Bloodborne Before Bloodborne | The Nightmare Creatures Series

[@BoulderPunch]

• SUPPORT ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/boulderpunch • KZbin Membership: kzbin.info/door/Ue2AK0iirPfXcDkYu5dWowjoin • KZbin comment from (allegedly) one of the developers of Nightmare Creatures: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q3zdiKqslKtkbqc&lc=UgzY1UkD1FXLz1HJ0U94AaABAg • KZbin comment from (allegedly) one of the developers of Nightmare Creatures 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5m6Yn-GbNNrfdE&lc=Ugw8yaP5cxpD4MpotnV4AaABAg

[@halfplusgood7115]

This IS a real game after all, I'm so happy to be reassured I didn't just make this up during my childhood.

[@liquidrufus]

The thing I remember the most about the series besides the cool monster design was the Rob Zombie music used during cinematics in 2.

[@robbanbobban2]

​@@liquidrufus That was in the US right? In Europe the soundtrack was different.

[@liquidrufus]

@@robbanbobban2 aye it was the US version

[@copperbadge1]

You have no idea how many times I went into the basement and searched through my boxes to try and find the CDs of games I swear I owned but seem to have disappeared into thin air.

[@scottjones845]

I've heard so many people with the same situation as you over the course of my life, I had wondered if you all went through your lives thinking this was like a Mandela effect game or something, quietly going crazy. Lol I can relate.

[@bouncingbluesoul5270]

NC2 actually had a lot of content cut. The Game was supposed to have two playable characters like in the first instalment. There was going to be a third act of the game set in an American Bayou.

[@xXLunatikxXlul]

That would have been amazing!

[@cactuss33ds]

that is so unfair. american gothic horror in the bayou could be insane.

[@sukamadik5983]

God I wish more modern AAA games had this darker style to them.

[@Truant89]

That's how we got the Xbox 360 era of everything being a gray and brown gritty third person shooter.

[@sukamadik5983]

@@Truant89 This is a darker art direction than was done well. A lot of those other games were just bland and generic so there's a big difference. Sadly AAA gaming usually takes the wrong lesson from anything done right so yeah I get what you mean.

[@HiGlowie]

@@sukamadik5983AAA gaming priorities marketing to children and making graphics great than actual fun gameplay or mechanics

[@minmogrovingstrongandhealthy]

@@Truant89 Yeah that era was filled with piss filter, greys and putting too much bloom on everything ... Even to this day I have to disable the bloom from some games it's just absurd ... XB360 and PC games were just super ugly and still are ... or better say simply unplayable.

[@mr.bonezy1206]

Unfortunately most AAA studios don't know edgy from dark and end up making cringy trash that they blame us for not liking. Lol

[@Grasses0n]

I always loved how the word "creatures" in the title screen looked like a death metal band logo to me, how it's big and symmetrical.

[@rnb4315]

Yeah, mom was surprised I could get Nadia doing flips and stuff when I was 5. I swear this game along with the Clive Barkers and American McGee's Alice were part of a starter set for some of us. I didn't even know there was a sequel!

[@minmogrovingstrongandhealthy]

I think the 2nd game was mainly targeted for the west even tho ironically set in England and the Europe version got some weird censored version or my copy was broken I don't know. All I remember some odd cuts stutters and broken parts of the game where I had to restart the whole level and the some cutscenes were removed or altered. Later I got a western copy and played that instead and far as I know that one was ok. (I had a modded PS1 and later PS2 too so I was able to play imports and choose the best from all versions thanks to all that ...)

[@swordofdanu]

I bet she was! What a child prodigy! And it's led all the way here...to a comment section, she must be very proud.

[@swordofdanu]

​@minmogrovingstrongandhealthy what a great story, i know I'll never forget it, thanks for sharing!

[@sprinkleddonuts6094]

Clive barker’s Jericho? That game was ass dude, was great idea poorly executed.

[@jimmybuba2683]

​@@sprinkleddonuts6094he probably means Clive Barker's undying, similar time frame

[@MitchManix]

Love your videos. Have been playing the N64 release of NC recently. Didnt come out in the UK but having a great time with it so far.

[@INFILTR8US]

It is was on N64? Whaaaaaaaat

[@GabrielOnuris]

I thought you played only MMOs! Just kidding, I love your videos too. Looks like youtube is a small place after all.

[@dsmoothb]

One thing I disliked about the PlayStation version of nightmare creatures and what really kept me from getting into it was the adrenaline meter. Essentially, every level you're being timed and you have to attack enemies as quickly as possible or you will run out of time. If I remember correctly, the N64 version did not have that time limit although I could be mistaken

[@Dizzula]

I've still never defeated the final boss of nightmare creatures - back when I was a kid I didn't know how, and going back to it nowadays is... problematic to say the least!

