Nightmare: The Lunatic is a parrying action rogue-lite platformer game about escaping a nightmare. Constantly swap between 3 weapons, use special attacks, and avoid and parry enemy attacks. Strengthen yourself by collecting powerful and unique totems.
The game lets players swap between three weapons during each run, with each swap granting a temporary buff. This encourages experimentation, as players discover synergies between the game's 50+ unique weapons and their varied special abilities. The weapon swapping mechanic adds depth and replayability to the combat.
Reviewers praise the tight parrying and dodging mechanics. Enemies telegraph their attacks clearly, allowing skilled players to time their parries perfectly for devastating counterattacks. Dodging is responsive and crucial, as players need to avoid damage when parrying isn't possible. This combination of parrying and dodging creates a satisfying, skill-based combat loop.
The diverse enemy and boss designs present players with unique attack patterns to learn and overcome. Boss fights, in particular, stand out as highlights, featuring intricate, multi-phase battles that require mastery of the game's mechanics. While challenging, the encounters are considered fair, rewarding player skill and adaptability.
The game offers a deep meta-progression system, allowing players to unlock new weapons, abilities, and upgrades over time. This steady stream of new options encourages experimentation, as players discover synergies between different items and playstyles.
Reviewers consistently praise the game's tight, responsive controls, describing them as well-suited to the fast-paced, skill-based combat. The platforming and traversal mechanics are also highlighted as satisfying and well-executed.