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{{article type|main}}
[[Image:Hotd4logo.jpg|frame|House of the Dead 4]]
 
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{{Game
The House of the Dead 4 is the fourth installment in [[The House of the Dead (Series)|''The House of the Dead'' series]] .
 
  +
|title1 = The House of the Dead 4
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|image1 = <gallery>
  +
HOD4NAFlyerFront.jpg|Arcade (NA)
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HOD4PSNArt.jpg|PSN
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</gallery>
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|developer(s) = WOW Entertainment (SEGA AM1)
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|publisher(s) = [[Sega]]
  +
|release_date = December 30, 2005 (Arcade)
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April 17, 2012 (PlayStation Network)
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|platform(s) = Arcade, PlayStation 3 (PlayStation Network)
  +
|arcade_cabinet = Sega Lindbergh}}
  +
{{Quote|Quote = Face your worst fears.|Attribution = Tagline}}
   
''The House of the Dead 4'' continues the story of the first two games and fills in the gap in the storyline between ''[[The House of the Dead 2]]'' and ''[[The House of the Dead 3]]'', whilst introducing several new gameplay concepts. Players can control either [[James Taylor]], from ''The House of the Dead 2'', or [[Kate Green]], a new character to the series.
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{{Nihongo|'''''The House of the Dead 4'''''|ザ・ハウス・オブ・ザ・デッド 4|Za Hausu obu za Deddo 4}} is a horror-themed rail shooting game developed by WOW Entertainment (formerly SEGA AM1) and released by [[SEGA|Sega]] to arcades in 2005. It is the fourth game in the ''[[The House of the Dead (franchise)|House of the Dead]] ''series.
   
  +
The game is a prequel to ''[[The House of the Dead III]]''. Set in 2003, it follows veteran [[AMS]] agent [[James Taylor]] and newcomer [[Kate Green]] as they battle a mysterious outbreak of [[Creature|creatures]].
''The House of the Dead 4'' is the first game to run on the Sega Lindbergh arcade system board. A PlayStation 3 version featuring support for PlayStation Move will be released in April 2012 on the PlayStation Network.
 
   
  +
''The House of the Dead 4 ''is first light gun arcade game with a high definition widescreen display. It received a spin-off arcade attraction, ''[[The House of the Dead 4 Special]]'', which is also a continuation of the story.
It is currently the last game in the series to use Tarot Cards as names for bosses.
 
   
  +
Upon release, ''4 ''was praised ecstatically for its gameplay and being "one of the most visually stunning arcade games to date". A PlayStation 3 port with PlayStation Move support, ''4 Special'', and other bonus features was released in 2012.
==Gameplay==
 
The televisions used are Mitsubishi's 2005 62" DLP 16:9 ratio widescreen model for the "Super Deluxe" cabinet, Mitsubishi's 2005 52" DLP 4:3 ratio model for the "Deluxe" sized cabinet, and the smallest version uses a Sanwa 29" 4:3 ratio television for the "upright" cabinet. The game runs in 1080i.
 
   
  +
A sequel, ''[[House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn]]'', was released in 2018.
In ''The House of the Dead 4'', players use a Mini Uzi submachine gun which allows fully automatic fire. The gun also has a motion sensor that can detect when the player shakes the gun. The player can reload the gun by shaking it. The game also features grenades that the player can throw to destroy large numbers of enemies. Additional grenades can be earned by completing certain tasks or by shooting crates. At some points in the game, players are required to shake the gun vigorously in order to escape certain situations.
 
   
  +
==Plot==
The game features branching paths. Most of the paths lead to the same point in the game's story. As with ''The House of the Dead 3'', there is an end-of-stage bonus where players can receive extra lives depending on critical shots, accuracy, and score. Another returning factor is the presence of the "Cancel" bar.
 
