The World

Multiple universes
(Main series and Spin-offs)

The World - Type-β
Basic information
Featured in	The House of the Dead 4 Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX
Encounters	HOD4 Chapter 6
Weapon	Cryokinesis: Ice Ice axe Ice stars Ice dragons
Protection	Icy body (HOD4) Fiery wings (LD:HOD EX)
Weak point
Unknown to the PDA, the World's weakpoint is its heart.

I am the ultimate being... There is no hope... My hammer of death shall rain down upon you!

The World to James Taylor and Kate Green.

Type-β, codenamed "The World" (ワールド, Wārudo), was an insectoid creature with ice manipulation powers. It was created by Caleb Goldman to succeed Emperor, awakening 3 years after both were deceased. It is the final boss in The House of the Dead 4.

The World attacks with projectiles, hatchets, and ice dragons. Upon defeat, it can grow into new and stronger forms. Its weak point is its glowing-red heart.

History

Main article: The House of the Dead 4

The World was created by Caleb Goldman, the financier of the late Dr. Curien's research. To protect nature from humanity, Goldman developed creatures with Curien's research to slaughter populations. He staged a 2000 outbreak in a large unnamed city, with a creature named Emperor intended to rule over mankind; its successor, the World, grew beneath the courtyard of Goldman's headquarters.

In 2003, years after Emperor's defeat and Goldman's suicide, the latter posthumously staged another outbreak. In the opening of "Pandora's Box", the World awoke to battle investigating AMS agents James Taylor and Kate Green. Upon realizing that the World never stopped growing, James set his AMS PDA to self-destruct, sacrificing himself in the resulting explosion to destroy the creature.

Bestiary Overview

The World is a massive humanoid with dragonfly-like wings and eyes. Frozen up to its waist, the creature uses its hands for support. Its entire body (with the exception of its heart) is invulnerable to gunfire.

Every time it is seemingly defeated, the World grows into a seemingly endless line of stronger forms. In its second form, the creature's posture is upright and its wings become tendrils. Its attacks are more aggressive.

In its third form, the World molts its skin and emerges as a levitating full-bodied creature. This form is only battled in Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX. After pursuing players atop a train, the World develops fiery wings and horns. It uses flames and crystals as projectile attacks.

Other appearances

The World's third form is the final boss of the non-canonical House of the Dead spin-off Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX.

Gameplay

Overview

The World is a two-stage fight, with each stage ending after the creature's health bar is depleted. In both stages, the World is an immobile boss whose weak point -- its heart-- is always exposed to gunfire. The creature will perform random attack phases until it is at low health, at which point it will repeatedly perform a final aerial-based attack. The stages increase in difficulty: in the first stage, the player can escape most of the World's attacks by shaking the gun; in the second stage, all of the creature's attacks are inescapable in this manner and are more difficult to stop.

Phases

1. The World's first stage includes several ice-based attacks:
   • Attack 1: With a glowing fist, the World sends a several ice pillars after the player. Shooting the pillars in time stops the attack; failure to do so requires a successful gun shake sequence in order to avoid damage.
   • Attack 2: Similar to the previous attack, except that the World sends two ice pillars from both fists. Shooting the pillars enough to deplete the "cancel" gauge stops the attack; failure to do so requires a successful gun shake sequence in order to avoid damage.
   • Attack 3: A giant ax made out of ice materializes in the World's hands; the ax must be destroyed before the World uses it to damage the players.
   • Final attack: With about 60% of its health lost, the World sends four ice projectiles into the sky. The projectiles will spin around before combining to form a massive projectile, which will drop on the players for damage. The World will continue this attack until the last of its health bar is empty.
2. The World's second stage consists of various attacks utilizing ice dragons. The ice dragons must shot repeatedly in the heads in order to destroy them.
   • Attack 1: With a glowing fist, the World sends an ice dragon which flies in a spiral towards players for a bite.
   • Attack 2: The World sends two ice dragons past the player; the camera turns around as the dragons fly back to deliver a bite attack.
   • Attack 3: The World summons several ice dragons to fly directly at the player, one at a time, alternating left and right.
   • Final attack: At low health, the World creates an ice dragon which flies upward and ultimately down upon players in a spiral motion.

Strategies

• With good timing and accurate aim, it is possible to damage the World with grenades.
• Although the player can simply shake out of the World's grab-based attacks in the first stage, it is still beneficial to stop them because this causes the creature to recoil, thus allowing the player to inflict more damage.
• Unlike previous bosses in The House of the Dead 4, the World can only be damaged through its weak point (rather than stopping boss phases). Keep this in mind while battling the creature.

Trivia

• The World's type number is also a Greek letter similar to that of Emperor as they are both creatures that Goldman intended to rule over the planet.
• It is unknown how many forms the World could morph its body into.

Gallery

The House of the Dead 4

Official Art

Screenshots

The World preparing to battle James and Kate.

Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX

Official Art

Art of the World's true form.