Amnesia: The Dark Descent PC
  • Publisher: THQ
  • Release Date: Feb 17, 2011
User Score
8.8 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 714 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 664 out of 714
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 714
  3. Negative: 28 out of 714

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  1. madisonjacka
    Mar 10, 2011
    10
    This game made me visit the developers blog page for news on future updates

    It scared the bejesus out of me, but thats exactly what I wanted

    Some say that it has no replay value, but I played it twice and some parts still gets me even though I know whats going to happen

    In terms of uniqueness, No other game is as atmospheric, immersive, and terrifying as this

    Would recommend to everyone
  2. Kebab
    Mar 18, 2011
    9
    Amnesia starts where the protagonist drinks amnesia mixture that makes him forget. He only leaves one letter to explain that he must kill person called Alexander, there's a shadow following him and that he wants to forget. During the game you find pages of the protagonists diary and find out exactly why he wanted to forget and what are his reasons for wanting to murder Alexander.
    There ar    e many games where you see something horrible coming at you. In most of those games you lift your gun and get rid of the abomination. In Amnesia you have no weapons. Your only chance is to block the way of the monster and hide. If you can't hide, you are dead.

    Amnesia is a great game until the endings that I thought weren't that well thought out. The game is also rather heavy as the game draws every part of the level even you cannot see them through the walls. Voice acting is an improvement to the Penumbra series by the same developers. However there are parts where the protagonist is having dialogue and only the person he is talking to is heard.

    Overall Amnesia is great game for what it is worth.    … Expand
  3. simonsen123
    Mar 22, 2011
    10
    That was the single most terrifying piece of entertainment I have ever laid hands upon. I do not usually get touched by horror movies and alike but in this game I quite simply had to walk away on numerous occasions. The evil lurking in the water and the deep cries from the abandoned prison cellars had me almost literally begging to god for mercy. Scary as it may be, I extremely recommend playing this in the dark, alone, the way it is meant to be played; petrified, stunned, yet at the same time panicking for the escape as the last drop of lamb-oil burns up and you are left in the dark with insects crawling all over your screen and only the bare wall to guide you further ahead. All in all a thrilling experience without any of the bugs you could expect from an indie production like this. One of the games I "enjoyed" the most and definitely worth the 14 dollar pricetag.… Expand
  4. nuggetseduction
    Mar 22, 2011
    10
    I've been a fan of horror movies and books for a while, but never before had I played a horror game in my life until Amnesia. Starting it unsure, I decided to watch a live play before trying it out to prepare myself. Little did that matter, of course, because now I've played the game seven times and I still **** my pants at least once every ten minutes. Through the mazes of hallways and corridors you must dive between each little oasis of light to keep yourself sane. You don't even need to encounter the monsters to have a heart attack; just the gurgle or groan of a nearby creature sends me absolutely bonkers and I tend to squeak in fear. The amazing graphics, the use of physics, the sound effects, and the format all together make this game an terrifyingly real experience. I have only three notes of advice for you: find more oil, don't venture out into the open, and for God sakes, STAY OUT OF THE WATER.… Expand
  5. Nonsense88
    Mar 23, 2011
    8
    The lack of weapons makes this game incredibly scary when having to deal with enemies, because all you can do is run or hide. Easily one of the sceariest games I've played, and the puzzles are cool, but I think there's too much of it.
  6. Swords
    Mar 25, 2011
    8
    Good graphics, nice atmosphere. the riddles are okay and you have a lot horror situations.
    Its an independent game, so dont think you get big graphics or horror splatter elements, but the atmosphere is still cool. Try it!
  7. Levardos
    Mar 26, 2011
    8
    A really great and scary game. The logical stuff we need to solve isn't too hard, which in my opinion is good since players won't be stuck in the game often, not knowing what to do. Although it happened for me once or twice. The atmosphere is fantastic, and knowing that we aren't able to fight monsters, knowing that the only way is to hide makes it even more amazing. The storyline is good too, with few possible endings. This game is must have for horror fans. The only flaw would be that it's too short, or maybe it only seems so beacause I enjoyed it greatly and would want more of it. The music and sounds are really fitting. I'm giving it a solid 8. It's a really great game but as I've mentioned, it seems short and doesn't have anything that would make me want to come back to it after beating it. I also am not able to say what this game is missing, but it just seems that few things could have been done better. But I would still recommend it to everyone, it's worth your money. Summary.

    Pros:
    -Fantastic atmoshpere.
    -Game that makes your heart beat faster often.
    -We aren't able to fight monsters, we need to hide from them.
    -Nerve wrecking by how scary it can be, and I think it's a great plus for a survival horror game.

    Cons:
    Too short.    … Expand
  8. BMF
    Mar 26, 2011
    10
    A very very scary game that relies psychological terror rather then jumpy moments to scare the player also not having weapons to fight back adds to the "If that thing sees me im dead" moments.
  9. Blade
    Mar 27, 2011
    10
    Have you ever pissed your pants while playing a gameâ
  10. gmboy902
    Apr 5, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is by no means for the weak of heart. As a matter of fact, if you're looking for an exciting, fun game, go buy something else. I see this game as more of a challenge. That being said, it's still superb.
    I'll start with the cons. The graphics are a bit outdated. The physics system is a little confusing, although it isn't used extensively. Oh, and you're likely to wet yourself once or twice along the way. The gameplay isn't incredibly long - that is, once you remove the time you spend crouching in corners crying to yourself. And the pros? This game is, by far, the most terrifying game out there. It blows Dead Space 1/2 each out of the water. If you find yourself crouching in a corner behind a bed for minutes on end, you aren't alone. There are times where you can hardly tell whether you are in a chair in front of a computer or roaming the halls of the castle. Of course, the game doesn't survive solely on thrill. There are some puzzles in it - some of which are annoying, some of which are challenging - and perhaps the most noticeable feature (besides the fetal position inducing terror) is the aspect of preserving resources. Throughout the game, you must stay in light to stay sane. The problem is, your light sources are limited to a lantern with an oil supply, natural light that is hard to find, and tinderboxes which are rare. So you may find yourself sprinting in between previously lit torches and windows. Furthermore, you cannot fight your enemies - you can only run and hide. This changes the modern view of video games, which is mostly centered around the "fight to survive" idea. The storyline isn't anything incredibly intense, but it does hold it's own against other games'. The music is superb - in fact, I would attribute a good chunk of the fear factor of this game completely to the music and sound effects. One final note - you have to let yourself be afraid to truly experience Amnesia's effect. There actually aren't a large amount of enemy encounters in the game (though they are certainly the most terrifying parts). It isn't the quantity of encounters, but that you never know when one may occur. Play it in a dark room, alone, with headphones on. Allow yourself to become the character, and don't let yourself know that it's all pixels. In the end: It's a great challenge and most definitely worth 20 bucks, though it is often on sale for less. However, it's not fun and addicting as we tend to view a "good game" to be, and the weak of heart should beware.    … Expand
  11. DarkRose
    Apr 6, 2011
    10
    People think Dead Space and Dead Space 2 being scary needs to play this game, seriously. After playing Amnesia, any other horror game that I've played recently is a walk through the park. Frictional Games tells you that the game itself is not meant to be played to win, and should be played in the dark with headphones / surround sound. Do it at least once. The atmosphere fits, the game does what its supposed to do, scare the **** out of you. Dead Space and Dead Space 2, supposedly scary games are disappointing in the fact that its all obvious, jump scares. There is no true comparison as this game out trumps them in the horror, which if you sell a game as horror, it better be. There's only one room that has that safe room feel and ambiance except for a creepy fixture that only a crazy person would like. The physic system is really really nice, and this is coming from a team of 5 people, note that, 5, versus a big company of over hundreds with tons more funding and still making a better game than them. The graphics are decent, but considering it being an indie game, its really good for their effort. This game play however doesn't suit most people as a lot of people like "wheres my freaking gun" or something. Fans of horror should really buy the game, its $20, or $10 if its on sale.… Expand
  12. Culinus
    Apr 9, 2011
    10
    From a purely "Video games are art" -perspective this is probably the best thing I've ever seen. I'm not much into horror games since there's usually very little horror in them, however this is truly one of the best gaming experiences that I've ever had. The immersion is like nothing I've encountered before; if played properly late at night with no lights and headphones it will draw you in and you may never fully recover.