  +
=== Characters ===
  +
<gallery position="center" columns="5" captionalign="center" navigation="true" hideaddbutton="true" widths="100">
  +
File:JamesFaceHOD4.png | '''[[James Taylor]]''' |link=James Taylor
  +
File:KateFaceHOD4.png | '''[[Kate Green]]''' |link=Kate Green
  +
File:GoldmanFaceHOD4.png | '''[[Caleb Goldman]]''' |link=Caleb Goldman
  +
File:ThornheartFaceHOD4.png | '''[[Thornheart]]''' |link=Thornheart
  +
File:GFaceHODIII.png | '''[[G]]''' |link=G
  +
</gallery>
  +
  +
=== Synopsis ===
 
In 2003, veteran [[AMS]] agent [[James Taylor]] and rookie [[Kate Green]] gather intelligence at the fifth basement floor of the AMS' European headquarters. James suspects that the events of [[The House of the Dead 2|the 2000 Goldman case]] have not ended. A sudden earthquake rocks the room, collapsing the basement walls and trapping the agents.
  +
  +
Several days later, while awaiting backup, James' [[AMS PDA|PDA]] goes off; hordes of [[Creature|creatures]] appear on the security cameras. James and Kate arm themselves and escape. In a classified information room, they uncover a plot to fire nuclear missiles worldwide within 24 hours' time.
  +
  +
Navigating through the sewers, James and Kate battle the four-armed [[Justice]] and the [[Lovers]], a pair of giant tarantulas. Evading the [[Empress]], a double-ended chainsaw-wielding creature, the agents take the subway to an underground shopping district. Reaching the creature-infested streets, they defeat the obese, nearly impervious [[Temperance]]. They find the city obliterated.
  +
  +
[[File:TheWorldWideShot.png|thumb|226x226px|James and Kate confronting the World.]]
  +
  +
James receives a PDA message from the late [[Caleb Goldman]], the mastermind of the 2000 incident. Goldman, whose messages and current plans were set into motion before his death, begins the nuclear missile launch countdown. James and Kate head to Goldman's abandoned [[Goldman Building|headquarters]], defeating the [[Star]], a levitating creature.
  +
  +
The agents stop the launch, but Goldman states in a pre-recorded message that he only wanted to revert self-destructing humans to their "natural state". His final legacy, the [[The World|World]], is released from beneath the building courtyard in the opening of "Pandora's Box", fulfilling its role as [[Emperor]]'s successor. The World continues to grow and revive itself. James sets his PDA to self-destruct. Telling Kate not to give up hope, he sacrifices himself, alongside the World, in the following explosion. A shaken and distraught Kate leaves Goldman's premises.
  +
  +
=== Endings ===
  +
Depending on the player's performance, one of four endings will play after the credits. The words "''The story continues in [[The House of the Dead III|House of the Dead 3]] ''[sic]" appear afterwards.
  +
  +
{| class="article-table"
  +
!Ending
  +
!Image
  +
!Criteria
  +
!Description
  +
|-
  +
|1
  +
|[[File:HOTD4GoldmanEndingMessage.png|thumb|175x175px]]
  +
|Unknown
 
|The view returns to Goldman's office computer, continuing his pre-recorded message. He gives a final statement as he walks away: ''"Ah yes, there is one thing I forgot. The human race has not been eliminated. Travel north... hope is such a splendid thing."''
  +
|-
  +
|2
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|[[File:HOTD4GoldmanCreatureEnding.png|thumb|175x175px]]
  +
|Unknown
  +
|It is the same as the above ending, except when Goldman mentions hope, he takes off his glasses and the camera zooms on his face. His eyes are glowing red, and his face is pale.
  +
|-
  +
|3
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|[[File:GHOD4Ending.png|thumb|175x175px]]
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|Unknown
  +
|Standing near the site of the World's destruction, AMS agent [[G]] vows that the creature threat will be fought back to its source. He tells James to "rest" and leaves. The camera pans up to Goldman's building before cutting to black.
  +
|-
  +
|4
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|[[File:Mystery man sitting.JPG|thumb|175x175px]]
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|Unknown
 
|[[Thornheart|A mysterious man]] <nowiki/>sits at a desk in the corner of an office, stating: ''"Goldman, you are soft. These wretched humans have no need of hope. Soon, the true end shall begin...[[The House of the Dead 4: Special|There is more than one Pandora's Box]]."''
  +
|}
  +
 
