(Sega AM1's universe)
Have you ever thought about the future? What will
happen to [the] world if humans continue to breed? Don't you see? Humans have set themselves upon the path to inevitable destruction.
Emptiness (空白, Kūhaku) is the third Chapter of The House of the Dead 4.
Synopsis[]
Caleb Goldman sits in his office, musing about the future of humanity (read the exact quote above).
Back in the present, AMS agents James Taylor and Kate Green are forced to find another way to the surface after both of the elevators they take were destroyed by The Lovers in the previous Chapter. They enter an abandoned subway system and find a station nearby filled with creatures. Discovering that the exits out of the station have caved in, they press on until they find an operable train. However, as soon as they board it, they are ambushed and chased by The Empress, a chainsaw-wielding humanoid.
The Empress relentlessly stalks James and Kate, cutting away all the train cars until only one remains, but is finally defeated and subsequently run over by a passing train. Shortly afterwards, Kate notices a large mass of rubble in the car's way, leaving them no choice but to jump off just as it derails. As they walk off, James asked if Kate are fine, before complains that they're "getting nowhere, real fast".
Walkthrough[]
Upon starting, two Kevins and several Kageos will attack. After dealing with them, while looking at a horde of creatures at the end of the platform above the agents, Kate will remarks that she "remember [the] station". James, while climbing up a stairway, will complain whether "[there are] any survivors" or not. Upon reaching the top, two dumpsters can be seen. A group of Murrers will crawl out from below, before several Ebitans appeared from the inside of it. After dealing with them, the player(s) will turned around to proceed up a staircase, but three Ebitans will crawl onto the platform, followed by a Kevin and Jimmy; in two player mode, two Jimmys and one Kageo will also appear. Once this encounter is finished, a horde of Kageos will emerge from the poster behind and attack. After killing the Kageos, the two will attempt to climb the stairs, only to find two Kevins about to throw rock chunks at the player. If not killed in this part, they will back up with the agents pursuing them to initiate normal combat; a pile of buckets behind them contains a grenade. Once the two Kevins are killed, three Victors will drop from the ceiling.
Upon killing them, a cutscene will be prompted, where the agents will discovered that the hallway to their left is "no use", as "[the] way is blocked". Kate will complains that her cellphone "got no reception", before James points to the right hallway to proceed. After the cutscene, several Kevins, Davids, and Jimmys will appear from an escalator. Once cleared, James wonders if "[they] should take the escalator" or "go the other way". This other way mentioned is a service room located at the right side of the escalator, but before the agents can decide, a Kageo J will burst from the service room, catching the agents off guard and initiating a quick-time event to break free of its pull.
If the player(s) choose to not break free of its drag, it will not damage the player(s) (as this is a branching event); the creature will simply move backwards. Kill it to let the agents raise back to their feet, where they will see that a horde of Kageos are standing idly. After a moment, those Kageos will attack the player(s). Once they are killed, a David will burst out of a lavatory, with another David sitting on the toilet inside. This David will wait for the first David to be killed before lazily getting to its feet. As the player(s) leave the room, two Jimmys will attempt to throw axes at the player(s). Shoot them down quickly before they can throw them or just shoot the axes, which will grant the player(s) a small amount of points as well. Kate will tell James to watch his back, where two Victors will attempt to attack the player(s). After proceeding further, a Kevin carrying a rock fragment, as well as several Kageos and Kageo Js, will be waiting for the player(s). It is recommended that the player(s) prioritize Kevin and the Kageos first before dealing with the Kageo Js. The agents will then try to climb up the staircase, but will be greeted by two Kevins at the far end who will throw a steel drum at them. Killing them is optional, as they will flee once the barrels are thrown. As the agents pursue them, they will be ambushed by an axe-wielding Jimmy and two (single) or three Kevins (two), regardless if the Kevins from before were killed or not. Simply shoot them down to avoid taking damage. A group of Devilons will appear at the top of the next staircase. When the player(s) get up the staircase, on the left side of the player(s), a Kevin with a weapon will attempt to attack the player(s). Afterwards, a door to the right of the staircase opens up, releasing a horde of Kageos. It is highly recommended to throw a Grenade to clear them out. If the player(s) manage to shot a red panel on the left side of the door, the player(s) will go inside the open room to find several point-boosting items. The player(s) will then appear above the subway station.
