Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,352 reviews
  • graphics
  • atmosphere
  • gameplay
Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi Game Cover
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Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi is a gothic horror FPS game with RPG elements. You, a member of a cursed noble family, must explore a vast, ever-changing castle to save your siblings from a malevolent vampire. Engage in real-time combat, solve puzzles, and confront the horrors within before it's too late.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,352 reviews
atmosphere189 positive mentions
graphics56 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and sound design that enhances the horror experience.
  • Unique gameplay mechanics with a mix of FPS and roguelike elements, including randomly generated levels.
  • Engaging premise of rescuing family members adds urgency and replayability.
  • Numerous bugs and glitches, including AI pathfinding issues and inconsistent hit detection.
  • Outdated graphics and lack of modern resolution options can detract from the experience.
  • Escort missions can be frustrating due to the poor AI of family members.
  • graphics337 mentions

    The graphics of "Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi" are widely regarded as outdated and below average, even for its 2003 release, with many reviewers noting low-resolution textures and a lack of graphical options. However, the game's unique art style, atmospheric design, and film grain effects contribute to its eerie ambiance, which some players find enhances the horror experience. While the visuals may not appeal to everyone, those who appreciate retro aesthetics and can overlook graphical flaws often find the game immersive and enjoyable.

    • “Strong art direction still holds up today; I thoroughly enjoy the aesthetics.”
    • “The graphics in this game are unbelievable.”
    • “The visuals receive a film grain and dark, moody lighting.”
    • “Now, the graphics are pretty ugly, even for a 2003 PC game, but it is still very stylistic and atmospheric with its visual design and the music and sound effects also are pretty creepy as well.”
    • “The graphics and physics are below average, even for its time, but I think these aren't deal breakers for me.”
    • “The graphics are not great, but it is a game from 2003, so I let that slide.”
  • atmosphere320 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, effectively capturing a gothic horror vibe despite its outdated graphics. Reviewers highlight the game's strong sound design and music, which enhance the tension and overall experience, making it a standout feature even amidst its technical flaws. Many players appreciate the nostalgic feel and the ability to evoke genuine scares, solidifying its status as a memorable atmospheric horror title.

    • “I still think it's one of the most immersive old games I've played; the sheer atmosphere of the abandoned gothic castle is incredible, given the limited resources developers had.”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is fantastic; the map is designed amazingly, and the story and cut scenes are so good.”
    • “The atmosphere is absolutely fantastic.”
    • “Not original at all to Murnau's 1922 classic 'Nosferatu.' I mean for starters, the game is in color, completely ruining the atmosphere the film created.”
    • “While this might be appealing at first - creating the dark and dreary atmosphere of a labyrinthian ancient castle - it does get old after a while, especially as one must escort your braindead friends and family back to the front of the castle before the real-time timer extinguishes.”
    • “This game has an interesting premise and decent atmosphere, but it's all ruined by the horrendously shoddy physics.”
  • gameplay263 mentions

    The gameplay of "Nosferatu: Wrath of Malachi" is a mixed bag, featuring a unique blend of survival horror and first-person shooter mechanics, with a focus on rescuing family members in a randomly generated castle. While the atmosphere and engaging shooting mechanics are praised, many players note significant issues with janky controls, bugs, and frustrating escort missions that detract from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game offers a nostalgic charm and replayability, making it a hidden gem for fans of classic horror games.

    • “Somehow it mixed 3D survival horror and semi-roguelike mechanics perfectly.”
    • “The atmosphere and premise are great, the shooting can be surprisingly engaging, and rushing to save your family in exchange for powerful upgrades is a great gameplay loop.”
    • “Its a fast-paced, vaguely roguelike, survival horror FPS with surprising replayability, great gameplay, a simple story, a clear objective, a bunch of different weapons and enemies, it's easy to just get lost in and play through in one go or pick up, play for a bit, put down, and come back to with almost none of that 'what was I doing last time?' feeling and I guarantee no two playthroughs will be the same.”
    • “The companions, your family members, are the most frustrating part of the gameplay loop.”
    • “However, I also think the gameplay is a bit janky and has questionable design.”
    • “The issues I have with it are the gameplay mechanics and some of the choices the designers made which make this a somewhat difficult game.”
  • story208 mentions

    The story of "Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi" revolves around a simple yet engaging premise where players must rescue family members from a haunted castle filled with classic horror elements. While the narrative is often described as minimalistic and primarily serves as a setup for the gameplay, it effectively captures the atmosphere of classic horror films, with themes of urgency and familial bonds. However, the reliance on escort missions and the AI's shortcomings can detract from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings about the story's execution.

    • “The atmosphere in this game is fantastic, the map is designed amazingly, and the story and cutscenes are so good.”
    • “The story is very interesting and unique where your mission is to try and save all your family members and friends from getting hunted down and sacrificed to the almighty Malachi who Nosferatu tries to resurrect.”
    • “Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi is certainly no Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, but it's an enjoyable quest through a suitably atmospheric vampire lair, and while it might be a little on the short side, the price isn't asking very much.”
    • “No real storyline, just running around and killing ghouls as well as vampires.”
    • “Unfortunately the game is a big escort mission, and can be completed in about 4 hours, depending on the difficulty, but memorizing the castle (that randomly places NPCs that you need to rescue, enemies and item drops) will make it seem like a lot longer and more satisfying experience.”
    • “The story, while serviceable, is thin.”
  • music207 mentions

    The music in "Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi" is widely praised for its ability to create a chilling and immersive atmosphere, effectively enhancing the horror experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's orchestral elements and tense string arrangements, which evoke classic horror film scores and contribute to the game's suspenseful moments. Despite some criticisms of the game's graphics and gameplay, the music stands out as a significant strength, often cited as the best aspect of the game.