== Gameplay ==
 
In ''The House of the Dead 4'', players use a submachine gun which allows fully automatic fire. The gun also has a motion sensor that can detect when the player shakes the gun. The player can reload the gun by shaking it. The game also features grenades that the player can throw to destroy large numbers of enemies and heavily damage most bosses. Additional grenades can be earned by completing certain tasks or by shooting crates. At some points in the game, players are required to shake the gun vigorously in order to escape certain situations, and in some cases alter the path.
  +
  +
The game features [[branching paths]], but as in ''House of the Dead III'', the player is prompted on which path to choose. However, alternate paths can still be taken by succeeding or failing prompts to shake the gun to open doors or by destroying certain objects. Most of the paths lead to the same point in the game's story. There is also an end-of-stage bonus where players can receive extra lives depending on critical shots, accuracy, and score. The lifebar is refined with the addition of another color every time the "Cancel" bar appears during boss fights indicating how much life is depleted when the "Cancel" bar is completely depleted (the exceptions being Temperance and the World in which the "Cancel" bar only appears for stopping any attack). Civilians are absent once again, and the partner rescue mechanic from the previous game does not return. To compensate for the above two points, one life is awarded for every B or A rank (as opposed to the previous game in which one life is awarded only for an A rank) and two lives are awarded for every S rank (like the previous game).
   
 
The game runs on a critical shots counter where the player is encouraged to go for headshots rather than spraying ammo at the enemy. It starts off as Good, Excellent, Amazing and then Perfect. Getting hit, or killing an enemy not by the head resets the counter.
 
The game runs on a critical shots counter where the player is encouraged to go for headshots rather than spraying ammo at the enemy. It starts off as Good, Excellent, Amazing and then Perfect. Getting hit, or killing an enemy not by the head resets the counter.
   
The most common enemies have three attacks. A "normal attack", a "grab," and a "push". The foremost inflicts one point of damage, while the second forces a shaking sequence that, if successful, pushes back attackers for easier disposal, but if unsuccessful, will result in the player being bitten or the player's character being knocked down and vulnerable. Multiple zombies may also pile on top of both players in an attempt to stomp on them.
+
The most common enemies have three attacks. A "normal attack", a "grab," and a "push". The foremost inflicts one point of damage, while the second forces a shaking sequence that, if successful, pushes back attackers for easier disposal, but if unsuccessful, will result in the player being bitten or the player's character being knocked down and vulnerable. Multiple creatures may also pile on top of both players in an attempt to stomp on them.
  +
  +
==Chapters==
  +
<gallery position="center" columns="3" captionalign="center" navigation="true" hideaddbutton="true">
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THoTD4_Chp1.jpeg| 1. '''[[Escape]]''' |link=Escape
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THoTD4_Chp2.jpeg| 2. '''[[Lost]]''' |link=Lost
  +
THoTD4_Chp3.jpeg| 3. '''[[Emptiness]]''' |link=Emptiness
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THoTD4_Chp4.jpeg| 4. '''[[Despair (The House of the Dead 4 chapter)|Despair]]''' |link=Despair (The House of the Dead 4 chapter)
  +
THoTD4_Chp5.jpeg| 5. '''[[Reunion]]''' |link=Reunion
  +
THoTD4_Chp6.jpeg| 6. '''[[Hope]]''' |link=Hope
  +
</gallery>
  +
  +
== Bosses ==
  +
<gallery position="center" columns="3" captionalign="center" navigation="true" hideaddbutton="true">
  +
File:JusticeWeakPoint.png | '''[[Justice]]''' (Type 0053) |link=Justice
  +
File:TheLoversWeakPoint.png | '''[[Lovers|The Lovers]]''' (Type 6805)|link=The Lovers
  +
File:EmpressWeakPoint.png | '''[[Empress|The Empress]]''' (Type 1210) |link=The Empress
  +
File:TemperanceWeakPoint.png | '''[[Temperance]]''' (Type 0483) |link=Temperance
  +
File:StarWeakPoint.png | '''[[The Star]]''' (Type 0001) |link=The Star
  +
File:WorldWeakPoint.png | '''[[The World]]''' (Type β) |link=The World
  +
</gallery>
  +
  +
== The House of the Dead 4 Special ==
  +
''See [[The House of the Dead 4 Special]]''
  +
  +
Sometime after its release, ''The House of the Dead 4'' received a small follow-up in the form of ''The House of the Dead 4 Special''. The story takes place shortly after the events of ''4''. Initially released to arcades, ''4: Special ''was later included in the PlayStation 3 port of its predecessor.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.siliconera.com/house-of-the-dead-4-for-ps3-is-almost-like-playing-the-arcade-game-at-home/|title = "House Of The Dead 4 For PS3 Is Almost Like Playing The Arcade Game At Home"|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200321043127/https://www.siliconera.com/house-of-the-dead-4-for-ps3-is-almost-like-playing-the-arcade-game-at-home/|archivedate = March 20, 2020|author = SILICONERA STAFF|date = March 13, 2012|publisher = ''Siliconera.com''|accessdate = March 3, 2020}}</ref>
   
