Evil Dead: Hail to the King
Evil Dead: Hail to the Kingby THQ
Platform: PlayStation
ESRB Rating: Mature
ASIN: B00004U62A
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Features:
• Voice acting by Bruce Campbell, star of Evil Dead movie trilogy
• Game continues saga 8 years after last movie installment
• Story unfolds via prerendered sequences and in-game cutscenes
• Contains trilogy's trademark gore, suspense, and humor
• Ash battles with chainsaws, axes, and shotguns, with both hands simultaneously
Amazon.com Product Description: Square-jawed, smack-talking, shotgun-toting Ash must once again battle evil forces, but this time you take control of the fate of the world! Evil Dead: Hail to the King picks up eight years after the cult-classic trilogy ends. Bruce Campbell, the star of the movie series, lends his vocal talents to the game. It continues the ongoing saga of Ash and the Necronomicon, or the Book of the Dead. Open the Necronomicon, and battle all the Kandarian demons, ruthless deadites, and unspeakable monsters that it can spew out. The game takes place in environments familiar to fans of the films, such as the cabin, the cellar, and the bridge. It contains all of the humor, suspense, action, and gore that made the movies such classics, then adds puzzle-solving aspects to the successful formula. Ash has the remarkable ability to use weapons in both hands simultaneously, so feel free to head down into that cellar and carve yourself a witch. Hail to the King, baby!
Customer Reviews:
Zero suspense, & uninspired, repetative game-play..., November 28, 2002
Reviewer: A gamer from New York
Firstly, this game isn't scary. The creators have gone for humor, not fear, and I suppose it is funny in parts, but the fear factor that drove the movie is lost.
An inappropriate, silly, and muddled movie introduces the game (hey don't get me wrong, the movies are the best part of Evil Dead, but again, there's zero fear)
The plot unwinds thus - your girlfriend is taken by evil forces, and you are armed with a chainsaw and set out to find her. Ridiculously, apparitions (the same ones) pop up all the time. You need to fight them with the chainsaw, but you only have enough fuel at a time to kill two or three. I repeat (and I don't know if I was doing something wrong, but I couldn't find a way to choose a simpler kind of game play) you can't proceed one step in this particular game universe without being set upon by at least one apparition, and you have to mash the keys furiously to dispose of it. It's boring in the extreme, not to mention RSI-inducing.
I don't mind the graphics, even though they are basic they would have sufficed if the game-play was there (I loved Silent Hill and Resident Evil, for example) But this is a comedy game, not a horror movie game. You wince at the lameness of some of the dialogue. You can't go exploring, because there is no single second of the game where you aren't fighting those stupid apparitions. You can't walk up a road listening in fear for what is out there, because what is out there is already attacking you, is always the same, and as soon as one apparition dies, another takes it's place. The game doesn't give you even one second to take in your surroundings, it's full on fight, fight, fight from the moment you take your first step (not even givng you time to learn the controls) Speaking of controls, they are bad, so get used to it.
If not for these flaws, I would have finished playing the game. But as it was, I gave up on it about half way through.
This is comedy of the "keystones cops" variety. This is not "Survival Horror" there are no moments in the game which are unsettling or in the least bit scary. Even if you are a fan of the movies, as I am, I wouldn't recommend this game. It just sours the memory of a truly inspired movie.
Final words, this game lacks depth, contains dull and uninspiring game-play, and is an insult to the intelligence, to the movie, and to game lovers everywhere. Could have been good, but wasn't. Too bad.
Bruce Campbell vs. Horrible Gameplay, October 4, 2002
Reviewer: Josh from Boston, NY USA
Okay, let's start with the good points of the game: It's essentially Evil Dead 4!; Bruce Campbell as Ash!!!; a button just for one-liners (even though they're somewhat few in number); locations and a few surprise characters from the movies; good game graphics that have a certain amount of graininess to them that helps to recreate the atmosphere of the original Evil Dead (with a few great touches like the moving shadows of trees outside the windows in the cabin); Nice music and sound effects for the most part; Chainsaws and boomsticks; decent cutscenes; a few good puzzles..
Despite all of those good points..and regardless of the fact that I'm a huge fan of the Evil Dead trilogy as well as something of a survival horror veteran...I have to give this game a mere 3 stars.. Why? That's easy..the gameplay. You have some of the stiffest and least responsive survival horror controls I've ever experienced. Then you have fixed camera angles where, at times, you're down at the end of the screen and so small you can't even tell which direction you're facing. Couple that with the lack of an auto-aiming feature and it adds up to dozens of deaths just because you can't tell if you're facing whatever it is you're trying to hit.
