1993-03-19
Splatterhouse 3 is a horror-themed brawler from Namco that's notable for its grotesque monster designs and extreme gore. It features branching paths and timer-based gameplay as well as digitized cutscenes.
This is the first Splatterhouse game where Rick's mask looks unique rather than looking exactly like Jason from the film Friday the 14th. Although other brawlers have branching paths and alternate endings, this is the only brawler with a constant timer that determines the outcome of the game. If you're not fast enough, your kid and wife could be killed by monsters.
Splatterhouse 3 isn't the greatest. Its combat is super simple and strongly emphasizes using the best technique exclusively. The time gimmick is original but boils down to memorizing the best path so you avoid a big chunk of the game. The gore is surprisingly tame for the most part but there are legit gross-out moments.