==Story==
+
== Development ==
In 2003, AMS agents James Taylor and Kate Green are gathering intelligence at the fifth basement floor of the AMS European branch office. The former of the two still has the events of [[The House of the Dead 2|the 2000 "Goldman Case"]] on his mind, and believes that the ordeal had not yet ended. A sudden earthquake rocks the room while they talk, collapsing the basement walls and leaving the agents trapped.
 
   
  +
=== Arcade version ===
Several days later, Kate and James await a rescue team. James' PDA goes off, and a group of undead are seen on the security cameras. Realizing that they are in danger, James has Kate gather all the weaponry they can find in preparation for the arrival of their foes. Soon after, the two travel through the sewers to an information room where they uncover a plot to fire nuclear missiles worldwide within 24 hours' time, facing the four armed [[Justice]] and a pair of mutant tarantulas known as [[Lovers|The Lovers]] along the way. Taking the subway into zombie-infested streets from an underground shopping district, the agents narrowly avoid attacks by [[Empress]], a double-ended chainsaw-wielding assassin, and the obese, nearly impervious [[Temperance]].
 
  +
The development team wanted each boss encounter to be unique. Taking inspiration from the word ''temperance'', which is defined as moderation or self-restraint, they arrived at Temperance's overweight design after coming to the idea that an unrestricted diet would lead to obesity. The fight also "[makes] full use of the game’s unique force feedback system".<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.siliconera.com/2012/04/16/how-sega-created-bosses-for-the-house-of-the-dead-4/|title = "How Sega Created Bosses For The House Of The Dead 4"|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.siliconera.com/how-sega-created-bosses-for-the-house-of-the-dead-4/|archivedate = March 20, 2020|author = SILICONERA STAFF|date = April 16, 2012|quote = ...the name of the stage four boss, Temperance, literally means ‘restrict from something.’ We came to the idea that if you did not restrict food you would become overweight, which led to the design. From this initial profile, we created a suitable attack method for this large body type—rolling. We also made full use of the game’s unique force feedback system with Temperance. Overall, we tried to make each boss encounter a unique experience for the player.|publisher = ''Siliconera.com''}}</ref>
   