Next I have to mention the constantly respawning enemies. You kill an enemy and another one pops right out of the ground to take its place... Battles are often unavoidable as the various enemies usually either chase you down or block your way. Each enemy you encounter has the ability to kill you, usually very quickly. You'll find yourself using healing items after every battle, or every 2 if you're lucky. During boss battles, you'll find yourself going into the inventory screen to heal yourself every couple seconds, which really kills the atmosphere of the game and makes things fairly tedious. If he really used that many healing kits, Ash would have looked like a mummy within the first 10 minutes of the game. The respawning enemies are also annoying as they sort of take away your ability to explore the game. There were areas from the movies in the game that I would have liked to have walked around and checked out, but it was really impossible to do with enemies popping out of the ground 2 at a time and chasing you down. You really don't get a chance to take in the atmosphere of it all, and that really is a shame.
Basically, with the deadly respawning enemies and poor control, the game becomes annoyingly difficult, and playing through it is basically just a matter of playing a section over and over until you can survive to the next save point (note: save points are fairly sparse, especially on the first disc).. It's really not fun at all, and it boiled down to more or less just a matter of suffering through the frustrating gameplay to follow the storyline and see a few cool locations from the movies.
Also note that the game is very short.. I only clocked about 3 hours game time (about 5 hours less than I normally do my first time through an average survival horror game).. Apparently the high level of difficulty and frustration is just to cover up for the fact that there isn't much game there to play through.
In the end, if you're an Evil Dead fan, you have to get it just because it's more or less Evil Dead 4 and stars Bruce Campbell. If you're not an Evil Dead fan, but are just a survival horror gamer looking for something new, stay away. This has to be the least enjoyable survival horror game I've played, and it's definitely not worth the high price. I'm a HUGE Evil Dead and survival horror fan, and even I thought about playing frisbee with the disc and a wall once or twice..
A Well Stuctured Game. A Nice Mix Of Comedy & Horror, August 22, 2002
Reviewer: A gamer from Shabbington, Bucks England
"Evil Dead: Hail To The King" is a well structured game from the opening credits Ash (Bruce Campbell) goes through the story so far with some very impressive graphics to make his nightmares come to life on the screen. The story starts with a superb cinemactic scene where Ash and his new girlfriend Jenny go to the old cabin where all hell breaks lose. This is where Ash's quest begins.
The gameplay and graphics do have room for improvement, but the game has a black comedy/horror atmosphere to it and and at times sways between the two. The over the top gore, classic one-liners from Ash, nice puzzles and cinematic/cut-scenes. I feel add interest and comedy to the game. The surroundings within the game are very much what you see in the "Evil Dead" movies. This also adds interest. Overall a well done, stylistic, gory and at times just simply funny game.(With a little of pinch of creepiness) makes this an excellent game that in many rises above itself. Also on top that I thought the cinemactic/cut-scenes where suberb for a PSone game.
Necronomican Ex Mortis, August 8, 2002
Reviewer: A gamer
First off, I'm Chrisanot and I'm actually thirteen. Anyway, I thought this game was certainly interesting. I guess you could call me an Evil Dead fan (though I've only seen Army of Darkness)and after reading the strategy guide at Best Buy I decided I must have it. when I brought it home and popped it into my PS2 I found out that it was insanely difficult. I found my self killed at my first deadite incounter. The controls take some getting used to, and being able to say a one liner at the push of a button was a surprise to me. One very usefull tip I have is read the instruction manual very thuroughly first(I didn't find out I could run until I was almost at disc 2). Also(I shouldn't have to tell this to fans of survival horror), don't use weapons or ammo as soon as you get it, save it up for disk 2 and bosses. Overall buy/rent this if you are a fan of survival horror, you want a good challenge, or you are just collecting stuff related to evil dead.
Surrvival Horror with the good stuff!!!!!, August 8, 2002
Reviewer: Kenneth from Shelbyville, KY USA
Evil Dead has always been a good hooror movie series but, now you can experience it a different perspective! With deadites everywhere this game may be to tough for the unskilled because, it is hard to find medikits and fuel. This game is awesome and funny. Not scary but, very hard! Get this and get the startegy guide if you want some professional help!
