Windows

The Typing of the Dead

The only genuinely disappointing thing about this game is that it reminds me how much better I am at typing than playing House of the Dead. Typing of the Dead is not only a great example of a studio having some playful fun with an old title, but it manages to also be the best educational software I've ever used. Make sure to stick around for the credits.

Typing of the Dead is the sort of game that Smilebit and Sega are known for--crazy, strange, and hellishly entertaining. Nonetheless, this PC port is definitely inferior; with the lack of a decent interface, and the forced low resolution settings, it aspires to greatness but doesn't quite make it. Nonetheless, anyone who's looking for something completely different from the norm would do well to pick up a copy of Typing of the Dead, because it's definitely unique, even if you have played House of the Dead 2 before. Now, excuse me; I have to go rest my hands for a few hours. After wiping the floor with the last boss, my hands are rather numb.

If you like fun, you'll like Typing of the Dead. Plain as sunshine, that's all there is too it. It's simple and immensely addictive. If not for a few graphical and aural problems it'd be a near perfect game to waste hours upon hours on. But then, you wouldn't actually be wasting them, but studying! How's that for a little parent/boss/souse justification?

In all seriousness though, the keyboard truly is mightier than the gun. While I don't feel that ALL survival/horror games should use key strokes instead of bullets, The Typing of the Dead is a great, original game that really stands out from the crowd. It's not just another shooter, nor is it just another word game. Don't let the silly (yet appropriate) title turn you off. The Typing of the Dead is an awesome game. It only costs twenty bucks, too. When's the last time you bought a brand-new survival/horror game that was that cheap? More importantly, when's the last time you bought a $20 survival/horror game that was this good? The answer: never. Try it out for yourself and see. But be warned: you may not want to stop playing, even when your fingers are begging you to take a break. If that isn't a sign of a good game then I don't know what is.

Like the arcade and Dreamcast versions, no mouse support is provided, limiting you to menu scrolling via the keyboard, as well as the Alt-F4 combo to quit the game. Despite some localization flaws, the game is innovative and enjoyable, and should appeal to most anyone open-minded enough to give it a try. And, you learn typing skills! Typing of the Dead may be based on a dumb idea, but it's an incredibly fun game nonetheless, with effective subtle, self-deprecating humor that adds a flourish to gameplay.

By far the best thing about The Typing of the Dead is that it actually doubles as a valid typing tutorial program. Maybe it's not on par with Mavis Beacon, but it certainly one that shows you the basics, and facilitates lots of practice for almost any age (it is violent, but mostly it's cartoonish, and the blood is green). Look at it this way, if your kids are going to sit in front of the PC playing video games anyway…

The Typing of the Dead is an unusual game that might not have amazing graphics or sound, but its gameplay is unique and extremely fun. Despite its strange, silly premise, it does have a few explicitly gory sequences--some zombies turn into sloppy messes when shot down, which is why it's an M-rated game. But if you like action-packed games or horror movies, you'll probably enjoy The Typing of the Dead...and even if you don't, you might want to give it a try.

What can one expect out of the game? You’ve got to have some skill at typing to get very far, and on the plus side it does provide a detailed tutorial on how to become an accomplished typist. It has an interesting plot with lots of wandering around shooting off the limbs of the walking dead. However, you shouldn’t expect too much out of the dialogue or the background music. If you are the type of person who loves a challenge, and the horror genre of videogames, then you should go purchase a copy for yourself.

I'm not quite sure what the intended audience is for Typing of the Dead, perhaps those younger individuals who would prefer their typing skills be taught and tested with a little more oomph. Typing of the Dead is a perfectly good typing tutor hidden in a relatively solid action game. It's certainly limiting in some respects, no spaces or capitals required, and it can become a little repetitive as you progress through the levels, but it's entertaining in it's own quirky fashion. Typing of the Dead certainly isn't for everybody, but if you're looking to improve your typing skills and don't mind an environment that fights back, you might want to look into Typing of the Dead by Sega. Now, if only someone could hide my tax program within a game, I might actually get my taxes in on time for once.

