Thrill Kill

Infobox VG
title = Thrill Kill


developer = Paradox Development
publisher = Virgin Interactive
released =
genre = Fighting
modes = Arcade, Versus, Practice & team
ratings = ESRB: AO18+ (un-edited)
ESRB: M17+ (edited)
platforms = PlayStation
media = CD-ROM
requirements =

"Thrill Kill" is a fighting game that was developed for PlayStation by Paradox Development. It was cancelled by Electronic Arts a few weeks before shipping after EA acquired the original publisher, Virgin Interactive. In a release, EA stated that they didn't want to "publish such a senselessly violent game", as they felt that it would harm their image. They also stated that they deemed the game so offensive that they would not even attempt to sell the game to be released by another publisher either. Later, former employees that had worked on the game released the full game onto the internet, along with various beta versions. All are still widely available through filesharing.

Gameplay consisted of a closed 3D room where up to four opponents would fight to the death, and proceed to finish each other off with "Thrill Kills", much like the fatalities of "Mortal Kombat". Instead of the usual life bar, characters built up a kill meter. Once this meter was full, a player's character could activate a "Thrill Kill" move to brutally slay an opponent.

"Thrill Kill" was considered a technical feat for the PlayStation for allowing four players to fight simultaneously in the same room. The content included revealing BDSM and fetishistic outfits, characters with amputated limbs and other handicaps and violent and sexual moves with names such as "Bitch Slap", "Swallow This", and "Head Muncher".

The "Thrill Kill" engine was later used to make "" (released on October 31, 1999 by Activision) a game based on the rap group Wu-Tang Clan. While violent, "Wu-Tang: Shaolin Style" had less objectionable content than "Thrill Kill", and was poorly received.

The "Thrill Kill" engine was later used in two-player form for ' (released on July 11, 2000 by Activision), ' (released on September 17, 2001 by Activision) and "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots Arena" (released on November 30, 2000 by Mattel).

Game Story

Eight fighters, eight souls. Each has died and descended into Hell - except it is not the classical Dante’s Hell. It is a modern-day Hell based on the real world of today’s deviants. The characters are the physical manifestations of their mental illnesses or vices on earth. Marukka, the God of Secrets, is bored and decided that it would be fun to pit them all against each other with the prize being reincarnation. Each character is battling for nothing more than self-preservation and the hope of being reborn.

Characters

*Belladonna: A housewife and librarian from Savannah, Georgia, who, after discovering that her husband was having an affair with her sister, snapped and transformed into a deadly dominatrix, murdering them both. She is armed with an electric cattle prod. Died after accidentally electrocuting herself while taking a bath.
*Cain: One of the unlockable sub-bosses. A pyromaniac with the ability to manipulate fire.
*Cleetus: A redneck cannibal from Kentucky who fights with a severed leg of one of his past victims. Died from a tapeworm infestation.
*Dr. Faustus: A sadistic serial killer from Los Angeles, California who doubles as a plastic surgeon. He is armed with a scalpel and has a set of metal "jaws" attached to his face that resembles a bear trap. Died from an infection caused by the grafting of the said contraption onto his face.
*The Gimp: Unlockable "training dummy" only available in Practice mode. Like his name suggests, he is a masochistic gimp.
*The Imp: A violent midget with a Napoleon Complex from Albany, New York, who is supported by stilts. Died from complications after amputating both his legs to replace them with the stilts.
*Judas: One of the unlockable sub-bosses. Deformed conjoined twins.
*Mammoth: A distressed postal worker from Covington, Indiana, who, after being pushed too far by his colleagues and customers, transformed into a gigantic, feral, ape-like creature and went on a bloody rampage. Died from a self-inflicted gun wound.
*Marukka: The unlockable final boss of the game. An ancient female demon from a dimension in Hell who was responsible for the organisation of the tournament.
*Oddball: A criminal profiler from Belfast, Maine, who, after a long time of researching serial killers, was driven insane and became one himself. Both his arms are amputated and he is bound by a straitjacket. Died after being gunned down by his protégé.
*Tormentor: A brutal vigilante judge from Phoenix, Arizona, who is armed with a chain whip. Was executed by the electric chair after being found guilty of his own many self-righteous murders of criminals.
*Violet: A disturbed, misandric teenage circus contortionist from Austria. Died from internal injuries after her spinal cord was ruptured.

Reception

In their September 2004 issue, "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine" cited "Thrill Kill" as one of the most overrated canceled games, stating "It got lots of hype. But it really sucked, too." [OPM staff (September 2004). "Overrated/Underrated" ( [http://www.extremecroquet.com/Ziff/Flashwork/UnderOver/overrated.swf SWF transcript] ). "Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine"]

References

External links

* [http://psx.ign.com/articles/123/123823p1.html IGN.com Thrill Kill preview]
* [http://www.angelfire.com/me4/tk/home.html Thrill Kill fansite]