    This is a game for anyone how wants to try something new in gaming. It stands out as a shining beacon of creativity in a swamp of bland generic games. In this game the only way to defend your self is to run and hide, and it works better then I ever thought possible. Instead of focusing on fun game-play it focuses on just being an experience, which may sound kind of boring but I assure you that this game is anything but boring. And the experience weaves beautifully together with itself; you'll be in a mix of mildly non-threatening environments simply exploring, feeling a little bit uncanny that somethings a bit off, hiding from monsters that you're not quite sure where they are and heart pounding hectic chases. This game knows that the best way to keep you at the edge of your seat is to vary the experience. It's not a consistent climb leading up to a climax, it tries to keep everything being unpredictable, it fails at some points to be honest but never the less it succeeds very well at strongly evoking whatever emotion it's going for, which isn't always fear. And that's what I think makes the developers such great artists.

    Naturally the game isn't flawless, nothing is. The AI of the monsters is probably the thing that stands out the most, however considering that this was made by an indie developing studio consisting of five guys I'm willing to let that one slide, especially since that particular flaw feels overshadowed by everything about it that exceeded my expectations about it by a mile, such as sound, ambiance, voice acting, varying level aesthetics and even they're in-house physics engine (not that I tried to break it). However, one thing that kept rubbing me the wrong way was some of the puzzles. Prior to going in to this game I thought that there was two kinds of puzzles, the easy ones that almost feels patronizing at times, and hard ones that can be frustrating to figure out but generally leaves you with a real since of accomplishment and intelligence when you do figure out how to solve it. In this game however some of the puzzles took a really long time to figure out and when I finely did figure it out I mainly felt "That's it?!". It's almost reminiscent to the old point and clicks where the designer exercises his own sense of logic that makes since to no one but himself. It's not that bad here, the puzzles certainly do have logic in them, but they often feel round about and not the most obvious solution.    … Expand
  13. KhorneFlakes
    Apr 13, 2011
    10
    The atmosphere is so intense, this game will suck you in from beginning to end, not to mention give you nightmares. The graphics are quite nice, but can still run on any computer (almost), but graphics aside, this game is TRUE survival horror! Penumbra fans, must buy this game! Survival horror game fans HAVE to buy this game! You'll be glad you did : P
  14. MrOzymandias
    Apr 23, 2011
    10
    Amnesia is a great game. If you are looking for something that is different than what your used to, you should defiantly check this out, especially for $20 (sometimes $10 on steam). It is terrifying as well, I still haven't even beaten it.
  15. Galloway
    Apr 24, 2011
    10
    Edgar Allan Poe....THE GAME. I haven't been this creeped out since I first heard Poe's stories recited around a campfire as a kid. Amnesia definitely gives you a feeling of tension and helplessness the whole time you are playing it, and you are constantly checking your back. The macabre atmosphere is done perfectly, and the game setting is a breath of fresh air.

    I remember one of the leve    ls running for my life and held my breath the whole way before escaping to safety.

    Can't wait for this shop's next game, and what a pleasant surprise it was to discover this sleeper. Highly recommended for anyone that likes to be scared, and I would put the single player experience on the same level as Half Life 2 or Dead Space 2, it was that good.    … Expand
  16. Arvuti
    Apr 24, 2011
    9
    Amnesia The Dark Descent is a frightening rollercoaster ride from the beginning to the end with a plotline what shocks you just as much as the games horrifying looking enemies. Without a doubt, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of the scariest games ever made.
  17. Exploding-Man
    Apr 24, 2011
    10
    The gaming world houses a lot of "horror" games that involve monsters but don't really manage to inspire an emotional response of fear... This game knows how to keep you scared. Creepiest freaking horror game I have ever played. You will not find a creepier game out there, and that is why I give it a 10. Not the best game ever, but it certainly is the top of it's genre.
  18. TheJoxter
    Apr 25, 2011
    10
    Puts me so on edge I still haven't managed to finish it. I guess that counts as success?
  19. Electric_Face
    Apr 26, 2011
    9
    'Amnesia: The Dark Descent' will more than likely haunt me for the rest of my days. And I mean that in a good way. And a bad one. But a good bad one. Oh stuff it, let me explain. Being lost in a big, crumbling, spooky castle is one thing, but being in one full of inter-dimensional shamblers that you can't really see and have absolutely no way to defend yourself from plus a library-full of Lovecraftian-inspired back-story? Pretty much screwed there mate. The sense of dread and fear that overpowers you as you edge down a darkened, winding corridor,the last of your lamplight oil burning away is tangible. It sits there in the room with you and grows until you're left scrabbling in the dark looking for tinderboxes, which you know when you light them are going to reveal a something thundering towards you. And then it goes 'a-bloogy-woogy-woo'. And you shriek and hide. The game makes use of a sanity meter that drops when you see spooky stuff/beasties or sit in the darkness too long, and some people have chosen to mock the fact that the main character has the mental resilience of a 5-year-old. However I feel that this simple, infantile fear of the dark, being as prevalent in the game play as it is, has actually made ME fear the dark more as a consequence. And if a horror game can bring back our fears from childhood (with the added threat of cosmic monstrosities), then I do declare that game done good.… Expand
  20. thequillguy
    Apr 26, 2011
    8
    Amnesia is not a game you play to win; it is a game to win to stay alive. The tutorial screen says this is the attitude with which you should approach this game. Itâ
  21. Contmuscle
    Apr 26, 2011
    10
    this is definitely one of my favorite games from the beginning of 2011. Its a freaky game, so play it with your lights off and alone. It has pretty fun puzzle gameplay. its easy but that actually works to its advantage because it allows the story to progress with good pacing. the easiness is also good for novice adventure gamers. Thats all you really have to know, scary stuff happens and you will probably cry while enjoying/fearing a game thats like no other game.… Expand
  22. Karonic
    Apr 26, 2011
    10
    I must say I'm extremely relieved that the mainstream horror genre is not filled with crap such like Dead Space, not saying the game is bad but rather it should fall under a thriller genre rather than horror, because after all..all it does is startle you like when someone says "BOO". I was a huge fan of the Penumbra series and I must applaud again to Frictional Games because they just topped their entire series, the great atmosphere, awesome music and scare you just at the right moment, it's obvious the developers actually played it before releasing, the only part I didn't like about it is it's setting, I loved the abandoned mine setting but again, that's just personal preference.

    The same 3 rules of playing penumbra can be applied here

    Wear headphones - Ok and done
    Make sure you're in a comfortable position - Kinky. done.
    Turn off the lights and close the curtains - F*** NO!!!

    No more need be said    … Expand
  23. Neferon
    May 7, 2011
    9
    Dark and scary. If you're looking for a game that will creep you out, this is your best shot. The complete lack of weapons to defend yourself with in this game keeps things scary. You'll quickly find yourself immersed in the shaking boots of your character.
  24. Stormblazer
    May 16, 2011
    10
    Finally a horror game that understands the importance of immersion and atmosphere - or to put it another way, that suspense is much more important (and harder to pull off) than surprise. Too many "horror" games I've seen rely entirely on surprise and boring fights (if you can kill the enemies, then they're not nearly as scary - so in Amnesia, you can't fight back!).
  25. Squilibrio
    May 16, 2011
    9
    One of best game i played. Really horror. All is really good in this game. In my opinion this game must be played, better if u play it at night alone. Sound is very important, and very well developed. If you can enter in Daniel's mind, you will have an incredible adventure. vote:9
  26. Axelskull
    May 21, 2011
    8
    The game is quite well done but the graphics are quite outdated and the way you interact is very easily made.The atmosphere is amazing but it can get quite repetitive for the sake of length.
  27. Wraith44
    May 30, 2011
    10
    I cannot say I've played this game, but I will say it is definitely worth the buy. I've been watching some gameplay videos, and without a doubt it looks like a good game to play. This quite obviously isn't one of those standard horror genre games where your character can destroy everything in their way, who's only horror element is the graphics, music, and a few jump scares. No, this is one of those games you want to play at around midnight without any lights on. What this game does that I haven't seen all too often in a horror game is atmosphere. You find yourself entering the world of Daniel and all the horrors he has to face, and that is quite honestly what makes this game all the more worth playing.

