EL PASO, NIGHTMARE
- October 25, 2022
- Strange Scaffold
Get on Steam"El Paso, Nightmare" is a first-person shooter game set in a surreal, alternate reality version of El Paso. The player must navigate through a nightmarish landscape, fighting off grotesque enemies and uncovering the mysterious circumstances behind their arrival in this strange world. With a variety of weapons and abilities at their disposal, players must use their wits and reflexes to survive and escape the endless nightmare.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of stealth and horror in the first half, creating a tense atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
- The wave shooter mechanics in the second half provide a fun, chaotic experience with a variety of enemies and weapons to discover.
- Despite its short length, the game is well-crafted with a strong soundtrack and intriguing visuals that set the stage for the upcoming El Paso, Elsewhere.
- The gameplay suffers from poor enemy AI and frustrating controls, making navigation and combat feel clunky and unenjoyable.
- The game is very short, with many players feeling it lacks depth and substance, making it feel more like a demo than a full game.
- Technical issues such as bugs, lack of a sprint function, and confusing level design detract from the overall experience.
- music20 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its phenomenal soundtrack and atmospheric qualities that enhance the overall experience. While some find the music engaging and a highlight of the game, others criticize issues like poor sound mixing and an overwhelming volume in certain areas. Overall, the soundtrack is often described as a standout feature, contributing positively to the game's vibe despite some gameplay frustrations.
“Number 1, the first thing that drew me to this game was the music in the trailer.”
“Very soon though you're introduced to the game's phenomenal soundtrack and the whole game has this atmosphere and personality that makes me want to keep trying to see more.”
“Unironically, this game bangs and the soundtrack rules.”
“There's no FOV slider, known and unresolved Unity bugs with ragdolls, a really annoying voiceover, and bad sound mixing that makes some things like the menu music uncomfortably loud over everything else.”
“I can't enjoy it; I love the style and its music, but ultimately I find it way too awkward and frustrating overall. Enemies are a lot faster than your attacks and movement-wise, and they are in abundance, constantly spawning and right up against you. Landing consistent headshots is absolutely necessary, but you're frequently overwhelmed.”
“This is not how you do a music soundtrack for a video game at all.”
- story12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story in "El Paso, Elsewhere" is largely criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting it feels like an afterthought amidst the gameplay. While some appreciate the cliffhanger ending as a fitting conclusion for a horror narrative, others find the overall plot unengaging and poorly integrated. Despite these criticisms, a few players see potential for emotional complexity and a unique atmosphere that could be further developed in future installments.
“Some reviews have criticized the ending being a cliffhanger, but I personally think it's a rather fitting end for a horror story and a good introduction into the larger universe the devs are trying to build.”
“There's clearly something more emotionally resonant and complex going on with the story, if a particular moment at the end is any indication, so I look forward to El Paso, Elsewhere when it drops.”
“Nice and spooky and not full of cheap scares, the world and story made for something unique I don't see in many games.”
“As for the story part, well there really isn't any.”
“The story is just 'ahh I'm scared' and not interesting.”
“The voice acting is sub-par, the glitches are constant (it's hard to have a sense of dread wondering what is on the other side of the door when the creature is stuck half in and half out of the wall), and what story there is comes across as an afterthought at best.”
- gameplay9 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it overwhelming and poorly executed, particularly in its wave-based survival mechanics and lack of variety in weapon feel. While it lacks a compelling story and features basic mechanics, others appreciate its indie charm and atmospheric elements, suggesting that it may still be worth a try despite its shortcomings. Overall, the gameplay experience is seen as typical for the genre, with some redeeming qualities that elevate it slightly above similar titles.
“While the gameplay does seem very typical 'indie horror', the dialogue, music, and general vibes elevate it above the pack.”
“While short in length and basic in mechanics, there's a certain homemade charm to the experience that ultimately pushes me to recommend it, even though there are games that are better value for the price Nightmare asks.”
“The wave-based survival mechanic can actually get pretty overwhelming at times, especially in the tighter areas.”
“It barely has a story and the gameplay is just not very well put together.”
“All the guns I found felt similar (the shotgun doesn't seem to have any spread at all), animations can be pretty lackluster, and the gameplay is just annoying.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is its standout feature, characterized by a phenomenal soundtrack, unique design, and a blend of horror and intrigue that captivates players. Reviewers praise its creepy ambiance and engaging personality, which effectively maintain interest despite some gameplay issues. Overall, the atmosphere significantly enhances the survival horror experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of the genre.
“Very soon though you're introduced to the game's phenomenal soundtrack and the whole game has this atmosphere and personality that makes me want to keep trying to see more.”
