You’re confronted with a hideous, screaming winged monstrosity that shakes the very sanity of lesser mortals. Do you run screaming in terror, or pull out a pair of .45 heavy pistols? If you chose the latter answer, you might just be ready for Nocturne, a horror extravaganza in stores just in time for Halloween. Nocturne follows the adventures of Stranger, a mysterious trench-coated man whose only pleasure in life comes from filling creatures of the night with hot lead. Stranger is a combination of 1930s pulp hero The Shadow and DC Comics enigma Phantom Stranger — a perfect hero for this game, set in a post-Depression world where vampires, werewolves and zombies are hunted by a government organization called Spookhouse. In world where the human monster Adolf Hitler has not yet started the second World War, Stranger fights supernatural monsters. The game’s four "acts" — each a separate game unto itself, which means you can play any of ‘em from the outset — take our taciturn hero to combat vampires in Germany; Lovecraftian gods in Texas; zombie mobsters in Chicago; and demons in France. It’s a thrilling, spine-chilling ride no matter which mission Stranger is on. Each act features a mix of action and puzzle-solving. Monsters are quick and vicious, even traditionally shambling zombies, so most situations call for a quick trigger finger. Luckily, Stranger has plenty of supernatural gadgets (provided by Spookhouse’s Q-type outfitter, the buxom Doc Holliday) to complement the good ol’ stopping power of pistols, shotguns, flamethrowers and so on. Puzzles are more of the carry-this-to-that-place or find-the-key/lever/button variety, though they’re implemented well within each act’s storyline. There are some nice unexpected variations — one in particular has Stranger escorting survivors to a church in a small Texas town. These are even more anxious because ammunition is often limited, forcing the player into more avoidance of monsters than head-on confrontation. When that confrontation is inevitable, because the monsters are so fast, Nocturne uses the Ectoplasmic aiming system, where Stranger’s guns when they’re drawn automatically target enemies. Good thing; aiming is otherwise done with the keyboard, and moves too slowly too often. Unfortunately, some monsters (like zombies) can only be effectively killed by shots to the head, which means the player must use a combination of auto-targeting and manual targeting. Nocturne’s graphics are top-notch, especially the little things like the flapping of Stranger’s trenchcoat or puffs of steamy breath in cold areas. Monsters are not the glamorous superhumans that have become more popular since Interview With the Vampire and its ilk, but truly horrific creatures of the night, whether twisted, Nosferatu-inspired vampires or decomposing zombies. There are also plenty of genuinely creepy scripted moments, with monsters scuttling or flying past in the background as Stranger and one of his many sidekicks try and crack the latest puzzle. The game’s third-person engine is presented with skewed, area-specific camera angles — just like a very similar horror game, the classic Alone in the Dark. It’s a nice, creepy touch in many cases. But during combat, as with Alone in the Dark, the artsy camera angle proves deadly because the player can’t easily see the action or target enemies. This can make for some very frustrating moments of saving and reloading. One final note: You’ve got to love a game that commands you to turn off the lights before the game has started. In fact, the graphics here are dark so players are forced to turn off lights, close windows and, as the game suggests, boost the monitor’s contrast and brightness. Do it. This one’s more fun when you’re alone in the dark. out of 10 ESC keys Contact the reviewer for any comments or questions about this review. Nocturne Terminal Reality/Gathering of Developers Get Nocturne at Requirements: PC: Pentium 233 MHz; 64 MB RAM; 500 MB hard drive space.