[b]My Playtime:[/b] 8.4h (finished the game)
[h1]Intro[/h1]
[b]Project Nosferatu[/b] is a fast-paced action RPG set in a universe where a being known as Umbrakhs force humanity to flee their home planet. It offers a lot of weapon choices that can be chained in a combo system, promoting different playstyles.
[b]Pros:[/b]
- Numerous weapon of choice, some works best for certain enemies
- Challenging and unique boss battles
- A lot of optional areas to explore
[b]Cons:[/b]
- The font can be hard to read
- Confusing story
[b]Specs[/b]
Intel Core i5-9300H 2.40GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
[h1]Should you buy this game?[/h1]
[b]Yes.[/b]
[i]If you like fast-paced action RPG or action-adventure games, get this game. Levels don't matter that much here.[/i]
[hr][/hr]
[h1]In-Depth Review[/h1]
[h3]Visuals[/h3]
[b]Project Nosferatu[/b] tries to give you a reminiscence of the past with its old visuals. The cutscene was also made in such a manner, although it is hard to understand what the game is trying to convey. By default, characters are displayed on the left or the right side when they are talking, with sound effects that convey their movement. However, complex movements were displayed in a small, square image, using simplified images - often zoomed out with black silhouette, making it hard to make out what they are doing. The hard-to-read text also doesn't help in this department, and it's hard to immerse in the story when you hardly can make out what was happening.
Despite how the cutscenes were, the in-game scenes are way better. They are displayed in pixelated visuals, but they are crisp enough for your needs. Enemies and backgrounds are perfectly distinguished from each other, and the ones that were meant to be hidden were concealed perfectly in a way that they won't be noticeable unless you really pay attention to them.
[h3]Story[/h3]
To be honest, I didn't understand the story that much. There is a lot of lore thrown at the beginning, and the hard-to-read text hinders me from understanding it to the fullest. The lore is pretty well thought out, though. There are a lot of species, separated into countries with different views from each other. I wish the story was told better this way - the dialogue near the ending was easier to digest, but since I didn't grasp most of the facts, it's kinda lost to me.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2997851254
[h3]The Game[/h3]
[b]Gameplay[/b]
This is where it gets interesting. As I said before, [b]Project Nosferatu[/b] is an action RPG, but unlike other action RPGs, you don't have to worry about leveling up. It's pretty much optional and finishing the game 1-2 levels lower won't matter much since the stat increase aren't that obvious. You end up using the level-up system for its free healing instead, as exploring new areas can be tough without it.
A lot of areas are available to explore, which are set in a way to make them connect to each other. It's like playing the old [b]Legend of Zelda[/b] games, except that the dungeons are made in the same fashion as the overworld. A lot of areas are blocked off until you have a certain weapon, forcing you to return to it in the future, either to proceed with the story or to get some upgrades. Although the game looks like having secret areas, there doesn't seem to be any of that here.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2997852086
[b]Project Nosferatu[/b] is fast-paced. You can freely control your character and attack however you like. There are a lot of weapon types that you can get as you play. Some weapons allow you to move right away after using it, some take time to cast. You can choose whichever you want based on your playstyle, and combine them for your second, third, and until your sixth attacks in a combo-based system. You'll start with three slots at first, which can be upgraded as you play.
The combo system is nothing special, but it works. If you have played other action-adventure games, you'll notice that the character will swing their weapon in a different style in their second or third swing. That "different swings" are the combo system. You can change which weapon you'll use in your next attack, and if you want to reset the combo, you just need to stop attacking a bit and redo the attack. Moreover, you can customize the combo anywhere that you want - even in boss fights. The game will pause when you open the menu so you can take your time to switch it based on the enemy that you have to face. And yes, you can use the same weapon for the combo. I myself liked the claw since they are fast and give a lot of damage, so I used claws in all of my combo slots, and switch them only whenever I need some ranged attacks.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2997850835
That being said, the game isn't easy. I found the difficulty to be perfect to me - I always die a few times when exploring new areas or fighting new bosses, but it never occurred to me that the boss is impossible or difficult to beat. Well, the final boss gave me some trouble, but it's normal since they should be designed tougher than others. I like that enemies have unique attack patterns, although the killing method is usually the same - you have to wait until they attack, and then hit them. Most enemies are invisible before they cast their attack, which annoys me, especially when I wanted to travel quickly.
[b]Length[/b]
I finished the game in 8.4h. I obtained all upgrades that I could find, which should be everything. Moreover, I also try to beat all enemies that I faced. Being a game with a level-up system, I was afraid that my level wouldn't be enough to beat the next boss. There seems to be some difference in damage when I attacked enemies in the first dungeon when I almost beat the game, although I doubt that it's needed to finish it - the game also offers damage upgrades in optional areas, so as long as you get them, you should be fine.
[h1]Conclusion[/h1]
Despite the confusing story, I couldn't stop playing [b]Project Nosferatu[/b]. The thing that is always on my mind when a cutscene happens is for it to be over so that I can continue playing and exploring the game. There are a lot of areas to explore, but it doesn't feel repetitive at all. Moreover, I liked the difficulty - it's not so easy that you'll spam the attack button to kill everything, but it's not that hard to leave you stumped. The gameplay is the main selling point of the game, so if you enjoy this kind of gameplay, particularly those who liked action RPGs or action adventures, you'll also enjoy this game.
[quote]This game was reviewed with a key provided by the developer for free through Curator Connect.[/quote]
[quote]Follow our curator page: [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/32732116-IndieGems/]IndieGems[/url] if you like and want to see more reviews like this one.[/quote]
