Amnesia: The Dark Descent for PC Reviews

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Amnesia: The Dark Descent

THQ

Release Date: February 17, 2011

Metascore

Based on

44 Critics

User Score

8.7

Based on

1036 Ratings

Summary Back to top

The last remaining memories fade away into darkness. Your mind is a mess and only a feeling of being hunted remains. You must escape. Awake... Amnesia: The Dark Descent, a first person survival horror. A game about immersion, discovery and living through a nightmare. An experience that will chill you to the core.

Starring: Lani Minella, Marc Biagi, William Corkery

Developer: Frictional Games

Genre(s): Horror

Cheats: On GameFAQs

Rating: M

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Critic Reviews Back to top

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

100

GameCritics

Jan 18, 2011

It was without a doubt one of the most difficult, draining, and stressful gaming experiences I have ever had, but it's also an absolute masterpiece.

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Computer Games Online RO

Frictional made an interactive adventure that always pushes you to descend deeper and deeper towards the heart of evil, balancing the exploration of your own mind towards the point of maximum dementia with the exploration of a castle perhaps older than we are initially led to believe...

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PC Format

Dec 25, 2010

This isn't a game, it's a trip into the human psyche's darker spaces. Not for the faint of heart, but horror junkies will lap it up. [Issue#246, p.107]

IGN

This is one of the scariest games in recent memory.

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SpazioGames

Amnesia is a little gem you don't want to miss. Unless you are too scared.

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PC PowerPlay

Oct 27, 2010

The most terrifying survival horror game released in years. Buy it. What's the matter, too scared? [Dec 2010, p.58]

Meristation

Amnesia is an interesting games with some good ideas. Its pace is slow, its gameplay is not common and its narrative could be better, but it delivers what hardcore horror fans may be looking for. Ideal for those who love having a bad time with their PCs, and as the game itself recommends, it's better to play in a pitch black room.

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User Reviews Back to top

Positive:

283

Mixed:

Negative:

bro1017

Sep 17, 2010

This game is amazing...-ly frightening. The game takes advantage of all the little details of human nature not usually included in videoThis game is amazing...-ly frightening. The game takes advantage of all the little details of human nature not usually included in video games, and by combining heavy breathing with dizziness and eerie creaks, I practically became the person in the game. In fact, some times I would hear something to the left, and I would look away from the monitor myself. And more than just being creepy is the realism of the game, although some things are designed unrealistically on purpose, it just makes you feel like you're going crazy. I must admit I was scared many times, and the subtle revealing of the plot as you advance gives you more understanding of the situation, yet makes you feel even more scared. It doesn't require much puzzle-solving, but its goal is to scare me stiff, and frictional games did an excellent job of that.… Expand

tribute_frank

Jul 26, 2013

You can of course watch some of the famous let's plays of this..... but it won't be the same. Play it with lights off, headsets, and volumeYou can of course watch some of the famous let's plays of this..... but it won't be the same. Play it with lights off, headsets, and volume turned up. This game does it's job perfectly. Not for the faint-hearted.… Expand

k5r02

Mar 16, 2013

This is a great, terrifying game. To make sure you get the full effect, play it in a dark room and don't watch anyone playing it on youtubeThis is a great, terrifying game. To make sure you get the full effect, play it in a dark room and don't watch anyone playing it on youtube until you have. Try to do it all on your own. If you're unsure about a puzzle, try to think of the simplest way to solve it and avoid backtracking, usually the solution is very close to the problem. If you get lost, (which can happen, especially in the prison) try drawing a basic map. There are maps online, but they mark where things happen and contain spoilers, which take away from the effect. If you want to quit at the beginning because you don't think it's scary, keep playing; there will be times later on when you will be running for your life, and other times when you refuse to move because there's a monster a few feet away and it hasn't noticed you yet but who knows when it will... Basically, if you want to enjoy it, just take it seriously. Get into it, and see if you can play through the whole game without dying. And one last note, don't quit because you're too scared at certain parts. Man up and keep playing.… Expand

