14 DAY TRIAL // 
If the first clips presenting Kinect were showing children playing with a tiger cub, Sega now decides to take things to a different direction.
Instead of making a baby feline walk in the tall grass, play and jump, you'll now have to crush zombie skulls and search through intestines, all while using your body as a controller, of course.
Rise of Nightmares is Sega's first attempt at a horror first person shooter, played using a Kinect-equipped Xbox 360. The team behind it is the same one that created the famous House of Dead franchise, so don't be surprised if a déjà-vu feeling creeps in while playing.
This game is in no way recommended for children. Featuring extreme violence, accompanied by huge amounts of blood, Rise of Nightmares takes gruesomeness to another level.
Story
Though not the best horror plot out there, it can reel you in, especially if you're a fan of the horror genre. You'll find similarities with lots of big screen titles like: Hostel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Saw, Touristas, Vacancy and more.
You'll be taking on the role of Josh, a married man, who travels to Europe with his wife, Kate. With Josh unaware of Kate’s pregnancy, and Kate not knowing that her husband still has a drinking problem, they both carry secrets from each other.
The story starts with the two of them taking a train to Romania, along with other tourists. On their way, they must cross a dark forest, feared by locals because of all kinds of superstitions. This is just the place where the train derails and “something” kidnaps Kate. Josh sets off in search of Kate and so the story begins...
Except for the pretty well performed Romanian dialogue, there's nothing else that will remind you of Romania. The Russian ballerinas, the Cecenian soldiers and the Nazi themed castle / dungeon / mansion are a mixture that increases the confusion about your location.
Even if sometimes predictable, the story has some nice twists and watching it all the way to the end can be quite entertaining. Also, playing the game to the end (including the credits) reveals an Easter egg cinematic scene that leaves room for Rise of Nightmares 2.
Gameplay
First of all, let me start off by saying that the real enemy in this game is not the blood-thirsty monsters, but the Kinect itself, and by that I mean the movement, turning and fighting engine.
Yes, I am aware that this is the first game of its kind, but the unnatural movement, the bulky fighting and lack of precision, turn the game into a real drag sometimes, causing frustration.
Movement of the character is done by putting a foot in front of the other, while walking backwards requires the reverse action. The further you extend your foot, the faster Josh moves. Unfortunately, an action that could really be useful, like running, is not available, so getting through the long empty hallways or walking through the forest becomes a drag. Move your shoulders left and right to make Josh turn.
Since Josh is an alcoholic, and a zombie (in the second half of the game), I can understand his movements, but if that's how the character is supposed to move, then the entire motion system is flawed, in my opinion. Maybe with a lot more practice, like playing the game three, four times in a row, you'll get the hang of it.
There is also an auto-walk function that comes in handy sometimes. On the downside, though, while auto-walking you'll probably miss out on the secrets scattered around, secrets that maintain the horror feel in the game. Speaking of secret locations, I suggest you search as thoroughly as you can, because you might uncover some unique and devastating weapons.
Fighting is done just like in real life. Grab a weapon and swing it or bash it against your opponents, while blood and body parts fly all over the place. In the beginning, chopping zombies to bits and pieces, dismembering and cutting them in half is quite fun; but this stress-relief action gets repetitive towards the end.
A thing that felt different from other gore-filled zombie-themed games is the fact that the entire arsenal does not contain any firearms. Instead, hacking and slashing will be done by means of pipes, machetes, knives, hatchets and even two-handed weapons like a chainsaw or a drill. The ranged weapons are more sporadic and consist of exploding test tubes and throwing scalpels.
A cool and reality-anchored feature of the game is that no weapon lasts forever. Throwing weapons will be consumed quite rapidly, leaving you with only your punches and kicks to defend against the angry hordes. Melee weapons will also wear out in time, so make sure you keep an eye out for new ones. Some of the altered zombies will drop weapons, some being quite efficient.
A nice surprise was the addition of a permanent, rechargeable (3 charges) weapon or ability. It's indispensable in some boss fights and can be used even for opening doors. It also requires two hands to use, so combo attacks require skill.
Boss fights are mostly crowded in the end section of the game and they're more like tests of patience mixed with attention, than actual fights. Besides the attack moves, you'll be have to perform various combos (crouch, sidestep, back-step), that get more complex with each boss.
Through the game you'll encounter several deadly traps and obstacles that require either quick reactions (this is the simple part) or precise movement (this is where you'll have a hard time due to the clunky control).
Video and Audio
This survival horror has acceptable graphics. What does this mean? It means the visual characteristics of the game are not bad, but they could surely use an upgrade to match modern 2011 engines. The huge amount of blood increases the gore feeling and decreases the horror feeling.
The environment doesn't get boring at all, the wide variety of rooms and dungeons made me feel like I was really exploring a huge mansion. The entire world of Rise of Nightmares is beautifully designed to accommodate the battle with a crazy doctor and his undead minions.
The sounds are quite good, and the music really makes you feel like you're in a horror game, even if sometimes it can get a little repetitive. The voices aren’t very well performed, except maybe for the detective's voice that appears on the tapes scattered around.
Conclusion
Rise of Nightmares really loses points when it comes to controls. The unnatural and awkward control leaves a lot of room for improving. Another downside would be the price tag. For $49.99 you'll get a game that has a pretty low replay value.
On the other hand, it is a lot of fun to play, and a lot more fun to watch the player. The story will keep you craving for more, and the wide diversity of weapons provides new ways to slash, hack, dismember and decapitate the mechanically-altered undead. So, my advice when playing this game is to gather your friends, turn up the volume and have a blast!
An old Roman saying goes: “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s”. Well, Sega has created the first horror FPS game on Kinect, and we must them give credit to that. It is not perfect, but if Sega manages to refine and enhance it, this may very well become a new chapter in the gaming era.
