This year we’re putting together a list of 31 Retro Horror games. Games that have come from dead console generations, back to haunt us. Sadly, not all of these games will be available for you to play due to the complicated nature of video game preservation. However, we’re going to note if it’s possible to play them on modern hardware. We’re going to be covering games from the Seventh Generation (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii) and earlier. So basically anything before 2006.
Day 12
Nightmare Creatures
Nightmare Creatures is a bit of an obscure title these days. Taking place in the early 1800s, in Nightmare Creatures, you take control of two distinct monster hunters as you do battle against (surprise) nightmarish creatures in London. Your goal is to put an end to Adam Crowley’s (based on real life Allister Crowley) devious machinations that have unleashed these monsters.
While it was pretty well reviewed on its release, Nightmare Creatures, as a series, never lasted beyond a single sequel. And that’s too bad, because the closest I’ve seen a game come to Nightmare Creatures thematically and gameplay-wise is Bloodborne. I’m not saying that Nightmare Creatures is comparable to Fromsoftware’s ultra tight style combat–as Nightmare Creatures has very arcade brawler-y combat–but no game has quite the same combination of gaslight and night fright.
Nightmare Creatures does have a few things that might make it annoying to modern audiences, and one of those things is its adrenaline system. If you spend too long between fights, your adrenaline can run down which makes you lose health rapidly until you die. It’s a bit of a bummer that mars an otherwise fantastic title–but with patience and gumption it’s something that can be overcome. In fact, I didn't even remember the adrenaline system until I did research for this article–and I know I played through Nightmare Creatures a few times.
If you want a chance to try out Nightmare Creatures for yourself you’re going to have some trouble. Unless you have access to retro hardware, like an original PlayStation or Nintendo 64, there just isn’t a way to play this retro horror classic. That might be because, despite its success, Nightmare Creatures failed to launch into a franchise, and is currently destined to sit in old media limbo.
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