  +
=== PlayStation 3 port ===
James and Kate then learn that the one-time president of the now-defunct DBR Corporation, [[Goldman]], who committed suicide, is responsible for the resurgence of undead. After reaching the surface, finding the city about them completely obliterated, James and Kate receive a PDA message sent by Goldman: the nuclear missile launch will occur in one hour. After the agents set out for the abandoned Goldman Building, a levitating humanoid, [[Star|The Star]], prevents their advance in the foyer. Destroying the Star, the agents continue onwards. Ultimately, they arrive in time to halt Goldman's plans, though it is revealed that his true intention is to revert humankind to its original state in order to prevent them from harming the planet any further. As such, his final legacy, [[The World]], is released in the opening of "Pandora's Box" to fulfill its role as the successor to his original [[Emperor]] project in 2000, having developed underground since his death. As the AMS agents fight it, the World continuously alters its form to meet their threats, each time growing larger and more powerful. Following the World's second defeat, James sets his PDA to self-destruct, telling Kate not to give up hope, sacrificing himself, alongside the World, in the following explosion.
 
  +
''The House of the Dead 4''<nowiki/>'s PlayStation 3 port took almost a year to complete. The challenges for the team responsible included the OpenGL and data format conversion, as well as the PlayStation 3's smaller RAM space compared to the Lindbergh board. Sega upscaled the resolution and game render buffer up to 720p, and remade most of the UI (user interface) in HD.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.siliconera.com/house-of-the-dead-4s-playstation-3-conversion-took-almost-a-year-to-complete/|title = "House Of The Dead 4’s PlayStation 3 Conversion Took Almost A Year To Complete"|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20200321043533/http://www.siliconera.com/house-of-the-dead-4s-playstation-3-conversion-took-almost-a-year-to-complete/|archivedate = March 21, 2020|author = SILICONERA STAFF|date = February 16, 2012|publisher = ''Siliconera.com''}}</ref>
   
  +
== Trivia ==
In the game's "standard" ending, the view returns to the computer in Goldman's office, continuing the former president's pre-recorded message. Goldman gives a final statement as he walks away: "Ah yes, there is one thing I forgot. The human race has not been eliminated. Travel north... hope is such a splendid thing." If the player did not do well in the game, the camera focuses on Goldman's face, which suddenly becomes zombie-like.
 
  +
* None of the creatures in this game bleed any blood when they are shot or killed, despite blood being literally everywhere and having large bloody holes and scratches all over them.
  +
** Despite this, the game still has a sort of "skin damage" mechanic, in which when an enemy is shot anywhere, bullet holes are visible in the enemy, revealing red flesh underneath. This can be clearly seen when an enemy grabs the player.
   
 
* The televisions used are Mitsubishi's 2005 62" DLP 16:9 ratio widescreen model for the "Super Deluxe" cabinet; Mitsubishi's 2005 52" DLP 4:3 ratio model for the "Deluxe" cabinet; and a Sanwa 29" 4:3 ratio television for the "upright" cabinet. The game runs in 1080P.
In one of the game's alternate endings, a mysterious and unidentified man (previously seen in one of ''House of the Dead 3'''s endings) sits at a desk in the corner of an office. He claims that Goldman was "soft" and that "wretched humans have no need of hope," stating that the "true end" will soon begin and that there is more than one "Pandora's Box".
 
  +
* The final two stages of the game take place in the same locations as the last two stages in ''The House of the Dead 2'': Point A0063 and [[Goldman Building|Goldman's headquarters]]. The background music for both stages are ''2''<nowiki/>'s original songs that have been remixed by their original composer, Haruyoshi Tomita. They are respectively titled ''"Dawn (Remix of Year Seventh)"'' and ''"Original Sin (Remix of Year Seventh)"'' on the game's soundtrack, referring to the seven years since the song's debut at the game, as ''The House of the Dead 2'' was released in late 1998 and ''The House of the Dead 4'' at the end of 2005.
  +
* During the game there is a flashback in multiple parts where Goldman spells out his motive; in the final part it is revealed he is speaking directly to James and Gary, thus depicting a scene in ''House of the Dead 2''. The speech Goldman has been giving throughout the flashback is notably different from the actual speech in the previous game.
  +
* The fourth chapter, [[Despair (The House of the Dead 4)|Despair]], has the same name as ''The House of the Dead 2''<nowiki/>'s [[Despair (The House of the Dead 2)|fourth chapter]].
  +
*''The House of the Dead 4'' was the first game ever to be released in HD.
   
