(Main series and Spin-offs)
Don't come! Don't come! Go away! GO AWAY!!!
Civilians (民間人, Minkan hito ) are minor characters in the House of the Dead video game series and related games. They are collectively a gameplay mechanic, awarding the player if rescued and penalizing them if not.
In the main House of the Dead series, civilians include researchers, citizens of an unnamed Italian city, and party guests. They were attacked by hostile creatures during bioterror incidents in 1998, 2000, and 2006.
In the spin-off The House of the Dead: Overkill and its Extended Cut expansion, civilians are citizens of Bayou City who are endangered by mutants. Vampire Night features French villagers who are hosts of the vampiric Sarcoma, which must be shot in order to prevent them from transforming into vampires.
Civilians are playable via unlockable skins in The House of the Dead's Saturn Mode and The House of the Dead 2's Original Mode. However, these skins do not change any story or dialogue.
History[]
The House of the Dead canon[]
DBR researchers[]
Others are still inside... Save them...
DBR researchers are civilians who exclusively appear in The House of the Dead, its 2022 remake, and the mobile adaptations The House of the Dead: Nightmare and The House of the Dead Mobile. They are identified by their white lab coats and DBR name tags.
The research team was assembled by the DBR Corporation to assist with Dr. Curien's BioReactor project. Working secretively within the Curien Mansion,[1] the team studied topics such as gene therapy, RNA systems, and the human genome.[2][excerpt 1] They praised Curien's aggressive leadership.[3]
In 1998, after Curien began pursuing a cure for his terminally-ill son Daniel, many researchers left him over ethical concerns.[4][5] Several were kidnapped by Curien and forced to engage in his research, which resulted in the creation of hostile creatures.[2][excerpt 2] On October 17, 1998, several DBR personnel were reported missing at the Curien Mansion.[1]
One researcher, Sophie Richards, sent an urgent phone call to her fiancee AMS agent Thomas Rogan and his partner G. The agents arrived at the Curien Mansion on December 20th, 1998 as a male researcher was attacked by a creature. Before dying, the researcher gave them a group photo of the DBR team.
Researchers appear in the first three chapters of The House of the Dead. If rescued, a few give security cards to unlock different areas of the Curien Mansion and laboratory. A female researcher is playable in the console-exclusive Saturn Mode.
Citizens[]
What's wrong with this city?
A man after being rescued from creatures.[src]
Citizens (tentative) are civilians who live in an unnamed Italian city. They exclusively appear in The House of the Dead 2 and its upcoming remake.
On February 26th, 2000, the citizens were attacked by creatures in an incident masterminded by Dr. Curien's financier, Caleb Goldman. Several were evacuated by AMS agents James Taylor, Gary Stewart, Amy Crystal, and Harry Harris. Citizens ranged from children to the elderly, and some worked as restaurant owners or miners.
Citizens appear in the first four chapters of The House of the Dead 2. In the normal ending, a group of citizens greet James and Gary outside of Goldman's headquarters. A citizen costume can be obtained in the console-exclusive Original Mode.
Party guests[]
Are you okay? I'll pay you! Name the price!
A party guest to Kate Green.[src]
Party guests (tentative) are civilians who attended a reception at Scarecrow Manor. They exclusively appear in House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn.
On December 6th, 2006, party guests were attacked by creatures that the manor's owner, Thornheart produced. AMS agents Ryan Taylor and Kate Green rescued several party guests during their undercover mission at the reception. One of them made unwanted sexual advances on Kate, only to be killed by a creature.
Party guests appear during the opening chapter, the Annex and the Elevator Lobby.
Other games[]
Zombie Revenge, a spin-off, features only one civilian: Yoko, a girl who can be rescued from zombies in the first chapter. Her boyfriend was killed by the undead. Regardless if she lives or dies, Yoko yields a collectible floppy disc; if saved, she explains that it was given to her by "a man with golden eyes".
Yoko's fate determines the game's ending. If rescued, she is shown in the same warehouse she was found in, waiting impatiently for ZED to pay her. If killed, Yoko is depicted feeding on something - presumably as a zombie - and the screen cuts to black as she turns her head toward the camera.
Gameplay[]
In The House of the Dead and its sequel, some civilians award an extra life if rescued. Saving enough civilians awards one or two more lives at the end of a level. Shooting a civilian deducts one life and incurs a score penalty. The player's route through the game changes based on the survival or death of civilians. If every civilian encountered is rescued, a secret room filled with bonus items appears before the final boss.
In House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn, civilians only award points when rescued, and count as "Events" (completions of time-sensitive scenes) in the player's "stage result" tally. There is no life penalty for shooting civilians; the only feedback given is a giant "X" appearing over the civilian's body. In addition, rather than being tied to civilian rescues, the bonus room is activated if the player reaches the final area without using a continue.
Due to the collapse of civilization, civilians are absent from The House of the Dead III, 4, and 4 Special. III instead features "Rescue Events" where the player must save their partner from creatures. Doing so grants a life bonus; failure results in the captured player being attacked, though they do not lose a life. Successfully completing all "Rescue Events" opens the bonus room.
Zombie Revenge, a spin-off game, features only one civilian named Yoko. In the beginning of the game, the protagonists encounter her being attacked by zombies. Her survival or death determines the ending of the game.
Trivia[]
- In SEGA Superstars Tennis, a House of the Dead-themed minigame involves killing creatures with tennis balls to clear the path for civilians.
- The House of the Dead 2 is currently the only game in the franchise to include children as civilians.
- In The House of the Dead 2's fourth chapter, there is one civilian (with a hard hat that has a light on the front) who is next to the Coliseum, who has an identification tag on the left side of his shirt that has the initials E.D.B., as well as picture of his face even though it is dated.
Gallery[]
To view the Civilians gallery, click here. |
Sources[]
- Excerpts
- ↑ Excerpt from The House of the Dead Official Guide, p.3:
"DNA Bio Reactorに関する研究を主にしている。その研究テーマは様々だが、例を挙げると、「ヒトゲノムのカタログ化」や「生物決定論の証明」「DNA体細胞への介入」「後天的RNAの存在システム」など未知の分野に介入しているものが多い。" - ↑ Excerpt from The House of the Dead Official Guide, p.3:
"Dr.キュリアン邸での事件は、誘拐され、無理矢理Dr.キュリアンの研究に従事させられていたが、研究の終盤で用済みになるとゾンビに襲われてしまうという悲劇が待ち受けていた。"
- References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 2
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The House of the Dead Official Guide, pg. 3
- ↑ The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 17
- ↑ Sega Wow Inc. (17 September 2013). The House of the Dead III. Arcade, Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 3. Sega. Level/area: Bewilderment. Dr. Curien: Look, Daniel...It's the key! This will remove the barrier between life and death. You don't need to fear anything anymore, Daniel... not even death!
- ↑ Sega Wow Inc. (17 September 2013). The House of the Dead III. Arcade, Xbox, PC, and PlayStation 3. Sega. Level/area: Sensory Chaos. Dr. Curien: Daniel...Have I stepped outside the bounds of human morality? Most of my researchers have left me...
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