    If you're thinking of buying this game, don't look up videos for it, it ruins the atmosphere and fun I was talking about. All the jump scares will be ruined, spoiler's will be abound, and it will ruin your experience of the game. If you think it looks good, buy it. I, like many others can tell you, will remind you it is worth the money. Pay no mind to the Dead Space player down there, there is little reason to hate this game (unless you expected a SURVIVAL horror game, in which case I would probably recommend Dead Space 2)    … Expand
  28. V_Epidemic
    Jun 1, 2011
    9
    For the first few hours of game-play, I had never experienced more fear of what would come than in any other game I'd played. After tweaking the settings just right and only playing in a dark room with headphones on (a necessity for this game), I nervously inched through the game and held my breath around every corner. Amnesia successfully draws the player right into the terror, and the fear of the unknown drives the game-play perfectly. The intermittent puzzles are just difficult enough to enjoy without hating any tediousness, which had me impressed throughout.

    A couple small complaints surface after playing for a while, though. There's always a sadness considering that the graphics could have been better. The voice acting is undeniably boring and the story is a little unimaginative, though that aspect is easy to forgive with the enveloping atmosphere. The thing that took away a LOT from my enjoyment of the game, is eventually I learned an easy way to avoid any trouble with many of the ghosts (spirits/undead/baddies, whatever), and the horror that had my heart pounding and my adrenaline pumping fizzled out. And all that was left was the initial shock of sudden noises, and nothing more. Though there's always the ghost that manages to surprise you when you think you have it all figured out.

    I even recorded my reactions, and had fun watching how scared I was at times (though I didn't post it online like I'd planned...I looked stupid getting so scared from a video-game). So in closing, the pro's heavily outweigh the cons in Amnesia, and I'm glad I spent the money to experience this game...it was well worth it.    … Expand
  29. Hardarm
    Jul 14, 2011
    9
    trollpower isn't right at ALL. First 2 hours are to get the hang of the game, The rest is scary! This game is one of the most scary games in the world! IT GETS YOU MENTALLY!!! TRY THIS GAME! And it is... really... I cannot explain it!!! :) Most of reviewers didn't point out that if you haven't got enough of it there's the expansion and there's the chance to create your own stories, just check some tutorials!! Horror doesn't mean blood, gore 'n guns. Means that you really experience fear. In that case Amnesia is a perfect game for you. Otherwise to reviewers that gave this game 4 or less, Doesn't know what the word: "Horror" or "Fear" is in a videogame. I'm giving it a 9. because graphic isn't the best thing, Don't get me bad, 9 is a very high vote! of course it contains a whole new physic with the magic HPL 2 graphic engine. But textures aren't in max details and the game's graphics can be improved, though we will see that on HPL 3!! GO ON FRICTIONAL GAMES!!! THIS GAME IS "SCARY" IN THE PURE SENSE OF WORD!!!… Expand
  30. Yoguth
    Jul 4, 2011
    10
    The best horror game you can find to a computer, The End.
  31. rtrind
    Jul 7, 2011
    5
    I appreciate games that deviate from the standard shoot everything that moves, and like the early Silent Hill games, this game delivers it. I have only two gripes with the game that ruin it for me. First, the light mechanic looks like an after-thought. Why can't I take an obvious light source on the table? It's not like this is glued to it. Second, the jump mechanic was awful to me, making an entire flooded section be so difficult to pass that I literally turned the game off and never picked it up again.… Expand
  32. oblivion2011
    Jul 11, 2011
    9
    It's spot-on scary. Really gets you into the game. If you don't have an imagination, they you will probably hate this game.
  33. Saverous
    Jul 12, 2011
    9
    Play this game at night, alone, and with no lights on and will sink its teeth into you and it won't let go. The developers succeeded in creating one of the best, most convincing atmospheres I've seen in a game. The attention to detail in the environments makes Brennenberg gives it a realistic feel, and it has a kind of eerie beauty in some parts. Lighting is used particularly well, lighted areas and dark areas contrast sharply, you never want to turn out you lantern or leave the light, but sometimes it's necessary to proceed or avoid monsters. It's that fear of the unknown that drives Amnesia. Sound is a very important part of Amnesia, and the developers nailed it. From the creaking of doors, to the shattering of glass, to the mind-raping screams the monsters make when they see you, it all feels real. The fact that you can't fight back against the monsters raises the tense factor through the roof. If you encounter a monster you only have two options: run, or go hide in a corner until it finds you or it leaves. Problem is, there isn't a very large variety on the monsters, and by the end of the game they aren't very scary anymore, because chances are you've figured them out. They're also in the same spot every time you play the game, so replay value isn't very high here, as they become predictable. The story is told through flashbacks, visions, and notes left throughout the castle. The story is good and you'll find yourself questioning the protagonist's actions, and wonder if he's really justified in what he's doing. The voice acting is mostly good, though a few of the voices (Daniel especially) sound a bit over-the-top. There are plenty puzzles too, although they aren't very difficult, (most involving "going here, finding x, going over there, using x). To be honest, I was hard pressed to find any serious criticisms against Amnesia. As someone who usually doesn't play survival horror games and hates horror movies, I can wholeheartedly recommend Amnesia. If you have any interest in horror at all, you owe it to yourself to try Amnesia.… Expand
  34. Monurah
    Jul 19, 2011
    10
    This game is from my experiences the best survival horror game developed in years. This game typically plays into people's fears. The fear of being alone in the dark. The fear of being helpless. That moment when you think you hear voices but they're all in your head. This game brings those fears forth into a realistic, blood-thickening, adrenaline surging game. For $15 dollars, it's ten times... no, one hundred times worth it.… Expand
  35. Mr_HatNClogs
    Jul 22, 2011
    9
    Love it. Absolutely love it! It was intense and engrossing and atmospheric - I played the first half of the game ruining my pants, and then the second half firmly clenched like I was just asked to pick up a bar of soap in the prison communal shower. Which is actually a criticism - i.e. I had to buy new pants and I could have crushed a house brick with how tightly I was clenched. The other thing was the fact that the game seemed to follow a cycle of solve a puzzle then get devoured by a monstrosity of the house and repeat - but hey, it's scary and suspenseful and immersive and all the things I like about horror games - you stay scared and immersed and clenched throughout and the omission of weapons adds to that fact you're a defenseless person because horror games lose their appeal with the accompanying of heavy ordnance (DEAD SPACE!) So all-in-all, good game and worth is for £13, especially as your supporting your independents who aren't just money grabbing whores like Activision and really want to produce good games, which definitely shows with their product of Amnesia - you should definitely hand over your disposable income with this game!… Expand
  36. scottslod
    Jul 31, 2011
    9
    Normally i don't get or hardly get frightened by horror games but this one... does. Its the perfect horror game that will scare the hell out of you. i recommend to not play it in the dark, its scary enough.
  37. jacksepticeye
    Aug 2, 2011
    9
    What can I say about this game. It is extremely good at what it does. And that is scaring the **** out of you. This is classic Horror 101 and it really is in full glory in Amnesia. The atmosphere is genuinely creepy and I felt myself on edge even when nothing was happening, the mood, atmosphere and music made hairs stand on the back of my neck even when I was just walking around. But there are 2 reasons why I will not give it a full 10. First one is the ending and that is all I will say for fear of spoilers. The second is that the monsters started to become predictable. Once I got a quest item I knew something really scary would happen and I would have to hide. It still terrified me but it was a tad predictable. It would have been better if the monsters had no boundaries. All in all it was a thrilling experience and of the best i've had… Expand
  38. TechnologoDoom
    Aug 2, 2011
    8
    Amnesia: Dark Descent has done well, therefore, to incorporate the effects of insanity and a limited gaze rather than mimic the compounded violence which has continued to rise in dominance of the horror genre. Taking it's cues from underrated masterpieces, the inability to actually look at that which stalks you and to require you constantly fight to remain sane in the darkest depths of its recesses means that the player quite simply has more sympathy with the protagonist than they would otherwise. Of course, utilizing a first-person view is certainly critical in this endeavor, as the body of the protagonist is more easily acquainted with one's own. If anything, where Amnesia occasionally fails is due not to revealing too little but occasionally revealing too much, especially towards the end. Though there is a long tradition of the "reveal" in horror and suspense, I'm now left wondering if Frictional Games might have done better never to have shown it's hand. From the gaze comes knowledge and from such comes a sense of control. If there's one thing Amnesia did better than most games in recent memory, it's ensuring that the player feels powerless for most of the journey, which such gazes subvert. Yet, Amnesia is so good for so long that to hold such criticism against it for long feels far too trite. Rather, we should celebrate the maturity that Frictional Games has returned to the horror video game genre for it's reinstatement of the concept that's been as important to it as violence, and for nearly as long. Thanks to Amnesia: Dark Descent, once again we fear the unknown.… Expand
  39. Lio2102
    Aug 4, 2011
    9
    Short Review: This game scared the &%^$ out of me, awesome story, good controls, audio is amazing, and really puts you into the experience. Hope this helps.
  40. Todayshero
    Aug 5, 2011
    9
    I still haven't completely finished this game, I'm to scared for my virtual life! This game if you let it will suck you in and consume you, I recently played another game that has some of the same mechanics such as the heavy breathing and loss of control over your character but it never even comes close to Amnesia, the game hardly gives you a break, no cut scenes or anything like that. The most is when you are reading a paper on a desk or something similar, beyond that, who knows what lies ahead. This game by far is the best horror game out there. Even the 'not so amazing graphics' work in this games favor.… Expand
  41. FarZK
    Aug 8, 2011
    10
    Amnesia is brilliantly scary, Frictional games stuck to what they know best, and what they know is how to scare the living hell out of you. Thoroughly enjoyed playing, the puzzles were varied and interesting, astounding atmosphere, never a moment when you are truly calm, there's always a constant threat that you will be attacked, and the game will remind you of that. Can't get much better in Horror games.… Expand
  42. LA_DOTTORE
    Aug 21, 2011
    9
    Amnesia has great gameplay, is very realistic, and frankly, scared the crap outta me, but in this case, that's a good thing! You play Daniel, a guy who for some reason gave himself amnesia and wakes up lying on the floor in an abandoned castle. A very creepy abandoned castle... The game itself has the ability to hide in closets when monsters show up or cry in the dark corner waiting for it to go away which I thought was very, very fun! There weren't many encounters with creatures, monsters (whatever they are) throughout the game but just enough to keep me cautious at every corner. Overall, an awesome game, my only flaw would be the fact it has almost no replay ability unless you've had amnesia yourself and forgot the plot and where all the monsters show up.… Expand
  43. Ian277
    Aug 23, 2011
    9
    well is there anything more scary than the unknown? well if you have played this game you understand that the very thought of knowing almost nothing in a castle of monsters and traps is very chilling to the marrow of your bones... as you start out very minute sounds and shuffles give you a fright... but this game isn't just amazinf audio effects and seemingly useless doors opening by themselves. this game has scarey things that chase you they may show themselves when your looking through notes to find out why you are in a castle or trying to solve a puzzle. this is a great puzzle game not to mention with some tricky parts and some easy parts... i would like to say that the sound track is amazing, the very music makes you scared and that isn't the half of it. i had been in the morgue drilling a hole in some dead mans head to get and antidote to go down to the sewers which contain poisonous fungi. after this a monster breaks down the door i hide in a room of shallow waterand dead body piles... the monster sounds semm to be eating something i wait a minute it is still making noises... or is it gone and the sound is just a glitch or a leftover effect from the monster i peep out the door... no monster is near the broken down door. to look to my right i have to open the door completely so i do BAM! a monster is about 2 feet in front of me i run back in the room too petrified to close the door behind me i try to hide but its not use he chases me in circles through the shallow water and out the entrace through the broken down door. it attacks me once leaving me injured i limp to the exit and open the door. to my relief a loading screen i am safe. in no good consience can i give a game a ten so nine will do this game will thrill horror junkies and puzzle freaks alike great game!… Expand
  44. Infinit
    Aug 29, 2011
    10
    So scary I refused to play it without someone on skype with me. It gave me nightmares too. Sure, the graphics aren't perfect, but the atmosphere makes you completely ignore all that and just fous on staying alive. The way the screen distorts and half zooms in towards zombies, accompanied by suitably terrifying sound effects is particularly effective. It's incredible that an indie studio can pull this off.… Expand
  45. DrBrogbo
    Aug 30, 2011
    9
    I LOVE scary things. Scary movies, scary books, scary encounters in real-life, and especially scary games. There's just something about being immersed in it and yet knowing it's not real that makes scary games the best of all scary media. That being said, this is the best scary game I've ever played. The sound is extremely well done (including the voice acting), the atmosphere is amazing, the monsters are truly terrifying (When you hear that high-pitched string sound get louder and louder as they're catching up to you, good luck not making whimpering sounds), and the puzzles are pretty panic-inducing. My only complaint is that there are a few puzzles that are quirky. One where you may have all you need, but you're pointing at the wrong place on this one wall to use the items. Kinda annoying. Also another one where based off what you've seen in the area so far, you might think you need to complete this certain section, so you're scrambling around trying to find the missing piece, only to find out 20 minutes later "Oh nope, you're done already. Just re-arrange this thing." I don't want to give spoilers away, but it honestly annoyed me. Being annoyed takes you out of the terror setting, so boo-urns to that. To sum up: I love scary things in all forms, and this is the scariest, tensest game I've ever played. On multiple occasions being chased by monsters, my whole body started tingling, and I was pushing the run-button so hard I'm surprised I didn't break it. FANTASTIC game. I've never been so scared for such a prolonged period in my life.… Expand
  46. suborusu
    Sep 18, 2011
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is really messed up. When you encounter with the monster just open the light and run towards it. It will run away. So when you know that spot, it becomes a useless and worst horror game ever.… Expand
  47. syraniss
    Sep 25, 2011
    10
    Warning: Minor Spoilers Ahead

