Rise of Nightmares

Most people associate Microsoft's Kinect for Xbox 360 peripheral with family-friendly games, such as Kinectimals or Kinect Adventures, but the popular $150 accessory –- which lets you use your body and voice to control video games –- is now being used to deliver spills, chills and thrills. However, in Rise of Nightmares, the awkward and sometimes clumsy controls will likely detract you from the simple-but-fun combat and deliciously dark atmosphere. You see, walking around the mansion using Kinect feels unnatural and stiff as you step forward to walk and turn your torso left and right to make Josh do the same. Once you get the hang of it, it works, but there are times when you need to move quickly out of the way to avoid spikes, blades, and other traps laid out by Viktor the scientist, and the limited control likely means an uncertain death. Stabbing, chain-sawing, and gouging these undead enemies can be fun, but expect to wince at the gory carnage. Because control will likely be an issue for many, Rise Of Nightmares is an experimental game that succeeds in concept but more or less fails in execution. The chilling imagery works and combat is decent, but walking around the game can be as painful as the carnage you inflict on baddies.