Amnesia - The Dark Descent

[Deleted]

Recently, I decided to give a new genre a try. Horror games. So, I figured I would just go get this game, and find out what all the fuss is about. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into.

If you haven't heard about Amnesia, here's the short story: Your name is Daniel. You are in a castle in Brennenburg, Germany. And you.. well, thats pretty much all you remember. You learn that you have caused yourself to forget a whole lot of things, but has given yourself the instructions to kill a man, Alexander. Also, something is hunting you.

The game is a series of puzzles and general adventure-type gameplay. Find this. Use it on that. Don't get eaten. You have a health bar, which is fairly unnessecary as long as you keep clear of the monters. Much more importantly, you have a sanity bar - as if it wasn't enough that YOU are scared shitless, so is the guy you are playing. If something spooks you, or if a monster is near, you'll start freaking out. The screen will go blurry, you will have difficulty moving, you may even fall to the ground in despair. Light is your only salvation from insanity, but light is a precious resource, and besides that, the only way you can keep going is if you.. keep going. Making progress in the game, solving puzzles, getting out of scary places, is the only real way to restore your sanity and not feel completely hopeless.

I am a giant wuss. I have never been good at horror movies, and life has shown me that this is also the case with horror games. Now, I don't have other games to compare it to, because the biggest scares in games I ever get are those from loud noises or players running into each other on a corner. But I think Amnesia is great, in the sense that it does excactly what its supposed to do: It scares the living crap out of you.

I have come to realise that a lot of this game goes on in your head. A little sound is amplified by your brain because of the expectence that it will be more than a little sound. If you hear an innocent rock falling down, you automaticly assume that it is probably a monster come to devour you. And if thats not bad enough, when monsters does actually comes, thats when you really begin to whimper.

I have great respect for the way the creators mess with your head. If Daniel spots a monster, he will instantly become a whimpering little man. When he hides, he will continue to be scared as he huddles in a dark corner. Only when you turn around and go to the place where you saw the monster, and note that its not there anymore, will you regain a little bit of self control. Add to that a plethora of random scares, creepy monsters and really well made sound effects, and you've got yourself a perfect horror game.

It goes without saying, please don't post any spoilers. I'm probably only halfway through the game. If you DO want to check out the game to find out if you want to buy it, there is a demo on Steam, and I'm also doing my own commentated Let's Play Amnesia series - but I can only urge you to play the full game yourself!

What do you think about Amnesia?

[Raqubor]

I have the game myself, bought it on steam. I haven't played it yet, but I played the first Penumbra, and they say this one is 10 times better so 15 Euros for it was a steal! It's on my 'play list', but first I want to finish the new AvP.

[Deleted]

Another AvP? The last one was crap.. :S

[Brittany]

Hehe, I love that when you play it you're saying things like "I don't like this game at all".. "no, I really don't like this game at all"... "ahh don't do that!"

It very much interests me but a) My PC can barely run WoW, I'm a 360 girl, and b) I get nightmares and things like doors blowing open would actually make me turn it off in fright I think.

Shame, because it looks very interesting. And very good if it's an indie game like you say.

Edit : I watched you play up until half of part 5 and I can't watch it anymore. It's a good game but it's too scary. It's really messed up.

[Herecius]

It's an incredible game, absolutely worth the sticker price and giving the indie devs some well-earned cash. Hands-down, most pants-crappingly scary game I've played.. really, ever. Yeah, I played Silent Hill 2 and such when that stuff was released, but this is something else.

The other thing that's scary about it is how inexpensive it is. 15 bucks on Steam is nothing, and the devs priced it at that bargain-bin price in the hopes that it would drive up sales, because they'll go bankrupt without it.

Also... play with headphones. That is all.

[Deleted]

Also... play with headphones. That is all.

Its geneuinely more terrifying -without- headphones D=

[treston323]

I feel sorry for anyone who plays this with surround sound speakers in the dark, alone.

[Underskilled]

Watching them all now, despite it being 2 AM. I love the way you handle potential scary situations.


*Place barrel in front of nearest door*


Edit: Time to stop before part 10, really shouldn't be watching this at this hour. End of part 9 was kind of funny though "Run the fuuUUUUCK away!".

[TheTwistedRaven]

I played it, and I can say its really, really scary.

The most things with the majority of Horror Games, is that you can fight back.

On this one, you only got a Lantern.

[Deleted]

Hehe, I love that when you play it you're saying things like "I don't like this game at all".. "no, I really don't like this game at all"... "ahh don't do that!"