[@galfajon1732]

youre honestly goated with the sauce and going super hard, 30 min reviews like youtube used to make before the 4hr video algorithm spam, big up boulder punch keep going

[@kuronoroux8864]

I always laugh that the guy who did the Bloodborne demake got pissed because people compared it to Nightmare Creatures time and time again.. Also, the narrations from Wallace just scream:"So Soul Reaver had Michael Bell info dumping the players about Nosgoth through Raziel's eyes. Let's do the same"

[@elrichklopper6207]

I was born in 1988. This game was epic back in the day

[@ThatOneGuyYouNeverWantToMeet]

Bringing back old childhood memories. I played both games for the first time when I was 7 or 8 on PS1 & when Bloodborne came out 16/17 years later I drew immediate connections between them. Didn't know they were going to make a third, I hope they do someday or at least remaster the original 2.

[@swordofdanu]

Course you did.

[@SeanMac-]

Playing Nightmare Creatures while listening to 3-6 Mafia...man i miss high school

[@Thetrue777luck777]

The last boss on the first game was a demon made by Adam Crowley to look like him so he could fake his death and continue his work,the one grabbing the demon's head in the end is Adam Crowley.

[@pawelisecki6054]

👀👀

[@Zorros2ndCousinTwiceRemoved]

Great video! (Although I think you may be a bit forgiving here and there.) Tiny nitpick, though: It's Hecate (as in the Greek goddess), not Hectate.

[@TheUnaBoomer]

Bro this series and Legacy of Kain series was my childhood. So edgy with all the Rob Zombie music lmao.

[@swordofdanu]

I'm pretty sure if you grew up on these games you wouldn't be using 'bro' and 'lmao'

[@TheUnaBoomer]

@@swordofdanu I'm 30

[@sprinkleddonuts6094]

@@TheUnaBoomer🤦🏻‍♂️r/whooosh

[@keyman245]

​@@sprinkleddonuts6094not really a whoosh tough

[@gamervet4760]

Well, you're exploring my childhood. We had several games for our PS1. Project Overkill, Panzer General, Time Commando, and this. I got heavily invested into it. I was 9 or 10 at the time Batman Mask of The Phatasm is on VHS, and I'm riding the highs of Resident Evil. Though, this one stuck with me for being really amazing. I was scared, but once I started with the combo system, the game became a cakewalk. Until I had to rely on items and spells later on. Trial and error. Guns were always a nice fight skipper in 1 and 2. 😁👍

[@maxxpyron7305]

I'm so happy to see you review this game! I used to love playing this with my dad when I was young. Lots of nostalgia and fond memories of handing my dad the controller. Thanks for covering it!

[@brainrich1358]

Crazy seeing how this game is starting to now develop a cult following years after it's initial release

[@ashleydolin4292]

We've always been here. You're just noticing us now.

[@minmogrovingstrongandhealthy]

The gaming community had a major shift. We old folks stopped gaming because games stopped being games and are online locked placebo driven nonsense ... We played the old games way too much to the point there is nothing else to do but quit ... When Bloodborne came out we basically chuckled and kept saying it's nice to have finally a Nightmare Creatures followup game after all these years XD There were times when by mistake I called Bloodborne a Nightmare Creatures it became 2nd nature ...

[@Naruga]

Ye the game was kinda shit on by most people on release and relegated to a weekend rental.

[@djhenyo]

@@Naruga The game sucked even back in the day. It was shat on all over as being mediocre at best by nearly everybody. The demo was a neat way to test out a new Voodoo card, but the full game wasn't worth spending money or further time to play.

[@ClunytheScourge1]

Hecate pronounced 'Hekk-a-tee' (one of the Ancient Greek deities).

[@Asterion_Mol0c]

Gun

[@bencorrigan5915]

Great video. I used to rent the first game over and over when I was young. But I could never get that far in it. I just loved the atmosphere. Hope they do something new with the franchise in the future. There's lots of potential in this series post bloodborne

[@gubigubigubigubi]

This was one of the first 3 PS1 games I ever played in my life. I was 6 years old.💀

[@pawelisecki6054]

Good times

[@sukamadik5983]

Oh I am really loving this game and your video very much. Thanks for introducing me to this franchise.

[@JellyJman]

I always thought of this as Bloodborne before Bloodborne, Micheal Zaki definitely played this back in the day im sure of it

[@MiltonRobertsJr]

I had Nightmare Creatures on N64. Loved it. 2 great systems . Ps1. N64. Appreciate both.

