Welcome back to London, 1934, where Adam Crowley-the man with a penchant for all things dark and creepy-has decided that one set of mutant creatures just wasn't enough. Spoiler alert: He's up to no good. In this sequel, we pick up with Herbert Wallace, who's clearly too optimistic about the situation. Armed with nothing but an axe (which, honestly, doesn't seem like the best choice against zombies), it's time to hack and slash our way through the chaos before someone inevitably calls the local exterminator. Will our hero come out on top or wind up as monster chow? Let's find out!
Gameplay follows the tried and true survival horror formula: explore, fight, and scream like a little baby when a mutant pops out of nowhere. The game ditches the adrenaline bar from its predecessor, which is either a blessing or a missed opportunity, depending on how much you like your adrenaline fix. Instead, it adds fatality moves, giving a shoutout to Mortal Kombat fans, who might just want to try that trick at home, in a highly discouraged way, of course. Herbert is the only playable character this time around, robbing us of the joy of switching to a monster mid-game-a feature that was beloved and also gave me some existential thoughts about how we'd all fare in such a reality. Armed with his axe, you'll navigate through various environments, fight zombies, and more zombies, and probably forget where you left your keys... but you know, that might just be me.
Visually, Nightmare Creatures II does pretty well for a PlayStation game released in 2000. The graphics have a hint of charm-if your definition of charm consists of ghoulish figures shuffling around in semi-realistic proportions. The character models are serviceable, and let's be honest, as long as the zombies look like they've seen better days, we are good to go. The environments give off a 'screaming in terror' kind of vibe-dark, moody, and just begging for an overly dramatic soundtrack. Lighting effects occasionally dive-bomb into territory that looks like it was rendered during a blackout, but hey, it adds to the atmosphere, right?
In conclusion, Nightmare Creatures II is like that quirky friend who's not quite normal but offers some solid fun and unintentional laughs-just don't let your parents find out you're hanging out with it. It has its issues, sure, with its awkward gameplay mechanics and sometimes frustrating controls, but for fans of the genre or nostalgia freaks with a proclivity toward virtual axe swinging, it's worth diving into. Besides, nothing says 'good time' quite like hacking your way through stretching arms from the undead while repeatedly questioning your life choices. If you're looking for a solid horror experience on the PlayStation, you could do a lot worse. So grab your axe, and prepare for some mutant chaos... just don't forget the health potions!
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Crow Country on PS4
Tormented Souls on PS5
The Forest on PS4
Crow Country on Xbox Series X/S
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