Years ago gaming adverts used to proclaim 'to be this good takes SEGA’; in the case of the Typing of the Dead you can see the brilliance and naivety of the company in one single release. The keyboard is mightier than the gun, or at least it's equal.
Very few publishers would have taken the risk of releasing or even giving the green light to a project such as this. While it can be viewed as a mod of the original House of the Dead 2, it is a risky and brilliant concept that was unleashed originally in the arcades. Gamestyle can imagine bored office workers in Japan showing their skills in a whole new way, being attracted into the dark realms of amusement halls; areas which may have been new to many. Proving popular, the game was ushered onto the Sega Dreamcast, seeing a release in Japan and America. Sadly a European release did not materialise despite the system having widespread keyboard ownership amongst players. In 2001 the writing was very much on the wall for the console and the niche title was never translated for the European market.
The game does follow the same events in House of the Dead 2, where the mysterious tycoon Goldman has unleashed a zombie outbreak on the civilian population. It is up to you and your fellow AMS agents to stop the outbreak and obtain more information about the tycoon and his sinister plans. As the series is primarily developed for the arcades, story never forms a major part of the attraction. The main emphasis originally was on blasting various opponents with pinpoint accuracy. The series remains entertaining to this day and can hold its own against many releases since. SEGA may have botched many aspects of the Dreamcast, but they have always known how to create arcade games.
In Typing of the Dead the changes are fairly minor and you will laugh at the AMS agents who are now equipped like cinema ushers. Instead of guns, they carry an oversized Dreamcast backpack with added power source, and a keyboard strapped to their chest. How or why typing of words is enough to dispatch these minions of evil is never explained, nor should it be. House of the Dead 2 was a perfectly balanced arcade experience; a difficulty curve that slowly increased with each subsequent chapter until the onslaught of the final boss. Even with a gun it was a stern challenge with some variety and a healthy scattering of bonus items for skilled players.
Armed with your keyboard you must type in the words or phrases as they appear. The more difficult your opponent, then the trickier the piece of typing you must perform in a swift fashion. The quicker you accomplish this then a ranking is given for each opponent, with an overall score at the end of each chapter. Gamestyle can actually touch type yet it is difficult not to pause for a second whilst your mind registers the bizarre words and phrases that are being thrown at you. Combinations of words such as 'geisha waltz' and many more that you've never associated or even dreamt of typing, lie in wait. While one could criticise the translation, it is more a case of a brilliant mind at work and a humorous one at that. Typing of the Dead could actually be an effective educational tool apart from being hugely enjoyable.
Other modes outside the HOD2 storyline include a boss and a drill mode. The former allows you to experience the upper echelons of typing horror as you are expected to hammer out words in rapid fashion with no room for error. Unlike everyday zombies, the bosses will attack promptly and when they do, only a few hits will be required to end your game. For Gamestyle it brought back fond memories of shooting marathons against the final boss. The mode also allows you to experience just what is required and whether you can ever reach that standard of input. It also displays the variety on offer, as the three-headed beast offers various answers to a question and you must type the correct response. The Drill mode is for those players who wish to brush up on their typing ability.
Almost a decade after its release, there is nothing like Typing of the Dead out there. Visually it may be showing its age but with a fluid frame rate, challenging game play and a sense of humour, it’s a must have for any Dreamcast enthusiast.