If the player(s) choose to break free of its drag, kill the Kageo as normal, after which Kate will remark that the creatures ahead are waiting for them; the Kageo horde will notice the two, but the agents will retreat. The agents will turn back to the escalator, where another horde of creatures are waiting for the player(s). Kill them to proceed taking the escalator. Watch the other escalator quickly as a Jimmy will pop up on the other escalator, throwing its axes towards the player(s). Afterwards, creatures will be waiting for the player(s) on both sides. The one waiting for the player(s) will be dealt with first, which contains several Kevins (one with a weapon), Jimmys, and Davids. Afterwards, two Kevins and four Jimmys from the group behind will catch up. After the player(s) killed them all, two Victors will appear and should be killed quickly. The player(s) will then appear above the subway station.
Both mini-paths will end with the same scene, as the player(s) will come across branching paths, in which the player(s) have to pick a path in 10 seconds, either go to the Ruined Train Cars Path (shorter but contains more bonus items, including the first of few Toy School Buses, which yields the highest point from every bonus items in the game) or the Subway Station Path (longer but contains more creatures, yielding a higher Score).
- Ruined Train Cars Path: The player(s) will walk down the staircase to the left, approaching two ruined train cars. Depending on the mini-path taken by the player(s) prior, a different situation will occur. If the player(s) came from the service room, they will have to face three Victors coming from the escalator before the player(s) can take the staircase; if the player(s) came from the escalator, they will head straight down the staircase. A group consisting of several Ebitans, Jimmys, and Kageos will be waiting at the bottom of the staircase. After they are dealt with, three Ebitans will popped out from the ruined train car. Kill them to go inside the train car (which Kate dubbed as the "only way out"), where a group of Devilons flying towards the player(s). At the second car, two Kageos (from the right) and two Ebitans (from the left) will charge through the player(s), before a small group of Murrers crawling about on the floor. If the player(s) throw a Grenade and it destroy the broken door to the left of the player(s), the player(s) will move towards the room which is filled with several point-boosting items, before returning to the main path, which is leaving the second car. A Kevin with a rock fragment, as well as several Jimmys and Davids, will be waiting for the player(s). After they are all killed, the player(s) can shoot a shield beside a hallway to earn bonus life, before the agents head inside the hallway itself.
- Subway Station Path: The player(s) will walk down the staircase to the right, approaching the subway station. Depending on the mini-path taken by the player(s) prior, a different situation will occur. If the player(s) came from the escalator they had to face two Jimmys before the player(s) can take the staircase; if the player(s) came from the service room, they will head straight down the staircase. The player(s) will deal with hordes of Davids and Kaegos in three separate battles. Prior to the third battle, there will be an interruption by three Ebitans. After the last horde has been killed, three Jimmys will attempt to throw axes at you from the ruined cars. After they are all killed (assuming that the player(s) could kill all of them, as the player(s) only provided seconds before the agents turned away from the Jimmys), the player(s) can shoot a shield beside a hallway to earn bonus life, before the agents head inside the hallway itself.
This means that both paths lead to the same hallway. However, like the mini-path earlier, depending on the path taken by the player(s) prior, the enemies encountered will slightly vary. If the player(s) came from the Ruined Train Cars Path, the player(s) will directly face four Kageo Js appearing from the vents; if the player(s) came from the Subway Station Path, the player(s) will deal with a group of Devilons first, before facing the same Kageo Js mentioned earlier. After they're killed, two Victors moving erratically will appear from the station before the train arrives. Inside of it is a horde of Davids and Kageos, which have to be dealt with. After they are all dead, the agents will enter the train, where upon the door closing, The Empress will comes up and the fight will begin.
