Nightmare Reaper Reviews
In theory, a roguelike FPS could work, however, there needs to be a very specific reason to even try. Nightmare Reaper never gives us that reason. It comes across like a game that’s a roguelike purely because that was how an indie developer should shove 100 levels of grind into it. There’s no narrative nor thematic value to it being a roguelike, and in all that randomness, it loses the soul of what makes those games it pays homage to so special.
So yeah, I think the game’s biggest issue was scope creep. It needed more focus as there are just too many gameplay and system elements fighting for attention to really spruce things up at an individual level. If we are talking about FPS games from smaller devs, this is competing for attention from titles such as Dusk, Prodeus, Metal: Hellsinger, and Cultic. That is some heavy competition to be going against in this day and age. It doesn’t help that Nightmare Reaper is $24.99 on Steam, and $26.99 on console. It’s far from bad in the end, even if I recommend the PC version exclusively, but the competition it has is particularly high. Look into this if you are interested in a game with random layouts, events, and a lot of bonus content to be had.
Nightmare Reaper’s core design is something to be lauded for, but its so called “variety” and maps runs shallow halfway through the campaign. It’s a game more about quantity than quality. It can be enjoyable in small bursts, but it’s far from the great shooter it could’ve been.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Nightmare Reaper is a highly enjoyable mash of retro things with a deliciously barbed edge. It doesn’t always hit the high notes of the old favorites it belts out, but you’ll sing along just the same.
Nightmare Reaper has all the makings of a fantastic retro-FPS with rogue-lite elements wonderfully smattered across. However, for all its personality, Nightmare Reaper is also an uneven mess when it strikes the wrong note. A game some will love, warts and all, but many others will walk away wanting for a tighter experience.
Nightmare Reaper has the foundations of a pretty fun shooter, namely thanks to its strong combat and visceral nature. Sadly, I do not think its looter and roguelite elements improved its overall gameplay in any way. On the contrary, to be honest: the overall map randomization made some early levels insanely frustrating to deal with, while later stages felt like a cakewalk. It’s not a bad game, far from it, but you cannot beat the creativity and imagination of an actual human level designer.
Nightmare Reaper does, however, achieve most of what it sets out to do, pushing boundaries in terms of weaponry, spectacular abilities, and more trinkets than a fully loaded cargo ship. It’s at its best when it devolves into a spectacular bloodbath at the whims of your creative weapon and ability choices. And, while imperfections exist, its violent, adrenaline-fuelled highs will make it very appealing to fans of the old-school FPS.
Nightmare is a great 2.5d FPS game with heavy inspirations from times long past and modern influences as well. The game takes roughly 8 hours to complete and with randomly as well as manually generated levels, replayability is high. The looter shooter aspects although only minor kept me engaged in the game for hours. I wanted to explore all the weapons and test them out to continue to reap in my nightmares.
If you are a fan of retro FPS, you will definitely like this nightmare with lots of levels, pixels and checkered monsters.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Switch owners should definitely consider Nightmare Reaper if you're wishing for a retro shooter that successfully marries roguelite gameplay, fountains of 2D gore, and elements of the original DOOM games. The difficulty curve may be steep at times, but it's worth sticking with given its high replayability and fresh takes on chaotic first-person combat. I highly recommend Nightmare Reaper for those wanting a bloodbath or an adrenaline rush, as you'll definitely get it alongside some fun bonus content.
Nightmare Reaper is a fast paced and fun boomer shooter, which isn't too punishing with the Roguelike stuff.
Plus, you can equip a book that fires Palpatine-style lightning bolts.
Nightmare Reaper is a roguelite boomer shooter that knows how to exploit the advantages of its elements to provide a frantic action experience. The title isn't perfect, especially having problems with its attempt to tell a story that could be better implemented, but it's a game that will easily appeal to fans of shooters.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Keeping very close to the classics of the genre, enriched with modern elements, Nightmare Reaper is a great FPS game, especially for Doom fans and co. The shootings are always fun and with a balanced difficulty, enhanced by a very rich arsenal. Some elements aren't very good, but it's still a nice addition to your library.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Nightmare Reaper is a different kind of retro shooter, one you should absolutely play. This is metal incarnate with a blistering soundtrack from the hallowed Andrew Hulshult. It has some mild frustrations, but there’s an exhausting amount of content that’s either excellent or even optional like its mini-games. The retro FPS is enhanced by a looter shooter arsenal, and roguelite randomization is exceedingly well done and incredibly fun. When I say there’s nothing like Nightmare Reaper, there really is nothing like Nightmare Reaper.
Nightmare Reaper is a good retro FPS experience that will be incredibly satisfying to all gamers who liked the genre since Wolfenstein and have kept up with its recent evolution. Shooting enemies, juggling weapons, and looking for secrets, all these ideas work well. There’s enough difficulty to make progress a challenge without too much frustration and death is never the end.
Nightmare Reaper is a thrilling, gory, blast-from-the-past that hits all the right spots. FPS fans eager for a retro game change from the industry's sea of open-world titles should give Nightmare Reaper a try. By restricting levels to a pixelated, 2.5D environment, Blazing Bit Games has delegated many resources to other mechanics that make this rogue-lite a phenomenal enjoyment. While players may struggle with the nuances of retro shooters, especially considering the high-end, open-world norm of many new industry titles, Nightmare Reaper is centered around a learning curve. Challenging gameplay combined with charming features and Easter eggs makes this an adventure that players won't want to miss.
While I have issues with a few parts of the game, mainly the lower-quality skill tree stuff and gripes related to rogue-lites and old shooters in general, the total package on offer is really strong. At the time of release, the game is only available for PC, which I think could be the biggest negative here. It’s clearly capable of running on less-capable hardware, but I worry that it may go unnoticed unless the team at Blazing Bit Games can find a way to make console ports work financially. If you are already smitten with boomer shooters or rogue-lites, this one is an easy recommendation.
If you’re looking for a pretty crazy and bloody good time, and don’t mind the retro FPS look and feel, this delivers
While its procedurally-generated nature produces some annoying issues, Nightmare Reaper has a creative story, punchy edge-of-your-seat action and a deep, entertaining arsenal. This is one bad dream you won't regret ripping and tearing your way through.