Rise of Nightmares

 Xbox 360
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Sep 6, 2011
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
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  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, 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. TheI 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!    … Expand
  2. 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 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    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!    … Expand
  3. 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 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 mostRise 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.… Expand
  4. nanowerx
    Sep 9, 2011
    8
    [This is a copy of my Amazon review, felt it needed to be here to somewhat combat these unfoundedly bad critic reviews of this fairly enjoyable game]

    The graphics aren't bad, the blood and gore look really good, easily the best looking Kinect game available. The fun is in the immersion the game gives you, however, not the graphics. Even though it is essentially a light-gun game with melee    [This is a copy of my Amazon review, felt it needed to be here to somewhat combat these unfoundedly bad critic reviews of this fairly enjoyable game]

    The graphics aren't bad, the blood and gore look really good, easily the best looking Kinect game available. The fun is in the immersion the game gives you, however, not the graphics. Even though it is essentially a light-gun game with melee weapons (and you are the lightgun), it actually adds in a pretty hefty story. That story may me convoluted and nonsensical at times, but I was surprised that there was actually something there. The way the game pulls you in is where everything clicks. You actually experience the fear and horror, and while it's not going to have you running for your blankie, there are plenty of creepy moments that will get you jumping.

    The meat of the game is moving around various areas searching for your missing wife after she is kidnapped. The thing is, zombies are now everywhere and it's up to you and tons of weapons to take them out for good. Things like lead-pipes, knives, machetes, even garden shears are used to end zombies in the most gruesome ways possible. The combat itself works pretty well. Pretend you are holding a knife and slash or stab the way you would if you were really holding one and the game responds pleasantly and usually pretty accurate. Want to open a door? Simply push it open like you would a real door, or kick it open for dramatic effect. Is there a lever that needs to be activated? Make a "pull lever" motion with your hand and your character will do it. Zombie in your face?...just kick it away and then slice it up. All the actions you have to coordinate may seem overwhelming at first, but they all make sense without the game even having to tell you what to do.

    On that note, there is a learning curve for the controls and the game will keep you very active. Remember, this game is optionally off-rails, meaning you move your character with your body. Simply put one foot forward and your character will walk, take a step back and he will walk backwards (you can also just raise your left hand at most places and have your character auto walk to the next point of interest), you turn by moving your shoulders left or right. It really does take some getting used to, but once you get it down, it turns into a blast to play.