    Amnesia is a perfect submersion into a world of terror. It successfully does what few others "horror" games have: It uses all atmospheric properties to intimidate the player. One: It uses effective lighting and visual cues. Lighting can be an issue, as if it's all too dark, the eyes can be strained, but if it's too easy to always view one's surroundings, the     player will become complacent and feel that they are not being challenged. The scarcely distributed tinderboxes create small illuminations, but never close all darkness, so corners are left unseen, and doorways unknown. The use of sanity (and how it changes when one looses more of it), is very effective, as the protagonist of the game "sees" movement out of intimate objects. Two: Sound. Perhaps the most important aspect of a horror game. Sounds are constantly littering your ears. Even in better-lit areas, one can hear doors opening, the screaming of tortured souls, the steps of someone walking above you, as if following you. All of these aspects, and music that suits all moments (e.g., an increase in atonality when being followed, or hearing sounds that don't exist when your lantern is out), work to engage the player in feeling that the moment is real, and that at any time, they are still being watched, followed, and chased by someone or something.

    Three: Enveloping storyline. Don't mind me if I make some allusions to another alleged "horror" title, but the protagonist spouting off commentary at random intervals, as well as ineffective use of mystery can be a real bore. The plot for Amnesia gives you tiny bits and pieces, keeping the player interested in what happens next, as well as wondering what the hell is really going on. It essentially gives you enough to keep you going but not usually enough to figure things out, which is exactly what you want: Fear of what will happen but curiosity not satiated, which urges the player to continue. Overall, if Alan Wake scared you, you can't handle Amnesia. But I assure you it's a title that knows how to elicit fear, so if you want a true thrill on an expertly crafted horror game, go for it.    … Expand
  48. barretxiii
    Sep 27, 2011
    10
    First off I'd like to address the naysayers. A game is not all about showing off the latest graphics technology (Crysis), or pumping out yet another addition to an already successful money-making franchise (CoD). It's also about engrossing you in the story and, more importantly, the atmosphere. If you weren't pulled into the atmosphere, then I guess this isn't your kind of game or you were only playing to win (something the game actually tells you NOT to do), and I suggest you find another game you like and just stick with that.... Now onto the review....... Have you ever been scared? Had a nightmare where you are taking a test you haven't studied for, or spending the day in your underwear? Played Dead Space or Doom 3 and jumped when the scary guy hopped out of the vent screaming at you while being illuminated by your flashlight? Those are some scary scenarios aren't they? But have you ever been alone, in a series of near pitch black stone corridors, hearing voices and screams resonate faintly through the halls, with nothing but a half-empty weak oil lamp to keep you company, knowing that something is indeed "out there" ready to brutally murder you within seconds of noticing you, and realized that the only way to escape this nightmare is to continue the dark hallway that you now fear so much?... Take a minute to absorb that one... That is Amnesia: The Dark Descent for you. Very few mainstream video game titles have ever built such an engrossing atmosphere before, save for Silent Hill, Fatal Frame, and a few others. From beginning to end you are but one mortal man, in a large almost derelict castle, with no memory, an order to kill a man, a warning that a "shadow" is hunting you, and no possible means to defend yourself... Proceed down the halls and through the darkness, steel yourself, and pray that the creature you just briefly glimpsed out of the corner of your eye hasn't seen you... No game has ever been this terrifying before (at least for anyone who has engaged in the atmosphere of any other game completely). The feeling of tension, as you slowly inch around a corner that may or may not be hiding a monster, is truly palpable. Even more so is the feeling of sheer bloody terror as you find yourself fleeing as fast as your mortal legs can take you while fear and panic wash over your nerves, make you sweat, and jerk your muscles involuntarily. You find a supposedly safe spot in the darkness, but your fear of the darkness and the unknown slowly takes its toll on your sanity. The voices become more frequent, the scratching becomes louder, you can't see straight anymore, your vision is blurred, and your movements are sluggish, almost as though your body and/or mind are fighting your attempts to proceed onward. The creature is still there, but where? And when will he strike?... Presentation: As stated before in the review and in oh so many others like it, atmosphere is the focus of Amnesia. Nothing says terror like being alone, in tight, dark corridors, hearing voices, having no weapons at your disposal, and never knowing if that disfigured shape walking across the misty hallway is really there or a trick being played on your mind. Graphics: Again people, graphics don't make a game, though they do certainly help. Amnesia is nothing groundbreaking. It rehashes Frictional's HPL engine from their Penumbra series with some minor graphical improvements. But it's not about the realism of the graphics, but the supernatural darkness that it creates. Audio: The voice acting is adequate but the sounds are far better than most AAA titles. Nothing helps add to the already creepy atmosphere like hearing a flashback take place as though you, the player, are standing there yourself, listening to the articulations of footsteps on dirty stone and hollow wood with high quality sounds of papers being shuffled or doors being opened. Gameplay: The gameplay is pretty primitive. Walk, run, open/close door, take item from inventory and use on puzzle, etc. But as with the atmosphere the lack of combat and weaponry helps drive the feeling of terror that you are meant to feel. The game gives you such simple gameplay elements so that you aren't distracted with "where is the reload key?" You will be focused with staying alive above all else. Replayablity: There is apparently more than just one ending, and you can't save the same game in multiple files. Meaning you can't witness one ending and then just reload to that defining moment where your choice affects the outcome. You will have to play again to get the other endings... All in all, Amnesia is a very well made game, considering the main design team is comprised of only two people. Its atmosphere is almost unmatched. If you manage to let yourself get sucked in, you will start to physically feel terror as you run, breathing heavily, from that dark monster in the hallway, and suddenly feel your whole body get tingly. That is real fear.… Expand
  49. Exogenesis
    Sep 30, 2011
    10
    There are times in this game where you will be very scared, but never a time when you will want to stop playing. Amnesia is the scariest game ever made, but also one of the best. The water stage will haunt your memories.
  50. Quforic
    Oct 1, 2011
    9
    This game scared me so much i nearly shít the bed.
  51. DarkChaplain
    Oct 4, 2011
    9
    While I can't play the game due to being completely frightened, I LOVE what the devs did here.
    The atmosphere is really thick and dark, easily one of the top horror atmospheres ever created by a game. The player feels just as helpless as the character himself and shares the same confusion. This game involves you on a totally different level than other horrorgames tried before.
    There are no     weapons or opponents you could attack with them - you are alone with your wits and quick feet.
    Run for your life, don't waste your light and progress through the Lovecraft-inspired story.

    If you want a REAL survival horror game, go for Amnesia: The Dark Descent!    … Expand
  52. TAMPjackoon
    Oct 6, 2011
    8
    Scariest game ever, yeah that's right more than Dead Space, FEAR, Fatal Frame, Silent Hill, all of that. I can still hear my heart pounding even when I'm safely locked away from the monsters for 2 or 3 minutes. For such a small indie game, fantastic graphics, story, and some of the greatest sounds for a while. These are all here to make it a fantastic game, and it worked, but these things also become it's flaws. Meaning that things become too familiar and you know exactly where the monsters will come from, even though you haven't played through that part. But still I have no reason to say it's a bad game.… Expand
  53. gilas18
    Oct 20, 2011
    10
    This is the best horror game ive ever played. Didnt sleeped for weeks because of this but it was worth it. Ive passed 3 times and it still scares me and with the DLC and the Custom Stories even better. Its money well spent, recomend everyone to try it, who wont regreet it.
  54. badbrush
    Oct 20, 2011
    10
    I had trouble playing this game for more than 30mins at a time, it makes me nervous, come out in a sweat and then think about it all night long. I kept going back for more. The game does what some of the best horror movies do, it plays on your imagination and uses what isn't there to scare you. The atmosphere, sounds and puzzels are all a treat and so was being thrown through a door by a monster whilst i haphazardly ran away from it.....i'm close to giving this a 10...10 would mean its perfect, its not perfect its just very very very very good and a fantastic price now.… Expand
  55. Urrid
    Oct 30, 2011
    9
    This game made by five core developers and it is scary as all hell. I cannot play it for more than an hour or two or else I start to panic and use up precious resources. The gameplay is a mixture of adventure and resource management (light) with some very tense hiding or running for OH GOD WHAT WAS THAT?! Erm, running for dear life. 335 positive user reviews cannot be wrong. Get this if you love horror. One point off for silly voice acting at parts, but that is the only glaring flaw.… Expand
  56. Piiggycat
    Nov 1, 2011
    10
    When it comes to sounds and atmosphere amnesia is right up there. The game consists of tricky puzzles and intense missions where you would have to escape from a monster. You start the game finding that you have little memories of your past and that you must follow noted that you wrote in your past to progress through the game. As the game name says your character has amnesia and all the way through the game there are also diary entries from you and other people that you may have met in the past this gives the game a story to follow. The gameplay of amnesia is possibly one of the best experiences you may have the constant eerie noises of floor boards and heavy breathing or nearby monsters keeps you on your toes. When playing through the game you will that it is important to make an escape route at all times and every corner that you go around you make sure there are no monsters. This game does a great job of keeping you alert at all times and playing this game with a headset definitley adds to the effect. The fact that you only have a limited amount of in game items also makes you feel like you must check every room and corner. I would go as far as a noise in your room where you are playing your computer is enough to make you jump . You feel as if you are the character in the game. It is easily noticeable that Amnesia has done this well. Overall this a great game and a great story a would recommend this to anyone who is a horror fan or a game you want to play to wake you up on a Monday morning. Do not keep clear of this game. Get it.… Expand
  57. nsane
    Nov 8, 2011
    10
    Frictional Games has done it again! This game looks AMAZING and light, one of the most integral parts of the game, is very realistic and behaves very naturally. Are you looking for a game that doesn't rely on jump scares, but atmospheric unease? Then look no further, this is the game for you. I will admit there are some jump scares in this game, however the pacing justifies them. The setting is genuinely creepy, and it leaves you feeling alone, isolated, and vulnerable. The enemy encounters create a real sense of dread and urgency when you realize you can't fight back. Some of my fondest memories of this game are fleeing from an enemy shouting profanity as I panic. If you're tired of action games that pretend to be horror games, games that rely too heavily on jump scares, or love a creepy atmosphere that builds real tension and horror, this is the game for you.… Expand
  58. MangoJango
    Nov 9, 2011
    10
    Absolutely, one of the best games I've played in 2011. I love games that do things differently and Amnesia is one of the most unique and engrossing experiences I've come across, especially in the horror genre. After a run through of this game, it's so horrific that I haven't been able to push myself to survive another round. Just seeing the icon on my desktop, I'm reminded of the intense moments I had playing this game. A MUST play!… Expand
  59. DeadBones
    Nov 11, 2011
    7
    For the first half, a nicely atmospheric horror adventure. It kind of lands somewhere between Penumbra 1 and 2, gameplay wise, keeping to the same style but bringing back some of the real danger and stealth elements that were (sadly, I think) toned down for the sequel. Still, most of your time is spent crawling through the dark, keeping track of your tinderboxes and lantern oil and looking for ways to progress deeper into the castle.

    Around the halfway point, however, the game somewhat falls apart at the seams. The second half feels a lot more low-key compared to what came before it, and sadly fails to live up to the truly nerve-shattering set piece moments of the first. The whole experience loses some of its very compelling sense of dread and mystery as you go on, especially as it often fails to throw any real surprises at you.

