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You...shall...all...die!

Curien in The House of the Dead's attract mode.[src]

Dr. Roy Curien (キュリアン 博士, June 11, 1947 - December 20, 1998) was a genetic engineer and the former research director of the DBR Corporation. Highly esteemed, he sought scientifically controlling life and death to cure his terminally-ill son. His efforts produced hostile creatures, triggering staff walkouts. He went insane and released the creatures in his mansion, intending to kill all remaining personnel and destroy humanity altogether. These events became known as the 1998 Curien Mansion incident.

Curien is the main antagonist of The House of the Dead and The House of the Dead III. He has also made appearances in other franchise-related media.

Biography

Early life and research

Dr. Roy Curien was born on June 11, 1947.[1] Hailing from a noble family, he lived with his son Daniel in a medieval-era mansion. For an unknown period of time, Curien served as research director of the DBR Corporation, inventing the BioReactor system. His aggressive leadership was praised among staff, including Sophie Richards, the then fiancée of AMS agent Thomas Rogan.[2] Curien and Rogan had met several times.[3]

When Daniel contracted a terminal illness, Curien was willing to go to extreme measures in order to save his life.[4] His research became focused on removing the barrier between life and death, with Caleb Goldman, the head of a financial group, providing funding.[5][6] Curien's BioReactor project was conducted secretively in Curien's mansion, involving the weapons potential of artificially-generated and sustained lifeforms.[7][8] Several researchers abandoned Curien over ethical concerns.[9]

Among Curien's results were three genes - one which cured Daniel, and two more named the Magician and the Wheel of Fate - but by then he had lost his sanity.[5][10] Curien sought to destroy humanity and civilization.[11][12]

1998 Curien Mansion incident

Main article: The House of the Dead (1996 video game)

On October 17, 1998, several DBR personnel were reported missing at the Curien Mansion; because of government involvement, these news were not made public.[7] Two months later, on December 18, contact was lost with a special operatives team who investigated the mansion.[13]

On December 20, the AMS sent Rogan and his partner G to investigate the disappearances and a panicked phone message left by Sophie.[14] They arrived at the mansion to find it overrun by Curien's creatures, which he had deliberately released to slaughter DBR researchers. The agents battled the creatures and eventually confronted Curien in his underground laboratory. Boasting that he would never be defeated, Curien activated his "masterpiece", the Magician. However, the Magician refused to obey his orders and killed him, before the agents killed the Magician after.[15]

These events would become known as the Curien Mansion incident, or the 1998 Curien Mansion case.[6][11]

In the years following, three similar incidents were orchestrated by individuals close to Curien: two by Goldman in 2000 and 2003,[16][17] and one by Thornheart - a mysterious member of DBR - in 2006.[18]

Resurrection

Main article: The House of the Dead III

Sometime after his death, Curien was brought to the EFI Research Facility. He underwent a nineteen-year resurrection process to be reborn as the Wheel of Fate. By 2019, civilization had collapsed following Goldman and Thornheart's incidents. A now-cured Daniel watched his father's transformation. Disgusted by his father's crimes, Daniel teamed with the retired AMS agents investigating the facility to stop the Wheel of Fate.

The Wheel of Fate, awakened prematurely after Daniel hacked its program, addressed itself as Curien and vowed to "destroy and resurrect everything"; upon defeat, he pleaded forgiveness. Daniel, refusing to recognize the being as his father, opening fire alongside Thomas Rogan's daughter Lisa and destroyed him.

Personality

At first, Curien was a loving father who desperately wanted to save his son's life, even if it required venturing into "forbidden territory". His discovery of the genes that would change the future of humankind, along with staff walkouts, transformed him into a homicidal sociopath. He was concerned only with mankind's destruction and the Magician's completion. Curien treated Rogan and G's struggles as if they were nothing more than a game, and was boastful that he could never be defeated.

When resurrected as the Wheel of Fate, Curien bemoaned world population. Upon defeat, he pleaded to Daniel that he needed him; Daniel destroyed the creature, proclaming that the creature is not his father.

In The House of the Dead III's Time Attack mode, Curien encourages the player to do better and compliments them on their performance, but expresses sympathy for his dead creatures.

Quotes

The House of the Dead


"I must admit, I really respect your consistency. But you will never, ever defeat me! Say hello to my masterpiece!"

