I am the ultimate being... There is no hope... My hammer of death shall rain down upon you!
Type-β, codenamed "The World" (ワールド, Wārudo), was an insectesoid creature with ice manipulation powers. It was created by Caleb Goldman created to succeed the Emperor, awakening 3 years after both died. 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.
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.
Appearances
The House of the Dead 4
The World was created by Caleb Goldman, the financier of the late Dr. Roy Curien's research. To protect nature from humanity, Goldman developed creatures with Curien's research to slaughter populations. He staged a 2000 outbreak in Venice, Italy, with a creature named the Emperor intended to rule over mankind; its successor, The World, grew beneath the courtyard of Goldman's headquarters.
In 2003, years after the 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.
Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX
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.
Trivia
- The final bosses of the first four games in the series appear to embody primal elements of nature: The Magician uses fire, the Emperor uses magnetism, the Wheel of Fate uses electricity, and The World uses ice.
- The 3rd Form can be fought in The House of the Dead EX only, also serving as the game's Final Boss.
- The World's type number is also a Greek letter similar to that of the Emperor as they are both creatures that Goldman intended to rule over the planet.
- Like the past final bosses, The World is part of the Tarot Deck; it represents the completion of a journey. This also may symbolize the culimnation of the conflict that the protagonists struggle with in the series. Also, The World is considered the strongest card in the Tarot Deck, reflecting just how strong the boss truly is.
- The World's design might be based on Dante's depiction of Satan in the Divine Comedy (as well as in the game Dante's Inferno), which shows the Devil with three heads, multiple eyes, six wings, and frozen up to his waist in the lake Cocytus. The three heads of Satan might be alluded to in either the three faces of the triangular Pandora's Box, or in the three forms that The World takes, as in Dante's text the three heads are said to be be colored black, vermillion, and yellowish-white. Similarly, the antennae on the World's head could pass for horns, and the fact that The Star is the boss that comes before it may be an allusion to the fact that each of the three books in the Divine Comedy ends with the word 'stars'.
- It is unknown how many forms The World could morph its body into.
Gallery
The House of the Dead 4
Official Art
Screenshots
Loving Deads: The House of the Dead EX
Official Art
.png "LDTHOTDEX The World (true form).png (799 KB)")
Screenshots
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