Regeneration has the whole B-movie theme going on while backing it up with fun combat and two very memorable characters.
Oh yeah, and Bruce Campbell reprises his role as Ash. HELLZ YEAH.
Ash knows a lot about firearms, and as such, he's somehow surpassed the need for ammo. Ash's classic combination of shotgun and chainsaw - without the need for bullets and petrol - is a timeless combo which further enhances the timeless combos available in the game. Ash has a whole book of acrobatic death dealers which definitely beats the Necronomicon's liberal views on necrophilia. Also available is a wide, imaginative variety of weapons, including a harpoon which draws far-away enemies in for a hug followed by a faceful of shotgun, a flamethrower and a frickin' handheld rocket launcher: the Boomstick. Everyone who plays this game - and enjoys it - will probably develop their own weapon combos and fighting styles, but for a game with such simple combat, albeit one with plenty of crazy combos and fancy finishers, fighting zeds in the backwoods of America is great fun. However, one criticism of the game is that, although the weaponry may change, the enemies never do - there are a variety of Zs to battle, but all are similar in terms of difficulty; don't look for a setting which ramps up the action, either.
I've got to mention Sam, too, the undead bundle of fun you pal up with at the end of the second level. For a midget, Sam offers some very interesting combat capabilities. Generally, while you're circle-strafing and blunting the blade of the chainsaw, he'll be pulling the heads of the zeds making them even more deads. He's also kickable, meaning that you can, uh, redirect him on the fly. When Sam dies, he just drags his midget body out of the ground, meaning that he's invincible, bless him - this also means that he's a perfect dummy for some fun with strategically-placed industrial machinery. Sam can also be used to solve a lot of the game's many puzzles: he can climb through small spaces, he can be possessed at certain points in the game, and he can ride massive Deadite behemoths in hilarious style. All this culminates to ensure that Sam is a lot of fun; he adds a lot to a game which is charmingly meat-and-potatoes in its approach.
Another innovation - which, admittedly, is fairly useless - is Ash's 'Rage', which makes itself apparent in the first level of the game and doesn't come back until fairly far into the game, although you'll never feel its absence as the game is really on the easy side. Ash's Rage meter fills up gradually as enemies fall and Deadites get chopped - then, if you feel like you're struggling, or you just fancy some laughs, activate Rage for increased damage and badass music.
The script is a major selling-point of the game. The casual banter which occurs between Ash and Sam is hilarious, and Sam constantly spouts his comedic drivel while Ash pleads with him to shut up - Ash shows a false hate towards Sam which betrays a true friendship as the game goes on. Ted Raimi is cast expertly as the little guy, and something about his distinctive voice makes Sam the best sidekick I have ever had the pleasure to progress through a (fairly lengthy) game with.
Graphically, Evil Dead: Regeneration is not so great. Textures are muddy, objects in the distance are occasionally too sharp, but the frame rate never slows down and animations are handled well. Each area, however, is distinctive and has a certain sort of character all of its own. The sound is pretty decent, subtle ambient music which is replaced by catchy guitar riffs in scenes of certain action, such as when Ash possesses Sam or Ash becomes Evil Ash.
In conclusion, Evil Dead: Regeneration deserves to be a cult classic, but isn't. It truly inhabits its own little niche making it nothing like I've ever played before, and tight scriptwriting, fun action and light puzzles make me wonder why more games aren't like Regeneration. At sub-bargain bin prices Evil Dead: Regeneration is a game to be picked up and played, even if you're not a fan of the film series it's based on. Bruce Campbell commands you.