The House of the Dead: Remake

The House of the Dead: Remake is a modern remake of the legendary arcade rail shooter from SEGA, created in 2021 by studio MegaPixel Studio, bringing players back to the decaying estate of Dr. Curien, full of zombies, mutants, and all manner of biological experiments. The game faithfully follows the structure of the original from the nineties – the player moves through linear levels, shoots waves of enemies popping up from every side, and tries to save as many civilians as possible, with their decisions and reaction speed determining which of several possible endings they ultimately see.

The visuals have been completely reworked into a modern three-dimensional style with a distinctive, somewhat stylized aesthetic that knowingly plays with the B-movie horror atmosphere of the original without taking itself too seriously, complementing it with more dramatic lighting and more detailed character and enemy models. On Switch, the game can be controlled classically via the analog stick, but it comes into its own especially in both handheld and docked mode, where quick reflexes and precise aim decide survival just as they did decades ago on arcade cabinets with light guns, on which the game originated.

The remake was received as an honest and faithful tribute to the classic, preserving the short but intense arcade gameplay built around repeated playthroughs, chasing a higher score, and discovering different story endings. For fans of rail shooters and players who experienced the original in arcades or on older consoles, it's a pleasant nostalgic reminder, while for a new generation of players it's a fast and accessible introduction to a genre that today has almost disappeared from the regular gaming lineup apart from similar remakes. The short playtime and simple rules also make the title an ideal choice for casual play during breaks or as a change of pace between longer and more demanding titles on Switch.