Splatter: Just Harder Times (Video Game Review)

Dreamworld's Splatter: Just Harder Times is an action-packed ride through more blood and carnage than you can handle. The top-down shooter has players taking on the role of Max who is fed up with society and wants to leave the world he knows behind. However, Max is in for a rude awakening when the town becomes overrun by undead creatures of the night. Our antihero is now the only hope for humanity, and he must battle through the chaos to figure out what caused the demonic plague.

Splatter: Just Harder Times has a fairly simple control scheme that allows players to aim and shoot by utilizing the keyboard while maneuvering with the mouse. Gameplay features the classic Noire style Story that is made up of intricate graphics like something out of a graphic novel. Players are fully immersed into the game through its rough cinematics and cynical monologues. Some of the dialogue suffers due to poor translation, but nonetheless is still enjoyable due to the game's intense storyline. Each level throws the player into an area where they must defend themselves against countless waves of undead flesh eaters, demons and other horrifying creatures. The stages really set the mood for the game with their dark and eerie touches with only flashlights or flares to guide the way. Splatter: Just Harder Times is a spine-chilling title that will have you go from frantic combat all the way to small corridors where you are always having to watch your back and manages to offer up scares that you would normally only see in big budget games.



The levels are entertaining enough as you are continuously fighting off hordes of enemies that are intricately varied in order to keep things interesting. Splatter: Just Harder Times features simple graphics that work well with the game's overall theme of horror and mayhem. One of the best aspects of gameplay is the assortment of fun weapons that you can add to your arsenal. Players start out with a simple pistol and can add on more powerful weapons which include flame throwers, submachine guns and more. Gamers will need to stock up on cash throughout the levels in order to purchase upgrades that will turn their boomsticks into weapons of destruction.

A horror game wouldn’t be complete without a decent soundtrack and this is where Splatter: Just Harder Times really shines. The haunting music adds just the right amount of dark ambiance to each level to keep you on the edge of your seat. With any soundtrack, some of the tracks are better than others, but overall it is still sufficient. Splatter tries to incooperate many elements into one title and even has some RPG features too. Players will continuously come across NPCs that they can interact with or even venture onto a few side quests as well. By embarking on the additional quests in Splatter players can add more replayability to its four hour main storyline with additional boss fights and quests.



Splatter: Just Harder Times also features local multiplayer outside its single player campaign that includes deathmatch and survival modes. Players can choose a mode to either compete against each other or team up to take out waves of enemies across a wide selection of maps. Players will enjoy the game's multiplayer for short bursts, but it can become repetitive and tiresome after awhile.

All-in-all, Splatter: Just Harder Times is a decent enough game for the $9.99 price tag. While the game may suffer from poor translation and repetitiveness, it makes up for it by combining arcade style fun with addicting gameplay for an overall fun experience. To learn more, visit the official Splatter: Just Harder Times website.

Game Features
Single Player
1-4 Local Multiplayer
Trophy/Achievement Support


Game Information
Publisher & Developer: Dreamworlds
Rated M for Mature
Release Date: July 2013
Available for PC (reviewed)

Score: 6 out of 10