Braindead 13

Brings back memories of Peter Jackson's most famous film: Braindead (aka Dead Alive)

Doing things on a whim sure does have neat benefits. For one thing, the predictability patterns is gone and life seems more enjoyable without the dreaded viper of convention. This happened to me the other day when I decided to peek at an unknown game. At first I was unsure about what to expect. I even had some reservations about Braindead 13 because I had never come into touch with this game. I just couldn't fathom what would befall on me during the experiment.


But what is the merit backing up Braindead 13's claim to fame? Why does this one game succeed so well at enthralling me? Why have I suddenly found myself checking this game time and again even though neither the ending nor the death scenes ever change? I just can't explain why. Maybe it's a simple premise that makes it out to be much more than what I could have expected. It's a quick time event, which many frown upon for varying reasons, not the least of which is that there is little interaction between player and in-game environment. But if you come to think of it, all games are of this kind. There is only a limited amount of actions to perform in a game, no matter how over the top they may be. You can't do anything that the developers didn't predict, so you too wind up trapped in some warped up version of a tiny universe crafted by a fellow human being for your entertainment's sake. It's only that quick-time event games make no bones about this condition imposed by default on any player.

Yellow backgrounds are darn effective at instilling fear in people

Thus, Braindead 13 can also be called an interactive movie-game, released for DOS in 1995 developed by ReadySoft. It would be ported to the major mainstream consoles the following year. The main playable character is a twenty-something computer ace whom is one day called to service a computer at a haunted castle. His customer is none other than Nero Neurosis, an evil brain creature who settles on the idea of slaying the unsuspecting protagonist after a slight run-in. What started out as a mild insult exchange quickly spiralled into a deadly and frightening speed chase throughout the castle. What is most terrifying about this  hunt is Fritz, the wicked brain's faithful hand and personal mass murderer. What follows is pure gold as the player has a wide choice of paths to follow to get to the end of the quest without being ripped to shreds by the castle's many bloodthirsty dwellers.

Characters:

• Lance Galahad-  oversteps his bounds and doesn't check his smart mouth in time, insulting the main villain in the process. He quickly incurs the bad goons' wrath by committing one slip-up, but his botched first encounter with this customer may cost him dearly.

• Dr. Nero Neurosis - the obligatory stock mad scientist's brain in a vat. He gets offended so easily he might as well just have been the Dormouse in another lifetime. 

• Fritz - the ever loyal henchman who will stop at nothing to bring immolation upon Lance. A dual hook setup for hands doesn't hinder this imp from carrying about quite a haul with just about anything that may come in handy for a quick kill.

• Vivi- players who make it through the early sections of the game will be awarded with the dazzling beauty of this true vampire vixen. Nice additions to her already stunning figure are her southern belle accent and her penchant for putting unwilling patrons through life or death situations in her "funeral salon".