Hermit

Hermit
Basic information
Featured in	The House of the Dead The House of the Dead 2 (flashback) The House of the Dead III (flashback)
Encounters	HoTD: Chapter 3
Weapon	Claws, web ball projectiles
Protection	Tough skin
Weak point
The Hermit's weak point is its head.

Type-6803, codenamed the "Hermit" (ハーミット, Hāmitto), was an armored, eight-legged insectoid created by genetic engineer Dr. Curien. It is the third boss in The House of the Dead.

Hermit uses its legs offensively and defensively while firing web-like projectiles; its weak point is its head.

Creation

Like the rest of the creatures brought to life in Curien's mansion, Hermit was incubated inside the BioReactor, a DNA-editing machine, before being unleashed. Alongside Chariot, Hangedman, and Magician, Hermit was considered a "perfect" creation.

Bestiary Overview

Hermit is a large spider-like creature, complete with eight legs, multiple eyes, a thorax, and an abdomen. Writhing tentacle-like attachments protrude from its mouth.

However, in the PC version, it lacks the tentacle-like attachments

Role in The House of the Dead

Hermit was one of several creations unleashed by the insane Curien on December 18th, 1998. When AMS agents Thomas Rogan and "G" confronted him in a cultivation dome, Curien escaped as Hermit ambushed them. Upon death, it collapsed and died, allowing Rogan and "G" to enter Curien's underground laboratory.

Offense

Hermit can only be damaged with headshots. At first, its head is unobstructed when it approaches players directly for a slash attack. After enough damage is given to the creature, it will drop down into a hole.

In the next stage, Hermit fires web-like projectiles and covers its head while attacking. At this point, the creature is only vulnerable when it lowers its guard to approach the agents or raise its front claws to attack.

Trivia

• Hermit is the only boss that is not fought in the final chapter. It is unknown while, though possible that the developers did not wish to make the player fight the same boss in two consecutive chapters.
  • This makes Hermit the only boss to be only fought once in a non-final stage of the series prior to the release of the The House of the Dead III and 4, the other being Strength (unless being counted as a transformation attack from the Emperor).
• Hermit is the only boss in The House of the Dead to have its own unique death cry.
• Hermit makes a brief appearance in The House of the Dead 2's intro on console ports.
• This boss bears resemblance to the Lovers in terms of type number, weak point, and box-like tunnel fighting grounds, though the Lovers are fought inside an elevator.
• In the The House of the Dead's home console and PC ports, Hermit's mouth lacks the tentacles present in the arcade version.
• Hermit is the only boss from the original game that has not returned in later installments (the Magician returned in 2 and 4's Special version, while the Chariot and Hangedman returned in House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn).

Gallery

The House of the Dead

Official Art

The Hermit's severely damaged face.

Data

Texture for the Hermit's weak point diagram.

Screenshots

The House of the Dead 2

Screenshots

The Hermit as seen in The House of the Dead 2's opening sequence.

The House of the Dead III

Screenshots

The Hermit as seen in The House of the Dead III's opening sequence.

Other Sources

Hermit's character model from The House of the Dead 2's attract mode.