  +
== Gallery ==
In another ending, [[G]] claims that the undead crisis was not over yet and says: "We'll fight this back to the source. It's now time for you to rest now, James." As G walks out of the camera, a zoom is made on [[Goldman]]'s building.
 
   
  +
=== Arcade flyers ===
At the end of all of the endings, it is written "The story continues in House of the Dead 3".
 
  +
<gallery>
  +
HOD4NAFlyerFront.jpg|North American flyer, front
  +
HOD4NAFlyerBack.jpg|North American flyer, back
  +
</gallery>
   
  +
=== Data ===
(Copied and edited from Wikipedia, whose copyright on them.)
 
  +
<gallery>
  +
GameoverMap HotD4.jpg|Texture for the route map shown upon game over.
  +
</gallery>
   
==Bosses==
+
== References ==
  +
<references />
* Chapter 1: Escape - [[Justice]] (Type 0053)
 
* Chapter 2: Lost - [[Lovers]] (Type 6805)
 
* Chapter 3: Emptiness - [[Empress]] (Type 1210)
 
* Chapter 4: Despair - [[Temperance]] (Type 0483)
 
* Chapter 5: Reunion - [[Star]] (Type 0001)
 
* Chapter 6: Hope - [[The World]] (Type β)
 
   
  +
== External links ==
  +
* [http://hod4.sega.jp/ Official website (Japanese)]
 
{{HotD4}}
 
{{HotD4}}
 
[[Category:Games]]
 
[[Category:Games]]
  +
[[Category:Prequels]]
  +
[[Category:Main series]]

Revision as of 18:03, 29 May 2020


Face your worst fears.

Tagline

The House of the Dead 4 (ザ・ハウス・オブ・ザ・デッド 4, Za Hausu obu za Deddo 4?) is a horror-themed rail shooting game developed by WOW Entertainment (formerly SEGA AM1) and released by Sega to arcades in 2005. It is the fourth game in the House of the Dead series.

The game is a prequel to The House of the Dead III. Set in 2003, it follows veteran AMS agent James Taylor and newcomer Kate Green as they battle a mysterious outbreak of creatures.

The House of the Dead 4 is first light gun arcade game with a high definition widescreen display. It received a spin-off arcade attraction, The House of the Dead 4 Special, which is also a continuation of the story.

Upon release, 4 was praised ecstatically for its gameplay and being "one of the most visually stunning arcade games to date". A PlayStation 3 port with PlayStation Move support, 4 Special, and other bonus features was released in 2012.

A sequel, House of the Dead: Scarlet Dawn, was released in 2018.

Plot

Characters

Synopsis

In 2003, veteran AMS agent James Taylor and rookie Kate Green gather intelligence at the fifth basement floor of the AMS' European headquarters. James suspects that the events of the 2000 Goldman case have not ended. A sudden earthquake rocks the room, collapsing the basement walls and trapping the agents.

Several days later, while awaiting backup, James' PDA goes off; hordes of creatures appear on the security cameras. James and Kate arm themselves and escape. In a classified information room, they uncover a plot to fire nuclear missiles worldwide within 24 hours' time.

Navigating through the sewers, James and Kate battle the four-armed Justice and the Lovers, a pair of giant tarantulas. Evading the Empress, a double-ended chainsaw-wielding creature, the agents take the subway to an underground shopping district. Reaching the creature-infested streets, they defeat the obese, nearly impervious Temperance. They find the city obliterated.

TheWorldWideShot

James and Kate confronting the World.

