Console Review: Nightmare Creatures

Nightmare Creatures

(Sony) PlayStation

The New Year begins with the release of yet another adventure game, . Similar in style to Resident Evil, it pitches you into battle against an array of supernatural creatures on the rampage in Victorian London. The beasties on offer include werewolves, zombies, banshees and demons, and, of course, it's up to you to eliminate them.

The nice thing about is the way it incorporates elements of beat 'em ups like Tekken in an adventure-game format. There are still 3D environments to explore and switches to flick, but rather than simply shooting your enemies with a gun, you can take them out with some nifty combos. It's not quite as slick as Resident Evil, but is just as compelling in its own way. 19th-century London provides the perfect setting, and the combination of clever lighting and eerie sound effects gives the game plenty of atmosphere. The monsters are well drawn and smoothly animated and the scenery is varied enough to keep you interested.

It isn't without its faults, though. For starters, the supposedly intelligent camera is a bit too clever for its own good; it moves so often that you can become disorientated and get mauled to death while you wait for an enemy to come back into view. Also, with only 15 levels, it isn't the biggest game in the world.

This isn't a classic title by any means, but it is good fun to play and should prove an adequate stop-gap until Resident Evil 2 arrives in the spring.

Released on 16 Jan, pounds 34.99