    Amnesia loses even more of its luster if/when you figure out its one big trick for keeping you on your toes - for me, this coincided with getting into the latter half of the game. Suffice it to say that it made the formerly exciting and horrifying monster encounters less so, though even then it managed to sneak a few satisfying scares right in my face.

    In the end, it's worth playing through if you're at all interested in the type of games Frictional makes. Still, the first half seemed to promise so much more, and if only it had lived up to itself Amnesia would have been an exceptional game rather than a good, interesting but flawed one.    … Expand
  60. EE061003
    Nov 14, 2011
    10
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a terrifying experiece you wouldnt forget soon.............First of all i am here to confess that i was unable to complete the game(it was scary as hell)or you could say that i lacked the courage to complete it.From the first go you are straight into action with daniel awakening into the castle and ofcourse having amnesia....you cant fight the enemy there is no way you can.You need to escape them using ur wits(the most horrific and terrifying moments believe me).Stay in light or youll be seen stay in dark for two long you risk Daniel's sanity......Welcome to your undead nightmare since you are going to play one of the most scariest game of all times… Expand
  61. BriTisH
    Nov 15, 2011
    10
    If you like to do puzzles and like to wet you pants this game is for you .
    Fantastic game just incredible i never knew being terrified would be so fun its a must buy grfxs work well its dark and terrifying
    performance seems to fun easy maxed out no problems at all
  62. iAGR
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    There is no reason to hate this game, unless you hate scary things. This game is definition of scary. The atmosphere and everything. The fact you cannot kill the monsters and you have to run for your life. But you cannot experience the game entirely unless you follow it's instructions; dark room and surround-sound headphones. There's only one thing this game is missing and it's 3D. Too bad 3D doesn't work for OpenGL games.… Expand
  63. lbaeriswyl
    Nov 26, 2011
    10
    There are many reasons why this game COULD suck. The controls aren't always practical, some parts of the game just feel like empty space, etc etc. But ALL complaints manage to be overruled by a single thing: the Atmosphere. If there's one thing this game has done that NO Horror Movie, NO Horror Video Game, and NO horror Book has ever done, is to ACTUALLY SCARE ME. The use of environments and music in this game make you feel like you're back to being a 5 year old in a dark basement. Some environments keep changing minimally whenever you reenter them, but just enough to throw your brain off and make you think ''oh **** something's odd''.
    Monsters in this game are sparse. But that's actually a good thing, because this way I've been in many situations where I just snuck around like a boss for an hour, never getting caught, thought to myself ''oh hey there's probably no monster here'' and getting overconfident and run around just to find a monster around the next corner that just completely throws you off.
    But beware: This game is only interesting due to the Tension it creates inside you. If you play it during the day you won't be scared at all, and you'll just find the game boring. Playing it over Skype or with friends works fine, as long as your room is dark.    … Expand
  64. loungegecko
    Nov 27, 2011
    10
    Without a doubt the best and most beautifully done gaming experience out there. The scares are genuine, and the horror is real. This game is, in essence, a fear simulator. You know those train simulators? This is pretty much a fear simulator, only a captivating story was built around it. I enjoyed this game more than any other game I have played. It's super cheap, it goes on sale a lot on Steam (I got it for $4), and I'd say that it's worth far more than that. This is the easiest ten I will ever give.… Expand
  65. Baub
    Dec 15, 2011
    10
    Each game has its own purpose. Some are to have an exciting and skilled FPS experience, some are micromanaging games where you build up an empire, and some games succeed at these goals to certain extents. Amnesia: The Dark Decent was made to redefine terror, and immerse yourself in such a dark and horrid nightmare and it does just that with utmost perfection. The horror and paranoia i felt while playing this game was just so intense, it FEELS like you are there and being in a moment of life/death in this game was such a terrifying thrill ride. Honestly, this is one of the very, very, very few games out there that truly deserves a 10/10… Expand
  66. MindSpaz
    Dec 16, 2011
    8
    This game is one of those classic games that will forever be remembered (and in this case feared). This game was very well designed and looks really nice on full graphics, which is actually recommended for this type of game, where it heavily relies on the atmosphere. In the game, you don't get any weapons at all. And in fact you can't kill anything, and that isn't the point of the game at all. What the designers where trying to get across was the feeling of helplessness, and that's exactly what the game does. Every single time you see a monster, or hear a growling in the darkness, you hide, and hope he doesn't find you, because if he does, you are dead. This game is very scary, and very hard. Although you may not die a lot, you will be puzzled at the events occurring as the plot slowly unfolds and you discover many areas and secrets that lay within the castle you've awoken in. In short, the story is amazing. Atmosphere is a huge part of the game, and it perfects it with the darkness. If you look at a monster too long, you start to lose sanity. The more you lose sanity, the more frequently monsters start showing up. The longer you stay in the darkness, the lower your sanity gets. And by doing this, the game encourages you to go toward light, and stay near the light, until the sanity aspect is forgotten, and it becomes a habit, and definitely enhances the game play. The only flaws in the game is that sometimes it's actually TOO dark, and it makes it impossible to see, even with a lantern. Overall though, this game is really, really fun, and is definitely worth the money put into it. If you wanna see what the game is like, I'm doing an LP of it right now @ http://www.youtube.com/TheMindSpaz : I'm not asking for a sub or anything like that, just trying to give an example of what it's like.… Expand
  67. mez
    Dec 18, 2011
    9
    Very scary. The most tense and unpleasant (in a good way!) atmosphere of any game I've ever played. It's not perfect - the story tries to be mysterious but instead feels muddled (and the ending is massively disappointing), the puzzles are quite arbitrary and "computer-gamey" (I need some rope. Why do I need a particular special piece of rope which is miles away? Why not one of the bits I can see hanging on the wall right in front of me?), and the scares really drop off towards the end because the writers make the mistake of being too explicit and going down the ultra-gore route rather than leaving it all to our imagination. BUT... the prison level makes up for it all. I played it in the middle of the night when I was on my own in a big, old house in the middle of nowhere, and it was one of the best gaming experiences of my life. If you like horror games, you must, must play this.… Expand
  68. meediocre
    Dec 20, 2011
    10
    Imagine a game where you are stuck in an evil castle-type place, and not have any weapons!! Just the thought of it gives me goosebumps. I think because you genuinely fear for your mortality, it makes it all the more immersive. You can literally only place this game alone, at night, with your headphones on loud and no lights on. Otherwise, you might just get a tad confused, lost or bored ... I couldn't complete the game without having to check various online sources for solutions to a few puzzles, so that's not good. But because it isn't an expensive game, and it looks and feels so damn scary, I have to give this game an 8. Hope the people that made this game get out there and do another one, but bigger and bolder!… Expand
  69. Swimming_MANGO
    Jan 6, 2012
    8
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the perfect example of atmosphere in a game being able to make you $&^% your pants. Now if you know of this game already I'm sure I don't have to explain the laxative qualities of Amnesia but for those who do not know allow me to elaborate.
