The Haunted Mansion (video game)

The Haunted Mansion
PAL region cover art
Developer(s) High Voltage Software
Publisher(s) TDK Mediactive
Platform(s) PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube
Release
  • NA: October 14, 2003
  • EU: March 5, 2004 (PS2, Xbox)
Genre(s) Action-adventure, survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player

The Haunted Mansion is an action-adventure video game released in 2003 from North America and 2004 in Europe and Japan by High Voltage Software. The game is based on the Disney ride of the same name, rather than the eponymous film, which was released shortly after the game.[1][2][3]

Plot

A Renaissance influenced nineteenth century mansion located in a bayou nearby New Orleans, Louisiana was a happy home to a family (presumably the Gracey family) as well as friendly resident ghosts until evil forces known as the Order of Shadows, led by Atticus Thorn terrorized the mansion including the family, causing them to abandon the home and forcing all the resident ghosts of the mansion to serve his wills.

On October 17, 1879, after the Civil War, a young man named Ezekiel Halloway, nicknamed "Zeke", who is apparently searching for a job, is misled by a newspaper advertisement about being a caretaker for the mansion. Making the decision to take the job, he journeys to the mansion only to faint upon arrival when he is greeted by six friendly ghosts, who are Atticus Thorn's slaves. Awakening, a spirit in a crystal ball named Madame Leota informs him that Atticus Thorn has trapped 999 souls in the mansion as part of his attempt to take over the Afterlife and should be sent into the Depths of the Afterdeath. She also informs him on how to use the Beacon of Souls, a magic lantern that fires bolts of light to fight off evil spirits. Leota also says that the Beacon is used to destroy the evil for good.

Zeke agrees to help them, and is given the weapon. He travels around the mansion, freeing shriveled ghosts and collecting legendary Soul Gems, the items that power up the Beacon, from the friendly ghosts. After fighting dozens of enemies, Zeke eventually gains a pirate's ring that unlocks a passageway to the Vault of Shadows, Atticus Thorn's secret lair behind a painting in the Foyer.

Atticus reveals his plan to take over both the Afterlife and the Land of the Living, and he steals the Beacon of Souls from Zeke. Zeke faces off against Thorn's true form, a giant, worm-like creature. After Atticus dies, Zeke emerges victorious and is thanked by the friendly ghosts. The Haunted Mansion is finally returned to light, and the 999 spirits are set free and move on to heaven. Zeke is employed as caretaker of the estate, and continues to live in harmony with the remaining ghosts along with Madame Leota. He then pursues his dream as a writer and a recognized author under Leota's guidance later on.

Gameplay

In this game, the player's aim is to travel over 27 room levels as the main hero Zeke. Along the way, the player must capture 999 ghosts in each level. It came armed with a magical lantern called the Beacon of Souls to shoot the enemies without being hit. If Zeke tried to lose his bravery health meter after he is getting a single hit by the enemies while the player keeps an eye out on the picture of Zeke's facial expressions, he will "die" to lose his life rather than he has a few more of his lives whenever the player collected all ten deck of cards to gain an extra life. Soon enough, if the player loses all the lives, it's officially a "game over" and you have to start all over by loading the saved game data. The player also moves about the mansion environment, solves puzzles and restores light to rooms. The game features 24 unique puzzles, a dozen enemies and 20-plus ghosts recognizable from the ride.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GCPS2Xbox
EdgeN/A6/10[4]N/A
EurogamerN/A6/10[5]N/A
FamitsuN/A29/40[6]N/A
Game InformerN/AN/A7/10[7]
GamePro[8]N/AN/A
GameSpot7/10[9]7/10[1]7/10[1]
GameZoneN/AN/A7/10[2]
IGN7/10[3]7/10[3]7/10[3]
Nintendo Power3.7/5[10]N/AN/A
OPM (US)N/A[11]N/A
OXM (US)N/AN/A8.3/10[12]
Aggregate score
Metacritic69/100[13]69/100[14]71/100[15]

The game received "average" reviews on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[13][14][15] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PlayStation 2 version a score of three sevens and one eight for a total of 29 out of 40.[6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tracy, Tim (November 17, 2003). "The Haunted Mansion Review (PS2, Xbox)". GameSpot. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Code Cowboy (November 23, 2003). "The Haunted Mansion - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on May 21, 2008. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Casamassina, Matt (December 16, 2003). "The Haunted Mansion". IGN. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  4. ↑ Edge staff (April 2004). "The Haunted Mansion (PS2)". Edge (135): 110.
  5. ↑ Reed, Kristan (March 12, 2004). "The Haunted Mansion (PS2)". Eurogamer. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  6. 1 2 "The Haunted Mansion (PS2)". Famitsu. 803. May 7, 2004.
  7. ↑ Helgeson, Matt (February 2004). "[The] Haunted Mansion (Xbox)". Game Informer (130): 109. Archived from the original on January 3, 2008. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  8. ↑ Manny LaMancha (October 14, 2003). "The Haunted Mansion Review for GameCube on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 4, 2005. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  9. ↑ Tracy, Tim (December 8, 2003). "The Haunted Mansion Review (GC)". GameSpot. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  10. ↑ "The Haunted Mansion". Nintendo Power. 174: 144. December 2003.
  11. ↑ "The Haunted Mansion". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 102. February 2004.
  12. ↑ "The Haunted Mansion". Official Xbox Magazine: 128. December 2003.
  13. 1 2 "The Haunted Mansion for GameCube Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  14. 1 2 "The Haunted Mansion for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
  15. 1 2 "The Haunted Mansion for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 10, 2016.
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