that floats off-screen will spawn in the arcade version, whereas it will not in the PCE version (I'm 90% sure; I need to reconfirm this). This immediately means that you are dealing with less enemies that may catch you off-guard jumping from beyond the screen. In a more general sense, the PCE is not strong enough to handle as many sprites as the AC, so there is a lightening of aggression in general.

I found the PCE Rick a little harder to control; I felt that the Turbo pad made performing the slide a little trickier, and I couldn't rapid-mash punches like I could in MAME. This meant that trying the AC strategy for mirror-Ricks resulted in hits more often than not.

Another neat difference: in the forced-scrolling sections on AC, getting to a certain point near the end puts Rick on a forced walk towards the exit, making him immune to harm from enemies. I exploit this to bypass fighting the last Mirror-Rick in st5, or the Bore-Worm hallways. This exploit does not exist in the PCE version, meaning you can't cheese these sections by hugging the screen and waiting for the forced-walk to activate.

tldr: Having 1CC'd both, the AC is tougher by giving only one health per stage and a less forgiving stage 6.

[Squire Grooktook]

I'm really liking Part 3, though it feels a bit easy-ish for the first half of the game. Might try mania/last dififculty after I 1cc it.

As for the original, I'm too lazy to memorize the poltergeist boss lol.

[CIT]

I think the biggest and most significant difference between the arcade and PCE stage 6 is that a bubble that floats off-screen will spawn in the arcade version, whereas it will not in the PCE version (I'm 90% sure; I need to reconfirm this).

No, it happens in the PCE version too. If a bubble floats offscreen to the left you can be sure that sooner or later a little demon spawn thingy will hop back into the screen. All in all I couldn't tell that much difference between the bubble stages in both versions.

Apart from the stingier heart-refills, I'd say both versions are almost equal difficulty-wise. I agree about Rick's stiffer handling on PCE, although that might just be down to the pad. I never actually use the slide in Part 1, in Part 2 you really gotta learn it though, it'll make your life much easier.

[iconoclast]

So what are people's thoughts on Splatterhouse PS360, now that a few years have passed?

It's a pretty unremarkable action game. Not bad, not particularly good, just meh. Honestly, I can't even remember much about it despite completing it twice (granted, that was 4+ years ago). All I know is that you play as John Cena in a Jason mask while death metal plays in the background.

[ACSeraph]

^Agree with Iconoclast, it just sort of exists. I played it to completion and didn't hate it.

Aside from being horribly cheesy and looking like a budget game, my big issue is that all of the enemies seem to have way too much HP. It takes all day to kill everything, and as a result you never really get the feeling you are brutally decimating your enemies. It's not a difficulty issue either because nothing is all that dangerous. It would have benefited a lot from faster kills offset by more aggressive enemies. Were it not for that the game probably would have been a guilty pleasure for me, but as it is I doubt I'll ever replay it.

[Strider77]

I've started working on part 2 after reading this thread the past few days. I'm up to the end of stage 5 so far but I turned it off versus continuing... I had used up all my credits on a previous play just before this one. So back to back I was getting ready to be done for a bit. Still the follow up run I used one or no continues... can't remember now.

Fairly fun game so far. I've had it for awhile but haven't sunk my teeth into it. It does feel a tad more sluggish than the 1st so far.