Nightmare Reaper

About

"Nightmare Reaper" is a nostalgic Boomer-shooter experience with fast-paced action and horror elements. Battle through procedurally generated levels, collecting an arsenal of weapons, upgrades, and abilities. Immerse yourself in a dark, atmospheric story, battling nightmarish enemies and bosses in a relentless pursuit to free your mind.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+12

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,033 reviews

gameplay255 positive mentions

optimization26 negative mentions

Engaging and fast-paced gameplay with a wide variety of weapons and satisfying gunplay.
Unique skill progression system through mini-games that adds depth and variety to the experience.
Randomly generated levels keep the gameplay fresh and encourage exploration.

The game can feel overly long and repetitive, especially in the later levels.
Some mechanics, like the need to find specific items to progress, can lead to frustrating backtracking.
Performance issues and visual clutter can make it difficult to see and navigate during intense combat.

gameplay
623 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
55%
4%
The gameplay of "Nightmare Reaper" is a blend of retro FPS mechanics and modern roguelite elements, offering a fast-paced, satisfying shooting experience with a diverse array of weapons and upgrades. While many players appreciate the addictive gameplay loop and the variety of mechanics, some criticize the procedural level generation and certain gameplay mechanics for leading to repetitive experiences and frustrating moments. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging combat, unique skill progression through mini-games, and a nostalgic aesthetic that appeals to fans of classic shooters.
- “The gameplay itself is satisfying, as is the variety of weapons one can wield.”
- “An excellent blend of retro and modern mechanics, Nightmare Reaper has the charm of HD-2D graphics combined with an addictive gameplay loop of looting, upgrading, and playing three different mini-games to continue buffing your character for dozens of hours.”
- “The gameplay is so addicting and I can't exactly explain why, but just something about the progression in this game is just so good.”
- “Great at first but as time goes on, its broken rope swing mechanics and randomly generated environments ruin everything.”
- “No one should have to fail over and over 40 or 50 times until the game's frustrating generation mechanics finally decide to make a level fair.”
- “The game does not have the quality needed in level design and balance to hold up for the very long gameplay that it has.”
music
422 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
51%
4%
The music in "Nightmare Reaper," composed by Andrew Hulshult, is widely praised for its heavy metal intensity, perfectly complementing the game's fast-paced action and chaotic atmosphere. However, many players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, as it often features a limited number of tracks that loop during combat, leading some to turn off the music altogether. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, its lack of variety may detract from the experience for some players.
- “The music is an absolute banger (but it's Andrew Hulshult and I have yet to listen to anything by him that I didn't like).”
- “The soundtrack is heavy and powerful, perfect for the mood of the game.”
- “The intense action is complemented by an atmospheric and fitting soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult, adding to the overall immersive experience.”
- “The music is actually rather repetitive, which I hate to say because Andrew Hulshult has done great work on other games.”
- “The game is too busy visually, and by about 1 hour in I was tired of the soundtrack, which became repetitive to me.”
- “The same repetitive combat music fades in and out automatically and often it's just you staring at a choke point the whole time killing enemies one by one.”
story
378 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
69%
5%
The story in "Nightmare Reaper" is presented as a minimalist narrative, primarily conveyed through brief notes left by a doctor after each level, which some players find intriguing while others consider it underwhelming or tedious. The game explores themes of mental health and trauma within a horror framework, but many reviews suggest that the story feels secondary to the gameplay, with some players appreciating its subtlety while others criticize its lack of depth and coherence. Overall, the narrative serves as a backdrop to the fast-paced action, with varying opinions on its effectiveness and engagement.
- “The game's atmosphere is wonderfully crafted, unfolding like a puzzle, with the story slowly revealing itself (and it's even voiced!).”
- “All in all, Nightmare Reaper goes way deeper into expanding the average retro shooter experience, remixing mechanics and systems from old games while adding its own, very gory and brutal, personal touch while also presenting an intriguing story with a likable and interesting protagonist.”
- “The story tackles mental health problems, specifically early trauma leading to mood/personality disorders in a plausible manner, so respect for that.”
