History VideoGame / NosferatuTheWrathOfMalachi

** The way to beat the Foul Beast Vampire is to run into the tunnels. It will then run after you and park itself in front of the entrance you ran into, allowing you to run out another one and hit it with a Stake from behind.

* DamageSpongeBoss: Almost all of them except the penultimate one are this to some extent. They system of having to track them down in a coffin after fighting them to kill them at least introduces some sort of strategy. The only non-final boss without a coffin, the Foul Beast Vampire, is also the only one to require a more complex strategy for the actual fight (you don't have to use it, but unless you have the Chalice, it's pretty much suicidal not to).

** Father Aville is one of the first family members you'll probably rescue. He gives you the Chalice of Holy Water, the most powerful weapon in the game. It hits in a wide arc, can kill almost anything in ONE HIT, and the only things in the entire game that are immune to it are [[spoiler:the penultimate boss]], Gypsies, and Devil Dogs, the latter two being the weakest enemies in the game anyway. Even the bosses fall after just 2 or 3 hits. Not to mention it can be refilled indefinitely at any water trough.

* KillItWithWater: In terms of damage per hit, the Holy Water in the Chalice is the most powerful weapon in the game.

* OneHitKill: Holy Water will kill any normal enemy in one hit.

* WeakenedByTheLight: All Vampires are hurt by sunlight. In fact, it's the only thing that can hurt the Count.

** That's because they ''are'' stuck together at random; the castle is randomly generated every time you play, barring a few sets of rooms at the beginning.

* LateToTheTragedy: The protagonist is late for the wedding of his sister. He arrives at the castle at 10:30 PM, and has time until midnight to find out what happened to the castle and his family.

* MrExposition: As you explore the Castle, you find notes by someone named Grimvald Vorius, which conveniently explain the plot.

* RandomlyGeneratedLevels: The castle is semi-randomly generated each new game. The basic layout of the castle remains the same, but the interior rooms and the placement of enemies and [=NPCs=] differs each time.

* SacrificialLamb: Every single family member, even the dog, can be rescued. Every one except [[spoiler:Rebecca, who's also literally sacrificial]].
* SaveScumming: While the rooms' layout of the castle is generated once for all at the start of the game, the position of the undiscovered [=NPCs=] randomly changes each time you load a save. Since each of them has several possible spawn locations, the safest (if boring) way to find them is to locate a spawn point, save the game before opening the room's door, then enter said room; if the character isn't inside, reload. Rinse and repeat until he[=/=]she eventually spawns.

* WarpZone: There's a portal in the basement of the Main Castle that lets you skip the entire Castle and go straight to the Count's Domain on the top floor. However, you do need to explore the Castle to find the last 2 family members, as the Count's Domain can't be opened until all the family members are accounted for.

* ThePowerOfTheSun: Sunlight plays an important part of the ritual. Fortunately, it's also the Count's WeaksauceWeakness...

Monsters are a constant presence, as they can appear almost anywhere and any one can kill you easily, making strategy with regards to aim, movement, positioning, and reloading essential. Although the graphics may not be very good, (owing to the use of the by then 5-year GoldSrc engine used to power VideoGame/HalfLife) the gloomy atmosphere and creepy ambient music combined with the hideous bloodthirsty beasts jumping out from around every corner will make even the most hardened gamer jump out of their seat at least once.

''Nosferatu: The Wrath Of Malachi'' is a SurvivalHorror FirstPersonShooter video game by the (since disbanded) Swedish developer group [=IdolFX=], released for the PC in 2005.

Monsters are a constant presence, as they can appear almost anywhere and any one can kill you easily, making strategy with regards to aim, movement, positioning, and reloading essential. Although the graphics may not be very good, the gloomy atmosphere and creepy ambient music combined with the hideous bloodthirsty beasts jumping out from around every corner will make even the most hardened gamer jump out of their seat at least once.

* BadassGrandpa: Frank Patterson. He carries around a machine gun in his trunk. And his family photo shows him standing atop the carcass of an animal waving the gun in the air triumphantly.

** TheManBehindTheMan: [[spoiler:Lord Malachi, an ancient Vampire of incredible power and vast evil who the Count is trying to release from his Tomb.]]

