In Nightmare

In Nightmare could have been great, but the atmosphere and environments aren’t enough to make up for the woeful frame rate, frustrating enemy encounters, and overall tedium of the gameplay.

42%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

gameplay, music

50% User Score Based on 10 reviews

Critic Score 50%Based on 10 reviews

Platforms

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About

In Nightmare is a single player casual role playing game with horror and fantasy themes. It was developed by Magic Fish Games and was released on November 29, 2022. It received neutral reviews from both critics and players.

Experiencing the effects of a broken family and the heartache it brings, a young child escapes into a dark, whimsical dream world created from his memories. In this twisted nightmare, his past trauma manifests as terrifying monsters that seek to trap him here, which sets him on a journey to uncover what truly lies within his mind. As the monsters give chase, the protagonist will be forced to navig…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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50%

Audience ScoreBased on 10 reviews

story6 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

The game features a strong narrative that sensitively handles themes of child abuse and trauma.
The graphics and art direction are visually appealing, with a good balance of bright and dark colors that enhance the dreamlike quality.
Some puzzles are well-designed and fair, providing a decent challenge for players.

The gameplay can become repetitive and boring quickly, with limited mechanics and frustrating stealth elements.
Many puzzles are vague and confusing, leading to reliance on external guides to progress.
The game suffers from performance issues, including poor camera angles and frustrating enemy detection, which detracts from the overall experience.

story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its sensitive handling of themes like child abuse, neglect, and trauma, while others found it unengaging and poorly executed. Notably, the narrative is praised for its creativity and depth, particularly through the use of notes that expand character backgrounds, though some players felt it lacked the horror elements they expected. Overall, while the story has its strengths, including strong themes and artistic presentation, it may not resonate with everyone.
- “Okay, what are the likes? The story is good; I like how it talks and handles the themes of child abuse and neglect. It doesn't go over the top with it for shock value; no, it's handled much more sensitively, also discussing things like divorce and trauma.”
- “The monsters are good; each one has its own unique looks and is very creepy. I also really like how each one ties in with the themes of the story and our main character. It was quite creative, especially after a second playthrough and reading all the notes.”
- “The plot presented in the game shocked me and made me think about myself quite a lot, which pushed the artistry of the game to a climax.”
- “The story doesn't really grasp me either, so I lost interest.”
- “[overwrought, garbled story riddled with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors, hide and seek stealth some of the worst in the business, actively sucks enjoyment out of your life, trial-and-error chase scenes and instakill view cones shouldn't exist...ever, fundamentally unfun]”
- “In nightmare is a pretty good horror adventure game, okay then the story.”
gameplay
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The gameplay is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of exploration, puzzle-solving, and stealth elements that evoke a "Little Nightmares" vibe, but it suffers from frustrating mechanics, performance issues, and a lack of engaging narrative. Many players find the chase sequences tedious and the enemy detection inconsistent, leading to a more frustrating experience than intended. Overall, while the game is polished, its gameplay struggles to deliver a satisfying experience.
- “The gameplay is good; it's a mixture of exploration and puzzle solving while also running and hiding from monsters. It has a nice Little Nightmares kind of vibe to it, although there are some frustrating parts.”
- “With no bugs I've noticed in my hour and a half of gameplay, the game seems extremely polished.”
- “The gameplay, although it has its moments, can be more frustrating to deal with, especially during chase sequences.”
- “I really don't like the game mechanics.”
- “[too many sections are just running away from a pursuing monster. Cutscenes are regularly vague and require finding notes in-game to help fully understand them. Gameplay comes off as more frustrating than scary.]”
- “[performance issues are hard to get past, with frames dipping throughout our entire playthrough. Gameplay, although has its moments, is more frustrating to deal with, especially during chase sequences. Some mechanics, specifically those tied to bitki, felt underutilized and a hindrance to the overall stealth. Enemies’ cone of detection are very hit and miss.]”
graphics
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics are generally praised for their beautiful art style, effective use of color, and well-designed characters and monsters, contributing to a dreamy atmosphere. However, some users noted that the graphics can appear faded and washed out, requiring adjustments to enhance the visual quality. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a strong point, complementing its engaging story.
- “The graphics are good; it has a great use and good balance of bright and somber dark colors, giving it a sort of dreamy quality. The designs are also quite good, not just the world, but the characters and monsters too.”
- “The art style is beautiful, the music is great, the story is good, and the world design is amazing.”
- “Alright, now that all is done, Nightmare is a pretty good horror adventure game. It has a good story, good graphics, and good monsters. I recommend this game if you're looking for a game that's not really scary but has a very good story.”
- “The graphics are faded and washed out; I had to use Reshade to get the shading to look right.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The music in the game is highly praised for its haunting and mystical scores that enhance the atmosphere, fitting seamlessly with various levels and themes, from eerie nurseries to enchanting forests. Reviewers note that the soundtrack effectively amplifies tension and excitement, contributing significantly to the overall immersive experience.
- “The music was really good, from the haunting scores in the first level as you creep around this weird, childish nursery to the almost mystical soundtrack in the forest level, even during the chase scenes with monsters. Each score really fit the game well.”
- “The art style is beautiful, the music is great, the story is good, and the world design is amazing.”
- “The atmosphere of the music and visuals are naturally integrated, which fully captures the tension and excitement.”
- “The atmosphere of the music and visuals are naturally integrated, which fully interprets the tension and excitement.”
- “The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during gameplay.”
- “The soundtrack doesn't match the game's theme, resulting in a disjointed experience.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its seamless integration of music and visuals, effectively conveying tension and excitement. However, in the context of a nightmare setting, the atmosphere falls short due to poor frame rates, frustrating enemy encounters, and overall tedious gameplay.
- “The atmosphere of music and visuals are naturally integrated, which fully captures the tension and excitement.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game is highly praised for its stability, with users noting that it is very polished and runs smoothly, particularly on the Steam Deck, with no reported issues.
- “It's very polished; I had no problems with it, and it runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “The game is incredibly stable, providing a smooth experience without any crashes.”
- “I appreciate how well-optimized it is; I've encountered no bugs or performance issues.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's optimization has been criticized for significant performance issues, including frequent frame drops that detract from the overall experience. Players find certain gameplay mechanics underutilized and frustrating, particularly during chase sequences, while the enemy detection system is inconsistent, further complicating stealth elements.
- “Performance issues are hard to get past, with frames dipping throughout our entire playthrough.”
- “Gameplay, although it has its moments, is more frustrating to deal with, especially during chase sequences.”
- “Some mechanics, specifically those tied to stealth, felt underutilized and hindered the overall experience.”