Our Look Back At House Of The Dead’s Boss Battles

The House of the Dead isn’t just a horror game, it’s a cheesy, action-packed experience. Released in 1996 by Sega as an Arcade title, this game soon burrowed deep into the hearts (and nightmares) of gamers. From the moment players blasted their first pixelated zombie with a light gun, they were hooked.

4. Hermit – Type 6803

Don’t get me wrong, blasting a giant spider is undeniably fun, but it does feel a little out of place amidst the shuffling undead masses.

Hermit’s design is a fascinating departure from the typical undead. This monstrous arachnid boasts eight razor-sharp legs and a red face that does make me feel uneasy. While its attacks are largely focused on swipes and web-slinging, its sheer size and unexpected presence in Curien Mansion create a unique challenge.

This fight takes you underground in a tight environment. With limited space to maneuver, you’re forced to confront the monstrous spider head-on.

I found defeating Hermit simpler than other bosses, as the large head is easy to shoot in a confined environment. Keep shooting Hermit till it falls back to the end of the tunnel and triggers the second phase.

Hermit does throw a surprise move in the second phase, where it tries to hide its head behind the body. But even that does not last long against the unwavering barrage of bullets that you are capable of producing in this game.

3. Chariot – Type 27

In House of the Dead, the initial encounter with The Chariot serves as a masterclass in the introduction. This weird axe-swinging robotic zombie perfectly captures the game’s essence – a thrilling blend of cheesy horror and frantic shooting.

This fight will play out pretty much how you expect it to go, keep shooting at the weak point till you run the health meter dry. The Chariot comes charging towards the player, swinging the weapon in his hand.

To defeat this boss, shoot the weak point until his armor falls off. The second phase of this fight is simply mercy-killing an armorless giant zombie, one muscle at a time.

2. Hangedman – Type 041

In case you haven’t noticed yet, all of these names for the bosses are from Tarot Cards. So that is like a bonus thing you know now. Hangedman is the only boss in the game that we encounter twice, once in the start when he kidnaps Sophie and the second time when we fight. He is also very chatty, often throwing insults at the player. 

He has a very unique bat design, that always reminds me of the Man-Bat. This fight takes place on the roof against the backdrop of the night sky and full moon. This is a perfect setting for fighting a boss shaped like a bat.

Hangedman isn’t your typical boss as he can fly and command bats. He will send bats towards the player as one of his attacks. 

To survive, all you need to do is shoot the bats while shooting Hangedman’s body. Killing all the bats in the sky will trigger the start of the second phase.

At the start of this phase, Hangedman pushes the player down the roof. However, like a true hero, the detective holds himself up with one hand, while he shoots the giant bat with the other.

1. Magician – Type 0

Finally coming up at number one is the big bad from the first game, the Magician. The last boss has one of the most unique designs from a game of this era.

This robotic ultimate being is the final boss and Dr. Curien’s perfect creation. But there’s an unexpected twist! Dr. Curien himself becomes collateral damage in The Magician’s quest for power.

In my opinion, this boss has some of the best attacks and movement animations in the game. Whenever he moves around, he leaves behind this trail of frames or copies of himself. It just looks cool on the screen and sort of shows his god-tier powers.

He also throws glowing plasma balls that can hit players and cause serious damage. A quick way to deal with them is by simply shooting, which is your best solution for everything in this game.

Plus, this time, the game does not tell you the weak points of this boss. So players would need to figure that out on their own. To defeat the Magician, figure out his weak point and keep shooting till its HP is drained. 

House of the Dead’s boss fights might not be the most intricate encounters in gaming history, but they pack a serious punch of pure, nostalgic fun. Each grotesque monstrosity demanded a unique approach, forcing players to adapt new tactics and unleash a relentless wave of bullets.

From the frantic dance with the chatty Hangedman to the showdown with Dr. Curien’s rebellious creation, The Magician, these encounters left a lasting impression.

So, dust off your virtual gun, crank up the volume, and get ready to relive the glory days of blasting your way through hordes of the undead. Who knows, you might even discover a newfound appreciation for these cheesy, action-packed boss fights!