    Rise of Nightmares is very much an experiment to see what they could really do with Kinect and that experiment mostly shines. Walking and moving can become a hassle at certain points (like moving and combat against multiple enemies), but it's something that won't drag on the overall experience too heavily. I am sure a sequel with multiplayer and more to do after the main single-player experience would greatly increase the replay and fun. As it stands, SEGA once again proves that they are the king of 'lightgun' style games. Nightmares is a solid 10-12 hour game if you don't do a whole lot of exploring and just go to finish the game as quick as possible, other than that, there isn't much in terms of replay value.    … Expand
  5. Yetter
    Sep 8, 2011
    8
    Okay, the graphics are sub-par. The story is laughable, the characters are all cliche's. There is plenty of blood but not a lot of suspense or tension and yet I keep coming back to play more and more. The motion controls are extremely responsive and after about an hour or so you really do get the hang of how they deal with movement. It is not perfect by any means but it is moreOkay, the graphics are sub-par. The story is laughable, the characters are all cliche's. There is plenty of blood but not a lot of suspense or tension and yet I keep coming back to play more and more. The motion controls are extremely responsive and after about an hour or so you really do get the hang of how they deal with movement. It is not perfect by any means but it is more immersive than any game I can think of. There aren't many games I can think of that I literally shout out at the TV as I am hacking away at reanimated corpses.… Expand
  6. Rickmanx
    Sep 19, 2011
    9
    Finished the game over the weekend and I have to say the reviewers are dead WRONG on this one. Sure there is a little learning curve on the movement but it really doesn't take that long to pick up. The graphics are on par to the usual House of the Dead games, and the story is interesting and cheesy enough, but where it really shines is being able to beat on multiple zombies with weaponsFinished the game over the weekend and I have to say the reviewers are dead WRONG on this one. Sure there is a little learning curve on the movement but it really doesn't take that long to pick up. The graphics are on par to the usual House of the Dead games, and the story is interesting and cheesy enough, but where it really shines is being able to beat on multiple zombies with weapons of all kinds not to mention kicking and punching them to mulch. This game has now become my favorite Kinect game, and I'm now replaying it in Torture mode. But I wish those who don't like Kinect would stop reviewing the games. They will always be dissapointed and deters people from a truly enjoyable Kinect experience.… Expand
  7. HairyLipSquid
    Sep 12, 2011
    10
    Good job Sega an adult kinect game with a control system that actually works . I have to admit the story is laughable at times but its all part of the games charm. I'm actual really disappointed by the critics review for this game as it really should have scored much much higher, especially when games such as rock of ages scores 75 and this has only scored 52 ?????
  8. Ajcalderonmd
    Sep 13, 2011
    10
    At last akinect game for mature players, overall its An excellent game maximizing the innovative control of character, the graphics is good but not impressive, i was fully immersed barely noticing the time, feeling the character, the scare, the story that's what kinect is all about being the hero himself. i wont compare this to other games like resident evil, this is a new genre of horror,At last akinect game for mature players, overall its An excellent game maximizing the innovative control of character, the graphics is good but not impressive, i was fully immersed barely noticing the time, feeling the character, the scare, the story that's what kinect is all about being the hero himself. i wont compare this to other games like resident evil, this is a new genre of horror, wherein you literally perspire and get tired in order to win, in contrast to other kinect games, in RoN you'll never feel the fatigue because the adrenaline rush is there, i just overslept and woke up with body pains but without the nightmares...yet. i hope this game is just the beginning and would open the door for other mature oriented and immersing kinect games.… Expand
  9. birrml
    Sep 14, 2011
    9
    I think the problem with most professional reviewers is they only play Kinect when reviewing a Kinect title. If you don't play Kinect and go pick this game up and start playing, it's going to be hard to control because you are not used to making sure you are at a certain location (being far enough or close enough/ center of the screen) You may find that with all of your movement in thisI think the problem with most professional reviewers is they only play Kinect when reviewing a Kinect title. If you don't play Kinect and go pick this game up and start playing, it's going to be hard to control because you are not used to making sure you are at a certain location (being far enough or close enough/ center of the screen) You may find that with all of your movement in this game that you will have to stop n take a look at where you are positioned and reposition yourself for the controls to be accurate. As long as you do this, the controls in this game are so tight! Tighter than any Kinect game yet. Like I said though, if you're not used to playing Kinect or aren't well coordinated/bad balance, this game will take some getting used to. As for the story and graphics, you have to look at it from a perspective that differs from that of most games this generation. Perhaps not the story, because most games these days have little to no/horrible story and plot points. So, in light of that, the story isn't bad, expect some good twists toward the end. The graphics, much like the story, are meant to be somewhat campy and cheesy. This game completely reminds me of my younger days watching tons of TROMA, as well as many other B-movies! This is by far the best Kinect game out, in my opinion, and I have played all of them, aside from fighters uncaged, because even from people I know that play Kinect, it's boring and the controls suck. It's waaaaayyyyy better than Child of Eden, but of course the lazy reviewers love that game, because all you do is stand still and wave your arms around in circles, while listening to techno. LAME! So, if you have Kinect, and have been waiting for a game that's worth your time go get Rise of Nightmares! You will not be disappointed.… Expand
  10. abreu20011
    Dec 26, 2011
    9
    Me ha parecido un gran juego, no entiendo la nota que le ponen las paginas de videojuegos la verdad :S Es cierto que el control es un poco raro, pero también la tecnología que lo mueve es bastante actual.

    Por lo general me ha parecido un juego de 10, le pongo un 9 por no estar doblado a mi idioma, aunque eso no impide disfrutar del juego perfectamente. Ojala hagan    Me ha parecido un gran juego, no entiendo la nota que le ponen las paginas de videojuegos la verdad :S Es cierto que el control es un poco raro, pero también la tecnología que lo mueve es bastante actual.