- “I honestly can't recommend this game on the grounds that it is such a slow and boring grind towards a story the game doesn't seem very interested in telling you, seeing how it's all told through a series of notes after each level, which you could honestly completely miss if you weren't actively looking for it.”
- “The story is told one sentence at a time, after each level, which I found way too slow.”
- “Lastly, the story is basically a slow burn of a small text clip reading every time you complete a level, but every entry is just the same line of dialogue rephrased, 'I heard she was a tough one', 'we had her secured well', 'the others had failed to help her.', etc. there's no actual story here or anything interesting.”
graphics
317 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic retro pixel art style reminiscent of classic shooters like Doom, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and visually cluttered. Many noted performance issues, particularly with frame rates dropping during intense action, despite the charm of the visuals. Overall, while the graphics may not appeal to everyone, they are often seen as fitting for the game's fast-paced, chaotic gameplay and retro aesthetic.
- “The pixel art visuals are beautifully crafted, capturing the essence of classic shooters while adding a touch of modern flair.”
- “Beautiful retro visuals, tight skill-based gameplay, and an amazing creepy atmosphere make this game one of my favorites so far.”
- “The graphics are a unique blend of nostalgic pixel art and contemporary lighting and shading techniques, creating a visually striking and immersive experience.”
- “Not to mention, this game performs worse on my PC than most modern AAA releases even though the graphics are retro, and they're not even the good kind of retro; they kind of look like shit, to be honest.”
- “I was born in the early 80s and I know that the retro look is currently en vogue, but it's not only about the extremely low-res pixel graphics; it's also the whole art style, colors, sounds, animations—everything that is ugly.”
- “Coupled with excessive particle effects, it turns the game's visuals into pixel porridge during massive fights, which is every fight by the end.”
optimization
191 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
76%
14%
The game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting frequent performance issues, including frame rate drops and stuttering, even on high-end hardware. While some users noted improvements after updates, the overall consensus is that the game requires further optimization to enhance the experience, particularly in more chaotic scenes. Many recommend waiting for patches or playing on lower settings to mitigate these performance problems.
- “While performance optimization could be further improved, it should not deter you from experiencing the brilliance of Nightmare Reaper.”
- “Fluid movement, incredibly robust leveling system, great optimization and a wide range of control over the graphics in-game.”
- “The performance of the game is atrocious.”
- “Nightmare Reaper’s biggest issue is how much the performance can dip at times.”
- “The optimization is the number one problem with this otherwise wonderfully beautiful game.”
replayability
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
39%
58%
3%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, largely due to its procedural generation, random level layouts, and various upgrade systems that encourage exploration and experimentation. Many players find the combination of roguelite mechanics and diverse weaponry adds significant value, making it a title worth revisiting. However, some critiques highlight a lack of replayability in certain aspects, particularly after completing the main story or due to grindy elements.
- “Designed from the ground up to be a long and replayable experience, you'll certainly be getting your money's worth with this title.”
- “The non-linear structure encourages exploration and rewards thoroughness, adding replayability to the game.”
- “The levels are procedurally generated, which makes for excellent replayability.”
- “The main deal breaker for me as to why I stopped playing this game is the lack of replayability.”
- “Tons of content to experience, but not a whole lot of replayability once you have completed the game.”
- “I had a lot of fun with this game for the first couple of hours, but there's just no longevity/replayability to it.”
grinding
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the mini-games and skill tree upgrades to be tedious and overly time-consuming. While some appreciate the challenge and variety, others feel that the repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, especially as the game progresses into new game+ cycles. Overall, the grinding can be seen as either a fun, engaging element or a frustrating chore, depending on individual player preferences.
- “Given all of the mini-games (which you can mercifully turn off) and the ability to start a new game+ as many times as you want, it seems like the intention was that people play this game literally for the rest of their lives, because that's how long it would take to finish everything without cheating (which I totally did because just like everything else, this game has too much grinding!)”
