Nosferatu is a first-person action game that, like a certain survival-horror franchise, surprises players through the intelligent use of fright, atmospheric lighting and shocking interactions (random monsters that jump out at you). Sticking with the theme of the game, though, these elements all revolve around your goal to survive in a vampire-infested castle and rescue your family in two hours (game time, not real time) before they die. The result is a game that may actually spook some players and, at the very least, shock a few veteran gamers who were expecting no scares at all.

Fans of first-person shooters will have no problems jumping into Nosferatu, with the tried-but-true keyboard control method in full effect. The mouse is optional, and the button layout is completely customizable. The game’s difficulty settings are the standard Easy, Normal, Hard and Very Hard, and the only difference is in the number of monsters.

Where Nosferatu is unique is in its randomization features. This encompasses two aspects. The first is the (sometimes frustratingly) random generation of reappearing enemies, which actually succeeds in enhancing the gameplay rather than bogging it down. The second aspect is the castle’s actual layout being randomly designed every time you play. How’s that for keeping things fresh?

In more conventional shooters, pathways you’ve traveled are empty because you’ve already killed everything in them. Nosferatu never gives you that kind of security, and that’s a large part of the fun. On the downside, I guess that means no walkthrough guides for the gaming-challenged.

As random as the enemies are in their regeneration, they’re also somewhat random in their AI. The monsters don’t have any problems attacking you, often leaping from corners rather than stalking you, and they tend to jump through windows or burst through floors just a couple of feet away. Only two creatures have a ranged attack, though, so as scary as the situation may be, the combat is usually resolved quickly and violently. The monsters don’t employ any cooperative hunting behavior, either, with a group lunging in for the kill simultaneously. The lack of any complex AI could be attributed to the fact that combat is so short-range and short-lived, but it wouldn’t been nice to be a bit more challenged.

Perhaps due to the easy combat, Nosferatu is a short game, even by shooter standards. Casual gamers will put this to rest in 15-20 hours tops, while veteran gamers will tear through it in less than 10. In spite of this brevity, not to mention the lack of multiplayer support, the random generation of enemies and architecture makes for a lot of replay value. For vampire fans this random room-building could add countless hours, but really, the game’s replayability relies strictly on the individual gamer.

Nosferatu doesn’t break new ground in the graphics area. The engine is tailored to show off the game’s Gothic architecture and the Victorian-themed interiors of a decaying and haunted castle. Outside, large towers, peaked roofs and (of course) gargoyles are rendered with precision and detail but without consuming your game memory. The interior spaces are textured and decorated superbly, making the most of hallways and rooms that are little more than glorified boxes There’s cracked and dusty paneling, ripped and decaying wallpaper, even window shutters that hang by one hinge and cringe in the breeze.

Although some of the character models are a tad basic, they’re adorned where it counts, with details like blood-stained fangs and claws. If you get a chance to look at the monsters (they move fast, and you’ll kill them just as quickly), don’t be surprised to think to yourself "these could have been top detail a few years ago."

Lighting, though, is where Nosferatu truly excels. Moonbeams pour through stained-glass windows and cut through dungeon-style bars, but these are but small islands of light in a sea of shadow. Usually, monsters will hide in the corner of a room and be nearly invisible until they lunge at you, meaning the lighting effects truly help the "surprise" factor of the game.

Nosferatu boasts a more-than-fitting musical score and lots of creepy (if at times loud) aural shocks. If you get right down to it, everything is a bit contrived, but not to the extent that it loses its effectiveness.

Overall, Nosferatu: The Wrath of Malachi is a creepy game that die-hard horror fans will definitely need to add to their collection. With its dated graphics engine, inexplicable game clock and brevity, though, most FPS fans won’t find much of a home in this title. With that said, this is a welcome, slightly above-average title from a new publisher. With a bit more polish, Nosferatu could be a sign of good things to come from I Games.

See more screens on the Nosferatu media page