    Por lo general me ha parecido un juego de 10, le pongo un 9 por no estar doblado a mi idioma, aunque eso no impide disfrutar del juego perfectamente. Ojala hagan mas juegos así para Kinect!! :)    … Expand
  11. AaronP
    Feb 4, 2012
    8
    DO NOT LISTEN TO THESE BIG SHOT REVIEWERS! why you ask? because this is a classic scenario of reviewers taring up an underrated and under appreciated game! I pretty positive almost everyone out there owns/owned a game that you personally enjoyed and people you know enjoyed it as well. just out of curiosity you visit a website that you like or read in a gamer magazine of your preferenceDO NOT LISTEN TO THESE BIG SHOT REVIEWERS! why you ask? because this is a classic scenario of reviewers taring up an underrated and under appreciated game! I pretty positive almost everyone out there owns/owned a game that you personally enjoyed and people you know enjoyed it as well. just out of curiosity you visit a website that you like or read in a gamer magazine of your preference to see the what they scored the game you like and they gave it a really bad score then you feel it deserves, and your like "WTF?! This game is good". Granted, it's not the most impressive game I've played but it's far from being a really bad game! Rise of Nightmares pays great homage to old school B-Movies like The Evil Dead series and old school Peter Jackson horror movie, and it's all created by the team who made "The House of the Dead"series as well! so if your a fan of all of these, then your in for a treat with this game. it's enjoyable,immersive,gory hack n' slash fun!… Expand
  12. BretTheBest
    Sep 18, 2011
    9
    This is far one of my favorite games ever!. Out of my kinect games, this one is the most intriguing, and the controls are solid and always work for me. The story is fun, it is house of the dead meets deadly premonition. It's silly raunchy fun, and even can be scary, bizarre, and just weird. I completed the game in 3 days on the easiest difficulty. There is 3 more difficulties after that.This is far one of my favorite games ever!. Out of my kinect games, this one is the most intriguing, and the controls are solid and always work for me. The story is fun, it is house of the dead meets deadly premonition. It's silly raunchy fun, and even can be scary, bizarre, and just weird. I completed the game in 3 days on the easiest difficulty. There is 3 more difficulties after that. There are collectibles to find as well, tarot cards, and tapes. The tapes are a side story, a guy narrates his time through out the haunted mansion. After you beat the main game, there is an extra act you unlock. You have to escape within the allotted time, and it tells you how many calories you have lost, which is great for those tracking their calorie intake. My whole family played the game at several interval, and we all had a blast. The way you interact with the world, side stepping from enemies, opening doors, searching bloody toilets, shooting azoth, out of your hands, it feels so imerrisive than any other game I've played. This game requires alot of energy, as you will be kicking punching, and pushing away zombies. This is one of my favorite games ever, it is reminiscent of Alice Madness Returns, Deadly Premonition, House of the Dead, and Clock Tower, it was worth 50$ and it was a fun time playing it, and will be in the future!… Expand
  13. haydensterling
    Mar 1, 2012
    8
    Not only do I adore the cheesy, sleazy, gory b-movie feel to this game but I love the fact that I get so into it that it's better than buying any Kinect workout 'game' could ever be. A kickboxing class with zombies. What's not to love!
  14. damianh82
    Oct 27, 2018
    9
    A surprisingly good game. The controls, the story and the gameplay work well together and the many types of interaction let you feel beeing in in the game. One of the most ambitious kinect titles.

Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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
  1. Eurogamer Italy
    Dec 21, 2011
    50
    Rise of Nightmares is an interesting idea, an ambitious project followed by a catastrophic implementation. Walking on 3D locations sounds really promising, but its charm disappears after 10 minutes because of a too twisted control schema: considering this was the first horror hardcore game for Kinect, we can only hope for a brighter future for this genre.
    Read full review
  2. DailyGame
    Dec 12, 2011
    80
    While still not a system seller, the fact that a game like this can and has been made for Kinect is a great step, and helps move things forward for the system. The level of immersion is a step in the right direction, and beats the rumble of a controller. You try not to squeal at least a little bit the first time something jumps on your character and you have to push it off of you. I dare you.
    Read full review
  3. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    Dec 2, 2011
    62
    It's an arse-ugly game to watch, but not without charm. [Dec 2011, p.]
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