    The game play of Amnesia :TDD is quite simple when it comes down to it. You play the game from a first-person perspective,     navigating the game realm in search of items, and tools to make it past the next area. To do this there are a variety of puzzles that one must solve, either being a simple "push this button" action or somewhat more complex physics based puzzles. Most of these puzzles are actually quite difficult to figure out, as I myself was forced to look up the solution multiple times. While the physics are not the best in the world, they're exponentially higher then most other Indie games, besides the odd game such as LIMBO. Now a first-person perspective puzzler isn't exactly riveting, and exciting, being a survival horror game, there are monsters. Unlike many of modern games set in a horror genre, Amnesia:TDD is different in that most horror genre games have situations where either on of two things occur: the player sees a monster jump out, it screams "BOO!" and the player turns it to shredded gore with a multitude of heavy weaponry (a.k.a. Doom 3 or similar titles) or the player sees a monster jump out, it does a quick dance to get the camera's attention, the player kills it, and moves on through more brightly lit rooms filled with more monsters fighting for the camera (a.k.a. Dead Space or similar titles). Amnesia pulls off a rarely well done method similar to Silent Hill 2, where as your walking around, the intense atmosphere, and ambience noise make you perceive a monster is nearly when it could be nothing, a harmless kitty, or indeed a monster. While the hardest to pull off it is also the most successful because it forces the player to fill in the blanks for themselves. And if Frictional Games was only making me hate my life even more, you cannot harm, wound, or kill any of the enemies. You are weapon less, and your only chance at survival is to run, and hide from the monsters, and hope you don't run into them again. If that wasn't enough you are given an insanity meter, which depletes by looking at enemies, witnessing horrifying situations, and by just being in the dark making it difficult to hide from monsters when there's the chance of losing, because you've gone absolutely bonkers!
    The graphics of Amnesia:TDD are on par with most other modern day games, but I found one downside with this. For some reason my PC made for gaming had difficulties running the game, so in order to play it, I had to borrow a friend's PC. It may just be me, but it seems that the game is very demanding of a PC, which is also a gripe I have with PC gaming, but I digress, the graphics of the game, lighting, shadowing and the all too familiar insanity effects are beautiful. The sound of the game is absolutely necessary to making an atmospheric game, and Amnesia pulls it off brilliantly. The character, while never actually speaking, makes noises out of fear such as a gasp, but it is only by watching un-commentated videos that I was able to hear those noises as all too often these gasps, and moans were under-exaggerations of my screams of terror and fear. The ambient noise of the game is ominous, which serves to make the player feel truly alone in the game world, and any voice acting heard through diary entries are solid, and convincing.
    Overall, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a great survival horror game, with a strong atmosphere, and sound the likes of few games. The game is so engrossing, and immersing that you will frequently find yourself screaming at your monitors when monsters appear, and tucking your head in when navigating the dark corridors. An excellent game, and my only gripe is I wish the game would be ported to consoles as I myself hate my computer, as well as I prefer the simplicity of a controller as opposed to keyboard, and mouse. Being fair however, I can't negate points for that as that is an opinion, not fact about the game. A great story, engrossing atmosphere, and game play, and a Price tag of $20 on Steam make for a great experience. A well deserved 8. Can't wait to see what Frictional Games does next!    … Expand
  70. Felbor
    Jan 10, 2012
    8
    Amazing game. Since original Silent Hill I was scared very match. Great atmosphere, great logical puzzles, great story. But atmosphere disappears near the end, this is sad.
  71. Satyrion
    Jan 14, 2012
    8
    This is the scariest game i have ever played, the atmosphere is really giving me a heart attack. If you are looking for a game that will scare you to death and immerse you in a great atmospheric story this is it. The bad things about the game is that after a few hours you have seen most of the tricks and dont get so scared anymore but that didnt stop me from enjoying the amazingly designed game. The art is simply amazing and you really feel you are Danel the main character… Expand
  72. Mr_M
    Jan 16, 2012
    9
    8.6 + Incredible atmosphere made alive by first rate sound design + Logical, interesting puzzles + Castle Brennenburg is an interesting place to explore + Genuine feeling of loneliness, terror and helplessness - Some AI inconsistencies can make the monsters become annoyances more than threats - Compatibility problems in Windows 7 with some sound cards - Unimpressive ending - Overabundance of lighting resources removes some of the challenge… Expand
  73. DonCanardo
    Jan 18, 2012
    10
    Not a fan of puzzle game usually, I really got into it, especially thanks to the survival-horror side of the game. If you playing it like it's meant to be (alone, in the dark, headphone), it is a scariest game ever. The audio is amazing, graphics are decent enough for a full immersion. I liked the fact that you are scared at all time during the game, you are really under pressure, where in games like dead space, it's just punctual fear which is going to make you jump out of your chair (which I think is the easy solution in scary entertainment). A must have if you like horror games.… Expand
  74. Virtro
    Jan 19, 2012
    9
    There's nothing more scarier than your mind playing tricks on you. Here in Amnesia you expect the worse to happen, but a low rate. Examples being that these creatures somehow could and will mess with you through out the whole game. Amnesia is a game where the possible becomes the horrifyingly impossible as you journey through darkest places battling your own sanity for light. The graphics are well devoleped considering that the eriee feelings of darkness and pop-outs really set the mood. And of course lets not forget the monster designs that look specifily spectacular. (No Spoilers Will Be Added On What They Look Like!!!) The sounds, if playing with a turtlebeach headset, will sound more than realistic as the screams and cries make you turn your back in the darkness to look for someone behind you. You won't have to worry about staying awake, as you grow deeper into the game, you'll never want to sleep again fearing your own sanity. (God, I felt like I went into that WAY too much.) The gameplay is rather incredible considering the puzzles you'll rough over, the stradegy of hiding behind certain objects for your own life, and compelling story that just craves for an ending all things considered. This grame reaches not only the gameplay but will even reach your mind as your trying not to scream or cry at the levels and monsters you run from. If you ever need to keep yourself awake, need a good scare to put on for your friends, or playing it just for the thinking you have to get this. You'll love it... if youre not in fetal position in a corner of your bedroom.… Expand
  75. Chapa9dj
    Jan 23, 2012
    10
    With over 200.000 units sold up to date, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of the indie top sellers of 2010. This game made me feel terrified like no other, especially for the atmosphere and the fear to the unknown that i had to stop playing it for a while, just like Penumbra. The feeling that you are totally helpless an unarmed, make this for an intense survival experience. If you love survival horror games + psychological terror like Penumbra, well this game is for you, my friend.
    If there is something i'm sure, Frictional Games knows how to scare the s*** out of us.
    Get this game, it's well worth every cent!!!    … Expand
  76. KangaDude873MC
    Jan 27, 2012
    9
    This game is #6 on my top ten favourite games of all-time. In Amnesia: The Dark Descent, you play as Daniel witch if you haven't figured out yet, has amnesia. This game game is CRAZY on scares. The thing that made me jump the most, was in the Storage room and I don't want to spoil it. The monsters? Don't even get me started on those, the first time you play, they are scariest things ever, but once you play it a few times, it gets less scary. The graphics could be improved and there are some bugs that I have found, but overall, great game.… Expand
  77. dcwow
    Feb 7, 2012
    1
    My Review (WARNING! Some adult language exists within this review)