"[Falls on the ground] What happened? Why won't you follow my instructions? [Dies]"

Development

During The House of the Dead's development, Curien had a different name; game designer Hiroyuki Taguchi has used the name "Dr. A" when referring to Curien's first iteration because Taguchi did not know how to spell the original name. Sega AM1 settled on a look that felt the most "humane", and Curien's appearance changed very little overall.[19]

In The House of the Dead III, the "Dr. A" concept art appears as a portrait in the EFI Genome Ward stage.[20]

Trivia

  • Dr. Curien's movie counterpart also appears in the House of the Dead 2 movie, addressed as Professor Curien, portrayed by Sid Haig. His son Rudy Curien appeared as one of the main characters of the first movie.
  • Dr. Curien appears as the main antagonist in Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX with a slightly different look where he commands his creatures to imprison Zobiko in the dungeon.
  • Curien has heterochromia, as shown in the intro behind his glasses.

Gallery

The House of the Dead

Concept Art

In-Game

The House of the Dead 2

The House of the Dead III

Concept Art

Official Art

In-Game

Other Media

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 https://twitter.com/minaminao0405/status/874180867647602688
  2. The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 17
  3. The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 14
  4. Sega Wow Inc. (17 September 2013). The House of the Dead III. Arcade, Xbox, PC, and Playstation 3. Sega. Level/area: Chasing Shadows. Dr. Roy Curien: My dear Daniel...I'll never give up, no matter what the doctors say. I'll gladly step into forbidden territory, if it will save your life.
  5. 5.0 5.1 Sega Wow Inc. (17 September 2013). The House of the Dead III. Arcade, Xbox, PC, and Playstation 3. Sega. Level/area: Bewilderment. Dr. Roy 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!
  6. 6.0 6.1 Sega Wow Inc. (17 September 2013). The House of the Dead 2. Arcade, Sega Dreamcast, PC, and Xbox. Sega. Level/area: Darkness. Harry Harris: Well, the 1998 Curien case. Guess who was behind it...It was Goldman. He's the head of one of the most eminant financial group [sic] and an expert on the Genome theory.
  7. 7.0 7.1 The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 2
  8. The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 16
  9. Sega Wow Inc. (17 September 2013). The House of the Dead III. Arcade, Xbox, PC, and Playstation 3. Sega. Level/area: Sensory Chaos. Dr. Roy Curien: Daniel...Have I stepped outside the bounds of human morality? Most of my researchers have left me...
  10. Sega Wow Inc. (17 September 2013). The House of the Dead III. Arcade, Xbox, PC, and Playstation 3. Sega. Level/area: Ultimate Challenge. Dr. Roy Curien: I've found it, Daniel! These genes will change the future..."The Magician", and "The Wheel of Fate"...[laughs maniacally]
  11. 11.0 11.1 The House of the Dead 2 Sega Dreamcast manual, pg 3
  12. The House of the Dead III Xbox manual, pg 8
  13. The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 2-3
  14. The House of the Dead Sega Saturn manual, pg 3
  15. The House of the Dead
  16. The House of the Dead 2
  17. The House of the Dead 4
  18. House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn
  19. http://www.thewebsiteofthedead.com/?p=2040#more-2040
  20. The House of the Dead III
veHouse of the dead 1content
Characters
Thomas RoganGDr. CurienSophie RichardsDBR researchers
Creatures
SamNeilCyrilKageoBourbonEbitanRobertSimonGilmoreHarrisSamsonBentleyBurnerRubinDrakeMoodyParlorKenfisSaruzouDevilonBouereMurrerNameTaranKage
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Chapters
TragedyRevengeTruthThe house of the dead
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Lore (AMSBioReactorCurien MansionDBR CorporationThe House of the Dead Sub-Story)
Game modes (Boss ModeSaturn Mode)
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Guidebooks (The House of the Dead Dennou Shinan: Dr. Curien no Houkoku ShoThe House of the Dead Official Guide)
Action figuresThe House of the Dead: RemakeThe House of the Dead 1 & 2 Music CollectionUnused content
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Characters
Lisa RoganGThomas RoganDr. CurienDaniel CurienThornheartDan Taylor
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Acid • Azteca (I - II) • Barry • Cain • CharlesDevilonEbitan • Frederic • Koebitan • Hugh • Jack • Julie • Kageo • Torso Kageo • Mark (I - IV) • Meat Man • Morkin • Morris • Murrer • Pico • Putti • Raymond • Rogan Commandos • Sunsun • Yukio
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ReminiscenceChasing ShadowsBewilderment, Sensory Chaos, and Ultimate Challenge (EFI and DBR facilities - EFI BIO facilities - Information Systems Department)Wheel of Fate
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Spin-offs (Darts of the DeadThe House of the Dead ReelsThe Typing of the Dead 2)
2 & 3 ReturnThe House of the Dead III Perfect GuideThe House of the Dead 4 Official Sound TracksUnused content
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