Genesis REVIEW: Haunting: Starring Polterguy
Poltergeists are a class of ghosts that cause mischief around the house, turning off the lights, making some weird noises, and sometimes moving the furniture. In this game, the Poltergeist (or should I say Polterguy) is much nastier.
As Polterguy, you are tasked with scaring an admittedly unpleasant-looking family away from the house. In a unique twist, this doesn't involve thematically inappropriate platformer levels, but actually using your ghost powers to possess their house, and scare the living daylights out of them.94: Haunting: Starring Polterguy:
Final: 6/10 (Recommended for the laughs)
Tips:
Series:
For those reading one of my Genesis review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:
I already reviewed a bunch of SNES games, so, naturally, I am going to review the games of its prime competition. Does the SEGA Genesis stand a chance against the legendary SNES library?
My review series is based on the top 100 list of Retro Sanctuary
Originally, I posted most of my content on a football forum called "Goallegacy," which was the first online community I had ever joined. I found it to be the best place for a football fan (the REAL football, not handegg) to hang out on the internet, but the forum is not as active as it was years ago.Next Game:
OK, that was much better than Decap Attack, even if I feel I wasn't as tough on it as I should. At least it wasn't broken, aye.
Next game is going to be my second platformer, which is the highest represented genre in the Genesis, and it's Bubble and Squeak at #91.For Previous Genesis Game Reviews:
As Polterguy, you are tasked with scaring an admittedly unpleasant-looking family away from the house. In a unique twist, this doesn't involve thematically inappropriate platformer levels, but actually using your ghost powers to possess their house, and scare the living daylights out of them.
94: Haunting: Starring Polterguy:
Year: 1993.
Genre: Action-Puzzler.
Publisher: EA.
Developer: EA.
"I've got a radical surprise for the Sardinis"
Immediately, you can recognize that Haunting is a unique game. In an isometric view, you wander around the various rooms of the house, looking for one of the four Sardini family members, and then you possess the environment to scare them. There are usually three types of scares, called Freight 'ems, but they all have a similar effect.
However, they all look widely different. I think there are more than 200 different unique scares, spread around four houses. These scares are the obvious stars of the show. Some are basic, like a couch suddenly growing spikes, but some are as elaborate as a shit man springing out of the toilet and throwing feces at the wall. Sometimes it's too crass, but most of the time it is funny stuff.
Immediately, you can recognize that Haunting is a unique game. In an isometric view, you wander around the various rooms of the house, looking for one of the four Sardini family members, and then you possess the environment to scare them. There are usually three types of scares, called Freight 'ems, but they all have a similar effect.
However, they all look widely different. I think there are more than 200 different unique scares, spread around four houses. These scares are the obvious stars of the show. Some are basic, like a couch suddenly growing spikes, but some are as elaborate as a shit man springing out of the toilet and throwing feces at the wall. Sometimes it's too crass, but most of the time it is funny stuff.
 |
| Hope you don't object to scaring little girls |
If you don't enjoy these little animations, there won't be much to enjoy in the game, as they are the focus. With each scare activated, the Sardini family members' fear level rises, and then they run away from the room. Your job is to activate as many scares as necessary to scare all four out of the house. It might as well be a point-and-click adventure, where all you do is click on items you want to activate.
Unfortunately, the game wasn't content in being a barrel of jokes, and actually tried to implement some gameplay elements, which is where it fails.
"Get back here, you wimps"
Apparently, EA didn't think they could justify selling their game on visual gags alone. While that was a fair assessment, it shouldn't have meant shoehorning unnecessary gameplay elements into the mix. If you thought you could seamlessly move from room to room scaring the Sardinis, then you are wrong.
To use a Fright 'em, you need a resource called Ecto, but that Ecto also reduces with time and is only partially replenished through the frightened Sardinis. However, it is not a resource management game, because your Ecto will at least finish three times a level.
When that happens, you are transferred to an underground dungeon segment, where you hunt for Ecto. This dungeon is the only place where you could lose the game, as you hunt for Ecto drops in an uninspired level filled with stupid obstacles. It's not fun, and the only challenge is that the controls were not built for it.
Unfortunately, the game wasn't content in being a barrel of jokes, and actually tried to implement some gameplay elements, which is where it fails.
"Get back here, you wimps"
Apparently, EA didn't think they could justify selling their game on visual gags alone. While that was a fair assessment, it shouldn't have meant shoehorning unnecessary gameplay elements into the mix. If you thought you could seamlessly move from room to room scaring the Sardinis, then you are wrong.
To use a Fright 'em, you need a resource called Ecto, but that Ecto also reduces with time and is only partially replenished through the frightened Sardinis. However, it is not a resource management game, because your Ecto will at least finish three times a level.