    In two words, it sucks. I have to admit I was scared...for the first 1 hour of playing. After that, I was like "Yeah, yeah....wind blowing, creaky noise...I'm scared. Come and get me already!" The environment would have been much scarier if they hadn't thrown in the creaks, the moans, the things-that-give-me-hibbie-jib    bies every 10 seconds or so. I found myself jumping at nothing...other than jumping awake after realizing I had dozed off. This game is boring. *Find the key to the Wine Cellar*: Whatever you do, don't give me a hint on where it might be..other than "...in the castle". Please, make me pull EVERY effing book off of every effing shelf just so I can become desensitized to the scary environment because I've seen, listened, hell, even TASTED it over and over and over again (okay...I admit...I hadn't tasted any of the environment).

    Some may like this game, though. It seems to have those god-awful puzzles that some have always seemed to like. Me? I gave that **** up when I hit 25 years old. I want a game that is spooky, has a few puzzles, and gives me the chance to actually HIT something periodically. In this little gem, you run like a scared sissy from anything...even the **** dark. That's right...I said the DARK. If you remain in the dark for an extended period of time, you go...get this...INSANE. Not hysterical. Not just a little scared. Insane. Want to know how to stave off that little ounce of craziness? Look no further than...you guessed it...the LIGHT. Which is awesome, because they give you a lantern...that you have to find oil for...which is INSANELY (see what I did there? :P) few and far between...and, the oil is the fastest burning **** since human hair. I filled my lantern up and got about 5-6mins of actual light. I would have to be under contract with BP just to keep this **** burning.

    So, if you enjoy running around in a spooky castle, avoiding anything that would make a 16-year-old school girl jump, then get this game.
    Or, if you really enjoy taking aspirin. A LOT of aspirin, as this sonava**** gave me an Excedrin Headache +12.

