The House of the Dead
↘ 1.8%
🙂 6.8/10
(Sega Saturn - US, Light Gun)
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Developed_By:
Tantalus Interactive
Published_By:
Sega
Released On:
01 Jan 1998
The House of the Dead is a thrilling rail shooter where you'll embark on a perilous journey through four chapters, each with its own branching paths. Your mission is to eradicate the zombies while avoiding harm to humans and rescuing the kidnapped girl. As you progress, you'll have opportunities to target special enemies, which will grant you temporary boosts in health and firepower.
For fans of the game on other platforms, the Sega Saturn version offers a unique experience with two additional modes: Saturn Mode and Boss Mode . In Saturn Mode , you'll play through the original arcade game with a twist - you get to choose from different playable characters, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. The character you select can make all the difference in your quest for survival. Meanwhile, Boss Mode lets you take on one of four formidable bosses or challenge yourself to defeat them all in rapid succession.
The House of the Dead was released on March 31st, 1998, and has since become a beloved classic among retro gaming enthusiasts. The Sega Saturn version offers a distinct experience that's sure to entertain fans of light gun action games.
UPC-A:
010086818024 (United States)
eBay Product ID:
4549 (United States)
EAN-13:
7891196191510 (Brazil)
Sega Region Code:
81802 (United States)
ASIN:
B000MXT3RQ (United States)
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Number of Players Supported:
1-2 Players
Input Devices Supported/Optional:
Light Gun / Attachment
Prices as of 30 Jul 2026
Typical $452.50–$469.98 (last 90 days)
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Manual
Game Guide
Extracted from the original game manual
Set in a dark genetic engineering facility, this horror-action game casts players as special agents Thomas Rogan and 'G' investigating the mysterious disappearance of staff at the DBR Corporation. The premise centers on uncovering the sinister secrets of Dr. Curien's experiments with artificially created life forms after a previous task force is wiped out. Players must navigate through the facility, combat zombies and monstrous creatures, and attempt to save any remaining survivors amidst a deadly outbreak.
Story
The House of the Dead
Mission Briefing
There have been reports of research personnel missing at the DBR Corporation genetic engineering center. This clandestine laboratory is governmentally funded to conduct experiments into the weapons potential of artificially-generated and sustained life forms. Due to the sensitive nature of these researches, news of the disappearances was not made public.
On October 17, 1998, a disturbing comment surfaced regarding the situation: "One must take care not to startle the sheep before the slaughter. The adrenaline spoils the flavor of the meat."
On December 18, 1998, a team of special operatives was dispatched to the laboratory to investigate suspicious activities by Dr. Curien, the former director of DBR. A transcript of their garbled final transmission follows:
•
"...Dr. Curien's project is in its final stages...if the media gets ahold of..."
•
"What the...? Request immediate backup... we're getting creamed out here... the research staff is in danger...."
•
(Transmission ends)
They left out the part where he started screaming: "Oh no get it off me! It's eating my brains!"
On December 20, 1998, the decision came down from above to send two crack agents, Thomas Rogan and 'G,' to investigate the status of the missing research staff and the team of operatives. Agent Rogan has taken a special interest in the case as his fiancée, Sophie Richards, is employed by DBR.
...and he already put money down on the ring.
Mission Objectives
1) Determine the nature of Curien's research
2) Conduct a sweep of the site and confirm the status of the research staff and special ops team
3) Take defensive action as appropriate
4) Assist any survivors
Survivors? There weren't even any leftovers. But we'd love to have you for dinner.
Dr. Curien
How to Play
Setup and Loading
Set up your Sega Saturn system as described in its instruction manual. Plug in Control Pad 1 (or the Sega Saturn Stunner, sold separately). For two-player games, plug a second control device into Control Port 2.
Place the disc, label side up, in the well of the CD tray and close the lid. Turn on the TV or monitor and the Sega Saturn. The Sega Saturn logo appears onscreen.
Important: This CD contains a security code that allows it to be read. Keep the disc clean and handle it carefully. If the system has trouble reading the disc, remove it and wipe carefully from the center straight out toward the edge.
Title Screen and Navigation
When you first load the game, the Sega logo appears, followed by the Title screen. Press Start to enter Mode Select, or wait to watch the intro movie and game demo.
Press Start at any time during the movie to return to the Title screen. In Mode Select, highlight game modes by pressing the D-Pad up/down or pulling the trigger on your Stunner.
Press Button A, C, or Start to enter the highlighted mode.
Game Modes
•
Boss Mode: Sharpen your aim against the final boss from each stage.
•
Rankings: View the top scores or times for each mode.
•
Options: Change gameplay features and sample audio effects heard in the game.
Stunner Controls
The Stunner (sold separately) uses the following controls:
•
Trigger: Fire, scroll through selections, and start the game.
•
Start Button: Pause/resume gameplay and enter/change highlighted selections.
Game System: Reloading and Paths
Sometimes your gun runs dry. When the RELOAD message appears, press the Reload button on your control device, or aim your Stunner offscreen and pull the trigger to reload.