Boss Information[]
- Main article: The Empress#Gameplay
James' PDA will inform the player(s) that her weak point is her eyes. The Empress will break down a door and trap the agents to the corner. The player(s) must shake the gun to break free or The Empress will slice the player(s) using the chainsaw she's holding on. After the Quick Time Event, they will move to the next car, where several Davids and Jimmys (which interestingly didn't had any axes on their hands) will charge through the player(s). Behind the player(s), The Empress will charge through openly, exposing her weak point. Survive this phase to proceed to the next car, where a train is travelling beside the train James and Kate are on at. Except for the two Jimmys, which will throw its axes towards the player(s), every other creature on that train are harmless, although there is no harm for the player(s) to earn points by killing some of them.
The Empress will then throw two fire extinguishers and a debris towards the player(s), which had to be destroyed in time to avoid damage. The Empress will then charge through the player(s) like in the first phase. Simply end this phase to proceed to the next car. The Empress will then cut through the car from above the player(s), putting her chainsaw vertically. Regardless whether she succeeds or not, she will attack from the left side of the car, then the right side of the car for the next two phases, where she will put her chainsaw horizontally. After the phases ended, James will warns the player(s) to not "let [the] guard down", as she is still alive. James' words would soon become true, as she will charge through the player(s), now using two split chainsaws.
As the agents enter the train's last car, The Empress will attack the player(s) two more times, becoming more aggressive compared to her sixth phase. However, when the player(s) end her eighth phase, she will stumble backwards, giving the player(s) breathing space. The Empress will make one last charge. After she was defeated, she will kneel down, before dropping to her left onto another speeding train, with the train running over her. The agents will stand gallantly, with either James shout that The Empress "missed [her] stop" or Kate telling The Empress to "[not] forget to write".
Bonus Items and Area(s)[]
- Main article: Bonus_items#The_House_of_the_Dead_4_and_Special
There are bonus items and area(s) scattered across the Chapter:
- Bonus Items:
- On the right side of the dumpsters, there are two boxes laid. One of them will contains a Gold Coin.
- Upon reaching the top of the staircase where two Kevins await the player(s), there are two buckets on the floor to the left side of the player(s). One of them will contains a Grenade.
- There are three buckets to the right of the player(s) on the floor when facing three Victors. One of them will contains a Golden Magician.
- Above the Kageo J that drag the agents is a box containing a Golden Bell.
- If the player(s) take the service room:
- To the right side of the player(s) when facing the horde of Kageos is a box, which contains a Bronze Coin.
- Upon climbing up the first interval of staircases, there are four buckets placed on the floor in front of the player(s). One of them will contains a Med Kit.
- If the player(s) take the escalator:
- There are three buckets on the floor to the left side of the player(s) when facing the two Victors. One of them will contains a Med Kit.
- If the player(s) take the Ruined Train Cars Path (No unique bonus item(s) if going Subway Station Path):
- Shoot the shield on the left side of the player(s), which will reveal a Silver Coin.
- Three boxes are placed inside the second car (one on the right, two on the left), with the boxes being far from each other. One of them will contains a Top Hat.
- Shoot a shield on the left side of the hallway, which will reveal a Med Kit.
- Bonus Area(s):
- This can only be accessed if the player(s) take the mini-path to the service room. Shoot a metal panel to the left side of the room where the horde of Kageos appeared. After those Kageos are dealt with, the player(s) will enter the room, which contains a Golden Bell, a Top Hat, a Silver Coin, a Bronze Coin, and a Grenade.
- This can only be accessed if the player(s) go to the Ruined Train Cars Path. Throw a Grenade to the broken door on the left side of the player(s). After the player(s) dealt with the creatures inside the second car, the player(s) will look inside the car, which contains a Med Kit, a Toy School Bus, a Gold Coin, and a Silver Coin.
Trivia[]
Texture for the "Punks Night Live!!" poster.
- On the wall opposite to the Subway Station Path of branching paths, there is an Easter egg involving three punk rock concert posters. They feature the creature Costello-B playing a guitar, with the title The House of the Dead 4 barely visible at the top. This Easter egg may also reference the back of Costello-B's jacket, which reads "Punks Not Dead".
- In the opening cutscene, Goldman says "What will happen to the world if humans continue to breed?" The subtitles have a slight error, reading "What will happen to this world if humans continue to breed?".
Gallery[]
Videos[]
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