Amnesia: The Dark Descent Review

Scary games are pretty much non-existent. Sure, there a few horror games out there that come to mind like the Dead Space or F.E.A.R. series, but other than a jolt or a jump once in a while, there has been no game that truly made me scared to peak around a corner or open some doors like Frictional Games’ title Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

Story

You take the role of a character named Daniel. Right off the bat, you have a big problem, you cannot remember anything. You know your name, you live in Mayfair in London, and that something known as “the shadow” is hunting you. Waking up in the eerie Brennenburg Castle, you find a note written by your former self explaining that you voluntarily made yourself forget everything, for reasons yet unknown, and that you must go to the castle’s inner sanctum and take the life of the castle’s baron, Alexander. Also, the note warns you about the darkness chasing him. You soon realize you are very alone, and for reason’s you don’t know, you must kill Alexander. The plot is both gripping and as well as gruesome.

Gameplay

Amnesia has a very unique style of gameplay to it. Although the shadow does have monster’s you encounter, you have absolutely no weapons at your disposal. The focus is stealth, trying to stay away from the monsters by hiding in closets or in dark corners. But hiding in the darkness has its downsides. You have a level of sanity you have to maintain, if your sanity starts getting low, your screen can get distorted and start warping. If you start going even lower, bugs can appear on your screen and Daniel may even fall to the ground and have to crawl. Get any lower, and you are past the point of no return. The sanity level goes down when in darkness, but only goes back up by progressing further in the game.

Sometimes stealth doesn’t always work, you might find yourself sprinting through the halls of Brennenburg Castle slamming doors behind you running from these creatures of the shadow. You might even be able to find a chest or shelf to barricade the door, made possible by the games outstanding physics engine.

Amnesia has a lot of puzzles that need solving as well. You will find yourself searching through dark (and I mean very, very dark) caverns of the castle to find pieces for a machine that opens the next section of the castle. The puzzles range from common sense to challenging, but I never found myself thinking for too long, which to certain people like me can be quite disappointing.

Presentation

This game looks great. Environments are detailed, and movement and animation of the monsters (if you are as unlucky to run in to them up close) is nice and fluid. There isn’t too much voice acting but when there is it is superb. But the look of the game is nothing compared to the sounds. The eerie sounds a door makes when it is open, the footsteps from rooms behind you, the splashes of unknown enemies in the water all add to the amazing immersion of Amnesia. Not to mention the trembling music that places when a monster is running after you, absolutely terrifying.

The Size-Up

Overall, Frictional Games accomplished their goal for Amnesia: The Dark Descent. That goal was to pull you in, and make you sh*t your pants. This game is immersive and truly terrifying. I recommend playing this with surround sound headphones and at 3AM with the lights off, you won’t be sleeping anyways.

Its these original indie games that are underrated these guys (besides minecraft godthanks) All overshadowed by shallow first person millitary COD wannabe's.

Good review, Jub. I heard it's one of the few games released in recent times that is actually scary.

On a scale of 1-10, what score does it get for being scary.

ArcanaOfB3ast wrote:

On a scale of 1-10, what score does it get for being scary.

9.9999 for sure. Any scarier I couldn't handle it and I don't get scared too easily

Stoney wrote:

Good review, Jub. I heard it's one of the few games released in recent times that is actually scary.

Thanks! And yes, actually one of the few games that is scary at all. Funny thing is, my second scariest game would be Penumbra, same company that came out with Amnesia

TheJubJub5721 wrote:

ArcanaOfB3ast wrote:

On a scale of 1-10, what score does it get for being scary.

9.9999 for sure. Any scarier I couldn't handle it and I don't get scared too easily

Stoney wrote:

Good review, Jub. I heard it's one of the few games released in recent times that is actually scary.

Thanks! And yes, actually one of the few games that is scary at all. Funny thing is, my second scariest game would be Penumbra, same company that came out with Amnesia

LMAO. Mah ass. May i mention the Dead Space 2 demo? and Tinychat.

Franko wrote:

TheJubJub5721 wrote:

ArcanaOfB3ast wrote:

On a scale of 1-10, what score does it get for being scary.

9.9999 for sure. Any scarier I couldn't handle it and I don't get scared too easily

Stoney wrote:

Good review, Jub. I heard it's one of the few games released in recent times that is actually scary.

Thanks! And yes, actually one of the few games that is scary at all. Funny thing is, my second scariest game would be Penumbra, same company that came out with Amnesia

LMAO. Mah ass. May i mention the Dead Space 2 demo? and Tinychat.

Lol I was a little under the influence...were you not there earlier?

We all know sesame street once upon a monster is going to be the scariest. I means fuck it includes cookie monster.

TheJubJub5721 wrote:

Franko wrote:

TheJubJub5721 wrote:

ArcanaOfB3ast wrote:

On a scale of 1-10, what score does it get for being scary.

9.9999 for sure. Any scarier I couldn't handle it and I don't get scared too easily

Stoney wrote:

Good review, Jub. I heard it's one of the few games released in recent times that is actually scary.

Thanks! And yes, actually one of the few games that is scary at all. Funny thing is, my second scariest game would be Penumbra, same company that came out with Amnesia

LMAO. Mah ass. May i mention the Dead Space 2 demo? and Tinychat.

Lol I was a little under the influence...were you not there earlier?

Lmao

I clearly remembered that.

*Jub walks into the next room then CRAZY FUCKING SCARY SHIT FREAKOUTBDGSFR EW|FYDIFBEWFVYDBFG PAUSE.......*

*I piss myself in laughter*

amnesia god i love that game nothing screams little girl like a man after he have played it
well mustt say good review i personally get afraid as hell by this game since the frickin lamp oil runs out all the time for me