James receives a PDA message from the late Caleb Goldman, the mastermind of the 2000 incident. Goldman, whose messages and current plans were set into motion before his death, begins the nuclear missile launch countdown. James and Kate head to Goldman's abandoned headquarters, defeating the Star, a levitating creature.

The agents stop the launch, but Goldman states in a pre-recorded message that he only wanted to revert self-destructing humans to their "natural state". His final legacy, the World, is released from beneath the building courtyard in the opening of "Pandora's Box", fulfilling its role as Emperor's successor. The World continues to grow and revive itself. James sets his PDA to self-destruct. Telling Kate not to give up hope, he sacrifices himself, alongside the World, in the following explosion. A shaken and distraught Kate leaves Goldman's premises.

Endings

Depending on the player's performance, one of four endings will play after the credits. The words "The story continues in House of the Dead 3 [sic]" appear afterwards.

Ending Image Criteria Description
1
HOTD4GoldmanEndingMessage
Unknown The view returns to Goldman's office computer, continuing his pre-recorded message. He gives a final statement as he walks away: "Ah yes, there is one thing I forgot. The human race has not been eliminated. Travel north... hope is such a splendid thing."
2
HOTD4GoldmanCreatureEnding
Unknown It is the same as the above ending, except when Goldman mentions hope, he takes off his glasses and the camera zooms on his face. His eyes are glowing red, and his face is pale.
3
GHOD4Ending
Unknown Standing near the site of the World's destruction, AMS agent G vows that the creature threat will be fought back to its source. He tells James to "rest" and leaves. The camera pans up to Goldman's building before cutting to black.
4
Mystery man sitting
Unknown A mysterious man sits at a desk in the corner of an office, stating: "Goldman, you are soft. These wretched humans have no need of hope. Soon, the true end shall begin...There is more than one Pandora's Box."

Gameplay

In The House of the Dead 4, players use a submachine gun which allows fully automatic fire. The gun also has a motion sensor that can detect when the player shakes the gun. The player can reload the gun by shaking it. The game also features grenades that the player can throw to destroy large numbers of enemies and heavily damage most bosses. Additional grenades can be earned by completing certain tasks or by shooting crates. At some points in the game, players are required to shake the gun vigorously in order to escape certain situations, and in some cases alter the path.

The game features branching paths, but as in House of the Dead III, the player is prompted on which path to choose. However, alternate paths can still be taken by succeeding or failing prompts to shake the gun to open doors or by destroying certain objects. Most of the paths lead to the same point in the game's story. There is also an end-of-stage bonus where players can receive extra lives depending on critical shots, accuracy, and score. The lifebar is refined with the addition of another color every time the "Cancel" bar appears during boss fights indicating how much life is depleted when the "Cancel" bar is completely depleted (the exceptions being Temperance and the World in which the "Cancel" bar only appears for stopping any attack). Civilians are absent once again, and the partner rescue mechanic from the previous game does not return. To compensate for the above two points, one life is awarded for every B or A rank (as opposed to the previous game in which one life is awarded only for an A rank) and two lives are awarded for every S rank (like the previous game).

The game runs on a critical shots counter where the player is encouraged to go for headshots rather than spraying ammo at the enemy. It starts off as Good, Excellent, Amazing and then Perfect. Getting hit, or killing an enemy not by the head resets the counter.

The most common enemies have three attacks. A "normal attack", a "grab," and a "push". The foremost inflicts one point of damage, while the second forces a shaking sequence that, if successful, pushes back attackers for easier disposal, but if unsuccessful, will result in the player being bitten or the player's character being knocked down and vulnerable. Multiple creatures may also pile on top of both players in an attempt to stomp on them.

