The Typing of the Dead | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | WOW Entertainment Smilebit |
Publisher(s) | Sega |
Director(s) | Masamitsu Shiino |
Producer(s) | Rikiya Nakagawa Shun Arai |
Composer(s) | Tetsuya Kawauchi |
Platform(s) | Arcade, Dreamcast, Windows, PlayStation 2, |
Release | Arcade
Windows PlayStation 2
May 10, 2012 |
Genre(s) | Survival horror, educational |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Arcade system | Sega NAOMI |
The Typing of the Dead [lower-alpha 1] is an arcade game that was developed by WOW Entertainment and published by Sega for the NAOMI hardware. The game was released in Japanese arcades in 1999 and was ported to the Sega Dreamcast in 2001 by Smilebit. A Microsoft Windows version was released in 2000 and a PlayStation 2 port followed in 2004. [1]
The Typing of the Dead is a modification of Sega's 1998 light gun arcade game The House of the Dead 2 in which the gun is replaced by a computer keyboard. The player takes the role of a secret agent in a zombie-infested Venice and must quickly type letters, words and phrases in order to kill fast-advancing enemies. [2]
Despite falling under the criteria of "edutainment", the game was lauded by mainstream game critics for its humor, difficulty and originality. [2] [3] The PC version of The Typing of the Dead sold 120,000 units in 2003. [4]
A PlayStation 2 port was called The Typing of the Dead: Zombie Panic. This version was released in Japan in late December 2004 and was packaged with a USB keyboard. The game was mostly unchanged, although the Dreamcast backpacks were replaced with PlayStation 2 backpacks and new minigames were incorporated into the main story. [5] [6] A sequel, The Typing of the Dead 2, was released in Japan in 2007. English of the Dead, another revision of House of the Dead 2, was released as a language-learning game for the Nintendo DS in Japan in 2008. [7] In 2012, an iOS remake was released entitled Flick of the Dead. [8] Typing of the Dead: Overkill, based on The House of the Dead: Overkill , was released on Windows in October 2013.
The Typing of the Dead has been described variously as a remake or as a mod of the original The House of the Dead 2 . It retains the original's first-person rail shooter style, but instead of shooting zombies and other enemies the player must type out words or phrases to kill them. The required word, sentence or phrase is displayed in a box that appears with the enemy. The phrases' length and complexity increase as the game progresses. [9] [10] Other features retained include the rescue challenges that alter the path the game takes to its final destination and the secrets and bonus items hidden throughout the game. [3]
All levels contain specific challenge areas in which the player is required to kill a certain number of zombies in a limited time. These end with a boss battle that uses some altered form of usual gameplay, such as a long phrase or a question whose answer must be correctly typed. [10] The console ports have "Original" and "Arcade" modes for the main storyline and "Tutorial," "Drill," and "Boss" modes for additional typing training. [2] Most other changes are superficial, such as replacement of the weapons wielded by zombies with harmless items and equipping the AMS agents with keyboards attached to backpack Sega Dreamcasts with oversized batteries. [2]
The plot of the game closely follows that of House of the Dead 2. [2] The story begins on February 26, 2000, when several AMS agents have been dispatched to investigate a zombie outbreak in Venice, Italy. The player can control two characters, James and Gary, who are sent to find the original game's "G" and then tasked with restoring order. [11] Responsibility for the outbreaks is soon traced to "Goldman," a banking tycoon and scientist who attempts to end human control of the earth. Much of the game revolves around destroying Goldman's creations, concluding with the final boss of "the Emperor." One of three possible humorous ending sequences occurs, depending on the answers given to the questions asked to defeat the Emperor. [12]
There are three possible endings:
The Typing of the Dead was originally released for arcades in Japan in 1999 with a special cabinet equipped with dual QWERTY keyboards. [10] [13] The game was one of the first developments by Smilebit, a team of Sega developers that had recently spun off as a new company. [14]
The first home console release was for the Japanese Sega Dreamcast market on March 30, 2000. The North American release took place the following January. [15] A PC port was produced by Empire Interactive and released in September 2001. [16] A second PC release, Typing of the Dead 2003, featuring support for higher resolution and a "Kid's mode" featuring a new character with Japanese voice acting, was released in Japan only; several other Japanese-exclusive PC versions followed. The original PC version was made available on GameTap in October 2007. [17]
Aggregator | Score | |
---|---|---|
Dreamcast | PC | |
Metacritic | 83/100 [18] | 75/100 [19] |
Publication | Score | |
---|---|---|
Dreamcast | PC | |
AllGame | [20] | [21] |
Edge | 7/10 [22] | 7/10 [22] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 7.5/10 [23] | |