* DamselInDistress[=/=]DistressedDude: Everyone who's not James or a monster. The most traditional example would be Rebecca, since the ultimate objective of the game is to rescue her from the Count before he can sacrifice her. [[spoiler:Ironically, she's the only one you can't save.]]

* GenericDoomsdayVillain: The Count and Malachi have no discernible personality or motive, are defined by the threat they pose. Why does the Count want to summon Malachi? Because. Why does Malachi want to destroy the world ? Because.

* GenericDoomsdayVillain: The Count and Malachi have no discernible personality or motive, are defined by the threat they pose. Why does the Count want to summon Malachi ? Because. Why does Malachi want to destroy the world ? Because.

* LateToTheTragedy: The protagonist is late for the wedding of his sister. He arrives at the castle at 10:30 PM, and has time until midnight to find out what happened.

* HolyBurnsEvil: All Vampires and Ghouls will back away if you wave around the Crucifix (which is also the only thing that can kill Shadow Vampires), while any enemy (except Gypsies and Devil Dogs) can be killed by splashing Holy Water on it.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: If saved, Lord Belmore gives the Master Key as reward. It unlocks each trunk, allowing to acquire rewards you missed because you failed the NPC who would give it. Since Lord Belmore is among the latest NPC saved in the game, this features ensures you go to the endgame with decent stuff no matter how badly you screwed the game (unless you fail to save Lord Belmore, too).

** TheManBehindTheMan: [[spoiler: Lord Malachi, an ancient Vampire of incredible power and vast evil who the Count is trying to release from his Tomb]].

** That's because they ARE stuck together at random; the castle is randomly generated every time you play, barring a few sets of rooms at the beginning.

** Isn't it convenient that the creature that can only be killed by the Sun at dawn is performing a ritual that must be done at dawn? And isn't even more convenient that he doesn't try to avoid the rays of sunlight?

* DamselInDistress / DistressedDude: Everyone who's not James or a monster. The most traditional example would be Rebecca, since the ultimate objective of the game is to rescue her from the Count before he can sacrifice her. [[spoiler:Ironically, she's the only one you can't save.]]

* EscortMission: The process of getting each family member back to the Sanctuary. Luckily, it's not as bad as these types of missions tend to be, since they're fast, fairly smart, and can defend themselves to a limited degree, and you never have to take them TOO far.

** You can actually carry multiple Revolvers, Flintlock Pistols, and Muskets. This means you can, for example, carry 4 muskets and fire them all in rapid succession one after another, instead of reloading after one shot in the middle of combat. The game doesn't inform about this mechanic in any way whatsoever. The only clue you have is a tiny number next to weapon icon in the weapon selection screen, which can easily be mistaken for ammo count. Players unaware of this will be confused by their firearms mysteriously emptied or refilled after being selected.
** Saving all the [=NPCs=] [[spoiler: minus Rebecca, of course]] seems impossible: [[spoiler: when the 14th of them (usually either Lord Belmore or Dr. Gerald Patterson, since they are kept in the area unlocked last) reaches the Sanctuary, the ingame clock automatically skips to 6 a.m., killing the remaining family member. To save them both, you have to find them both before going back to the Sanctuary.]]

* HauntedCastle: It's not so much "haunted" as it is "run by, inhabited by, infested with, and patrolled by undead monsters and demons" but same difference.

** Inside the Garrison, you climb up...and up...and up...The East Tower also features this, but it's much shorter, and you take a lift up half the way. The West Wing only has you visit one floor at a time, but since you're going to be going back and forth from it a lot, climbing up and down all those stairs can be tedious.

* LethalJokeItem: You start the game only with your fists. Most players will probably forget about this "weapon" in the first 10 seconds of the game, which is precisely how fast you will find the sword. Hilariously, the fists are actually the best way of killing single monsters throughout most of the game. Attacking with fists hits the monster so rapidly, that you will stun it faster than it can recover, so you can stun-lock and pummel it until it's dead. It isn't after late into the game until you start encountering rare monsters with which this tactic doesn't work, like Gargoyles (they CAN actually recover fast enough to hit you between your punches), or Demodus (can simply fly out from your reach).

