ArkFullofSorrow.  Yes, ArkFullofSorrow.

That glitch on the bottom sets the wrong tone.  Not that the rest of the title screen sets the right one. See that diamond-shaped widget near the top left corner of the screen?  Collect them all to advance to the next level.  See also: the protag dying (one hit kills, natch). This is level 3, sweet, sweet level 3.  Actually so is the previous picture.  Come to think of it, this picture better expresses the crux of the previous caption than the previous picture.  Makes you wonder...

11) Haunted Hills

So it seems another one of the top veterans from the old days is back, this time without the cool 'of Wentworth' additive to the title.  How much does this game have in common with its similarly-titled counterpart on the NES, you ask?  Wait, you're not asking?  Can't say as though I blame ya.  Well I'll answer anyway: nothing.

Instead, Haunted Hills (for the Genesis) is essentially Ooze (for the Genesis) right down to the smallest detail: the attempts at creating a creepy atmosphere, the exact same unnecessarily loud sound effects, exact same (bad) platforming format and (bad) level design, fraught with mind-numbing length and a cheap tricks.  The music is the most standout feature: an allegro organ-based soundtrack inspired by the worst horror flicks.  The tunes are supposed to stimulate a feeling of fright and urgency, but all they inspire here are new ways to keep it from playing.

It's almost as if all they did between Ooze and Haunted Hill is change the graphics and downgrade the already feeble weapon given to the main man in Ooze (at least the gun had range - that torch might not hit those enemies crawling on the surface, which is most of them).  Not like this change is any greater between any two other games here, it's especially noteworthy here.

Probably the best thing I can say about Haunted Hills is that, while exponentially more playable than its elder counterpart of greater nomenclature, is that it actually has several levels to it, whereas a typical Action 52 platformer might have two levels, and the third and fourth levels are essentially the first and second levels, only twice as hard.  Haunted Hills, for some reason or another, compelled me to play until I made it to level three.  Since I've done this, all the food I've eaten has tasted terrible, like it has something of an Action 52 aftertaste.  I wonder why this is.

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