1992年，Namco 在Mega Drive／Genesis主機上推出《鬼屋冒險 2》。這是承接街機原作《Splatterhouse》的家用機原創續作，延續前作殘酷陰鬱的世界觀，以更瘋狂的畫面與音效展現其血腥特色；而在操作上，依然忠於橫向捲軸動作遊戲的直觀手感。身形魁梧的青年Rick Taylor，於地獄與現世交錯的空間中搏殺，隨著一步步走向禁忌深淵，只為再次找回自己摯愛的Jennifer。

故事發生在前作事件三個月後。Rick因無法救回Jennifer而夜夜被噩夢折磨，他以為惡夢早已落幕，但某天深夜，曾經背叛他的詛咒面具——地獄面具——再度出現在他眼前。那低沉而帶著誘惑性的聲音告訴他：Jennifer並沒有死，如果想救回她，就必須回到那個可怕的地方。於是Rick按照面具的指引返回焚毀後的West Mansion，但真正的目的地其實是隱藏在廢墟深處的「新館」，據說那裡藏有復活Jennifer的禁忌儀式。Rick再一次戴上面具，重新獲得異常的力量，卻也因此被牽引回亡魂聚集、腐肉蠕動、邪神氣息四溢的黑暗領域。

Rick在前進途中找到Dr. West的研究手記，其中記載著通往「死之世界」的入口。當他終於打開通往彼岸的大門時，Jennifer的靈魂果然在門的另一端等著他，卻在瞬間被惡靈拖入地獄深處。Rick為了追趕她的靈魂，被迫踏入死者的國度。在那裡等待他的，不僅是由無數受害者融合而成的怪物，還有純粹的怨念，以及潛伏於黑暗深處的邪惡之源。最終Rick打碎囚禁Jennifer的水晶牢籠，帶著她逃離死界，在崩塌中的mansion裡殺出一條血路。然而在故事最後，一張猙獰的惡鬼面孔自湖面竄出，伴隨著Jennifer的尖叫聲，意味著真正的結束仍遠未到來，也為第三集埋下伏筆。

在操作與玩法方面，承襲前作最具代表性的沉重打擊感。依然不能做出複雜技能，也沒有華麗的連段攻擊，能倚仗的只有拳擊、踢擊、跳踢、滑踢，以及在場景中拾起的各式武器。正因為這份限制，本作呈現出仿如老派恐怖電影般的強烈重量感，每一次攻擊都像是與怪物肉身硬碰硬。共有八個橫向關卡，每一關都遍布陷阱、腐爛怪物、實驗體、死靈與幽魂。場景往往陰暗潮濕，有時甚至刻意降低可視度，讓壓迫感更為強烈。

武器數量雖不多，卻各具個性。鐵棍與巨大骨頭帶來鈍重的破壞力；剪刀與電鋸會先攻擊Rick，本人奪下後才能反擊；霰彈槍威力極大，幾乎可秒殺多數敵人，但全遊戲僅出現一次；化學瓶則對特定怪物特別有效；而某些關卡甚至能從怪物身上扯下頭顱作為武器，或在湖上用船槳拍飛來襲的生物。這些武器組合在一起，使本作的暴力美學既直接又強烈，畫面也幾乎達到Mega Drive的表現極限。系統層面則包括難度調整、生命值上限的變化、通關後的回復方式，以及僅海外版存在的密碼系統。整體玩法雖然簡單，但透過敵人類型的變化與場景陷阱的排列，使遊戲流程始終緊張且具挑戰性。

在氛圍營造上比前作更加陰暗沉重。場景佈滿血漬、屍塊、怪胎標本與鬼臉，潮濕腐臭的水道彼此連接，整體風格彷彿融合B級恐怖電影與八十年代重金屬專輯封面般的狂野氣質。每個關卡都具備鮮明的視覺風格，例如焦黑廢墟中仍在蠕動的屍體、迷霧中浮現怪異臉孔的地下道、充滿活體器官的屠宰屋、被邪靈佔據的森林、藏著恐怖秘密的古老書庫、陳列改造生命體的研究室，以及最終通往死界的銀盤祭壇。各關尾端的首領同樣令人不安，從突變蜘蛛到活化的家具、由畸形胎兒組成的怪物、再到地獄深處的怨靈，每個都極具壓迫感。

遊戲推出後在市場上獲得兩極評價。保守派媒體批評其暴力過度、畫面噁心且缺乏教育價值，但喜愛恐怖題材的玩家卻將它視為Mega Drive最具個性的黑暗作品之一。許多玩家稱讚本作的美術風格鮮明、打擊感沉重、武器使用爽快、整體氛圍出色，故事也比前作更加完整。然而也有玩家指出其操作偏硬派、敵人攻勢強烈、難度較高，技巧性不算精細，更多是硬碰硬的挑戰。儘管如此，仍憑藉獨特的風格成為恐怖動作遊戲中的經典，甚至在2008年被收入Wii Virtual Console，再度證明其在粉絲間長期不墜的魅力。

總的來說，《鬼屋冒險 2》雖然以血腥與噁心著稱，但核心卻是一段扭曲而悲壯的愛情故事。Rick為拯救Jennifer，不惜再次接受惡魔的力量，踏入死之國度，承受常人難以想像的恐懼與痛苦。這份「以愛為名的暴力」讓整個故事增添深度，也讓Splatterhouse系列在恐怖動作遊戲中始終佔有獨一無二的位置。

In 1992, Namco released Splatterhouse 2 for the Mega Drive/Genesis. As a home-console original sequel to the arcade title Splatterhouse, it continued the series’ brutal and oppressive atmosphere, intensifying its grotesque visuals and sound design while retaining the intuitive, side-scrolling action that defined the original. Players once again take on the role of the hulking Rick Taylor, battling through realms where the living world overlaps with hell itself. Step by step, Rick descends into forbidden depths, driven by a single purpose: to save his beloved Jennifer.

