Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Every so often, I like to try a horror game to see if my palette for them has changed at all. This years was a long awaited go at "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" with the PS4 re-release that was a Playstation Plus game a few years back. Though I can see the quality of the game, it's just not one for me.

Awakening in a seemingly abandoned stately home, you play Daniel, who has amnesia and must explore, finding notes that fill in the details of what has occurred there. Solving simple puzzles along the way, Daniel is increasingly psychologically attacked by unseen noises and movement in the dark - with only candlelight or a lantern to provide the release of the truth. Soon though, Daniel discovers that he is not alone in the catacombs.

There was a lot to like about "Amnesia: The Dark Descent". Though I didn't play it as the developers intended, i.e in the dark, with headphones on, I did get a sense of the superlative sound design that makes the game so compelling. Visually the game was fine, using a basic engine to generate the house and its contents and with enough physics to allow you to throw the items around. I liked the visual effects that occur as Daniel takes psychological damage, with the screen becoming blurry and distorted until you can find some light, it reminded me of seminal Gamecube game "Eternal Darkness". The puzzles were basic stuff, mostly fetch quests or combining items like in a point and click adventure.

Where the game lost me though, was in the encounters with the creatures. I gave up at the second major one, which I understand is about halfway through the game. The first, using water to show where the creature was at least made sense, (as in, I could see where my goal was). The second just ended with me blundering into the creature over and over again and getting killed. It wasn't fun and soon moved from scary to frustrating. At my age, I don't have enough free time to not make progress with a game, each time I play.

Undoubtably well-made and atmospheric, I feel like the problems are more with me than with the game.

Don't be thrown off by the fact this game plays about 10 years older than its release date. It does have some clunk to it, but for the most part, it is dated in a positive way taking the aspects from older generations of horror games that fans of the genre appreciate.

It pretty much ticks all the boxes a survival horror fan might look for with the exception of combat. It has a deeply immersive atmosphere powered by a darkly captivating world, an eternal darkness-like sanity system that warps POV, and a fantastic soundtrack. The puzzles are creative and challenging without being frustrating for the most part. I also appreciate that some of them have multiple solutions including working the game's physics system into the puzzles. The level design is solid with a nice combination of linearity and non-linearity despite the confined spaces.

However, I do believe it is held back slightly on a few fronts. While, I am fine with minimal combat, they should have been more creative with the "action" around that idea. More sequences like the aquatic (leaving this intentionally vague to avoid spoilers) one early in the game could have elevated my rating. The variety is left lacking due to the designers not being imaginative enough with these interactions. Additionally, the ending, while satisfying for my playthrough on a narrative level, was anti-climactic in my opinion.

Overall, it's a damn good game that deserves the cult-classic label it has. While it is not near the top of the genre for me (LOU, Evil Within, Multiple REs, etc. Are better), it will most likely enter into the back end of my top 100 games after I've thought it over.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is undoubtedly the most terrifying gaming experience i've ever had. This game is a masterpiece.

In this game you play as Daniel. A man stricken with Amnesia and on a quest for answers. The story in this game isn't the best thing ever but i was intrigued the whole time and it deals with questions of guilt amongst other things. The voice acting is very good and the game has multiple endings so you can conclude the story in the way that fits you.

In the game, you complete a series of tasks/puzzles to progress the story and you must hide from enemies whilst managing your sanity and light resources. The levels are very well designed hub levels that remove the feeling of linearity because you have to do a lot of exploring if you want to find resources and things to progress. The interaction involved in opening doors and moving objects its great because it adds that physical immersion to the game. The stealth works well and its utterly terrifying when the enemies see you and give chase. The puzzles are solid too.

The best thing about this game is definitely the atmosphere. There is constantly this crippling sense of dread produced by incredible music, sound design, terrifying environments and enemies and just well paced gameplay. It was so scary that i had to stop every 20 minutes because I honestly thought i might of had a heart attack. It builds up the tension so much that when an enemy does appear and attack you it utterly shocks you to the core. I have never before or since had such an intense fear playing a video game.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a special game that most other horror games have tried (and failed in my opinion) to encapsulate. What an amazing experience that i will never forget.

10/10.

I really wished there was a good sequel to this game becouse i wonder when are we gonna get a good amnesia sequel and we got machine for pigs that Meh alright...but man i always wondered when are we gonna get a amnesia sequel or remake to make me satisfied anyways back to the point.

This game is just a masterpiece no other horror game as achieved its level, sure there is outlast,resident evil 2 remastered and etc but man in 2010 how can u see these types of games i sure havent anyway i am not giving 10/10 becouse some parts like are not as scary as some and some puzzles are hard to players to get through but anyways 8/10 solid game

I'm not really sure how to begin...

I've played all the classic horror games, the Silent Hill games, Penumbra, FEAR, Condemned, System Shock, etc. Not one of them comes close, although Penumbra deserves second place and bears some similarities - it was, after all, made by the same team.

Amnesia isn't typical in any way. You don't fight, you have no guns or explosives. It's raw survival that drives the action. The elements that make the game so uniquely terrifying have more to do with what you hear and feel, and less to do with common gimmicks like monsters jumping out of the shadows (not a bad tactic, but one that grows tiresome over time). When you create a new game, on-screen text advises players to experience the game, rather than win it.

Before playing, make sure that you are in a dark room, adjust the brightness as per the game's specifications, and play with headphones. Since so much has to do with mood, and since the atmosphere is so compelling, it would be a disservice to the game and yourself to play it any other way.

The story itself is fairly simple - a man has lost his memory and is trying to put the pieces together. But there is something.... wrong. As you progress through the game and begin to see the whole picture, the sense of "wrongness" increases to a nearly hysterical level.

I enjoy watching good horror movies with friends, it might make me a bit sadistic but I do enjoy sharing their fear and giving them a bit of a scare. I can't think of a film or game that I would tell an adult friend not to watch or play. But in the case of Amnesia, be warned - this game is DARK. Some of the themes and scenes are extremely disturbing. It's the only game I've ever had to take breaks from because my nerves were so frayed I wasn't even having fun anymore.

Furthermore, if you're a parent considering purchasing this game for a child, please don't. There are some things you really don't want in your head, and some of those things could be potentially harmful to a child. Some of them could be harmful to adults as well, I suppose.

Anyway, if you love horror games and are looking for more, pick this up immediately - it's the best one yet.