The Nightmare Box is a weapon manufactured by GrummelNet Industries in Into the Nexus. When deployed, it unleashes ghosts and goblins from a parallel universe that distract enemies by scaring them into fleeing or attacking the device.
It is available for 15,000 bolts from a GrummelNet vendor upon reaching planet Yerek, and can be upgraded with raritanium. Upon reaching V3, it transforms into the Terrorizer (Terroriser in the PAL localization), which gains a pyrocidic core that causes it to explode upon expiring. The Omega Terrorizer can be purchased in challenge mode.
Fully upgraded, the weapon serves a role similar to both the Decoy Glove and Miniturret Glove of prior games in one weapon.
Characteristics[]
The Nightmare Box resembles a compact pistol with gold and bronze plating. It features a large, green glass casing containing a 'brain' and a prominent red antenna. The front muzzle is styled after a mechanical cyclopean skull face stuck in a scream, from which it deploys a 'jack-in-the-box' containing a creature shrouded in a dark-green aura. It was originally developed by GrummelNet's party division as a Halloween gag but was repurposed as a weapon after the summoned ghouls attacked the scientists.[1]
The Terrorizer maintains the base form but adds two thick, ribbed tubes across the top, connecting the front housing to the rear. The creatures deployed by the Terrorizer gain a pyrocidic core that causes them to explode when they expire after scaring enemies.[2]
Combat[]
The Nightmare Box in action.
Upon deployment, the Nightmare Box initially scares and briefly freezes nearby enemies, including bosses, even canceling active attacks. After this initial stasis, the deployed ghoul is targeted by all nearby foes for its duration, making the weapon a strategic tool for distraction. It is initially hampered by low health and a small scare radius. The Terrorizer upgrade improves effectiveness by damaging enemies when the ghoul expires due to its pyrocidic core.
Raritanium upgrades improve the weapon's duration (Ghoul Health), ammo capacity, scare radius (Terror Amplifier), and explosive power (Pyrocidic Boost). Mystery upgrades include Ghoul Army (deploying multiple ghouls at once) and Phantom Shot (allowing ghouls to fire corrosive acid at enemies). Fully upgrading the Nightmare Box dramatically increases its effectiveness in distracting and damaging enemies during even the most challenging encounters.
Behind the scenes[]
Concept art of the Zombitron.
The Nightmare Box was originally called the 'Zombitron',[3], and would have deployed green, ghost-like creatures that had more robotic features in the final game.[4]