No engine is worth anything without art and design to back it up, however, and here once again Nocturne shines. The models are not the best I've ever seen in a game, but they serve their purpose and have an eerily realistic look to them that works well within the theme. Design is very good, staying away from overly blocky structures. Sound is key to horror, as anyone who's watched a few good movies in the genre will tell you, and the guys behind Nocturne have paid special attention to this aspect. The shotgun creates a transparent green cone which helps you aim.
Zombies moan and gurgle appropriately, footsteps crunch on the dirt and clunk on the wood.
The voice acting is terrific and the music is superb, mainly due to the fact that it's rarely used. Best of all, the music is wielded with extreme skill. Sometimes, it blasts just before a zombie lurches through the door and runs for you. This creates a kind of nervous tension that emulates the best horror movies ever made. Perhaps the greatest trick, however, is the brilliant design decision to force the gamma to such a low level that the game absolutely must be played in the dark.