The Gameplay:
This is a game better suited for skills and upgrades, getting stronger as your journey progresses. I’m not sure there has to be a whole stat tree or anything, because how much can a slasher-killing girl really learn, but I’d be more interested if with every boss you kill, you take something usable as a trophy. Maybe killing Freddy gets you his razor glove, and killing Jason gets his machete, and killing our Leprechaun and jacking a gold coin increases your “luck” aka Critical Hit Percentage – again, the creative possibilities for each “trophy” are endless.
In terms of serious mechanics though, I’m not sure I’d want a straight button masher. While they’re fun, they often become repetitive. In thinking of the dynamic between Vlad and Cassie, that might be the most realistic option though, letting and AI Vlad run around you in a third-person camera view as Marvel: Ultimate Alliance presented. Work in some special moves, Vlad/Cassie duo specials, limited edition weapons, possibly weapons upgrades as well (putting nails in a baseball bat), and you’ve got enough variety that should delight based on the changing surroundings.
For boss battles though, I’d want a more focused third-person view, as those levels would be the draw. Sure, fighting your way through Freddy’s nightmarish ghouls and baddies would be fun, but when it comes to facing off with Freddy, I want in-your-face-action that gives me the most personal interaction with him as possible. Same goes for all the big names. I want to be on top of Chucky, beating him down in full view. Cutscenes are one thing, and a Hack/Slash game would need some seriously sinister cutscenes, but the boss battles should be just as rewarding, giving you the best look possible.
So What’s The Point:
Hack and slash with the best – it’s that simple. Remy went for the more introspective topic, creating a game with meaning and true horror, but I took the entertainment route with this one, wishing for a game I can shut my brain off on and still geek the hell out. There are some absolutely killer horror video games out there, from Dead Rising to Amnesia, but no recent game has properly paid tribute to pure horror royalty. The last I can think of is Freddy Krueger showing up in the Mortal Kombat universe, or the new Chucky Temple Run inspired mobile phone game, which was announced not too long ago. Time to let these bastards run wild on our consoles, and who better to clean up the mess? Cassie Hack, hands down. It’s already tragic that she doesn’t have her own movie, let’s right our wrongs and bring her into gaming glory! Think of it as Lollipop Chainsaw, but with more bite and less zombies.
Oh, and the closing shot cinematic has to be all the dispatched villains reappearing and wanting their trophies back, because if you know horror sequels, these characters just won’t stay dead…
Alright developers, I’ll be waiting for your email!
Alright, so what do you think of our horror video games? Who wants to go crazy with Remy, or beat up some slashers with Nato?
*A special thanks to Remy for stepping in to guest write! Feel free to follow either of us on Twitter for even more insanity and updates:
Matt Donato Follow @DoNatoBomb
Remy Carreiro Follow @RemyCarreiro
Like what you read? Check out last week’s article where Remy and I list which horror films have pleasantly surprised us this year!