Rise of Nightmares

 Xbox 360
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Sep 6, 2011
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 56
  3. Negative: 14 out of 56
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  1. Cheat Code Central
    Sep 14, 2011
    46
    If you get through it once, you won't want to re-live the experience.
  2. 1UP
    Sep 9, 2011
    42
    Average at best, and a shining example of a control scheme struggling to find its strengths in a full game.
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Nov 15, 2011
    40
    An excellent example of Kinect limitations – frustrating controls with an annoying delay in this case make Nightmares a forgettable piece with gore scenes and plenty of obscure weapons. [Nov 2011]
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  5. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Nov 14, 2011
    40
    It's quickly frustrating. [Issue#77, p.91]
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  6. XGN
    Sep 27, 2011
    40
    Rise of Nightmares was supposed to be a great game with excellent Kinect controls that was perfect for the hardcore gamers. However, due to poorly developed controls, Rise of Nightmares is a failed project.
  7. Edge Magazine
    Sep 13, 2011
    40
    The bottom line is that Rise Of Nightmares isn't as engaging or exciting as AM1's established brand. It's also too adult in its content to appeal to the younger users who might enjoy its gimmicky use of Kinect.
  8. VideoGamer
    Sep 13, 2011
    40
    On the one hand it's a bold attempt at creating a real action adventure game using your body as a controller, but on the other it's an awkward, ugly mess that doesn't use its horror setting nearly as well as it should.
  9. Metro GameCentral
    Sep 8, 2011
    40
    An admirable attempt to create a 'real' game for Kinect, but despite the simple arcade style gameplay the technology just can't keep up.
  10. IGN
    Sep 7, 2011
    40
    The ironic thing about Rise of Nightmares is that the control scheme is so basic it comes off feeling like a game for kids, when it tries so damn hard not to be. Even if you like the novelty of chopping off undead heads longer than I did, a bad horror game is a bad horror game. And Rise of Nightmares is a monster.
  11. GamesRadar+
    Sep 6, 2011
    40
    Could have been a passable romp through a zombie-infested castle of terror, but the frustrating controls, lack of horror elements, and sub-par presentation make it a game that's difficult to recommend, especially for the mature audience it's meant for.
  12. GamePro
    Sep 6, 2011
    40
    If the game had been as unique as the controls, and it didn't just try to directly map first-person action gameplay onto a less responsive format, Rise of Nightmares could have been something pretty special. This game may not be that great, but it shows that the Kinect itself has potential.
  13. XboxAddict
    Oct 10, 2011
    33
    Rise of Nightmares suffers from the syndrome of great ideas but poor execution.
  14. Gamekult
    Sep 12, 2011
    30
    Quotation forthcoming.
  15. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Sep 9, 2011
    30
    The lobotomised, slash-block combat is the final straw. Rise of Nightmares offers nothing in the way of action, puzzles, intelligence, or maturity. It's a heartbreakingly lame way to kickstart the adult Kinect genre.

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
45
#45 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

