Graphics

Rare certainly delivered a unique brand of graphics with Ghoulies. Classified by them as not quite ACM and not quite cel-shading, Ghoulies' graphics work for the type of game that it's trying not to be, like other survival horror games. I'm all for uniqueness (as the game itself proves by literally being a storybook), and the graphics still look good to this day. It's still very easy on the eyes if you're one of those that don't expect every game to bleed realism where it doesn't belong.

10

Sound

Ghoulies is, without a doubt, one of Grant Kirkhope's best works. He managed to accurately enhance the not-so-scary atmosphere of Ghoulies with tunes that vary with its context. In a room filled with zombie pirates? Expect to hear something along the lines of an ol' sea chanty with extra bass. In a ballroom? Expect hearing what you'd imagine an undead party to be like. The music is one of the game's stronger points, and something you owe yourself to hear on Rare's site. It's free, and everyone loves free music.

9

Play Control

Ah, now this is one of the more controversial parts of the game ever since it came out years ago. Unlike other beat-em-ups back in the day that had one button to kick and another to punch, the majority of the action moves are done by the second control stick on the Xbox (360) controller. The only time the face buttons are used is when Cooper, the main hero, is stuck in a situation where pressing the buttons in order will prevent you from losing 10 heart points from random super-scary shock moments. Personally, I don't mind the controls. In Rare's Tepid Seat, they explained that they wanted to keep the controls simple for the younger audience that they were hoping to capture back in the Xbox days. My only complaint is the lack of a first-person camera. Baron Von Ghoul has awesome rarities like the original Conker's Bad Fur Day and the ever-elusive Killer Instinct 3 for the Xbox. Why couldn't we have been thrown a bone to stare endlessly at what could've been?

8

Originality

Another place where Ghoulies shines. First off, Ghoulies is unique in the sense that it's essentially a beat-em-up in a time where they aren't as prominent as they once were. It's a game that takes place in a haunted mansion, but it's far from scary compared to other games that take place in haunted houses (like the Resident Evil series before 4). It has an antagonist who is, quite frankly, batshit insane to the point that he believes he's a fighter plane. Also, you get to throw cheeseburgers in Paradise at Death! Mind you, that can't kill him, but damn it if his groans of pain don't make you repeatedly want to hurt the guy. Or spectral thing who plays a mean electric guitar with his scythe.

9

Final Word

For what Ghoulies did right, it unfortunately has been done a bit of wrong due to a lack of time and a lack of "Convert from Gamecube to Xbox" button on Rare's Xbox development kits. First thing that comes to mind is the lack of multiplayer. Back in 2003, the majority of Rare's games were multiplayer-focused, and the game that preceded this one, Conker's Bad Fur Day (Star Fox Adventures' plans for multiplayer are unknown), was one of Rare's better multiplayer games. Add that to the fact that beat-em-ups generally sport two-player action, and you can hopefully imagine why the lack of is a disappointment. It certainly would've given the game a lot more replay value beyond the 21 Challenges offered depending on your collecting skills in the main game. Opinions may vary on this, but I also believe that the game could've been a bit longer in certain areas. For the type of audience that Rare was trying to find smack-dab in the middle of the Xbox's life-cycle, I can understand why they decided to skim. In spite of this, Ghoulies is quite better than critics made it out to be for playing the part of being "Rare's First Xbox Game." I definitely recommend it if you can find it; used prices aren't even remotely expensive.

6

Overall Score: 7/10