* MadeOfIron: Most monsters go down in a few shots with your weakest gun, but Demodus, Lesser Vampires, Gargoyles, and Greater Vampires take quite a bit more punishment without stopping. And bosses take even more, in most fights they'll end up with at least four or five Wooden Stakes buried in their chest before they even flinch.

* NonStandardGameOver: If you get killed by the Count or [[spoiler:Malachi]] you get a special cutscene saying that [[spoiler:you were the last sacrifice needed to restore Malachi's powers, and now you will be absorbed into him as he is released to [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt destroy the world]]]].

* OrchestralBombing: Quite a bit of the music in the game, the final bosses's themes are particularly triumphant examples.

* SealedEvilInACan: [[spoiler: Malachi, a Vampire Lord of great power and pure evil, was sealed inside a magic Tomb underneath the Castle centuries ago. The Count's objective is to release him.]]

* WarmupBoss: The first boss, the Desmodaui Vampire, has no enemies around him, is quite slow and weak and doesn't take much to bring down, and his coffin is right next to the area where you fight him.

* HolyBurnsEvil: All Vampires and Ghouls will back away if you wave around the Crucifix (which is also the only thing that can kill Shadow Vampires), while any enemy can be killed by splashing Holy Water on it.

* HornyDevils: A few bosses are referred to as Vampiric Succubi, but seem to just be female Vampires. (But then again, the ones you see have both captured and plan to sacrifice young men...)

* {{Badass}}: [[PlayerCharacter James Patterson]] himself. He fights off a whole army of zombies, vampires, ghosts, and demons all by himself.
** BadassNormal: And he's just a normal guy, armed with a sword and some ordinary guns.

** Saving all the [=NPCs=] [[spoiler: minus Rebecca, of course]] seems impossible: [[spoiler: when the 14th of them (usually either Lord Belmore or Dr. Gerald Patterson, since they are kept in the area unlocked last) reaches the Sanctuary, the ingame clock automatically skips to 6 a.m., killing the remaining family member. To save them both, you have to you find them both before going back to the Sanctuary.]]

* ScareChord: The soundtrack of this game turns scare chords into an art form. Easily half the music features them in some way.

* ScareChord: The soundtrack features these so often and in so many variations it practically turns them into an art form.

* WeakenedByTheLight: All Vampires are hurt by sunlight. In fact, it's the only thing that can hurt the Count.

* WarpZone: There's a portal in the basement of the main castle that lets you skip the entire castle and go straight to the Count's chambers on the top floor. However, you do need to explore the castle to find the last 2 family members, as the Count's chambers can't be opened until all the family members are accounted for.

** Demons. Really fast, really strong, soak up bullets like a sponge does water. One could be in any room. You'll learn to be very afraid when you see one. And then there are the times when you fight MORE THAN ONE AT ONCE.

* LethalJokeItem: You start the game only with your fists. Most players will probably forget about this "weapon" in the first 10 seconds of the game, which is precisely how fast you will find the sword. Hilariously, the fists are actually the best way of killing single monsters throughout most of the game. Attacking with fists hits the monster so rapidly, that you will stun it faster than it can recover, so you can stun-lock and pummel it until it's dead. It isn't after late into the game until you start encountering rare monsters with which this tactic doesn't work, like Demons (they CAN actually recover fast enough to hit you between your punches), or Demodus (can simply fly out from your reach).
* LightningBruiser: Lesser Vampires' and Demons' blinding speed combined with their high damage is what makes them such a pain to deal with.

* MadeOfIron: Most monsters go down in a few shots with your weakest gun, but Demodus, Lesser Vampires, Demons, and Greater Vampires take quite a bit more punishment without stopping. And bosses take even more, in most fights they'll end up with at least four or five Wooden Stakes buried in their chest before they even flinch.

* GlassCannon: Shadow Vampires are one of the strongest enemies in the game damage-wise, but go down in one zap from the Crucifix. To a lesser extent, Ghouls can dish out far more than they can take. Finally, scythe-wielding gypsies are slow, clumsy and easily killed, but can also kill you in just 2-3 hits.

