# An impressive but confusing modpack

[My reviews are based on a mixture of subjective preference and objective game design criteria]

**Design ratings:**

**-Originality: 7/10**

**-Aesthetics: 10/10**

**-Thematic Consistency: 0/10**

**-Custom Content: 10/10**

**-Grind: Very High**

I have been looking forward to trying this modpack out for a while now, and… honestly I don’t really know how to react. It started off like a fast paced action horror with the platforming/ running sequence in the beginning, which was pretty cool. Then you transition to slow survival gameplay with a very tedious monster clearing quest, which was… whiplash to say the least. By the time I got to the platforming section, I gave up. Some of the previous sections were already pretty grindy, but this part takes the cake. Trying to platform a section this long while being attacked by monsters? No thanks. I went and watched a playthrough after flying along for a bit as I wanted to see where the pack would go, and the goat path took the guy an *hour to complete.* Some comments even saying it took them over **two hours.** I get wanting to show off your fancy terrain, but open world games that have players traveling over long distances can pull it off because there are loads of encounters, events, interesting locations, and other sidequests along the way that sometimes get you roped off on some other adventure like in Skyrim. But here? There’s literally nothing but occasional monster encounters and one really random miniboss. It turns into a walking sim.

After finishing skimming through this guy’s playthrough, I can say that I’m really disappointed. NMC is not at all what I was expecting. What it does have going for it is a great visual atmosphere and an amazing set piece. The builds are very detailed, and I’m honestly impressed. The builders crushed it. But the story and overall design? It’s like the creator couldn’t decide what to make, so they just made it all. Ever wonder what a modpack would look like if you threw in every idea? Ya, that’s NMC. The gameplay switches between genres in a way that does not mesh well, the pacing is all over the place, and the combat difficulty scaling is wack. Not to mention there are certain elements that are really out of place, like having guns in a medieval fantasy setting. If the pack had the aesthetic of Bloodborne then it would totally work. But the guns the player has are literally the only modern tech present and feel completely alien (they’re not even magi-tech or period accurate guns, they’re literally modern firearms). While the enemy design is very cool, there is also seemingly no consistency. And don’t get me started on the story. No shade, but if you’re going to make an RPG, which literally hangs on having a good story, you need to get a writer. I’m by no means an amazing writer or anything, I mostly write short stories, but some parts read like a first draft and the overall story is lacking a foundation for the player to really care about what’s going on. It’s also heavily religious. I’m not talking in game lore of deities, but actually heavily referencing Catholicism. If this were a medieval pack that featured Templars or something, I wouldn’t mind it. But this feels like it was forced in considering how the rest of the content is entirely unrelated. This one is a personal gripe. I’m not a fan of that sort of thing.

Maybe I’m a little too critical since I’ve been researching game design for several years now, but Nightmarecraft really is all over the place. If it had a clearer direction and more consistency it could have been one of the best modpacks made to date. As it remains, while flashy and certainly different from the usual packs, I can’t say it was an entirely enjoyable experience. Certainly not enough for me to finish it.

Playing this mod in hardcore is the best thing I experienced and almost did no damage run from failing in hardcore

The most sophisticated modpack I’ve ever encountered by far, it’s a video game on its own. Highly recommend it.

A very unique modpack, they added some really new to the game features that were not added before like cut scenes.

The modpack is not finished yet, but so far it is very well made. Yes, it still needs more balancing in performance, mob damage… etc. However with time passing I hope they fix these things

I would recommend checking it out

Interesting modpack, but ultimately very poor in practice.

Also a lot of bizarre references.

This mod was teeming with eerie charm and bone-chilling fun. I enjoyed the haunting mobs, beautiful biomes, and a treasure trove of fantastical items and weapons. I loved the unicorn ride, and the mermaid/merman underwater side quest. The attention to detail is phenomenal, with atmospheric textures, storyline and sounds that immerse you in its ambiance. Whether I was braving the depths of a haunted forest or facing off against the Zombie Lord, I had a thrilling and unforgettable gameplay experience that kept me on the edge of my seat!