The House of the Dead is a 1996 horror-themed light gun shooter arcade game developed by Sega AM1 and released by Sega. It is the first game in the House of the Dead series. Players assume the role of agents Thomas Rogan and "G" as they combat an army of undead experiments created by Dr. Curien a mad scientist. The game was developed for over a year on the Sega Model 2 arcade hardware. Targeting an adult audience AM1 devised a story and atmosphere inspired by Western horror films. AM1's plans for detailed environments non-linear level designs and a gory aesthetic were challenged – and often limited – by the Model 2 hardware and other factors.