The story begins three months after the events of the first game. Rick, tormented nightly by nightmares of his failure to save Jennifer, believes the horror is finally behind him—until one night, the cursed Hell Mask that once betrayed him reappears before his eyes. Speaking in a deep, seductive voice, it claims that Jennifer is not dead, and that if Rick truly wishes to save her, he must return to the place where it all began. Following the mask’s guidance, Rick returns to the ruins of West Mansion. But the true destination lies deeper within the wreckage: the hidden “New Mansion,” where a forbidden ritual capable of reviving Jennifer is said to exist. Donning the mask once again, Rick regains his unnatural strength, but is also drawn back into a nightmarish realm infested with restless spirits, writhing flesh, and the lingering presence of ancient evil.

Along the way, Rick discovers Dr. West’s research notes, which describe an entrance to the “Land of the Dead.” When he finally opens the door to the world beyond, Jennifer’s spirit is indeed waiting for him—only to be seized by malevolent forces and pulled into the depths of hell in an instant. Determined to reclaim her soul, Rick plunges into the domain of the dead. Awaiting him are monstrosities formed from fused victims, manifestations of pure malice, and the primal source of darkness lurking deep below. Rick eventually shatters the crystal prison containing Jennifer and escapes the netherworld with her, fighting his way through the collapsing mansion. Yet in the closing moments, a demonic face bursts from the surface of the lake accompanied by Jennifer’s scream—an ominous sign that the nightmare is far from over, and a clear foreshadowing of the third installment.

In terms of gameplay, Splatterhouse 2 retains the signature weight and impact of its predecessor. Rick has no elaborate moves or intricate combos; he relies solely on punches, kicks, jump kicks, slides, and whatever weapons he can grab from the environment. This intentional simplicity reinforces the feeling of old-school horror movie brutality—each blow feels like flesh crashing against flesh. Across eight side-scrolling stages, players face traps, rotting creatures, failed experiments, specters, and undead horrors. The environments are dark, wet, and often obscured by low visibility, creating a suffocating sense of dread.

Though the number of weapons is limited, each has distinct personality. Iron clubs and giant bones deliver heavy blunt force; scissors and chainsaws initially attack Rick but can be taken and used against foes; the shotgun deals overwhelming damage and can kill most enemies instantly, yet appears only once in the entire game; chemical bottles work especially well on particular monsters; and in some stages, Rick can rip off an enemy’s head to use as a weapon, or swat creatures aside with an oar while crossing the lake. Combined, these weapons form a visceral and violent aesthetic, pushing the Mega Drive hardware to its limits. The game systems include difficulty adjustments, changes to maximum health, recovery mechanics after clearing stages, and a password feature exclusive to overseas versions. Despite its simple controls, the varied enemy types and trap layouts maintain constant tension and challenge.

The atmosphere is darker and heavier than in the first game. The locales are covered with bloodstains, severed limbs, grotesque specimens, tormented faces, and damp, decaying tunnels. The overall look resembles a blend of B-movie horror and 1980s heavy metal album art. Each stage has a striking visual identity: charred ruins where corpses still wriggle, underground passages filled with ghostly faces drifting through fog, slaughterhouses overflowing with living organs, forests haunted by malevolent spirits, ancient libraries hiding terrifying secrets, research labs lined with mutated organisms, and finally, a silver sacrificial platform leading into the underworld. Bosses at the end of each stage are equally unsettling, ranging from mutated spiders to haunted furniture, malformed fetus-creatures, and vengeful spirits from the abyss.

Upon release, Splatterhouse 2 received polarized reactions. Conservative media condemned it as excessively violent, grotesque, and devoid of moral value. Horror fans, however, embraced it as one of the Mega Drive’s most memorable dark-themed titles. Many praised its bold art direction, weighty combat, satisfying weapon use, intense atmosphere, and a narrative more cohesive than that of the first game. Others criticized the stiff controls, aggressive enemy patterns, and high difficulty, arguing that the combat offered limited technical depth and relied more on brute endurance. Even so, its unique identity secured its place as a cult classic within the horror-action genre. Its inclusion in the Wii Virtual Console in 2008 further demonstrated its enduring popularity among fans.

Ultimately, Splatterhouse 2, despite its reputation for gore and grotesquery, is at its core a twisted yet tragic love story. Rick, driven by the desperate desire to save Jennifer, willingly embraces demonic power and ventures into the land of the dead, enduring horrors beyond imagination. This “violence in the name of love” adds emotional depth to the grisly imagery and helps cement Splatterhouse as a distinctive and lasting presence within horror action games.