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The House of the Dead 2 is a near-flawless PC conversion of the hit arcade game of the same name. The game is a rail shooter like the first game, i.e. you are led by the game down a path, similar to Rebel Assault, shooting at zombies and other monstrosities that get in your way. Although the English version that is being distributed by Empire Interactive unfortunately doesn't ship with the PC gun like its Japan counterpart, HOTD2 still manages to be a fun and addictive FPS that everyone should enjoy. Similar to its predecessor, HOTD2 is not quite just about shooting everything in sight. You have to be careful not to hit any innocent civilians, and rescuing them from the clutches of the monsters often rewards you with power-ups or, better yet, new paths to follow. This makes the game somewhat replayable as you can do something different (e.g. saving someone's life as opposed to watching him die) to open up new branches. As well as the original arcade modes, there are plenty of extras. There are 5 game modes including separate Boss Fights, 12 different kinds of zombies including the chainsaw-wielding Max and the disgusting Ebitan. End-level bosses are appropriately difficult to kill, although some of them are far too easy to dispose of once you find their weak spots. With an excellent co-operative multi-play option (across LAN) and 6 chapters of mayhem, HOTD2 is a much more attractive, varied, and longer game than the original. Be warned, though: near-superhuman reflexes and tenacity are prerequisites to finishing one of the best rail shooters ever made. There are even plot twists to keep things interesting, as well as multiple endings. If you prefer a zanier, educative version of this game, try The Typing of the Dead also featured on the site! Reviewed by: Underdogs | 
House of the Dead 2, The 
