Evil Dead: Regeneration

Higher fidelity visuals breathe extra life into this serviceable slaughterhouse.

The Evil Dead movies were good almost in spite of themselves, but those creative talents sadly went on to bigger and better things, casting much doubt on the chances for any feature-length Evil Dead follow-ups. Luckily, THQ has seen fit to continue the series in video game form, to mixed results (A Fistful of Boomstick? No, thanks). The great news is that Evil Dead: Regeneration is easily the best Evil Dead game yet.

"I Eat Evil For Breakfast and Danger For Dinner"
What's perhaps most surprising is that the writing and dialogue are surprisingly faithful to the films. Hero Ash is naturally voiced by B-movie star spectacular Bruce Campbell, and though he veers uncomfortably close to pure camp, his presence is always welcome. Then there's Ted Raimi--brother of Sam Raimi, the Evil Dead trilogy director--who makes his big debut as Sam, a goofy half-Deadite sidekick. If there's anything to fault in the screenplay department, it's the game's comedy quotient; Regeneration definitely mirrors Army of Darkness's "humor first, horror second" mentality. Still, the game's excellent depth-of-field camera effects are put to creepy use, and there are still enough disturbing sights to send the occasional tingle up your spine.

"Hail to the King, Baby"
If you approach Regeneration like it was GTA, you're sure to be instantly disappointed. Instead, the trick is to play it like God of War or Devil May Cry: crazy juggle combos and splatter-happy finishing moves (can you say "dismemberment?") give the game a great, ghoulish life all its own. Okay, okay, so the first few levels start out slow, but don't be fooled by the crappy asylum level as the game gets much, much better. But it's still far from perfect: though the graphics look clear and sharp in widescreen 720p mode, they suffer from grittiness in the standard resolutions.

But what really counts here is the gameplay, and in that sense, Regeneration is a fitting tribute to the films. It's great, gory fun to hack limbs off your Deadite foes, and the targeting and combo system are up to the challenge...even if the camera angles suffer from time to time. Your freaky sidekick, the diminutive Sam, is another worthwhile addition. Whether grappling with enemies or riding huge beasts, Regeneration provides lots of opportunities for unconventional experiences.

Regeneration may not be Game of the Year material, but it's a best take yet on a classic franchise. And for just 20 bucks, this is definitely must-buy material for Evil Dead fans. It'll swallow your soul!

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