[@fromrawn9303]

Honestly the sequel is instantly better because there's no stupid adrenaline system. The main character is also way better.

[@philippqquutt4549]

a remaster/remake would be great!

[@zZiL341yRj736]

Sony: What the fuck is a Bloodborne?

[@DaBudd]

I loved Nightmare Creatures 2. Was 6 years old and played it on the Dreamcast. Still have that system and play it whenever I feel the need to reminisce.

[@sikevillain]

Holy shit this actually looks amazing to play. Hate how many great older games will fly over our head. Thanks for keeping this games memory alive. Hope you visit Hunter the reckoning games one day 💪

[@og_ice_freezer]

I remember this game dearly. It was good. It was good

[@OddsTheo]

The talk of this game pushing the PS1 to its absolute limits made me think about if people made a PS1 game now to push it as much as possible. I wonder what modern tricks people could use to push it even more

[@AntiNihilist]

With this channel having a lot of Dreamcast games lately, i wonder if we could get a Soul Reaver video on the way this year.

[@BoulderPunch]

I do plan on looking at the series as a whole.

[@JohnBrown-wk4io]

I would love to see a remaster of this series. I loved NC1, beat it multiple times, and did not get to complete NC2.

[@reptilemark7346]

Nightmare creatures was one of the first games I had in the 90s for ps1. I even knew the names of the monsters like pepys monster and docker. It definitely gave me nightmares

[@JuN0]

I love this game since my childhood, I finished it without dying or saves. I still run through it casually sometimes when I stream. NMC2 was a big fkin letdown, the combat is nowhere near as good as the first and the movement is very slow. all the budget went into getting rob zombie on the track and the executions couldn't even bare to finish it.

[@jeremyhall2727]

Part 1 was so good & i was so excited for part 2...then i realized all the combos was gone 😂 back in the day i thought i had to beat every game i bought; or I'm throwing money away. I was happy wben i beat it. Happy it was over 🤣 nowadays i would have just stop playing it. I replay part 1 after i beat part 2. Without the combos.. it's just blank.😮

[@Lord_Deimos]

Being a huge Castlevania fan as a kid, when I first saw Nightmare Creatures on GamePro I was hooked. The atmosphere was dark and it seemed so scary I could only play it in small sessions as I was only 12 at the time. I often wonder what Nightdive could do with it.

[@FluidRat]

Ah yes, the Catacooms of France, many a man met his end in the cooms

[@Hyde209]

As a new Bloodborne fan who grew up with Nightmare Creatures it's great to hear your take on this overlooked series. While I don't fully agree with all your point on NC2 NC1 is the better game for all the reasons you provided 👍

[@comesect]

I found the rom for my n64 emulator and thought something was wrong with the emulator or the rom turns out it was just the way the game was made lol... the movement was reeeeeeeeeediculous... I still like it though was kinda given off BLOOD vibes

[@Wavy_Gravy]

They all used the same guy/pack/audio team. Back when making sounds was a six-figure gig. It still can be, but it's largely nerfed. Being a producer is like that, except you'll never hear a new sound again, nust unique combos. Audioscapes are highly underrated.

[@Wallace-Amadeus]

Nightmare Creatures 2 I was a huge fan of back in the day, as a kid. I still really like it, jank and all. The first game though, I can't stand it because of the damn adrenaline meter. Also, on the DC version of 2, if you wanna cheat and become invincible, I have the code memorized Pause, and highlight the options menu. Hold L and R then press the following:

[@DieHardjagged]

Back then when i played Nightmare Creatures 2, the first thing that came to my mind was: "Why the fuck does this game look like shit" i mean it still looks like shit.

[@edwardbrumbaugh8461]

I mean thats an awfully ambitious essay title dude. Like I know personally if I were to draw a line through the media -games +books+movies+comics+folklore that get us from all of the things that go Bump in the night to the original public domain horror greats to lovecraft to more modern films and media that would have inspired these two games developments. And basically nightmare creatures takes a hard left on the corner of splatter house and double dragon. Not a bad thing mind you juet feeling NC distinctly like an arcade game in design and inputs. Winds up parked somewhere between a pulp horror comic /arkham horror/ and a hammer film and winded up somewhere ion its own dk... its like bram stokers' dynasty warriors? Bb would have gone around a little farther to hit legacy of Kain and Koudelka to tell its weird supernatural tale that has all of these bizarre things but also grounds them in people with Shakespeare'ian tragic flaws that keep making the spiral pull even deeper. Plus way more adventure/rpg dna from their previou experiences making KingsField and the souls titles up to then. Yeah its spoops in grim dark gothic England (or yarhnam) but its also too dfferent in how its approached for me to bite on that hook 😅

[@DedAlexFive]

Thank you for giving these games exposure 🙌

[@TheHorrorHistorian]

Yet another video where you talk about games I distinctly do not like.... but im compelled to give another chance now

[@JonathanJoestarJuicefest]

NC1 would've been an amazing game...were it not ruined by the dogshit adrenaline system...

