Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 56 | 35 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 45% | 49 | 316 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 60% | 60 | 201 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Dec 17, 2025) · 198 reviews sampled · 201 total reviews in window · weighted 34.1 up / 22.3 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (18)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 40
“The House of the Dead 2 Remake is a disappointing reinterpretation that fails, and badly, to capture the spirit of the original. While it retains the classic gameplay, it presents an inconsistent aesthetic and a level of polish inferior to Megapixel’s previous remakes. The company’s lack of investment and care results in generic graphics, stiff animations, and an art direction that shows no understanding of what made the original such a classic and fun experience. Despite some accessibility options and the nostalgic appeal of the original content, the remake tarnishes the franchise, standing out as yet another lazy and disrespectful effort toward a beloved classic, something that has sadly become a pattern for Megapixel.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“It’s not easy for me to review The House of the Dead 2: Remake. It would feel unfair to dismiss it as utter trash, because I enjoyed it just as much as the original. But if you ask me whether it offers anything substantially new compared to the 1998 version of The House of the Dead 2, I’d have to honestly say that it doesn’t. If you haven’t played the original game, or if you want to revisit it on one of the modern platforms, then by all means give the new version a try. If you still have your Dreamcast hooked up to your TV and enjoy playing on it, you’ll probably find the remake unnecessary, or it might even annoy you with its aesthetic differences.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Ultimately, I am glad The House of the Dead 2: Remake exists. Control woes aside, I suspect many players will eventually find some enjoyment from the game, provided you're willing to spend considerable time in the settings menu beforehand. It's a fascinating blast from the past, warts 'n' all, and a real showcase of some truly terrible voice acting from the '90s. Just make sure you toggle the 'Mute "Reload!" Scream' option, good lord.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“House of the Dead 2: Remake fails to establish itself as the triumphant return fans had hoped for. Stylistic choices, toned-down violence, limited accessibility, and technical problems weigh down what could have been a great revival of a classic. Even so, it remains an experience that can entertain those who want to rediscover the arcade flavor of the series, though in a different, less faithful form.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“While it doesn’t very clearly set itself apart from its predecessor, there’s still no doubt that it can be a bloody good time… within limits”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A faithful revival, the remake sharpens visuals, gives hits clear feedback and retains the silly audio that sets the tone. Improved menus and multiple modes add replay value, and local co-op turns frantic sections into something more exhilarating.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“It hurts to say this, but The House of the Dead 2 Remake is not the amazing return that I, and so many other fans, had been hoping for. There is definitely fun to be had here, and I would not call it a bad game by any means. It does its job as a remake of HOTD2, but it falls way short of being a great one.”
read full review ↗ - 60
“The House of the Dead 2 Remake is neither a masterpiece nor a complete disaster. Rather, it's something perhaps worse than both: a game with high potential left half-finished. If you're playing on Switch 2, lower the gyro sensitivity, grab a friend, and you can still have a few hours of genuine fun, the same old-school joy, just a bit more flawed. If you're on Switch 1, wait for a discount, for a patch, or to find the original hardware this game was truly made for.”
read full review ↗ - 55
“The remake of the first version of The House of The Dead, although not perfect, gave us hope for an interesting sequel, but The House of The Dead 2 Remake is unfortunately everything it should not be. From choosing strange and suboptimal artistic approaches that have led to the weakening of the atmosphere and space of the game, to the removal of many of the QOL features and content of the previous remake. Although the enemies have been restored in a desirable way and the gameplay can also stand out, unfortunately, at the same time, the regressions or numerous mistakes in the technical aspects, sound, music and overall design are also unavoidable. Considering all these definitions, unfortunately, I cannot recommend this remake to anyone.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“While the remake of the original The House of the Dead proved to be a fairly entertaining jaunt, this update of the sequel inexplicably comes off far worse. From horrible controls to poor visuals that are simply too dark at times, it's a big disappointment. Still, it's the only way to play this arcade classic on modern consoles, and it boasts some new modes and features.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Personally, I think the new House of the Dead 2: Remake is heads and shoulders and legs and bleeding torsos above the first game’s port. This one is playable, enjoyable and does a decent job of capturing the feel of the game’s core tenants. I don’t have an obvious solution for how to fix the gyroscopic problem, but players who have time and dedication will land on the right settings to make the game feel as fluid as possible. In the meantime, it’s still fun, it’s still gory, and it’s still a trip to enjoy in today’s modern gaming era.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“The House of the Dead 2: Remake serves as both a reunion for old-school gamers and a gateway for a new generation to experience the arcade classic.”
read full review ↗
GameFM
Gaming Professors
Nintendo Life
Indie Games Devel
Nindie Spotlight
NextGen Player
ThisGenGaming
CriticLenz
Gamefa
GameSpew
WayTooManyGames
8Bit/Digi…and 6 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Steam Deck Compatibility & FixesFeb 3, 2026
- Major Fixes and Improvements, Better Lighting and VisualsDec 17, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Smoother Multiplayer, Smarter Achievements, Better RagdollsSep 3, 2025significant · resets scoring window
- Texture Loading, Visual Fixes & MoreAug 8, 2025
- Demo Save Fix – Resolved Menu/Audio BugAug 7, 2025
- Hotfix for THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2: RemakeAug 7, 2025