xZippy

May 20, 2012

Possibly the best horror game I've ever played. The horror in this game is done in the best ways possible. The "sanity" feature in the gamePossibly the best horror game I've ever played. The horror in this game is done in the best ways possible. The "sanity" feature in the game was something I loved, and it made the game even more scary and interesting. Mikko Tarmia did an excellent job with the music. The story is not the best, but it's still well thought out, and the same can be said about the 1800's setting and atmosphere. The only negative thing I have to say about this game is that the controls can feel awkward and slippery at times. Still, any horror game fan that would pass up a game like this would make the biggest mistake of their lives.… Expand

tonino

Dec 2, 2010

Amnesia: The Dark Descent has a great merit, this is one of the most original horror games ever made in the last decade. I'm not talking aboutAmnesia: The Dark Descent has a great merit, this is one of the most original horror games ever made in the last decade. I'm not talking about monster or level design only, but if you like horror, you could love this game because instead of killing your foes with pistols or other weapons, here you can only hide in the dark, because you are an ordinary man, not so brave and strong to face the nightmare which is looking for you.

The only way to survive is hide or run depending by the situation, and in some case this is extremely useful to the atmosphere of loneliness and on desire to get outside the castle given to you by the light crannies that force you to think outside is all quiet and clear from the enemy.

This is not the only feature that make this game a great title, let's talk about environment interaction, in this game opening doors or furniture is great, because you must use your mouse like your hand, so to open a drawer you have to press click on it, pulling and then release the mouse button. It works perfectly and it's very realistic.

I must remark I usually don't like horror games especially because you have to do weird things on level mechanics to go on, for example in Resident Evil, in a police station you must burn a painting to get a jewel, position it in a fountain (a fountain in a police station??) to open a secret compartment where is located a shotgun... WTF? Does the police-men work like this in Resident Evil universe? I hate senseless enigmas, and fortunately, this game is far away from this.

In facts, level design is absolutely logical and the things you need to do to go on are like repair a machine with some missing spare, to take it you have (logically) to looking for it in a spares depository. And because you have to do logical things this doesn't mean it's easy, moving inside the areas is not so secure.

Great part of the game-play is based on light and dark, your character can hide in the dark from dangerous creatures which can see you if you are moving or if you are near a lights source. But that's not all, seeing supernatural creatures, events and live high tension moments debilitate your mental sanity and stability, because you have a body health indicator and a mental health indicator too. Obiously, the first obiously can go down if you are shoot by a creature or if you do something can hurt yourself.

I don't want to talk about the story to avoid unveal something, but I can say it's great and particulary adapt to the game universe, rich in turnovers but without excess, rich of details but without loose the main story line, so very well orchestrated, in facts, sometimes if you expect something dangerous happens by activating a door nothing happens, and when you think to by safe is right when a creature come near you. I can beg to say there is some conjunction with Roman Polanski's "The Ninth Gate" mood.

A must for people looking for game-play and originality in a game.

Closing comments
- Great atmosphere and game-play
- Awesome sounds
- An horror different from the horror mass
- It doesn't require a super computer
- The graphic flawlessly immerse you in Amnesia universe although it's not incredible… Expand

Overrwatcher

Sep 3, 2011

Even though I'm only 12, I rarely get scared from games. All the blood and gore to try to scare means nothing. Amnesia, however, is one hellEven though I'm only 12, I rarely get scared from games. All the blood and gore to try to scare means nothing. Amnesia, however, is one hell of a scary game. Instead of going the mainsteam Blood and Gore path, it focuses on making an atmosphere that chills your spine. The sounds play a MASSIVE part of the game, so use good headphones/speakers. Once I finished the Water part, my heart was beating. FAST. Pick it up in a sale for sure.… Expand

eXeViking

Mar 6, 2014

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