Nightmare Creatures

"Even this many years after it's initial release, this game still offers some pleasant surprises...and comes with the expected downfalls."

I remembered playing Nightmare Creatures when it first came out -- way, way back in the day, when the Playstation was fresh and new and just really beginning to burst onto the scene.
The game challenged me then, and, even after this many years it still managed to give me some obstacles...although some of them weren't exactly the pleasant type.
Bottom line, you may ask? Well, the controls, for the most part, are complete and utter crap. This will quickly become apparent during your first boss battle, if not before then when you spend about five minutes positioning yourself to pick up an item.
Honestly, I like to blame most of this games control faults on its age, although, I'm sure the controls were never that great to begin with. The game is still playable, to an extent, and with a load of practice, the control (or sometimes lack of) can be basically mastered, at least enough to beat the game.
What really makes Nightmare Creatures something worth looking into is the story and the environment/atmosphere, both of which are unique and chilling. Fighting such a legendarily evil figure as Crowley is a twist of pure genius, and I must admit I liked reading the text that illustrates the plot line between levels. Also, the actual gameplay environment is genuinely terrifying -- as in almost Silent Hill-terrifying at times, which is saying a lot. Freaky noises and hellish creatures, along with loads of darkness, makes a game that you won't soon want to play alone in the dark.
On top of that, the game is extremely difficult, even on its "easy" setting, and you'll find that you really need to practice your dodging and striking when it comes to combat -- button-mashing doesn't really do much for a lot of the enemies in this game, although you'll wish it did when you run into your first creature of the night.
All in all however, people will tire quickly of the controls in this game, and will end up overlooking the genuine terror factor that comes with playing this game. Thats a shame, considering Nightmare Creatures is a game all of its own, even though it is from very early in the lifespan of the original Playstation console.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 08/05/04