Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi

The Good
Released in 2003, Nosferatu: The Curse Of Malachi was overlooked by most gamers. Including this one. That is until while browsing on a game site, I saw that Nosferatu, was recommend to those gamers that enjoyed Undying. This being one of my favorite PC games, I decided to give Nosferatu a try and I was not disappointed.

In Nosferatu: The Curse Of Malachi, your oldest sister is to be married to a wealthy Romanian count, the family gathers at his castle, all but you. Being in Stockholm competing in fencing in the Olympics. You arrive late to find everyone gone. Early on you meet Father Aville, he tells you that your family has been taken by the count whom is actually a vampire. He plans to sacrifice all the members of your family, in a ghoulish ritual, that will restore a ancient vampire, and bring about an age of darkness.

With your trusty cane sword you set off to rescue your family, but you must do so before midnight, or all is lost. As you explore the castle ground, which change every time you start a new game, you will find all sorts of items and weapons. There are various guns, stakes, and holy items such as crosses. Rescuing a family member yields you better rewards and gives you more time.

You will face hordes of enemies including, demon dogs, crazed gypsy, zombies, and of course vampires. Monsters often pop out from windows, the floor, or even appear out of the mist. The shocks this game lines up are quite reminiscent of being in a fun house. Each time you play the castle will be arranged differently. With items in different places as well as enemies.

Weapons in the game are all authentic to the time period. There is the flintlock pistol, that is powerful, but takes a great deal of time to reload, The revolver is weaker but has a quicker rate of fire. There is the rifle, which is incredibly powerful, and is incredibly slow to reload. There are also stakes, which can be used to kill a sleeping vampire. This is some of the coolest stuff in the entire game. You sneak up to a coffin open it and stake the sleeping vampire in the heart.

There are also occasional bosses to bring down. Destroying them often rewards you well and helps weaken Nosferatu. There is great detail in the game, from the lighting effects, to the way that the creatures shamble. And of course how the protagonist trembles as he holds a gun, or explores the creepy castle.

The graphics in this game are very well done. All the creatures looks great. As does the castle itself. Excellent lighting abounds. Either from the torches on the walls or the stray lightning bolt.

Like in many well done horror games, the sound department really shines here. The monsters cry out for your blood, and scream out death rattles. Ambiance such as chains rattling and the cries and moans of unseen sufferers stand out as well.

The music, though scarce is good and fit’s the game well. And did I mention the convincing gunshots? Do yourself a favor and play this game in the dark, with headphones on, it’s quite an experience.

The Bad
The fact that the castle is randomized can also be a bad thing. As you often see very similar rooms. However it is not as badly done as some games with random maps. And it does help invoke dread, of being lost in a castle.

The game might be a bit to easy. If you do well. If you don’t it will be harder.

The game tends to crash at times.

The Bottom Line
Overall those looking for a great horror FPS look no further. A great game to play one a dark and stormy night. Fans of all things vampire, and the classic film Nosferatu, will as likely enjoy this one.