It very much interests me but a) My PC can barely run WoW, I'm a 360 girl, and b) I get nightmares and things like doors blowing open would actually make me turn it off in fright I think.

Shame, because it looks very interesting. And very good if it's an indie game like you say.

Edit : I watched you play up until half of part 5 and I can't watch it anymore. It's a good game but it's too scary. It's really messed up.

Yeah, so imagine actually playing it. I am getting "somewhat" hardened towards the scares now, though, but I still have a ways to complete. I can tell you, however, that I turn the sound down by some 20% before I render the video, because when you are playing it, the sound is really, really loud. You can hear every footstep, every drop, every monster breathing down your neck!

It's an incredible game, absolutely worth the sticker price and giving the indie devs some well-earned cash. Hands-down, most pants-crappingly scary game I've played.. really, ever. Yeah, I played Silent Hill 2 and such when that stuff was released, but this is something else.

The other thing that's scary about it is how inexpensive it is. 15 bucks on Steam is nothing, and the devs priced it at that bargain-bin price in the hopes that it would drive up sales, because they'll go bankrupt without it.

Also... play with headphones. That is all.

I did read that they have now covered the expenses of making the game, but its not making as much money as they would expect. Which is shoking, cause official reviews put it at 85/100, and player reviews puts it at 9.3/10. I guess the genre is putting people off.

I do play with headphones, much to my own demise :P

[lungo]

Will you say this game are in the cattergory of "should not be played alone, at night, in windy weather with branches hitting the window". If so, damn!

I'm looking for something new and diffrent to play, since I'm getting tried of all the same "shoot 'em up" games. And those other RPG's theres around I like or has been recommentet has allready been dealt with. I recently tried out Trine and Briad, which was awesome! And open me up for puzzel and indian games.
So if it aren't too good (read: scares the shit out of you) I will give it a go.

[Novogrod]

Will you say this game are in the cattergory of "should not be played alone, at night, in windy weather with branches hitting the window". If so, damn!

I'm looking for something new and diffrent to play, since I'm getting tried of all the same "shoot 'em up" games. And those other RPG's theres around I like or has been recommentet has allready been dealt with. I recently tried out Trine and Briad, which was awesome! And open me up for puzzel and indian games.
So if it aren't too good (read: scares the shit out of you) I will give it a go.

Let me put it this way: http://youtu.be/wQ4KRpPlmqU

Does that sum up how scary the game is?

[Deleted]

i can vouch for this game (if you darken room and use headphones) ive never had fear or suspense from a game tbh, but playin this game.... omfg thought i was goin mad its pure win

[skylla05]

This game is damn near *too scary* for me to play.

I am a 28 year old male that has always loved horror, but for some reason... this game just frightens the hell out of me.

I own it and have never got very far, simply because I am intimidated to even play it. If you like horror and the feeling of extreme terror, this game is for you. One of these days I'll grow a pair and try and play through it.

And yes, a good pair of headphones with some bass control (and if you have surround headphones, even better) really adds to the atmosphere. I imagine if you have a really kickass surround speaker system, that would do the trick too.

[Igloo]

Amnesia is just amazing, but I have to say that I loved Penumbra: Black Plague even more. It's made by the same developers, Frictional Games. Highly recommending both Amnesia and the Penumbra trilogy.

[skylla05]

So if it aren't too good (read: scares the shit out of you) I will give it a go.

If it doesn't scare the crap out of you, there's something wrong with you

Steam also has it on sale for $9.99 right now, good time to buy (I paid 19.99)

[Deleted]

We had a similar thread a couple of weeks ago, needless to say again what I think.. this game is just a masterpiece. Must have.

[Dreamy]

I've bought the game some time ago. Its still on my desktop. I keep it for LAN party's when you are with more people.
The last time I had played the game I got to fcking scared I alt+f4 'ed out. Never touched it again

[skylla05]

I've bought the game some time ago. Its still on my desktop. I keep it for LAN party's when you are with more people.
The last time I had played the game I got to fcking scared I alt+f4 'ed out. Never touched it again

rofl pretty much my experience with it too.

[Jaronicity]

Let me put it this way: http://youtu.be/wQ4KRpPlmqU

Does that sum up how scary the game is?

ouch my ears! ><

OT: currently playing this (if you can call playing 10-15 mins at a time "playing" haha). the environment you're in coupled with the fact you have no defenses other than hiding and sneaking around is what really gets me....oh, and the random shit that happens and you think there's a monster but it's nothing!!