The House of the Dead 2 | 1998

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The House of the Dead 2

 


The House of the Dead 2 is a horror-themed light gun shooting arcade game, serving as a direct sequel to The House of the Dead. Developed for Sega's NAOMI board, it was released in arcades in November 1998, followed by home console ports for Dreamcast in 1999, Microsoft Windows in 2001, Xbox in 2002, and included in the The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return collection for Wii. The game also inspired various spin-off titles in the franchise, particularly Typing of the Dead.

The story takes place a little over a year after the original game, focusing on several AMS agents investigating a zombie outbreak in Italy. The protagonists are tasked with finding their missing colleague, G, while uncovering the source of the attacks.

As a rail shooter, The House of the Dead 2 includes a feature that automatically reloads the player's weapon when they aim off-screen. Players must fight through hordes of zombies and other monsters to rescue civilians under attack. The player’s health is indicated by a torch at the bottom of the screen, which decreases when hit by enemies or when civilians are shot. Health can be replenished by rescuing civilians or finding first aid kits hidden in boxes and barrels.

Similar to its predecessor, the game features a branching path system that allows players to choose different routes in each stage. More paths than in the original game have been added, leading to diverse stage layouts while maintaining a consistent overarching narrative.

The game begins with a scene recalling events from the first The House of the Dead, recorded using the game engine.

AMS agent G goes missing while investigating Dr. Curien's traces in Venice, Italy, after the 1998 Curien Mansion incident. On February 26, 2000, AMS agents James Taylor and Gary Stewart are dispatched with their colleagues Harry Harris and Amy Crystal to find G and evacuate civilians. They soon encounter a massive undead horde similar to the one from 1998.

The agents find the injured G in a library, receiving a field journal containing information about the enemies. They continue to rescue civilians but encounter a creature known as Judgment, which includes a playful quality and his giant skinned monster, Kual. After defeating them, James and Gary plan to meet Amy and Harry at Sunset Bridge.

After reuniting, the group faces an amphibious monster called Hierophant attacking the Venice canals and central plaza. After defeating it, they travel by boat along the river. They discover that Caleb Goldman, a wealthy businessman who funded Dr. Curien's creations, is the cause of the new zombie outbreak. Goldman leaves a message for Amy, inviting them to meet at the Colosseum, which Harry fears is a trap.

James and Gary split up again, encountering five gigantic snakes called the Tower. After defeating them, they receive an urgent call from Amy, but the connection drops. They rush to the Colosseum, where they find the injured Harry and Amy; Harry has been hurt by a powerful chainsaw zombie named Strength. After defeating it, they head to Goldman’s headquarters while Amy treats Harry’s wounds.

Upon arriving at Goldman’s tower, James and Gary face off against the resurrected Magician, Curien's masterpiece. After defeating it, they confront Goldman, who releases a transforming entity called Emperor designed to destroy humanity while preserving nature. In the final battle, James and Gary defeat Emperor. As Goldman's plans fail, he cannot escape and commits suicide from the rooftop, warning, "A successor will come in time."

Players experience various endings based on several conditions:

  • Completing the game as one or two players.
  • Both players defeating the final boss.
  • The number of continues used.
  • The score achieved.

In the good ending, James and Gary meet Thomas Logan, a key character from the first game, and learn that G and Harry are safe. James advises, "If you have the will to live, move on to the next battle," while Gary adds, "If there’s an answer, move on." In the normal ending, they leave the building, thanked by G, Amy, Harry, and many civilians. The bad ending shows James and Gary encountering the zombified Goldman outside, followed by gunshots as the screen fades to white.

The House of the Dead 2 has seen multiple home ports, including a launch title for the Dreamcast in 1999, a PC version in 2001, and an unlockable version in the Xbox port of The House of the Dead 3 in 2002. It was also released on the Wii alongside The House of the Dead 3. This game is the second and final entry in the House of the Dead series released on Sega consoles, following the original The House of the Dead for Sega Saturn.