- “They had a very good base but just reused everything and made it so grindy with horrible platforming/puzzle design that what starts off insanely fun very quickly becomes a tired grind with little enjoyment or payoff.”
- “The upgrades take a lot of coins to unlock making the game hella grindy, but there is no option to replay levels you've already played to farm for it, so what's the point?”
atmosphere
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
31%
4%
The atmosphere in "Nightmare Reaper" is widely praised for its dark, immersive quality, enhanced by retro visuals and a captivating soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult. Players appreciate the game's ability to blend intense action with eerie environments, creating a unique and engaging experience that unfolds like a puzzle. While some critiques mention repetitive textures and level design, the overall atmosphere, storytelling, and sound design contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a standout title in the roguelite genre.
- “The game's atmosphere is wonderfully crafted, unfolding like a puzzle, with the story slowly revealing itself (and it's even voiced!).”
- “From the moment you step into the shoes of the reaper, the game immerses you in its dark and atmospheric world.”
- “The soundtrack is superb, fits the horror atmosphere and weapon punch.”
- “Its atmosphere isn't as good as Dusk, its world design isn't as beautiful as Amid Evil, and its level design isn't as good as Cultic (which, among the three I just mentioned, is the best of them), but what Nightmare Reaper has on all of them is content, variety, and being the most sheer joy to play.”
- “Despite its style, the atmosphere, especially within your 'hub' area, is very creepy.”
- “Combat is very responsive and the atmosphere is dark and creepy, inspired by classic horror themes.”
humor
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its absurd and often hilarious weaponry, such as rubber chicken ammo and overpowered guns that create chaotic and comedic scenarios. Players appreciate the clever Easter eggs and funny encounters throughout the game, which enhance the overall experience, making it a blend of mindless fun and dark humor. While some aspects, like the protagonist's chuckling, may be less appealing, the game's quirky design and humorous elements contribute significantly to its charm.
- “As expected from a game with roguelike elements, you wield an increasingly ludicrous arsenal of absurd weapons, slaughtering thousands of wicked-looking demons while chuckling like a maniac.”
- “I died laughing when I saw I had to go into a sewer and the dev had put 'sorry civvie' written in one of the corners of the sewer system.”
- “But man, there's nothing better than getting some hilariously OP shotgun that fires cannonballs or a burst fire orbital cannon and watching whole rooms of enemies get obliterated.”
stability
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
87%
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users reporting various bugs and glitches, particularly during intense gameplay or in later stages, leading to performance issues like freezing and frame rate drops. However, many players have noted that it runs well on the Steam Deck and has improved over time with updates, allowing for enjoyable gameplay despite some persistent issues. Overall, while there are notable stability concerns, the game's charm and mechanics often outweigh these drawbacks for players.
- “Runs great on a Steam Deck.”
- “Runs great, good art, fun mechanics, and metal tracks.”
- “Game is buggy.”
- “Early game framerate was fine but later it tanks and sometimes the game freezes for a second or more at a time.”
- “I want to finish this game but it just won't let me, instead it just freezes up and never recovers.”
emotional
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a mix of wholesome family fun and a touching story, despite some players feeling disappointed by its depth. While the gameplay is praised for its engaging mechanics and excitement, the narrative leaves some wanting more, leading to a sense of emotional dissatisfaction. Overall, the game evokes a range of feelings, from joy and excitement to frustration and disappointment.
- “It's gory, hectic, has wonderfully over-the-top weapon combos and a touching story.”
- “The platforming, especially in the challenge rooms but throughout each level, the combat (oooooh the combat. so meaty, so punchy, so precise, it feels so good), the secret/treasure hunting, the collecting and the heartbreaking decision of which one weapon to keep at the end of each level, the Mario 3 style minigames to upgrade your character, and even the plot playing out around you between levels.”
- “Don't let the emotionally frayed female protagonist put you off, this game is still pure, unbridled, testosterone.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Reviewers appreciate the game's lack of microtransactions and season passes, highlighting it as a fully finished product. This positive reception contrasts with criticisms aimed at players who focus on monetization aspects in other games. Overall, the game's straightforward approach to monetization is seen as a significant advantage.
- “The scrubs who gave this negative review only play games for microtransactions.”
- “Mad respect for being a fully finished game with no microtransactions or season passes.”