[@twood1277]

I was too little to be any good at this game but 1 of my absolute favorite gaming memories was watching my dad play every night until he beat it. Core memory!

[@djblaklite]

this video is great! however, id recommend putting some kind of music or something in the background, just so were not ONLY listening to your voice. besides that, this video is very good, well done :) i fucking loved the first game. wish i could replay it on something that wasnt an emulator :/

[@nickjones4568]

I loved Nightmare Creatures! The adrenaline gauge always got me 😂 Never even knew they did a sequel! Although, by the sounds of it, it was a bit disappointing

[@nupraptorthementalist3306]

I bought NCII in an independent VHS rental store, on a whim and a sale. Back when you picked games on the box; hit gold.

[@Andriej69]

I've never finished this game (first one) as a kid, got back to it just recently, thanks to Zomb's Lair - imagine my disappointment when I was unable to complete the game because I missed the last bladed weapon in the game, and you can't decapitate final boss with a blunt one...

[@KrazyKuno]

I have a copy of NC2 for the Dreamcast. I played it for a bit, but quickly got lost, and I shelved it. Hoping to try again as an older gamer and see where I went wrong. From what I remember it handled fairly well at the time.

[@jankmedia1985]

I was so hyped for NC2 but it was a let down to me. I played the first game religiously in 7th grade.

[@bobbynick5358]

Wish the first game get a remaster/remake Or a improve/remaster like Shadow Man. The 2nd game is a give or take, as it did felt unfinish and less fun as they blew the budget on the licence music it seems. So improve/remaster on 2... better improve the gameplay, and replace or reuse the first game's ost.

[@garymcderp1146]

I remember playing this when it first came out when I was a kid. I found it pretty scary actually. Loved the crazy combat too.

[@resevil2396]

I still like this era of games. I think we got more experimental and unique systems and game types than we do today. Even a lot of indie games follow one of a relative handful of established styles. The graphics while awful arguably made non horror games feel darker and creepier than modern equivalents (id point to some levels of the spyro remake as good examples of this). Sure it was due to rough hardware and graphical limits and nostalgia is definitely a factor, but I enjoy it.

[@OnlyGamingClips]

It'd be really cool to get a ps5 remake of the original Nightmare Creatures. They could do some neat stuff now with that IP.

[@Se7enBeatleofDoom]

In an alternate universe. Nightmare Creatures would be popular enough to be rebooted as a disappointing live-service game that brings back the characters in the first game just to kill them off as a joke. With loot boxes and battle passes to unlock goofy cosmetics that don’t fit the art style or tone.

[@Keebler311]

I only ever played the second one. I loved the environment, atmosphere and general plot of the game. It scared the crap out of me as a kid. Although the scariest thing about the game was how abysmally bad the combat was. I'll always wish for a reboot but I know it will never come.

[@bleee849]

They've had these guys from a french designing studio who made all these creature models. They looked creepy af, i think these were one the most terryfying monsters in games ever made., especially in NC2

[@wardengentles53]

Wow. I never put that analogy together. I wonder if FromSoft took any inspiration from NC? Good eye my friend

[@redmist78]

Remember the order game that came out for PlayStation 4? Imagine this game reimagined with those graphics. I'm still waiting for next gen.

[@ElPatron42069]

Do not insult this game by calling it blood-borne. If anything blood-borne should be lucky to be called nightmare creatures.

[@kyrridas1573]

if NC2's development had aimed for a PS2 release, and they were able to include at least _some_ of the additional elements they wanted, it probably would've been incredible. we'd still be playing the series to this day.

[@WangNurMouth]

Loved murdering things in nightmare creatures 2. Chopping off arms and legs. Soldiers of fortune for dreamcast had a limb removal system too such a great console.

[@stuartbagley2586]

I played this on the PS1 when it came out out and the adrenaline meter killed it. Game was already super hard and having to fight the meter meant you really couldn’t search for health or other power ups. The game was ripe for exploration but alas it was not feasible. I still liked it, but never beat it.

[@Westile]

Wow I played through the entire game on hard and didn't even consider using the side-jump to dodge attacks. Still a crap game tho.

