“Evil Dead: Regeneration” is the newest video game spin-off of the similarly titled cult classic horror films. I was skeptical of “Regeneration” because I had been disappointed with the previous games in the series. Yet, I am a die-hard fan of all Bruce Campbell’s misguided films, so I sat down with this installment.

The story picks up shortly after Ash, the protagonist with a never-ending supply of edgy retorts, trades his right hand for a chainsaw. The game closely follows the plot originally laid out in the movies. After a brief introduction, Ash is thrown into chaos at Sunny Meadows. Inside the misnamed overrun asylum, Ash fights the hordes of Deadites with his trusty double-barreled Remington and a chainsaw with a variety of special moves. All of Ash’s signature moves are included here, giving the game some impressive depth. I was extremely impressed the amount of combination moves Ash possess. Each one is an extremely satisfying way to kill the dead, which outstripped anything I expected.

Kill the dead? Is that an oxymoron? No, the entire game revolves around killing the dead, and it is that fact that gives the game a warm and fuzzy feeling. In fact Ash can kill anything he wants to. Ash proves that when he fights his way though the Deadites in an attempt to find Dr. Reinhard, the mad doctor who is unwittingly opening the gateway to the dead. During the adventure, Ash teams up with a half evil midget named Sam. Despite the similarities of short sidekicks, this game is nothing like “Lord of the Rings,” so just forget about it. Together, the duo hopes to escape Sunny Meadows and save the world. Ash also has the extra burden to save his beautiful attorney, if time permits.

Between battles with Deadites and a handful of bosses, Ash is required to solve some puzzles on each level. Most puzzles are simple and provide only a minor distraction from the killing. Later in the game, the puzzles become repetitive and provide little challenge. Yet, with little time spent on discovering the solutions, the story progresses along at a fast pace.

Aiding the speed of the game is a slew of short cut-scenes that load quickly and never drag down the excitement. The scenes give the characters a chance to come alive with outrageous personalities while providing a clear narrative. Overall, the scenes do not have the best graphics, but they are a step up from the standard game-play. Coupled with some great voice acting by Bruce Campbell as Ash, each cut-scene has you laughing and ready to start sawing the dead in half.

The key to “Evil Dead” is that the game does not take itself seriously. All of the exploding bodies and decomposing corpses creates the perfect environment to trade insults with a disfigured miniature sidekick. “Evil Dead” never answers any philosophical questions. Instead, it sticks to what the game is good at, hack and slash game-play with a sarcastic twist.

“Regeneration” exceeds of any of the “Evil Dead” games. It has improved graphics and some of the best dialogue I have ever heard. I even took my time to learn all the combination and finishing moves that the game has to offer, so many that I can’t choose a favorite.

Still, there are some downsides to Ash’s crazy adventure. First of all, the combination moves are not usually necessary and the game never forces the player to adapt. Plus, there are the repetitive puzzles that most gamers will complain through, and not the best camera angles to work with.

Never the less, I will gladly accept all of those flaws for $20. That’s right boys and girls, there are some quality games at inexpensive prices. So the next time you stop in at S-Mart, go ahead and check this game out. Even if you have never seen any of the “Evil Dead” movies, “Regeneration” definitely fulfills the id side of our psyches.