Monster House

Reviewed by Leland Bonaparte
November 19, 2006

Developer: Artifical Mind And Movement Publisher: THQ Consoles Available: PS2, GameCube, DS, GBA Players: 1 ESRB Rating: Everyone (10+) Website: Click Here

Screenshot from Monster House. Courtesy of THQ. Click image to enlarge.

DJ Waiters, a very curious 12 year-old, notices strange and unexplainable things happening at old man Nebbercracker's house. Along with his friends Chowder and Jenny, DJ tries to find out what's going on. Before they know it, the mysterious house swallows the kids, and a carpet that acts like a tongue threatens them inside. Armed with a water gun and walkie-talkie, a way out seems impossible.

After playing this game for the Nintendo DS, I was eager to see if the PS2 version would hold up. Visually the game had a dark and creepy look to it. Fireplaces raged brightly while lighting up a dark room. The shadows cast nicely, and the flashlight didn't brighten up the room too much. I thought this is one of the highlights of the game since it made me really feel like I was roaming in a haunted house.

The character controls were smooth and very responsive. Using the powerful melee attack was surprisingly strong and very effective. Shooting the watergun was easy, but one must remember to reload. The target lock-on was pretty useful but too slow for fast-moving objects. The camera control was a little hard to maneuver. Trying to find enemies behind you was a challenge.

As I was playing, I was quickly reminded of two classic game series. First I thought about Resident Evil. Walking down long hallways and having objects bust through walls as you passed by really gave the game that suspenseful feel. Second, I saw a lot of Tomb Raider qualities in the game. There were a lot of puzzles and items to conquer. The puzzles are not too complex, and youngsters should be able to pick up on them quickly.

This is one of the more popular games for the younger generation. They will find this game challenging and enjoyable. In addition, one of the best things about this game is that parents don't have to worry about the content. This is a good buy for this holiday season.

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