In the world of nightmares, where the most vile and horrific apparitions that our imaginations can concoct reside, you play the role of... Allen. Hey, not every nightmare can be terrifying, and that's exactly what Allen's problem is. His teacher is fed up with him for not being at all scary, and so while looking through the library, Allen finds a book that says anyone who eats the heart of this creature deep in the forest will become utterly terrifying. We've got ourselves a quest here people.

Pretty much from the get go Terra Noctis has a Mario feel to it, and hey, if you're going to make a platformer, it's good to model yourself after the best. While not perfect, the touch controls are very good, with the on screen d-pad and jump button not feeling clumsy or obtuse. In a good platformer you want to feel like any death is your fault, and not that of bad controls, and that's what we have here. The one caveat is the aiming, but seeing that's primarily used to hit bats that when dead expose secret walkways, it's not that big a hindrance.

Actually the biggest Mario influence (aside from breaking blocks and ground pounding) comes in the end of level scoring system. In each level there are fifteen red fireflies, a gold coin, and the word 'scare' in strewn out letter form. To one hundred percent a level, all these categories need to be checked off, which is very reminiscent of the SNES classic Yoshi's Island. Aside from that, you have access to the good ol' double jump, and you gain a batty companion that you can fly on in certain sections. He also warns you of danger and alludes towards secret areas, but after a level of his high pitched noise, you'll be wishing to be rid of him.

Thankfully that's the only damper in an otherwise fantastic presentation, both visually and with the sound design. The story book visuals have a beautiful use of muted color, and the characters are all expressive. The music helps immerse you with very catchy, but appropriate tones, and the sound effects seal the deal.

If you're a platformer fan, this is worth a play. It's missing something to really make the experience pop, but what it delivers is a top notch effort of presentation, control, and design.