User Reviews

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User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 48 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 48
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 48
  3. Negative: 5 out of 48
  1. JCat
    Sep 10, 2011
    8
    I have to agree with the higher critic scores on this one. Let me start by saying, this is a Kinect game like no other. The story is cliche,I have to agree with the higher critic scores on this one. Let me start by saying, this is a Kinect game like no other. The story is cliche, with over the top acting, but that never stopped the Resident Evil series from being loved to death. Besides, what's a campy horror flick without bad acting? Maybe we should inform some "professional reviewers" that this isn't Hamlet: The game. The graphics are dark and foreboding, like they should be --- with shades of browns, rusts, gold and a ton of blood red; actually, make that a more than a ton. Rise of Nightmares seems like part Saw, part House on Haunted Hill(the awful remake) and a "rail-less" House of the Dead. There's even a creepy sprinkling of Silent Hill here and there, but don't expect any type of complex adventure which sets that series apart. The sounds are disturbing, with moans, groans, screams of torture, footsteps, clangs, electric shocks and much more, backed by a wonderfully eerie music selection.
    The gore in RON is generally over the top, though there are a few scenes which I found disturbing, and as for being scary? Well, at moments it actually can be! Go ahead, play it at night on a big screen with the lights out; raise the volume and make sure you don't have on dark clothes so the sensor can find you in the darkness. Now, don't tell me you won't feel tense as you turn each corner. Not to mention, the game does have few jump scenes which were gladly welcomed. Perhaps those complaining about it not being scary should try not playing it with the sun shining into their room or at a dorm party with six drunk dudes. The controls seem to be an issue for some reviewers, yet according to the real audience, they're working out fine. Now and then, I had a bit of trouble backing up or turning - but for the most part, I've been plowing through this horror ride, kicking all sorts of zombie flat butt without a problem. If you're really stuck, you can use the auto icon by raising your right hand, allowing the game to walk for you. It won't help with encounters, but it aids in getting out of weird spots or when you're feeling disoriented. Your arm will tire quickly, which I feel is a good thing, otherwise, you'd be using it throughout the whole game. There are lots of weapons to find which is part of the fun, especially when the more devastating weapons come in to play. When you find something like an ice tong or chainsaw, you can't help thinking - oh man, they are SO dead now...well, dead for good this time. Think about this... instead of pressing a button the conventional way, you mimic the motions of actually holding one of these babies. Trust me, it's very satisfying, but you didn't read that here. Sadly, weapons wear down with use, so you've got to find a new one soon or you'll be fighting with your hands and feet. Speaking of feet, I love how the Kinect senses your foot as you kick a zombie down while preparing to slice and dice. It also gives you a second to breath while other zombies are lunging at you. Overall, I'm loving Rise of Nightmares, though admittedly, I'm more of a fan of subtle creepiness over gore. Sega's mature rated release is easily the most interactive on the Kinect yet, utilizing a host of clever, immersive gestures that help keep the game from feeling repetitive. Rise of Nightmares is what Kinect is all about, and hopefully, will pave the way to even grander scale games which will utilize this device in more innovative ways. Bravo for taking the risk, Sega!    … Full Review »
  2. Xabong
    Dec 18, 2011
    9
    Rise of Nightmares was my surprise of the year, hands down. These days, games with metascores in the 50s are increasingly rare, so I did notRise of Nightmares was my surprise of the year, hands down. These days, games with metascores in the 50s are increasingly rare, so I did not have the highest expectations. After spending a couple hours with it a couple nights ago, I walked away with the impression that despite the awfully dated graphics, the game has a very refreshing, oddball charm that is almost totally absent in most big-budget games. The atmosphere is just like that of a twisted b-movie and the sound design is absolutely excellent. I also admired the game's ambition for trying to be a 3D action game controlled entirely with kinect. That said, I found the controls just a bit too awkward and clumsy for me to really enjoy playing the game for an extended period so I figured I probably wouldn't go to the effort to move the couch out of the way to play it again anytime soon. The next day, however, I woke up really wanting to give the game another chance and a couple marathon sessions later, I have now finished it... absolutely loved it. Aside from one unfortunate instance where I was impaled by spikes during a QTE because the kinect did not register the fact that I was, in fact, jumping backwards to dodge them (and had to replay 10 minutes of zombie-bashing to get back to that point), I actually came to really like the way the game controls. If you are having problems with it, I recommend playing the game on easy as well as going into the menu and tinkering around with the sensitivity options. I feel like this is such a fresh, unique gaming experience that it's a shame that it will probably end up being sorely over-looked by most due to the time it takes for one to adjust to the controls. For me it stands as proof that the kinect CAN give us more diverse, enjoyable experiences than just on-rail shooters and dancing/fitness games. Definitely not one to miss if you have a kinect.… Full Review »
  3. Limpert
    Sep 8, 2011
    8
    1. Dont compare this game to a "normal" core title in this genre. It is fully motion-controlled!

    2. This is not a serious horror-game and    1. Dont compare this game to a "normal" core title in this genre. It is fully motion-controlled!

    2. This is not a serious horror-game and does not try to be either

    3. Adjust the controls and you will not suck at this game

    Really, it is not that hard. I wonder if most of the "professional" reviewers noticed, that you dont have to turn your upper body. moving your shoulders is enough. If you calibrate your kinect properly and mind the distance between the camera and you the controls work well. It is also important to speed the "interaction time" needed to open doors or pick up weapons. If you do so, you walk around, point to a highlighted object and you will walk automatically to the specific position and interact or pick up an object.

    After a while, you will have a flow of walking around freely, automatically walk to points of interest and objects to pick up and last but not least, kick some f****** zombie-a** :)

    The fighting itself is suprisingly precise and allows you for example, to kick and punch zombies into deadly spikes on walls and so on. Sure, during the heat of battle the game sometimes misinterprets if you wanted to step forward or backwars, but in most cases it was my fault because I did not keep the distance between the camera and my body in mind. But this was never frustrating at all and only happened a few times. So this is definitely not a game breaker.

    So as "novacharson" already mentioned: If you dont expect a horro-game like dead space and also want to experience something new and innovative, give it a shot!    … Full Review »
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