[@incredibleflameboy]

There was quite an interesting study done probably about 20 years ago, im not sure who did the study but i know it had an effect on tomb raider where they found that male video game players are more likely to take a right path when the choice is presented. im not sure if there was a follow up study but they weren't sure if it's because its a learned habit from game design (like treasure under waterfalls) or if it's a natural bias that is just exposed when the stakes for making the choice are low.

[@Akrepi28]

The song by Rob Zombie at the beginning of Nightmare Creatures 2 was FIRE.

[@brutusmagnuson315]

With running past enemies, this is only a problem if your levels are either very linear, or the player knows their way around. If you’re really concerned, having a few aggressive enemies that are harder to avoid than kill is a solution.

[@clockworkninja3660]

I actually preferred NC2 over NC1. The atmosphere was so much better/creepier

[@zerospikeftw]

Does anybody know of an old game where you are in a very white room and circle hallway outside the door, and the beginning cut scene a man on a bed has something crawl out of his stomach and it eats a hole through the ceiling above him. But once you're playing, there's no man in that bed, but a bloodstain, there were no guns, at least not at that part of the game. Gotta be a ps1 or maybe dream cast game, it was first person also

[@PerryMartinGreen420]

i think you were to harsh on NMC2, it was a good game and you seem to praise it at times, it was like deep down you do like it but seem to be jaded from its missed opportunity of it not being built around the 6th gen consoles and being forced to be released not at its full potential, but as a kid i remember renting NMC1 and not likeing it nearly as much as NMC2 and alot of that has to do with the adrenaline meter

[@erinweatherly6539]

I used to love playing this and blasting Ozzys MrCrowley on repeat

[@Hedgebound]

As quick question: what emulator and settings are you using? Those visuals are slick

[@AsukaVII]

The ps1 Turning every game into a horror game purely because of the black fog they used 😂 this game scared me to death

[@FaLiar]

fight was relatively easy, the only part what was nightmare is the platformer jumping parts...

[@NomadSoul21]

Been waiting for your take on this classic. Nice work, as always! Thanks!

[@samdavies2069]

The only version of this game I played is I think a gameloft port on a Java phone. I loved it but never played others

[@Shugg-Goff-HHoffical]

Loved this game back in the day. The sequel was ok but was missing that certain something the first one had.

[@Grave_Digger606]

I wish we could get a port to modern hardware with an updated control scheme and the ability to turn off the timer on the first game. I’d buy that so quick

[@matt-dr4fk]

The first game had cheat codes so if you sucked like me you could experience the final level anyway!

[@yourcommander3412]

Way back when this released I played the pc demo - and I just said "Wow , this plays like shit"

[@jediducky623]

Thank you! I been waiting for someone to finally cover these games.

[@EhrenLoudermilk]

I really didn't like these games when they were released. I really dont care much for them now. Just not fun to play

[@v.m.9198]

Nightmare Creatures theme somg should be a Rob Zombie cover of "Push it to the Limits"

[@michotito4874]

its incredible but we have such few games between these 2 in the same category and esthetics. Personally l think the combat was better in NC

[@jaylenrobinson2253]

Can you review pathalogic one and two someday? You do great reviews and your take on it would be awesome I sucked at it

[@affernbrotgkg]

Combat looks much more fun than in soulslikes though, to be honest. I miss the times when you were hitting enemies and it actually felt like you did harm to them.

[@maskedhobo]

We need a remake of these two games, with co-op. Classic PSOne titles.

[@wadejohnston4305]

The first horror game I ever played and one of the first games I ever got as well. It was waaaaay to hard for me at the age of 9 but I still played the fuck outta ut

[@thebeardofpepe]

I’ve loved this game since i rented it back in the day 97! The atmosphere is unmatched, the weather effects, the sound and music all beautifully lined up to really deliver. I remember being so impressed with the rain actually having a splash graphic when it hits the ground and the snow crunching under your feet. Great stuff man. Just wish the ps1 version would let you turn off the damn adre line meter so you could explore in peace

[@DarkWestern]

Really should have played on Dreamcast.

[@ijustbevibin0425]

This is why I get mad when people call any game with boss a souls game when it’s been done way before demon souls

[@Simp-Bizkit]

Mr. Crowley sounds weirdly similar to Alexander from Amnesia

[@BeardlessPipeSmoker]

I remember my best friend coming over to play this game at my house, then he was too scared to return to his house at night, so he stayed over for the night hahahahahah. What a fun memory that is

[@ronjefferson4261]

Played the hell out of 1 and 2. 2 on Dreamcast was amazing.

[@liquidrufus]

God that sewer music in the first game ruled.