Ace Gamez: House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return Review

Ace Gamez writes: "I'm confused, although in theory I shouldn't be confused at all. House of the Dead 2 is a zombie shooter on rails that is known to most of us for starting life on those arcade games you find in motorway service stations. House of the Dead 3 seems very similar; it is also a zombie shooter on rails that is known for starting off in slightly more modern motorway service stations. What's confusing me is why on Earth these two games are being released together. As games they're not entirely dissimilar, but they will appeal to completely different types of gamers.

Both games do share certain features. For example, they can both be completed in a couple of hours, and given that the RRP of this little pack is £29.99, you're not exactly getting value for money. Admittedly there are several game modes as well as co-operative offline multiplayer, but none of this really adds anything to the gameplay. The games also share the same control system. You aim the Wiimote at the screen and shoot with the B button. In order to reload, you wave the Wiimote away from the screen. These controls may be extremely unimaginative but they do work well; they're responsive and intuitive, if occasionally slightly temperamental when it comes to reloading. It's here that the similarities end, however, which is why it's best to split up the two halves of House of the Dead 2&3 Return and examine them individually." 4/10