** You can actually carry multiple revolvers, flintlock pistols and muskets. This means you can, for example, carry 4 muskets and fire them all in rapid succession one after another, instead of reloading after one shot in the middle of combat. The game doesn't inform about this mechanic in any way whatsoever. The only clue you have is a tiny number next to weapon icon in the weapon selection screen, which can easily be mistaken for ammo count. Players unaware of this will be confused by their firearms mysteriously emptied or refilled after being selected.
** Saving all the [=NPCs=] [[spoiler: minus Rebecca, of course]] seems impossible: [[spoiler: when the 14th of them (usually either Lord Belmore or Dr Gerald Patterson, since they are kept in the area unlocked last) reaches the Sanctuary, the ingame clock automatically skips to 6 a.m., killing the remaining family member. To save them both, you have to you find them both before going back to the Sanctuary.]]

* LateToTheTragedy: The protagonist is late for the wedding of his sister. He arrives at the castle at 10 PM, and has time until midnight to find out what happened.

** The gun-wielding gypsies all wear cowboy hats for whatever reason.

* SwissArmyWeapon: The Crucifix is the best example. It repels Vampires and Ghouls, kills Shadow Vampires, turns water into Holy Water, and even provides a bit of light. Wooden Stakes are also an example, since you can light them on fire to turn them into Torches.

** Father Aville is one of the first family members you'll probably rescue. He gives you the chalice of holy water, which is arguably the most powerful weapon in the game. It hits in a wide arc, can kill almost anything in ONE HIT, and the only things in the entire game that are immune to it are [[spoiler:the penultimate boss]], gypsies and devil dogs, the latter two being arguably the weakest enemies in the game anyway. Even the bosses fall after just 2 or 3 hits. Not to mention it can be refilled indefinitely at any water trough.

* EscortMission: The process of getting each family member back to the Sanctuary. Luckily, it's nowhere near as bad as other examples, since they're fast, fairly smart, and can defend themselves to a limited degree, and you never have to take them TOO far.

* GlassCannon: Shadow Vampires are one of the strongest enemies in the game damage-wise, but go down in one zap from the Crucifix. To a lesser extent, Ghouls can dish out far more than they can take.

The game is set in Transylvania in 1912. The English fencer James Patterson has arrived late (10:00 at night to be precise) to Castle Malachi, where his extended family is gathered for the wedding of his sister Rebecca to the son of the Count who lives in the Castle. He finds the Castle completely deserted, until happening upon Father Aville, the priest who was to conduct the wedding. The severely injured Aville tells him that the Castle is the lair of an army of Vampires and the family has been lured there so the Count can sacrifice them in a ritual of dark magic. Armed only with his prized Cane Sword and the Father's Crucifix, James must explore the haunted Castle, rescue his family, and stop the Count's plans.

** Saving all the [=NPCs=] [[spoiler: minus Rebecca, of course]] seems impossible: [[when the 14th of them (usually either Lord Belmore or Dr Gerald Patterson, since they are kept in the area unlocked last) reaches the Sanctuary, the ingame clock automatically skips to 6 a.m., killing the remaining family member. To save them both, you have to you find them both before going back to the Sanctuary.]]

* GuideDangIt: You can actually carry multiple revolvers, flintlock pistols and muskets. This means you can, for example, carry 4 muskets and fire them all in rapid succession one after another, instead of reloading after one shot in the middle of combat. The game doesn't inform about this mechanic in any way whatsoever. The only clue you have is a tiny number next to weapon icon in the weapon selection screen, which can easily be mistaken for ammo count. Players unaware of this will be confused by their firearms mysteriously emptied or refilled after being selected.

* RandomlyGeneratedLevels: The castle is semi-randomly generated each new game. The basic layout of the castle remains the same, but the interior rooms and the placement of enemies and NPCs differs each time.

** BiggerBad: [[spoiler: Lord Malachi, an ancient Vampire of incredible power and vast evil who the Count is trying to release from his Tomb]].

Don't be fooled by the subpar graphics, simplistic gameplay, and occasional glitches - ''Nosferatu'' is still very much a horror game, and a hard one at that. The Castle is randomly generated, with room layout, items, enemies, and family members being different with every different playthrough. Keeping track of supplies and ammunition is essential, as is knowing what items to use in which situations. As you progress through the different areas, you will find family members, who you must lead back to the Sanctuary, where each one will give you a different item. Just try not to let them die along the way. And as the in-game clock progresses, they'll start being sacrificed unless you can reach them in time.