Eurogamer | 8/10 [24] | |
Famitsu | 35/40 [25] [26] | |
Game Informer | 9/10 [27] | |
GamePro | [28] | |
GameRevolution | B [29] | |
GameSpot | 8.7/10 [30] | 7.5/10 [31] |
GameSpy | 8/10 [9] | 78% [32] |
GameZone | 8/10 [33] | |
IGN | 9/10 [2] [3] | 8/10 [34] |
PC Gamer (US) | 69% [35] |
In Japan, Game Machine listed The Typing of the Dead on their March 15, 2000 issue as being the fourth most-successful dedicated arcade game of the month. [36]
The Typing of the Dead was regarded overall by critics as an enjoyable game, receiving "favorable" reviews on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [18] [19] It was nominated for GameSpot's annual "Most Innovative" prize among console games, which went to Grand Theft Auto III . [37]
In Japan, Famitsu gave the Dreamcast version a score of 35 out of 40. [25] Reviewers appreciated the absurdist humor of the game's format, especially in the unusual phrases the game generates during later levels. [3] [9] [10] The sub-par voice acting of the original House of the Dead 2 was considered to enhance this aspect of the game. [9] [30] [31]
The quality of the graphics was criticized to varying degrees, as they had not been updated from the original House of the Dead 2 arcade version. [31] [38] PC World was so unimpressed with the game's premise that they listed it as a runner up on a "Top Ten Worst Games" list. [39]
Game Informer has named the game the weirdest of all time. [40]
Quake III Arena is a 1999 multiplayer-focused first-person shooter developed by id Software. The third installment of the Quake series, Arena differs from previous games by excluding a story-based single-player mode and focusing primarily on multiplayer gameplay. The single-player mode is played against computer-controlled bots. It features music composed by Sonic Mayhem and Front Line Assembly founder Bill Leeb.
The Dreamcast is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998, in Japan; September 9, 1999, in North America; and October 14, 1999, in Europe. It was the first sixth-generation video game console, preceding Sony's PlayStation 2, Nintendo's GameCube, and Microsoft's Xbox. The Dreamcast was Sega's final console; its 2001 discontinuation ended the company's eighteen years in the console market.
Space Channel 5 is a music video game developed by Sega AM9 and published by Sega. Originally released for the Dreamcast, it was later ported to the PlayStation 2. A version for the Game Boy Advance (GBA) was published in 2003 as a Western exclusive. Following space-faring reporter Ulala as she investigates an alien invasion, players engage in rhythm-based combat where Ulala mimics the actions of rivals in time to musical tracks.
Crazy Taxi is a racing video game developed by Hitmaker and published by Sega. It is the first game in the Crazy Taxi series. The game was first released in arcades in 1999 and then was ported to the Dreamcast in 2000. Gameplay is based on picking up taxi customers and driving to their destination as quickly as possible. Reception to Crazy Taxi has been mostly positive. It was ported to other platforms numerous times, including the PlayStation 2 and GameCube by Acclaim in 2001, and then Windows in 2002.
Soulcalibur is a weapon-based 3D fighting game developed by Project Soul and produced by Namco. It is the second game in the Soulcalibur series, preceded by Soul Edge in December 1995. Originally released in arcades on July 30, 1998, it ran on the Namco System 12 hardware. It was ported to the Dreamcast in 1999 with new features and improved graphics. The North American version was released in September 1999 as a launch game for the Dreamcast and was part of the successful launch of the new console. It became available as a downloadable title on the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Marketplace in July 2008 and it is forward compatible with the Xbox One along with the sequel, Soulcalibur II.
Virtua Tennis, known in Japan as Power Smash, is a 1999 tennis arcade game created by Sega AM3. The player competes through tennis tournaments in an arcade mode. It was ported to the Dreamcast in 2000, and to Windows in 2002. A Game Boy Advance version was also released in 2002, followed by an N-Gage version in 2003. For the home console market, the game was expanded with the introduction of the campaign mode.
The House of the Dead III is a 2002 horror-themed light gun arcade game and the third installment of the House of the Dead series of video games, developed by Wow Entertainment and Sega. It was ported to the Xbox in 2003, Microsoft Windows in 2005, the Wii in 2008 in a compilation with The House of the Dead 2, and PlayStation 3 in 2012 with PlayStation Move support. The game was remade with typing controls as The Typing of the Dead 2 in 2008. The game continues the story of the previous games and introduces new gameplay concepts. The game's secondary protagonist is Lisa Rogan, daughter of Thomas Rogan and Sophie Richards.
Jet Set Radio is a 2000 action game developed by Smilebit and published by Sega for the Dreamcast. The player controls a member of a youth gang, the GGs, as they use inline skates to traverse Tokyo, spraying graffiti, challenging rival gangs, and evading authorities.
