KISS Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child is Just an Awkward Video Game

Last night I hooked up my Sega Dreamcast and played some video games. My friend Bruce had a new game that he wanted to try so I broke it out. When I opened the disc door, I noticed I left a game in there. It was KISS Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child. After we played his game, I played it for a bit and realized that it did have a lot more potential. The game is just really awkward.

It's been some time since I played this game, and it hasn't changed since I first played. I never played it when it was new, but as a KISS fan, I had to try it out. This game came out around the time KISS released their album Psycho Circus. Spawn creator Todd Mcfarlane did a series of comic books for KISS Psycho Circus, and the art and story lines were kick ass. Bloody, gory, scary looking, etc. It was a kick ass comic series! Naturally they made a video game out of it.

It's a first person shooter, very reminiscent of Quake and Doom.

First problem with this game was the fact that you weren't actually KISS. You were some strange looking guys that battled through areas to dress like KISS. I didn't really care what the story was about, I was just excited to be the KISS gods like they were in the comic books, but I wasn't. I was Joe Schmo walking around dressing up in a KISS costume. When you eventually put together the whole ensemble, you are only the certain KISS character for a short period of time.

You figure with a KISS game, it would be filled with awesome KISS music right? Nope, you get no KISS music at all. You actually don't get music at all! Maybe their type of music didn't fit the feel of the game, but at least include 'God of Thunder' or something. It's a game surrounded by KISS, how could you not put KISS music in the game! KISS IS A ROCK BAND FOR GOD SAKES!

I have the Dreamcast version of the game. I never did play the PC version, but I am sure on the PC, it controlled 9000 times better. With the Dreamcast version and its controller, you move forward and backward by pressing the buttons. This makes the movement in the game incredibly awkward and takes WAY to long to figure out the controls. I eventually got used to it, but I still stumble here and there.

Strangely playing this last night, the game captivated me and I couldn't stop playing it. I think I got caught in its old skool-ness and just sunk into it.

The game does have it's moment, but I still wouldn't suggest this game to anyone.