Dull Gameplay, Lack of Atmosphere, and Terrible Acting Ruin this Zombie Shooter
On the surface Corpse Killer sees like an okay game. The player takes control of the leader of a US Special Forces Unit, sent into the jungle of a tropical island to track down the evil Dr. Hellman, who is out to rule the world by resurecting the dead. Unlike most games on the Sega CD, which reduced the player to little more then an observer pressing a button, Corpse Killer actually plays like a game, with shooting stages seperated by FMV Cutscenes.
While the game play is vastly improved when compared to other FMV Games, it is also dull and repetitive. Every stage is essentually the same, shooting Zombies, that emerge from differet areas of the screen. The gameplay however is harmed greatly by the limits of video technology. Unlike games like Left 4 Dead or Resident Evil, which change constantly everytime you play, Corpse Killer's enemies never change their tactics, due to the use of Live action video, so once the player memorizes where the Zombies are coming from the levels become a cake walk.
Another problem the game has, is that it's just too easy, and this is thanks in no part to your weapon. Even in the worst shooter games, you always have to find ammo or reload, however in Corpse Killer your weapon never runs out of ammo, and that weapon is the only one you seem to get through out the game.
Another problem the game has is that it lacks any sort of Horror Movie atmosphere. In a game like Left 4 Dead you are presented with variety of different locations, each of which is designed in a way that it creates a strong and scary mood, making you feel like you're part of the game. Corpse Killer on the other hand, has little to no atmosphere in it, and this is due to the fact it's obvious the Zombies are actors in make up, and many of the locations on the island are also obviously sets or minitures. The atmosphere of the game is also not helped by the limitations of the Sega CD, which causes the cutscenes and even the gameplay levels to be so badly rendured they are nearly unplayable or unwatchable.
Another thing that destroys the atmosphere is the acting, the characters are as flat as it comes, and the actors look and sound as though they're reading from cue cards, with the director shouting movement orders. Another problem is that some of the characters are just plain annoying, namely your sidekicks and the primary villian Dr. Hellman, who is played by the late Vincent Schiavelli, is terribly miscasted, and his preformance lacks any sort of malace.
The biggest problem this game has, is that it has no mystery. In a good Zombie Game like Resident Evil, you have to piece together the mystery of what caused the outbreaks, however in Corpse Killer the entire story is essentually given to you in the first few cut scenes, which detail not only your mission, but also reveal that Hellman is not only responsible for the Zombies, but also his ultimate plan, there for there is little in the way of puzzels or mysteries that need solving.
While not the worst Sega CD game, Corpse Killer is still a bad game, thanks in part to it being essentually a stripped down verson of Resident Evil or Left 4 Dead, that is ruined by the limitations of it's technology and budget. In the end Corpse Killer had potental, but today it's a game only for die hard FMV gamers or fans of Zombie films.