Ein schönes Game für zwischendurch mit viel Witz, Action und einem ungewöhnlichen Prinzip. Außerdem dient das Spiel gleichzeitig als Hilfe zum schnellen Tippen. Leider ist die Langzeitmotivation nicht gerade hoch und auch an etwas Abwechslung mangelt es. Horror- und Zombiefreunde können aber ruhig einen Blick riskieren, besonders, da das Spiel uncut erschienen ist.

Sega’s added in plenty of typing drills and extra modes, such as one where you fight all the bosses in the game, one after another. Some of the words you’ll have to type are a bit odd: I’ve seen “unisex codpiece,” “brain douche,” and “male corset.” The game’s genuinely fun — for the first 10 minutes or so, before it gets repetitive. Still, I’d rather play this than Mavis Beacon Typing any day.

Au final, Typing of the Dead est un jeu facile à jouer, extrêmement fun et à la durée de vie fort sympathique avec ses différents modes, ses nombreux classements et sa difficulté bien élevée. En contre-partie, il faut savoir faire abstraction de son calamiteux aspect technique : graphismes... à chier (y'a pas d'autre mot) et mode réseau un peu limite. Un jeu vraiment sympa, mais à la réalisation indécente.

The graphics are pretty poor but, if you're anything like us, you'll spend most of your time looking down at the keys rather than at the screen. TTOTD is probably the first game where, instead of finding cheats on the Net when you get stuck, you need to hire a secretary and, as a typing teaching tool it beats Mavis Beacon to a bloody pulp. After playing, I wrote this review in just under two minutes. Thank God for spellcheckers, though.

The Typing of the Dead is certainly an interesting premise, and for that it gets some s. I don't think that a sheer typing adventure has been done ever. But, the port from the Dreamcast is surely evident, and the game shows its old age in many places. I would like to see this idea in another game, but not one this ancient. It will hold your attention for a short period of time, and then end up on the shelf. And even worse, my hands hurt.

Worte können töten: Eigentlich ja eine ganz witzige Idee, doch der Hauptgedanke bei diesem Spiel ist sicherlich der, Dreamcast-Kunden zum Kauf der zugehörigen Tastatur zu animieren. Nach kurzer Zeit wird das Ganze recht öde, die grafischen Verbesserungen fallen nur Leuten auf, die nicht beim Tippen auf das Keyboard schauen müssen. Hilfreich ist auch nicht gerade das englische Vokabular, das hiesigen Bewohnern einfach nicht so leicht aus den Händen fließt wie Deutsch. Und trotzdem habe ich auf Anhieb drei von sechs Kapiteln geschafft. Das 15 Jahre alte Spielprinzip wirkt außerdem langsam etwas angestaubt.

Der Ansatz von Typing of the Dead ist so schräg wie genial: Schreibmaschinenkurse ersetzt es durch motivierende Action. Wer gewinnen will, muss zügig und treffsicher in die Tasten hauen können. Tutorien, Bewertungen und genaue Tipps helfen. Leider hat sich der Hersteller nicht zu einer Textübersetzung ins Deutsche bequemen können, außerdem wird das Horrospiel erst ab 18 Jahren empfohlen. Als Trainingsprogramm für Tastaturneulinge disqualifiziert es sich somit selbst.

Dumm nur, dass ausschließlich englische Begriffe und Redewendungen auftauchen. Das verlangt heimischen Spielern erheblich mehr Konzentration ab als ihren englischen Leidensgenossen. Auch die müssen mit der strunzhässlichen Grafik leben. Die grob-motorischen Bewegungen verdienen die Bezeichnung Animation nicht. Selbst hart gesottene Zombie-Fans sollten Segas interaktiven Schreibmaschinenkurs meiden.