Van Helsing (video game)

Van Helsing
Developer(s) Saffire Corporation
Publisher(s) Vivendi Universal Games (North America)
Sierra Entertainment (PAL)
Platform(s) PlayStation 2
Xbox
Game Boy Advance
Mobile phone
Release
  • NA: May 6, 2004
  • EU: May 7, 2004 (Xbox)
  • EU: May 14, 2004 (GBA, PS2)
  • NA: May 20, 2004 (Mobile)
  • AU: 2004 (Xbox)
  • JP: September 9, 2004 (PS2)
Genre(s) Third-person shooter
Mode(s) Single player

Van Helsing is a third-person shooter for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Game Boy Advance and Mobile phone, which is based on the 2004 action/horror film of the same name by Stephen Sommers. Starting off with the killing of Mr. Hyde in Paris, one must use the character of Van Helsing to hunt down Dracula in Transylvania. The character of Carl is completely missing from the video game but to reasonable accuracy, the characters of Anna Valerious, Velkan Valerious, Igor, Dracula and his three brides are portrayed as in the movie.

Van Helsing is able to pick up various weapons, some similar to the ones in the movie to complete the quest. Each weapon, except the elephant gun, has its own ammunition upgrades similar to Capcom's Devil May Cry series in gameplay. An ammo bar indicates how much of the upgraded ammo can be used. Regular ammo is unlimited and use of regular ammo increases the amount of upgraded ammo length. Van Helsing can collect up to three life replenishers, three ammo replenishers and three speed boosts. After every five kills, Van Helsing is able to perform a "finishing move" which will kill the sixth enemy with one hit. Special enemies such as any of the brides, Velkan the werewolf, Dracula or Igor have no response to a finishing move. The list of enemies that Van Helsing encounters during the length of the game include skeletons, flying skulls, small werewolves, skeletons armed with swords, bats, Dracula's children, stone statues, gargoyles, Giant Black Owls, Rusalkas, Dwergi, etc. along with the main enemies.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GBAmobilePS2Xbox
EdgeN/AN/AN/A5/10[1]
EGMN/AN/A6.5/10[2]6.5/10[2]
EurogamerN/AN/A6/10[3]N/A
FamitsuN/AN/A29/40[4]N/A
Game InformerN/AN/A7/10[5]7/10[5]
Game RevolutionN/AN/AD+[6]D+[6]
GameSpot2.2/10[7]N/A6.9/10[8]6.9/10[8]
GameSpy[9][10][11][12]
GameZone3.2/10[13]N/A7.7/10[14]7.9/10[15]
IGN2.5/10[16]6/10[17]6.5/10[18]6.5/10[18]
Nintendo Power2.4/5[19]N/AN/AN/A
OPM (US)N/AN/A[20]N/A
OXM (US)N/AN/AN/A6.3/10[21]
MaximN/AN/A6/10[22]6/10[22]
Aggregate scores
GameRankings37%[23]40%[24]69%[25]69%[26]
Metacritic33/100[27]N/A64/100[28]63/100[29]

The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions received "mixed" reviews, while the Game Boy Advance version received "unfavorable" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[27][28][29] In Japan, Famitsu gave the PS2 version a score of three sevens and one eight for a total of 29 out of 40.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Edge staff (July 2004). "Van Helsing (Xbox)". Edge (138): 108.
  2. 1 2 EGM staff (July 2004). "Van Helsing (PS2, Xbox)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (180): 92.
  3. ↑ Fahey, Rob (May 28, 2004). "Van Helsing (PS2)". Eurogamer. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Van Helsing (PS2)". Famitsu. 822. September 17, 2004.
  5. 1 2 Mason, Lisa (July 2004). "Van Helsing (PS2, Xbox)". Game Informer (135): 114. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  6. 1 2 Dodson, Joe (June 2, 2004). "Van Helsing Review (PS2, Xbox)". Game Revolution. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  7. ↑ Provo, Frank (May 20, 2004). "Van Helsing Review (GBA)". GameSpot. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  8. 1 2 Kasavin, Greg (May 18, 2004). "Van Helsing Review (PS2, Xbox)". GameSpot. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  9. ↑ Klepek, Patrick (May 30, 2004). "GameSpy: Van Helsing (GBA)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on January 8, 2006. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  10. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (June 28, 2004). "GameSpy: Van Helsing (Cell)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on November 9, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  11. ↑ Steinberg, Steve (May 26, 2004). "GameSpy: Van Helsing (PS2)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on October 30, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  12. ↑ Steinberg, Steve (May 26, 2004). "GameSpy: Van Helsing (Xbox)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 23, 2005. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  13. ↑ Tha Wiz (June 8, 2004). "Van Helsing - GBA - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 23, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  14. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (May 19, 2004). "Van Helsing - PS2 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  15. ↑ The Bearer (May 25, 2004). "Van Helsing - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on September 18, 2008. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  16. ↑ IGN staff (May 26, 2004). "Van Helsing (GBA)". IGN. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  17. ↑ Buchanan, Levi (May 20, 2004). "Van Helsing (Cell)". IGN. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  18. 1 2 Lewis, Ed (May 7, 2004). "Van Helsing (Xbox, PS2)". IGN. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Van Helsing". Nintendo Power. 182: 123. August 2004.
  20. ↑ Nguyen, Thierry (July 2004). "Van Helsing". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Archived from the original on June 21, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  21. ↑ "Van Helsing". Official Xbox Magazine: 78. August 2004.
  22. 1 2 Porter, Alex (May 6, 2004). "Van Helsing (PS2, Xbox)". Maxim. Archived from the original on May 28, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
  23. ↑ "Van Helsing for Game Boy Advance". GameRankings. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  24. ↑ "Van Helsing for Mobile". GameRankings. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Van Helsing for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  26. ↑ "Van Helsing for Xbox". GameRankings. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  27. 1 2 "Van Helsing for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  28. 1 2 "Van Helsing for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  29. 1 2 "Van Helsing for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
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