When that happens, you are transferred to an underground dungeon segment, where you hunt for Ecto. This dungeon is the only place where you could lose the game, as you hunt for Ecto drops in an uninspired level filled with stupid obstacles. It's not fun, and the only challenge is that the controls were not built for it.
 |
| Scaring the pants off those Sardinis |
Theoretically, you could spend more time in this stupid dungeon than actually having fun scaring the Sardinis. I understand that the game wanted to pad itself out, but it did so by having the busiest of mundane content.
To add insult to injury, there is also a totally unexpected and completely shoehorned boss battle at the end.
"Don't you and your slimy family run away from me"
Obviously, for a game built on its visual gags, it needs those gags to be well animated. Thankfully, that is the case with Haunting, where both the scares and the family reactions manage to get a laugh.
Each member of the Sardini family reacts differently to the scares, with a number of funny reactions among them. As for the scares themselves, they are well animated, and as I said, funny most of the time.
However, the crassness of some of the jokes should be noted. In fact, the entire package is sometimes mean in its language. It is obviously several middle-aged men trying to pander to the 90s skateboarding culture, with words like Radical and Dude thrown about. But it is another obvious Sega does what Nintendon't schtick, with some of the crassest gags being an obvious nod to that.
Now, while the game does really well graphically, the sound is nothing to write about. There are literally just around 4 or 5 tracks, and the sound effects are thankfully not obnoxious.
In Conclusion:
I confess that Haunting does well only because of its unique premise. The visual gags, while fun, wouldn't be able to carry an entire game. Instead, we are offered a punishing and boring dungeon sequence for the privilege of activating those gags.
However, there were literally no games like it then, and very little now. It's because of that, and because of the really well-done animation by EA, that I feel this title is actually somewhat OK.
To add insult to injury, there is also a totally unexpected and completely shoehorned boss battle at the end.
"Don't you and your slimy family run away from me"
Obviously, for a game built on its visual gags, it needs those gags to be well animated. Thankfully, that is the case with Haunting, where both the scares and the family reactions manage to get a laugh.
Each member of the Sardini family reacts differently to the scares, with a number of funny reactions among them. As for the scares themselves, they are well animated, and as I said, funny most of the time.
 |
| Or scaring the hair from their head |
However, the crassness of some of the jokes should be noted. In fact, the entire package is sometimes mean in its language. It is obviously several middle-aged men trying to pander to the 90s skateboarding culture, with words like Radical and Dude thrown about. But it is another obvious Sega does what Nintendon't schtick, with some of the crassest gags being an obvious nod to that.
Now, while the game does really well graphically, the sound is nothing to write about. There are literally just around 4 or 5 tracks, and the sound effects are thankfully not obnoxious.
In Conclusion:
I confess that Haunting does well only because of its unique premise. The visual gags, while fun, wouldn't be able to carry an entire game. Instead, we are offered a punishing and boring dungeon sequence for the privilege of activating those gags.
However, there were literally no games like it then, and very little now. It's because of that, and because of the really well-done animation by EA, that I feel this title is actually somewhat OK.
Final: 6/10 (Recommended for the laughs)
Pros:
- Innovative game with a variety of scares
- Very good animations and visual gags
- Good gag designs
Cons:
- Ecto replenishing dungeon is a slog
- Annoying sound effects
Tips:
- Focus on one family member at a time.
- If you notice the dog, just run away from the room.
- In the dungeon sequence, try not to get hurt, because there is actually a health bar.
- If you reach the final boss, consider the game beaten, because it is not worth beating him as well.
- You are here for the gags, so diversify your Fright 'em selections.
 |
| Its easy to cause chaos when you look like that |
Series:
For those reading one of my Genesis review blogs for the first time, here is the basic concept:I already reviewed a bunch of SNES games, so, naturally, I am going to review the games of its prime competition. Does the SEGA Genesis stand a chance against the legendary SNES library?
My review series is based on the top 100 list of Retro Sanctuary
Originally, I posted most of my content on a football forum called "Goallegacy," which was the first online community I had ever joined. I found it to be the best place for a football fan (the REAL football, not handegg) to hang out on the internet, but the forum is not as active as it was years ago.
Next Game:
OK, that was much better than Decap Attack, even if I feel I wasn't as tough on it as I should. At least it wasn't broken, aye.Next game is going to be my second platformer, which is the highest represented genre in the Genesis, and it's Bubble and Squeak at #91.
Stay Tuned
For Previous Genesis Game Reviews:
This blog was originally posted in Destructoid Community Blogs on December 31st, 2015. The blog was slightly edited to fit my newer review format.
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