Nightmare Creatures

🎮 PlayStation ⏳ 10 hours ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

A Distinctive Horror #

This title is a dark and atmospheric action-horror game that stands out as one of the more distinctive titles of its time. Set in a grim, gothic version of 19th-century London, the game has two main playable characters you can choose from, Ignatius or Nadia. The main plotline has you fighting your way through the city while investigating a mysterious outbreak of horrific creatures. Its combination of grotesque monsters, and violent melee combat gives it an identity that still feels unusual among PlayStation games. It is not a standout for modern standards, since videogames have become more and more violent over time, but for the average level of gore of the times of this release, it was definitely a ground-breaking feature.

Gothic London #

The atmosphere is easily one of the game’s strongest features, London is presented as a filthy, fog-covered nightmare filled with abandoned streets, dark alleys, graveyards, and sinister buildings. And this is not just for the mood, but also because of technical limitations of the time, similar to the SIlent HIll fog. The creature designs are similarly memorable, ranging from twisted humanoid monsters to larger and more grotesque enemies. There are some common enemies such as zombies and warewolves, but the majority of them are very original in comparison. But what make all of them standout is their design, which makes them way more grotesque than anything up until that era. Rather than relying entirely on jump scares, it creates tension through its oppressive environments.

Brutal Combat #

Combat is the main focus of the gameplay, and it is much more action-oriented than traditional survival horror. The characters can use a variety of weapons and perform brutal attacks, giving encounters a satisfying sense of impact. There is a certain rhythm to fighting groups of enemies, and learning how to dodge and attack effectively becomes important as the game progresses. One of the highlights is that you can lock-on to enemies similar to modern titles such as Dark Souls, which was very complex at the time. You even have a variety of combos that you can make, mixing light and heavy attacks, that has become quite common nowadays. However, the combat can also be frustrating, the controls are noticeably dated, and the camera can sometimes work against the player. These problems are typical of many early 3D PlayStation games, but they can make it feel less polished than its atmosphere suggests.

Gothic Visual Style #

The game also benefits from its visual style, it clearly draws inspiration from gothic horror and Victorian-era fiction, but it combines those influences with a much more aggressive and gruesome presentation. For those unaware it can absolutely look like a retro version of Bloodborne, but it is obviously the other way around. Blood, mutilated enemies, dark laboratories, and supernatural imagery give the game a surprisingly intense tone for a console title from when it was released. The soundtrack and sound effects complement this atmosphere well, helping the streets of London feel hostile even when nothing is immediately attacking the player. The OST is very melancholic, similar to the first Resident Evil titles, making the already very grim atmosphere become quite a horror game feeling, even more than an action one.

Limited Depth #

Where this game is less impressive is in its depth and variety, the story is mostly there to provide context for moving from one horrifying location to another, and the gameplay loop can become repetitive after extended sessions. In order to mitigate this I recommend focusing on using the side-weapons, which can help a lot make the combat less repetitive. I don’t really consider it to be a survival-horror title, but it sometimes tries to be. And judging it on this regard, it lacks some of the exploration, puzzle-solving, and narrative complexity that would become more common in the genre. Its strengths are much more immediate, fighting monsters, exploring creepy environments, and enjoying its distinctive visual style. The most complex puzzle you’ll get here is where to find the next lever.

A Retro Classic #

Despite these limitations, the first Nightmare Creatures title remains an interesting example of how developers experimented with horror during the early era of 3D gaming. It does not have the same refinement as Resident Evil, but it offers something more focused on violent action and monster hunting. Its atmosphere and creature designs give it a personality that many technically superior games lack. It was quite an unique title for the time, and I still consider it a very iconic videogame, and even more when it comes to its experience. You can see a clip of this game and immediately recognize it, not so impressive for today’s standards, but it is definitely a retro classic, and a must play on this regard if you enjoy old game design.

Flawed but Memorable #

Overall, this game is a flawed but memorable PlayStation horror game, its dated controls and repetitive combat prevent it from being a masterpiece, but the combination of gothic London, grotesque enemies, dark environments, and brutal action makes it worth revisiting. Particularly this was the first time that I played this, outside of the first few minutes when I was a kid, and simply couldn’t go any further because I was too scared to do so. For those interested in obscure 1990s horror games or the darker side of the original PlayStation library, it is a particularly atmospheric piece of the era.