Sega Rally 2 is an arcade racing game developed by Sega AM Annex for the Model 3 arcade hardware. It is the sequel to 1994's Sega Rally Championship. The game was first released in arcades in February 1998, and was later ported by Smilebit to the Sega Dreamcast, becoming one of the console's earliest titles when it was released in Japan on January 28, 1999. The Sega Dreamcast version was released in Europe as a launch title on October 14, 1999, and then in North America on November 27. A PC version was released in Japan and Europe that same year, with the North American release following suit in September 2000, where it was published by Mattel Interactive.
NFL 2K2 is a video game released in 2001 for Dreamcast by Sega, and developed by Visual Concepts. It is the last game for the Sega Dreamcast in the series after being discontinued before Sega shifted to a third party publisher. Due to that, it was released later for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It is the first Xbox game published by Sega. It is also the last game in the NFL 2K series to feature Randy Moss as a cover athlete.
The House of the Dead 2 is a horror-themed light gun shooter arcade game and the second game in The House of the Dead series of video games. The direct sequel to The House of the Dead, it was developed by Sega for arcades on the Sega NAOMI board in November 1998, then ported to the Dreamcast in 1999 and Microsoft Windows in 2001, and is also found on the Xbox as an unlockable bonus in The House of the Dead III. The game appears in the compilation The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return for Wii. The Dreamcast version became a Sega All Stars title.
Zombie Revenge is a beat 'em up video game released for arcades and Dreamcast in 1999. Armed with their fists, feet, and whatever weapons they should find along the way, players are tasked with ridding an unnamed city of zombies. Originally titled Blood Bullet: The House of the Dead Side Story, the game was renamed Zombies Nightmare before Sega decided on the name Zombie Revenge.
The House of the Dead 4 is a horror-themed light gun shooter arcade game and the fourth installment of the House of the Dead video game series, developed by Sega. The game takes place between the events of The House of the Dead 2 and The House of the Dead III, and introduced several new gameplay concepts. Players can control characters James Taylor, from The House of the Dead 2, or Kate Green, a new character to the series. The game was followed by House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn.
The House of the Dead, also referred to as Curien Mansion, is a horror-themed light gun shooter video game franchise created by Sega in 1996. Originally released in arcades, it utilizes a light gun on the platform, but can be played with standard controllers on consoles and a mouse or keyboard on home computers. For the PlayStation Network releases of III and 4, they can also be played using the PlayStation Move controller.
Sega Bass Fishing, also known as Get Bass, is an arcade fishing video game developed in 1997 by Sega for the Sega Model 3 hardware. The game has since been ported to the Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.
Hundred Swords is a real-time strategy video game developed by Smilebit and published by Sega in Japan for the Dreamcast and on the PC in the US by Activision. The PC release was compatible with Windows 95, 98, and Me.
The 1990s was the third decade in the industry's history. It was a decade of marked innovation in video gaming. It was a decade of transition from sprite-based graphics to full-fledged 3D graphics and it gave rise to several genres of video games including, but not limited to, the first-person shooter, real-time strategy, survival horror, and MMO. Arcade games, although still relatively popular in the early 1990s, began to decline as home consoles became more common. The fourth and fifth generation of video game consoles went on sale, including the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn, PlayStation, Nintendo 64, and Game Boy Color. Notable games released in the 1990s included Super Mario World, Sonic the Hedgehog, Street Fighter II, Mortal Kombat, Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, Quake, Duke Nukem 3D, Final Fantasy VII, Unreal Tournament, Star Fox, Half-Life, Grand Theft Auto, Super Mario 64, Pokémon Red and Blue, NBA Jam,Daytona USA, GoldenEye 007, System Shock 2, Civilization,Ridge Racer, Sonic Adventure, Gran Turismo, Super Mario Kart, Pokémon Gold and Silver,Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Super Metroid, Silent Hill, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro The Dragon, Fallout, Metal Gear Solid, Diablo, Virtua Fighter, Tomb Raider,Sega Rally Championship, Wing Commander,Super Smash Bros, Secret of Mana,Thief: The Dark Project, Age of Empires, Nights into Dreams, Panzer Dragoon, Gunstar Heroes, EverQuest, Chrono Trigger, Battletoads, Worms, Micro Machines, Streets of Rage 2,Baldur's Gate,Donkey Kong Country, Wipeout, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past,Lemmings, EarthBound, StarCraft, Banjo-Kazooie, PaRappa the Rapper, Resident Evil, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Soulcalibur, Command & Conquer, and Dance Dance Revolution.
Kao the Kangaroo is a platform video game developed by X-Ray Interactive for Microsoft Windows, Dreamcast and Game Boy Advance. During development it was known as Denis the Kangaroo.