Post by Tundra on Jun 15, 2012 18:21:38 GMT -5
Amnesia: The Dark Descent Review
Set in the year 1839, the game casts the player in the role of Daniel, a young man from London, who awakens in the dark halls of the Prussian Brennenburg Castle with little to no memory about himself or his past. All he can remember is his name, that he lives in Mayfair and that something is hunting him
-Visuals- 6.5/10
The visuals are good, but not extraordinary. Good textures, models, and environment design, but visuals, and graphics are Not what this game delivers on.
Most of the time you feel too scared, or involved with the story to notice the subtle graphics.
-Sound- 8.5/10.
One of the first things that strike you Is the sounds. Not the music, not the ambiance, but the sounds.
In almost every room, and part of Brennenburg Castle new horrors can be heard from unseen places. You never let your guard down as a woman’s screams can be heard from the dungeons, or a babies cries echoes through the study halls.
-Gameplay- 9/10.
The gameplay Is somewhat unique in the sense that your are, for all intents, and purposes defensless.
You cannot arm yourself against the horrors that hunts you relentlessly. Your only hope to survive is through cunning, and outsmarting the monsters who are always looking for you.
The game does not have a HUD, and you take hints about your health from on screen cues such as blurring, loss of control, and heavy breathing, and from the sound effects.
-Story- 8.5/10.
The story Is what drives the game forward. In fact It is clearly stated that Amnesia should not be played to win, but to immerse yourself in the story.
As you go along you'll constantly find notes, journal entires, and diaries to help you understand why you are In a foreign land, being hunted by an enemy you cannot see, and most importantly why you cannot remember anything.
-Overall- 8.5/10
Probably the best atmospheric game I've ever played. From the very beginning you never ever feel truly safe. The wind will blow doors open, and strange sounds will howl through the hallways.
The immersion Is simply amazing. You are left with only bits, and pieces of the storyline, and you will have to put the puzzle together yourself.
After a while you do get used to the idea of hiding, and running a lot. And you learn the best ways to avoid the monsters hunting you. But even then you can never really know, where the next scare might come from.
I admit I don't scare easily. I might jump once In a while, such as with Doom 3 and the likes, but I don't get scared senseless In these games often. After playing Amnesia I know that's because in all other horror games you can at least defend yourself. In the hallways, and catacombs of Brennenburg Castle you cannot defend yourself at all.
After getting scared one too many times I made a habit of barricading myself in "safe" rooms. Essentially rooms with one door, and I'd throw everything at It to block it. It added a small sense of security, but you still feel on edge.
Definately an amazing game well worth the time, and money.
