Nightmare: The Lunatic

About

Nightmare: The Lunatic is a single player action game. It was developed by Maetdol Games and was released on March 31, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Nightmare: The Lunatic" traps you in an endless dream world filled with powerful monsters. With the help of a dream merchant, find a way out by exploring and collecting useful items. Use various weapons and master their attacks to defeat enemies and progress through the ever-changing dreamscape. Dying is just a minor setback, as you'll reawaken to try again.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 92 reviews

gameplay16 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game features a unique weapon swap mechanic that encourages diverse tactics and builds, enhancing gameplay variety.
Combat is fluid and satisfying, with a well-implemented parry system that rewards skillful play.
The game offers a fair challenge with engaging boss fights and a variety of upgrades, making it appealing for fans of the roguelite genre.

Some players find the weapon swapping mechanic cumbersome and feel it detracts from the overall experience.
Boss fights can be overly challenging, with some players noting that they feel tedious due to high HP and limited attack patterns.
The game's sound design, particularly the music and audio effects, has been criticized for lacking impact and coherence.

gameplay
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
48%
8%
The gameplay is highly praised for its smooth mechanics, engaging weapon-swapping system, and clear explanations, making it accessible despite initial complexity. Players appreciate the balance of challenge and fun, with varied enemy designs and satisfying combat, although some express concerns about the incentive to use certain mechanics like parrying. Overall, the game successfully combines elements reminiscent of popular titles like Dead Cells and DMC, encouraging diverse playstyles and tactics.
- “It's a very fun roguelike that I got since pre-1.0.0 and got very far into the game. I was one of the first to beat the current hardest difficulty of Nightmare IX and got noticed by the devs in their Discord server. 10/10 would recommend; the gameplay fits well together and is easy to learn.”
- “Despite being early access, what's here is exceptionally well-done: movement and combat mechanics are smooth and satisfying, enemy design is varied and balances challenge levels appropriately, and the overall presentation and surrounding mechanics are all competent.”
- “The weapon-swapping mechanic is really fun and encourages different tactics and builds while never forcing the player into a certain playstyle.”
- “For a game whose mechanic is around swapping weapons, they make it very hard to incentivize me to actually swap weapons when any other weapon puts me in danger by being melee, takes longer to get out of attack animations, grants no extra mobility or guarding, and staggers less frequently.”
- “Gameplay: well....... think Dead Cells meets DMC.. the weapon system is fun (& hard to master).. a good combination if you asked me.. my only issue is the enemies overlapping & you get hit off that often.”
- “The weapon swap mechanic is... strange.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The music in the game is generally considered inconsistent and lacks the ability to energize players, though it does align with specific biomes. While some tracks, particularly for the intro and boss battles, are praised, overall feedback suggests that the music could benefit from further refinement. Sound effects, however, receive positive remarks for their satisfying quality.
- “The music for the intro and boss was good, but could still use a little more polish.”
- “The music also isn't great, but it tends to fit the biome (e.g. the desert level has the stereotypical 'eastern' music you'd expect).”
- “The music is just okay.”
- “I found the music in the first forest world to not quite fit the feel of the game.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are generally well-received, with players appreciating the varied aesthetics of different zones and bosses, which create a strong contrast between biomes. The visuals are likened to a blend of styles from games like Skul and Dead Cells, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- “Love the gameplay and graphics.”
- “The aesthetics of each zone and boss vary greatly so far, adding good contrast between biomes.”
- “This feels like Skul/Dead Cells play style and aesthetic mashed together.”
story
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The story in Maplestory is generally considered decent, providing a satisfactory narrative experience for players.
- “The story is decent too.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat excessive, particularly in the late game where bosses have high health and limited opportunities for damage, making encounters feel tedious. This grindy nature is a common characteristic of rogue-lite games, which may deter some players.
- “The only negative that I had for this game is that I found the late game bosses to be a bit too tedious with extraordinarily high HP and too few gaps in their attack patterns to actually do damage.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the high replayability of the game, noting the abundance of weapons and upgrades available to discover during each run, which encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “There is a lot of replay value since there are many weapons and upgrades to find on a run.”
- “There is a lot of replay value since there are many weapons and upgrades to find on a run.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of Nightmare is praised for its unique style, effectively blending elements from games like Skul and Dead Cells while maintaining its own distinct ambiance. Reviewers appreciate how this combination enhances the overall gaming experience.
- “Nightmare is a great game, incorporating some of the best elements of Skul and Dead Cells while still retaining its own unique style and atmosphere.”