If you loved the movies, I don't know if you'll like this, April 12, 2002
Reviewer: Yuri Phillipe Freitas da Cunha from Sao Jose, Santa Catarina Brazil
Im a big fan of the Evil Dead movies but i must say this game is not fun... It's cool to travel in the rooms of the cabin, but this game is sad because the monsters are never over, if you stop, kill a hundred deadites, they'll still attack you... Graphics are OK to be a PSone game... Hint: run, run and run!!
Buy this if you are a BIG fan of the movies or if you like horror games...
Hail To The King Baby!, April 8, 2002
Reviewer: iron02 from Lakes Entrance, Victoria Australia
This has to be the king of horror games!
But definately all round 13+ game. Not just because of the violence but because this is the toughest horror game yet! I have beaten.
Silent Hill, Res Evil 1,2,3 very easily! But this I got it at christmas and clocked it the other day! (Any help needed e-mail me). Thats why some people hate it, because they are not up for the challenge. It is really in the spirit of evil dead with a little bit of suspense, horror, humour and of course love! You will laugh when you make Ash shout a one-liner and see a zombie run away! Plenty to do, lots of weapons, great graphics, Ash, Deadites roll it up....What do we have?....An incredible game!
King is back home,babe..., January 19, 2002
Reviewer: rolanthas from ISTANBUL Turkey
First time I saw the evil dead,is in my bedroom ina pc magazine with this title.And it effected me so deeply that ? found myself watching the trilogy and reading a book wich a b movie actor tells about his life.Oh,back to the game,some guys sez' that deadities are more of a respawning,but isn't it what you called unlimited action.well,maybe the controls could be better(like devil may cry&onimusha(hallellujah))but et least when you get hang of it,it won't disturb you more.And the graphics,i can't blame you guys,if you want more,you're absolutely right.
but it is not suck!And if you will play through the end of the game,it will worth it. hey,at least it is EV?L DEAD guys!
Ash is Rockin, December 15, 2001
Reviewer: A gamer from Ludlow, Vt. United States
If you're a fan of the Evil Dead movies you'll likely love this game. The spooky setting, graphics and Ash's comments make for a totally enjoyable game. It can be very frustrating at first to fight the unending number of deadites,but once you figure out when to stand and when to run you'll find you're rhythmn. Definitely for mature audiences, but a great, scary addition to the horror genre! I did'nt want it to end.
An Honest Review, November 4, 2001
Reviewer: Mike from Key West, FL USA
I hate to say anything bad about Evil Dead, (I love the movies) but to review the game HONESTLY, I'm going to have to give it an average rating. The Graphics, I thought were good. The Story, was no different from that of the movies. The Funny Ash, was all there.
The Zombies, I had a problem with. They floated through the air like balloons. Their attacks were so Nintendo (Yes, the regular version; not Nintendo64, or 98, or whatever the Hell they call it). And the zombies lacked anything real. Even Ash seemed Cartoonish. If you're expecting the same realism you get when you play Resident Evil or Silent Hill, you're not going to get it in this game. When I shoot at a deadite, I don't want to see a white spark (that's suppose to be a bullet) fly across the screen. I want to see that Witch's head get blown off like in the movie, and her decapitated body running after me with a chainsaw. All well, I guess I'll live. They could of been more creative on how ASH collected items. You pick up mushrooms the size of your head to make fuel for your chainsaw, and collect medic packs by killing deadites. If I went out and chopped up my girl friend with a chainsaw, she's not going to drop a medic pack for me. Just little things like that really make the game ridiculous. Something else ridiculous were the puzzels, like in order to unlock the church doors, you have to put a starw hat, a plant and a gravestone before the entrance, which makes absolutely no sense.
Another horrible factor is that the game isn't scary at all. Throughout the entire gameplay, it has the same humor that you'll find on Army of Darkness. That might not be bad, but believe me, I think if the game had some of the same morbidness you'll find in the Evil dead 1 and 2 movies, it would of been better. The game doesn't have the roots of the Evil Dead Tree, only the dried leaves on the crown.
Enough complaining. If you're an Evil Dead fan, you will have fun playing the game (I'm just saying it could of been a heck of a lot better). You will laugh, but you will not cry, because the game isn't painful at all like in the beginning movies. It's really hard at first, but it comes easy like learning how to drive. And I'm talking easy, man. I beat the game in two hours the first time around. So, it's a quick fun play, but not thrilling like Silent Hill or anything. And it's cool to show to all your Evil Dead buddies, if you have any.
In fact, after writing so much about it, I think I'll go Carve Me A Witch and play a little bit.