In Arcade and Saturn modes, the course of the game changes depending on your actions. Crucial turning points determine the path, leading you into different parts of the DBR grounds. Some paths are easier than others; pay attention to discover the best route.
Saturn Mode
When you select Saturn from the Mode Select screen, the Character Select screen appears. Fire to scroll through the characters and press the Start button to select. Each character's ratings appear onscreen:
•
Hit Points: The number of Life Torches the character begins with.
•
Chamber: The number of rounds the character's weapon holds.
•
Bullet Damage: The amount of damage inflicted by each shot.
•
Reload Time: The relative speed at which the character can reload.
•
Hit Size: The size of the character's gun's blast; a bigger Hit Size makes it easier to hit targets.
Boss Mode
The Boss Select screen appears when you select Boss Mode. Select a specific boss to practice against, or choose "Fight All" to face each stage boss in order. The objective is to defeat each boss in the shortest time possible.
Rankings
Rankings lets you view the top scores for Arcade and Saturn modes, and the best finishing times for each Boss Mode Level. Press the D-Pad left/right, or pull the Stunner trigger, to move to a new Rankings page. Press Start to return to Mode Select.
Options
The Options screen appears when you select Options in Mode Select. Highlight option names by pressing the D-Pad up/down or pulling the trigger on your Stunner.
Press the D-Pad left/right, or the Start button on the Stunner, to change a highlighted option. Press Button A, C, or Start on the Control Pad, or the Start button on the Stunner, to enter a highlighted Options subscreen. Press Button B, or select Exit, to return to Mode Select.
•
Difficulty: Choose from Easy, Normal, or Hard for the overall difficulty.
•
Life: Set the number of Life Torches per game for Players 1 and 2 (Arcade Mode only).
•
Continue: Set the number of chances to continue a game, from 0 to 9.
•
Sight Speed: Set the gunsight motion speed (1 = slowest, 5 = fastest) for Players 1 and 2. This does not affect Stunner games.
•
Sight Graphic: Choose between crosshair and pinpoint sights for Players 1 and 2. The gunsight does not appear in Stunner games.
•
Audio: Choose Stereo or Mono sound output.
Sound Test and Controller Configuration
•
Special Effects: Sample sound effects heard in the game.
•
Music: Sample *The House of the Dead* music tracks.
For Controller Configuration, press the D-Pad up/down to highlight a function name (Fire, Reload, or Speed Up). Press the button you want to assign to that function. You can assign functions to any Control Pad button except Start.
Gun Calibration
Adjust the aim of your Stunner. A bullseye target appears onscreen. Check the current aim by firing at the target.
If the aim is off, fire offscreen to reset the sighting. Then fire directly at the center of the target. The gunsight recalibrates automatically. Test the new aim by firing at the target again. Repeat until satisfied,
Controls
D-Pad
Move gunsight
BUTTON A
Fire
BUTTON C
Reload
BUTTON B
Speed up gunsight
START BUTTON
Start game
Fire
Skip intro sequence and jump into the game
Start
Join a game in progress as second player
Tips & Maps
Hidden Items
Shoot barrels, skulls, and other containers in the background to uncover hidden items like Life Ups. Shoot an uncovered item to acquire it.
Game Over and Continue
Losing all your Lives ends the game, but you can use a Continue to restart from the last death point. The number of Continues is set in Options.
Name Entry
If you achieve a record score or time, you can enter your initials on the Name Entry screen.
Words of advice from the A.M.S. Director
Learn to think like the undead by acting without hesitation and using high-caliber weapons against zombies. Aim for the brain to drop monsters quickly, though be aware of the spray, and avoid shooting hostages to prevent losing a Life.
Enemies & Characters
Thomas Rogan
An AMS agent with a reputation for being a hothead, but displaying keen judgment under fire. He is engaged to Sophie Richards.
"G"
Agent Rogan's shadowy partner, known as the Silver Fang, who approaches his duties with digital objectiveness and preciseness.
Sophie Richards
A DBR researcher working on the top-secret BioReactor project, engaged to Agent Thomas Rogan, who must escape Dr. Curien's clutches.
Dr. Curien
The former DBR research director and inventor of the BioReactor system, who led experiments without ethical qualms before his sudden transformation.
Sam series
Considered Dr. Curien's masterpiece, these rotting-zombie creations feature a stagger, dangling intestines, and cyanotic blue coloring.
Evitan series
Hideously ugly creations that smell awful when they melt, which Dr. Curien considers a learning experience rather than a mistake.
Mummy series
Created to be drier than the Evitans, these creatures favor humid spots and attack by biting.
Samson series
Sturdy, beefed-up reanimated cadavers with meat construction that are difficult to bring down.
Simon series
Zombies made at home from canned ham, recombinant DNA, and Doc Curien's animating powder.
Rubin model
Vicious little thugs from Dr. Curien's 'creative phase,' characterized by skintight suits, claws, leather masks, and snapbrim hats.
Killer monkeys
Unnamed killer monkeys offered as an alternative to the other zombie series.
Maggots
Unnamed maggots available as an alternative to the other zombie series.
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