Chapters

Bosses

The House of the Dead 4 Special

See The House of the Dead 4 Special

Sometime after its release, The House of the Dead 4 received a small follow-up in the form of The House of the Dead 4 Special. The story takes place shortly after the events of 4. Initially released to arcades, 4: Special was later included in the PlayStation 3 port of its predecessor.[1]

Development

Arcade version

The development team wanted each boss encounter to be unique. Taking inspiration from the word temperance, which is defined as moderation or self-restraint, they arrived at Temperance's overweight design after coming to the idea that an unrestricted diet would lead to obesity. The fight also "[makes] full use of the game’s unique force feedback system".[2]

PlayStation 3 port

The House of the Dead 4's PlayStation 3 port took almost a year to complete. The challenges for the team responsible included the OpenGL and data format conversion, as well as the PlayStation 3's smaller RAM space compared to the Lindbergh board. Sega upscaled the resolution and game render buffer up to 720p, and remade most of the UI (user interface) in HD.[3]

Trivia

  • None of the creatures in this game bleed any blood when they are shot or killed, despite blood being literally everywhere and having large bloody holes and scratches all over them.
    • Despite this, the game still has a sort of "skin damage" mechanic, in which when an enemy is shot anywhere, bullet holes are visible in the enemy, revealing red flesh underneath. This can be clearly seen when an enemy grabs the player.
  • The televisions used are Mitsubishi's 2005 62" DLP 16:9 ratio widescreen model for the "Super Deluxe" cabinet; Mitsubishi's 2005 52" DLP 4:3 ratio model for the "Deluxe" cabinet; and a Sanwa 29" 4:3 ratio television for the "upright" cabinet. The game runs in 1080P.
  • The final two stages of the game take place in the same locations as the last two stages in The House of the Dead 2: Point A0063 and Goldman's headquarters. The background music for both stages are 2's original songs that have been remixed by their original composer, Haruyoshi Tomita. They are respectively titled "Dawn (Remix of Year Seventh)" and "Original Sin (Remix of Year Seventh)" on the game's soundtrack, referring to the seven years since the song's debut at the game, as The House of the Dead 2 was released in late 1998 and The House of the Dead 4 at the end of 2005.
  • During the game there is a flashback in multiple parts where Goldman spells out his motive; in the final part it is revealed he is speaking directly to James and Gary, thus depicting a scene in House of the Dead 2. The speech Goldman has been giving throughout the flashback is notably different from the actual speech in the previous game.
  • The fourth chapter, Despair, has the same name as The House of the Dead 2's fourth chapter.
  • The House of the Dead 4 was the first game ever to be released in HD.

Gallery

Arcade flyers

Data

References

  1. SILICONERA STAFF (March 13, 2012). "House Of The Dead 4 For PS3 Is Almost Like Playing The Arcade Game At Home". Siliconera.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2020. Retrieved on March 3, 2020.
  2. SILICONERA STAFF (April 16, 2012). "How Sega Created Bosses For The House Of The Dead 4". Siliconera.com. Archived from the original on March 20, 2020. “...the name of the stage four boss, Temperance, literally means ‘restrict from something.’ We came to the idea that if you did not restrict food you would become overweight, which led to the design. From this initial profile, we created a suitable attack method for this large body type—rolling. We also made full use of the game’s unique force feedback system with Temperance. Overall, we tried to make each boss encounter a unique experience for the player.”
  3. SILICONERA STAFF (February 16, 2012). "House Of The Dead 4’s PlayStation 3 Conversion Took Almost A Year To Complete". Siliconera.com. Archived from the original on March 21, 2020.

External links

veLogohotd4content
Characters
James TaylorKate GreenCaleb GoldmanGThornheartGary Stewart
Creatures
David • Stones • Roses • Costello • Mackey • Ebitan • Damian • CharlesMurrer • Bern • Taran • Kevin • Kageo • Jimmy • Victor • Devilon • Laban • Constantin • Gauvain • Agent • Bain • FrankLanceEric
Bosses
JusticeThe LoversThe EmpressTemperanceThe StarThe World
Chapters
EscapeLostEmptinessDespairReunionHope
Other pages
Lore (AMSAMS European branch officeAMS PDACaleb Goldman's headquarters)
Official Sound TracksThe House of the Dead 4 SpecialUnused content