    • “The music and atmosphere are great, and it's a perfect game to get you into the spooky spirit.”
    • “The soundtrack sounds a bit like the awesome score to Kubrick’s The Shining, and together with the scary noises of the monsters, it can really give you a couple of good scares and goosebumps when those creatures lunge at you from the shadows across the room.”
    • “The music direction adheres to tracks featuring very tense and sudden bursts of strings, like classic horror movie soundtracks.”
    • “All props to the soundtrack composer, but man cannot live on bombastic scare chords alone.”
    • “What is scary about this game is that you never see the enemies coming especially when a sudden scary music starts, you look everywhere but your opponent is already about to strike.”
    • “Actually there is no options menu so you can't even change the volume of sound effects or music.”
  • stability116 mentions

    The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and glitches, which can significantly impact gameplay, including issues with AI, hit detection, and physics. While some players find the glitches amusing and manageable, others deem them frustrating and game-breaking, particularly in critical moments. Despite these stability issues, many reviewers appreciate the game's atmosphere and overall fun, suggesting it may still be worth playing for those who can overlook its technical shortcomings.

    • “The gameplay is good if clunky, but the game has many game-breaking glitches and many minor annoying ones, is incredibly racist towards Romani, and has many basic features lacking (volume control, resolution/screensize control, etc.).”
    • “It's boring, it's glitchy and buggy to an almost unplayable extent.”
    • “There is some potential but it's really buried under a pile of glitches and some serious annoying problems.”
  • replayability77 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its semi-randomized environments, item placements, and character locations, which change with each playthrough. Players can unlock various weapons and face different challenges, enhancing the experience despite the game's short length. However, some reviewers noted that the overall replay value may not be groundbreaking, and the lack of synergy between elements could limit long-term engagement.

    • “The randomization of items for each playthrough increases the game's replay value.”
    • “The castle interior and placement of people and items is randomized each time you play, so there's replay value here.”
    • “Nosferatu didn't age well graphically, but gameplay-wise it is a brilliant jumpscare FPS with extreme replayability due to the random placement of items and characters each playthrough.”
    • “The theoretical replay value just isn't worth it when there's no synergy with the other elements.”
    • “It's best bought in a sale however, since as stated above, there is not enough replayability in this game.”
    • “The only cons I can think of are; I wish it was longer and I wish it had more replay value, unlocks, etc.”
  • humor22 mentions

    The humor in this game is largely derived from its amusing glitches and outdated AI, which lead to comical situations such as characters falling to their deaths or bizarre physics interactions. Players find the combination of absurd weaponry, like splashing enemies with holy water, and the unpredictable antics of enemies to be both entertaining and laugh-inducing. Overall, while the game has its spooky moments, it's the unintentional humor from its jankiness that leaves a lasting impression.

    • “The AI of the characters you have to rescue is hilariously terrible, but I guess that makes sense given how old the game is. For example, one of the characters literally just started walking and fell from a high place and died, lol.”
    • “An aged first-person horror survival game that still manages to make you jump from time to time and marvel at all the funny glitches it has for you.”
    • “I had this werewolf attempting to lunge at me behind a bridge, and its animation would play, then whip right back to its original position, making for a hilarious effect.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    Grinding in the game is often described as tedious and repetitive, with players noting that it can detract from the overall experience, especially due to complex map designs and time constraints. However, many also find that the game maintains a sense of urgency and fun, making the grind worthwhile for progression and rewards. While some mechanics, like weapon switching and escort missions, can be frustratingly tedious, they ultimately do not significantly hinder gameplay enjoyment.

    • “Yes, it is tedious and repetitive, but the game has a sense of urgency and importance in its main mission and is worth a one run, maybe more, who knows...”
    • “Just as you start to settle back into your chair, thinking you've mastered the synergy between the sound and monster proximity, the game throws you curveball after curveball and you have no option but to resume your place at the end of your chair, grinding your teeth with your eyes pressed against the monitor.”
    • “It gets very tedious and downright deadly when there's a spawn portal in the room you want them to go into.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for stuttering menus and overall poor performance, particularly on older PCs, leading to a frustrating experience for players. Additionally, the design is noted to be potentially problematic for those with epilepsy, further highlighting the game's optimization issues.

    • “Maybe it is just this version, but the menus for me were stuttering and let's just say unfriendly to epilepsy sufferers.”
    • “They're definitely bearable on the PCs of yesteryear, but... I'm going to let that speak for this buggy and pretty badly optimized game.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the player's deep engagement with the environment, as they explore every nook and cranny multiple times, suggesting a strong connection to the game's world. Despite some technical criticisms, the player's persistence and curiosity reflect a compelling emotional investment in uncovering the game's secrets.

  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game, while considered outdated, is viewed positively by users as it complements the overall aesthetic and feel of the game.

  • character development2 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the character development for its engaging story and appealing character designs, highlighting how these elements enhance the overall experience.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

8hMedian play time
43hAverage play time
4-102hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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