After 14 years, the cult classic “Half-Life 2” mod “Nightmare House 2” has been rereleased on Steam as “Nightmare House: The Original Mod,” but it hasn’t quite aged too well. With only a few tweaks that make it different from its original version, “Nightmare House 2” is still the same experience turned cheesy.
“The Original Mod” contains the 2015 graphical enhancement update, and its only differences are that you can earn achievements and that you don’t need “Half-Life 2” installed.
As for the actual game, “Nightmare House 2” is a first-person psychological horror that builds on its predecessor. In fact, the first chapter of “Nightmare House 2” is a spookier, improved remake of the first game since it was just a singular map. The titular house alone fittingly serves as a foundation for the story’s plot.
The rest of “Nightmare House 2” takes place in Never Lose Hope Hospital, an abandoned medical facility which you’ll eventually realize isn’t completely empty. Not only does a scientist named Dr. Romero wake you up and guide you to safety via telecommunication, but a supernatural woman and several undead corpses are trying to give you unwanted company.
Never Lose Hope Hospital is the greatest part about “Nightmare House 2.” A hospital may be cliche in horror, but every section of the multi-story building carries an eerie atmosphere. It also doesn’t help that it’s dead silent and that the lights won’t stop flickering. Whether it’s the surgery center, the psychiatric ward, or even the cafeteria—in Never Lose Hope, everything’s equivalent to a sickbay. It’s a treat to tread through these areas and complete small puzzles to advance.
However, the mod shows its age everywhere else. “Nightmare House 2” puts quantity over quality by having jump scares around every corner. You’ll recognize a pattern: sudden flash of a woman here, something fell over there, this suspicious corpse will get up if you try to leave the room, and the list goes on. An effective horror game should prioritize creating tension, which is something “Nightmare House 2” slightly lacks.
Luckily, a few creative scares really work. The rooms full of mannequins are vividly memorable since you’ll dread turning your back on them after you first witness one questionably move. Additionally, when was the last time you saw an elevator crash upward in a video game?
Other unique ideas haven’t stood the test of time. For example, in a shower room, when I approached a locked door, the hospital’s intercom smugly said with a pause, “We would like to take a minute of your time to notify you… There is something behind you.” Unfortunately, I turned around before the punchline and watched a zombie spawn in front of me.
Zombies are also the only enemies you’ll encounter. They are dreary and well designed, even having different outfits depending on the location. The problem is: they don’t feel dangerous, even with special variants like the SWAT zombie, the crawler, and the agile Creepy zombie.
Your player doesn’t feel dangerous either thanks to a limited arsenal. The pistol and SMG are weak, and players receive the shotgun way too late. On the contrary, the axe and the revolver pack a punch.
Preventing combat from becoming stale is when you encounter the Alpha Squad SWAT team, who were sent on a seek-and-destroy mission. These four even the odds when zombies crowd the room and have some humorous quips of dialogue. Fighting alongside them brings back nostalgia of games like “F.E.A.R.”
On top of all of it, the narrative is okay. Events surrounding the game’s context are only able to be connected when you scroll through journal entries at the end. As for current events, what’s really occurring is partially obvious due to some questionable flashback placement, but its small plot twist makes past events interesting to reminisce on with a change of perspective.
“Nightmare House 2” takes around three hours to beat, which can be excused since it’s just a mod, but it sadly has no replay value. Like a haunted house attraction, perhaps it’s best to run through it once. That’s not saying there’s no fun in “Nightmare House 2.” There are some truly terrifying moments, and for fans of YouTubers like Markiplier, it can be nostalgic to experience the game for yourself. Just don’t expect a masterpiece of game design from something that’s merely a mod.