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デッド・ドント・ダイ | 2019

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 ジム・ジャームッシュの2019年のゾンビコメディ映画『デッド・ドント・ダイ』は、2019年のカンヌ映画祭のオープニング映画であり、パルム・ドール競争の候補作として注目され、大きな話題となった。ジャームッシュがゾンビ映画を作ったという事実自体が話題を呼び、B級映画の典型的なテーマにもかかわらず、豪華なキャストが出演している点でも注目を集めた。 この映画が他のゾンビ映画と異なる点は、ゾンビが群れを成して迫ってくる状況でも登場人物たちが非常に無関心に反応することだ。ジャームッシュの作品に慣れている人にはそれが当然に感じられるが、通常のゾンビ映画ファンにとってはかなり異質に感じるかもしれない。 この映画は2019年に韓国の富川国際ファンタスティック映画祭で初公開された。冒頭、地元の警察官クリフとロニーは、農夫フランクから鶏が盗まれたとの通報を受け、隠遁者ボブが住んでいる森へ向かう。警察がボブに鶏を盗んだか尋ねると、ボブは銃で脅しながら、「出て行け」とだけ言って反応する。ボブに撃たれた後も、警察は特に反応せず、ただその場を離れる。ボブは二人が去った後、望遠鏡を使って彼らを見ながら罵声を浴びせる。 クリフとロニーが車で町に戻る途中、二人はフランクとボブについての軽い雑談を交わす。そこで二人は何かがおかしいことに気づく。午後8時なのに、空は昼間のように明るく、時計と携帯電話も全く使えなくなっていた。ロニーは「結局、良い結果にはならないでしょう、クリフ」と不安げに言うが、クリフはその意味が理解できない。 二人が町をパトロールしているとき、ラジオから「デッド・ドント・ダイ」という歌が流れ、ロニーはその歌が映画に出てきたものだと反応する。クリフもその歌を気に入ったようで、二人は何かがおかしい一日だと感じながらも、順調にパトロールを続ける。しかし、映画はプロットが乏しく、メタファーが過剰であるとして批評され、『リミッツ・オブ・コントロール』（2009年）以来、再び評価が低かった。一部の人々は、ジャームッシュの名前だけで評価が高くなったのではないかとも言っている。実際、この映画は一般観客の間で賛否が分かれる作品だ。個性ある脇役キャラクターが無駄に殺され、後半には突然第4の壁を破るような演出が現れるため、従来のゾンビ映画の進行とは全く異なっている。このため、ゾンビ映画のファンにとっ...
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데드 돈 다이 | 2019

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 짐 자머시의 2019년 좀비 코미디 영화는 2019년 칸 영화제 개막작이자 황금종려상 경쟁 후보작으로 주목을 받았다. 짐 자머시가 좀비 영화를 만든다는 사실 자체가 화제를 모았고, 그의 특유의 B급 소재와 조촐한 스케일에도 불구하고 출연한 배우들의 라인업은 화려하다. 이 영화의 특징은 다른 좀비 영화들과 달리 등장인물들이 좀비들이 떼로 몰려오는 상황에서도 매우 무덤덤하게 반응한다는 점이다. 짐 자머시 영화에 익숙한 사람이라면 충분히 이해할 수 있지만, 일반적인 좀비 영화 팬에게는 다소 낯설 수 있다. 이 영화는 2019년 부천 국제 판타스틱 영화제에서 먼저 공개되었다. 영화의 초반, 동네 경찰 클리프와 로니는 농부 프랭크의 신고를 받고 은둔자 밥이 사는 숲으로 가게 된다. 프랭크는 닭을 도둑맞았다고 주장하며 경찰에 신고했지만, 밥은 경찰의 질문에 별다른 반응을 보이지 않는다. 그저 총으로 위협하며 경찰이 떠날 때까지 수풀 속에 숨어 있다. 경찰은 별다른 대응 없이 상황을 마무리하고, 밥은 경찰의 뒷모습을 망원경으로 바라본다. 차를 타고 동네로 돌아가는 클리프와 로니는 일상적인 대화를 나누며 순찰을 계속한다. 이때, 오후 8시인데 날씨는 마치 대낮처럼 밝고, 시계와 휴대전화는 모두 먹통이 된다. 무언가 이상하다는 것을 느낀 로니는 "결국은 끝이 안 좋을 거에요, 클리프"라고 말하지만, 클리프는 그 말을 이해하지 못한다. 둘은 순찰을 계속하며 라디오에서 ‘데드 돈 다이’라는 노래가 나오자 로니는 그 노래에 반응한다. 그는 이 노래가 영화에 나온 것 같다고 말하고, 클리프도 노래를 들으며 뭔가 이상한 날이지만 평화롭게 순찰을 이어간다. 그러나 영화는 플롯이 약하고 메타포가 지나치다는 평가를 받았다. 2009년의 《리미츠 오브 컨트롤》 이후, 다시 한 번 좋지 않은 평을 받았고, 일부 사람들은 자머시의 이름값 때문에 평점이 높아졌다고 주장하기도 했다. 사실, 일반 관객들 사이에서 호불호가 극명하게 갈릴 수밖에 없는 영화다. 개성 있는 조연 캐릭터들...
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Rampant | 2018

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 The 2018 South Korean film Rampant is a fusion of zombie and historical drama. The film begins with a soldier from the Joseon era’s Training Division being bitten by a foreign yeogwi (a type of zombie) after picking up an item that fell off a foreign ship. The next day, he exhibits strange behavior, and soon after, he attacks his wife and child, ultimately transforming into a yeogwi and attacking the people of the village, creating chaos in the area around Jemulpo. Park Hyun (played by Kim Min-seok), a warrior from the Training Division , goes aboard a foreign ship to engage in a firearm deal. There, he finds a man locked in a cage and learns that the captain of the ship wants him dead. Upon returning to Joseon, Park Hyun reports that the foreign ship is docked near Yeongjongdo, but soon, the subordinates of the Minister of War, Kim Ja-jun (played by Jang Dong-gun), raid and arrest them. The Minister accuses them of treason for secretly dealing with firearms and gunpowder with...
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