“Love the atmosphere, soundtrack, voice acting and design.”
“Super creepy, amazing atmosphere and $5?”
“It's strength is based entirely upon its atmosphere, but beyond that, there's very little going for it.”
“All in all, it's a great game. I did have some times where I couldn't throw my molotov or I died and then I picked up the pistol and couldn't shoot it for some reason, but for a basically survival mode horror game, it's fun and keeps my attention with the weird atmosphere and monsters that attack you.”
“Its unique premise - a bit of stealth with a horror atmosphere in the first part, and then a wave shooter centered around a nightmare realm for the second part - works well and provides intrigue for its final incarnation.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's graphics showcase impressive talent in modeling and lighting, with a notable retro aesthetic that some players appreciate. However, opinions are mixed, as while the visuals contribute to the overall experience, they may not be enough to engage all players fully.
“It shows off a lot of talent from the artists who did the modeling, lighting, and other visuals.”
“The gunplay is pretty decent and the game has some nice retro graphics.”
“Overall, not a bad game; I enjoyed the retro graphics and the gunplay, I just wish there was more to it.”
“I do not want to return to the game. You may find the art style, the horror, the music, or anything else to make you want to play it, but for me, it is a no-go.”
“So overall, not a bad game. I enjoyed the retro graphics and the gunplay; I just wish there was more to it.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Replayability in the game is noted to be somewhat limited due to poor controls and uninspired enemy AI, though the introduction to the setting and the reasonably priced short campaign offer some value. Players can enjoy a replayable nightmare wave mode and a second half focused on weapon collection and battling endless enemies, which adds to the overall replay experience.
“The replayable second half of the game will have you finding weapons to shoot an endless hell hoard as you make your escape.”
“It's a short and sweet introduction to the El Paso, Elsewhere setting with a fairly reasonable price tag given the short campaign and replayable nightmare wave mode.”
“The replayable second half of the game will have you finding weapons to shoot an endless hell horde as you make your escape.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with users reporting significant performance issues, including unstable frame rates even on high-end hardware, long loading times, and poor scaling. The lack of mobility and clunky mechanics further exacerbate the frustration, making the overall experience feel awkward and unrefined.
“The game needs better optimization, as the framerate drops significantly when there are many enemies on screen.”
“I appreciate the efforts made in optimization, but there are still moments where performance could be improved.”
“The optimization in this game is impressive, allowing for smooth gameplay even in intense situations.”
“Your arsenal is too clunky and weak, and you have zero mobility to make up for it, making it a very frustrating ordeal for me. It's also plagued with a lot of UE4 jank and poor performance scaling on modern hardware. It's hard capped at 144 fps but impossible to keep stable even on high-end hardware, with frequent dips and harsher stuttering while shooting and hitting monsters. A lack of anisotropic filtering and other missing settings makes it feel like a stripped-down survival mode in first person, but without bullet time, dodging, and quick melee. It's just so awkward and clumsy; sorry, but I can't recommend it.”
“However, it is very badly optimized; I mean, it takes a long time to load.”
“The game also needs better optimization because when there are a lot of enemies, the framerate drops really badly.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game suffers from frequent glitches that disrupt gameplay, particularly during critical moments, leading to frustration among players. These stability issues detract from the overall experience, making it difficult to engage with the game's atmosphere and narrative.
“After reaching wave 7 or 8 multiple times, only to have runs killed by glitches, I started using them.”
“The voice acting is sub-par, the glitches are constant (it's hard to have a sense of dread wondering what is on the other side of the door when the creature is stuck half in and half out of the wall).”
“The game is plagued by stability issues that ruin the overall experience.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find grinding in the horde mode frustrating due to issues like enemy hit detection and being easily overwhelmed, which detracts from the overall experience. The mode feels designed for farming social recognition rather than providing a balanced challenge.
“The shotgun could use way more spread; enemies seem to hit you before their attack even winds up, and you're basically dead if you get cornered by more than two enemies. These minor gripes are only frustrating when you're grinding in horde mode.”
“You can totally see this was made for farming 'reddit internet points' from fellow anime avatar whacky people.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a poignant voicemail recording that encapsulates its tonal heart, suggesting a deeper and more complex narrative. Reviewers express anticipation for the upcoming title, indicating that the story's emotional resonance leaves a lasting impact.
“The voicemail recording at the end was very well done, and I think it had the emotional 'heart' of what the game should be, tonally speaking.”
“There's clearly something more emotionally resonant and complex going on with the story. If a particular moment at the end is any indication, I look forward to El Paso, Elsewhere when it drops.”