    Final Score:

    1.5 Lit Lanterns out of 5.0 (See what I did there? :P)



    P.S. I'm not bitter.    … Expand
  78. vahn
    Feb 11, 2012
    10
    After years of action-horror games, we finally get a proper survival horror game! This is the perfect horror game by me: no weapons, monsters to avoid, creepy scenery, constant darkness, horrific sound. Everything is perfectly set in order to scare the HELL outta you, and horror fans will enjoy....but what's wrong instead? To be honest, one of the fewest issues I had in this game were the mental state, mainly because you can't hide in the darkness for too long or you'll go crazy: in a game where you must hide, hiding is actually hurting you? Annoying, but I guess it's one way to scare you more, but still I found it bothersome. And of course, the light sources: you'll constantly have to carefully use your light sources, or you'll have a hard time in the game later: very bothersome. Maybe one issue is also when you die, the game loses a bit of its touch: yes it's scary, but suddenly you don't feel that much fear anymore: not a proper flaw, more like an annoying thing. Honestly that's mostly it: the biggest flaws could be for those who actually don't like this kind of horror games, meaning that this game is based on slow moments, on being carefull, on actually try to mentally focused and go on; those who just love to defend themselves somehow or who actualy can't stand slow paced games, this game is probably not for you. For the rest, this is how a REAL horror game should be made, and I CAN'T wait for another game like this.… Expand
  79. Linkkicksu
    Feb 11, 2012
    8
    Amnesia, what's not to say about the game... It has incredible, immersing gameplay that leaves you feeling shaken to the core for hours, even after you stop playing. The game was so frightening, yet so gripping that you can't help coming back for more. Amnesia is so psychologically testing, that it has effected my personality; I have developed paranoia, I lock the doors twice at night for precaution, the slightest thud makes me jump, I fear being alone for more than 3 hours and I have changed from my night shift at work. The game is in fact, too frightening, and too mentally trying, that is why I must give it an 8/10. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm returning to my corner to cower in fear.… Expand
  80. sias
    Feb 12, 2012
    9
    Finally! A survival horror game - that is a survival horror game! Well done gaming industry as a whole! Was it really that difficult? Anyway, enough of this obnoxiousness. I thoroughly enjoyed Amnesia despite it's clunky controls. Genuinely terrifying with a very well told story that requires player exploration instead of intense cut-scene overkill. The removal of combat that was present in the Penumbra series (also made by Frictional) really helps keep the pace and prevents frustrating mouse swinging angst. You survive by running and hiding. The shadows are as much your friends as they are your enemies adding an element of risk to all of your actions. To a certain extent it has the same appeal as a well thought out point-and-click adventure with simplistic gameplay that allows you to get absorbed by the terrifically dark atmosphere instead of having you scrolling through inventory lists and entering attack combos. This game won't be for everyone, and many people will simply be bored by the lack of action and direct story telling. But I don't think this game was ever trying to grab a mainstream audience and all its appeal is rather quite niche. But nonetheless, it is a game that most should at least visit, for it truly is a welcome sleeper indie hit for us horror fans. This game is best played in a dark room with a decent headset. In fact I refuse to play this game during the day! It's also a good idea to have your face pressed up to the screen so you sh*t yourself quicker. True story.… Expand
  81. hydaway1
    Feb 12, 2012
    10
    Its been a long time since I've played a true survival horror game. This is not only an immersing and incredibly scary game, its a fun and addicting game to play. I found myself pausing the game and sitting there waiting for my heart beat to slowdown! The physics in the game is great you can interact with almost everything making you feel like your part of the world. There is a lot of thinking like when to use your lantern, when to use a tenderbox on a candle or torch. The story and editor are also awesome, with custom stories and mods this is an amazing game that may never end!… Expand
  82. demolish
    Feb 12, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Incredible. My words will probably do it no justice, but I will try.

    When I first purchased this game, I found it hard to believe there was so much hype about the terror this game evokes, but almost instantly I found myself scared of every little noise. It just got scarier and scarier, but the creativity in the horror of this game lies in the fact that they never stoop down to the cheap "pop-up" scares. They build up suspense, and have a payoff of absolutely emotionally draining pixel terror. It was by far the most difficult game I've ever played, and I really appreciated the fact that there were no save reverts - everything you did was permanent, including (SPOILER) the end when I forgot to save Agrippa and didn't get the extra-good ending. I first got the **** ending, where the bad guy wins and there is no resolution to the saga of Daniel, but when I tried again I got the ending I was looking for - I killed that bastard Alexander, even though he and I were both similar in the fact that we were victims of circumstance acting as agents for a greater evil. There was so much depth in the little plot details they gave you, including the moral ambiguity. And the puzzles - the puzzles were **** hard, and it took me a total of about 12 hours to finish the game, and I only looked up the solution to a single part - the prison - which was a **** maze and I don't consider that to be part of the difficulty.

    In the age of tired-out sequels and rehashing the same formula of first person shooters, this game is only contested by Skyrim in my 2011 GOTY.

    But definitely the GOTCentury for the feature of dozens of uncircumcised naked men. God, if the modern day gaming industries is lacking one thing these days, it's dicks, and natural ones.    … Expand
  83. drastic
    Feb 20, 2012
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning, if you haven't played yet, you probably don't want to read too many reviews or any and not mine.

    First of all, turned off the lights, put on headphones, hope ended there...

    The good: The game had a decent atmosphere and graphics as well as minor puzzle solving. The in game playing and use was easy to handle. Not a lot of glitches, didn't have to restart due to any odd issues. The bad: I was never once "terrified" or even a bit shaken up by this game and still sit back scratching my head as to the horrified reviews, especially the screamer reactions on Youtube. I suggest for those who are scared of this game, don't watch Scooby Doo, you will also be terrified.

    There are decent puzzles, most of it was spent on useless object moving. Madness? Only after tossing 5000 books off shelves that had nothing behind them, that in fact, was maddening. Most solving was meager at best and child's play to figure out.

    Scary? Disturbing would be more the word. The only thing completely scary was having to look at another man's genitalia of a tortured body. The creatures, zombies? that lurk in the dark, give plenty of warning they are there, so they may slash and kill you which is easy enough to avoid. The water creature? Yes, there is nothing more terrifying than a splash chasing you I guess.

    There could easily have been more puzzles to solve, the game became extremely repetitive. There were a few instances of building, putting together objects, etc... but not nearly what could have been. Why give 10 candles to light in one area? Why not just one or two for what is needed? I started over simply due to wasting tinderboxes where they weren't needed. One hint I would give to players, save the tinder boxes don't waste them lighting everything in sight, only what's needed.

    The over abundance of notes and entries were for what? The story line was very weak, and maybe would have made more sense to me if pulling out my fingernails wasn't more interesting than the read. What happened to some of these people? I have no clue, they disappeared along with the plot.

    The ending was the easiest and most disappointing aspect of the whole game, waiting for that big finish only to find it was over in less than 20 seconds.

    Conclusion: All in all, a good game to play once. I can't understand all the +10 ratings or the screamer reactions on Youtube but again, decent enough to have some fun.    … Expand
  84. Midge115
    Feb 29, 2012
    10
    Wait until nightfall. Sit down at your computer, put your headphones on, turn on Amnesia: The Dark Descent, and get ready to poop your pants. I have never played a game scarier than this. Penumbra: Black Plague was terrifying, but Amnesia: The Dark Descent is deliciously repulsive, horrifying, and mystifying. I highly recommend this game to anyone who wants to stay awake until dawn.
  85. squidgee
    Aug 5, 2012
    8
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent by Frictional Games brings us a frightening experience that you won't soon forget. There are ambient sounds, disturbing environments and innovative controls to create an immersive atmosphere and the game throws some thrilling monster chases that will have you on edge. There are however some noticeable bugs mostly involving the monsters that may annoy and some of the objects in the game could've been more detailed but these are only minor issues and won't hinder your experince too much. A single playthrough took me around 10 hours and there are plenty of custom stories available that will increase your playtime.… Expand
  86. JBJblaze
    Mar 21, 2012
    10
    This game... No... EXPERIENCE is the most frighting time I have ever had playing any videogame (no, this is an EXPERIENCE!)! Other games do rely on the player acting violently against enemies, but that only gives me a few jumps out of my skin, and I can kill them: that's all. But, this--this gives you the shivers throughout the time, wondering what the BLOODY heck I am going to do NEXT... It is frightening--to call it scary is an insult. I believe this going to be AT LEAST as successful as another great indie EXPERIENCE--Minecraft! Oh, and if you are on for seizures, or just don't like being scared or shivering your nuts out to the bone: this is NOT for you.

    I am EXTREMELY impressed with this EXPERIENCE. This deserves a 9.5/10 from me! You can also find this review at http://s-me.weebly.com/amnesia-the-dark-descent.html!    … Expand
  87. SweStars
    Apr 7, 2012
    9
    This game is extremly intense and very gratifyting if you liked Frictinals earlier games (the Penumra series).
    I just love this game so far.

    The usage of tension, sounds, disorientation effects which kicks in (like "Eternal Darkness", Gamecube) when the sanity is going through the roof and the feeling of, almost constantly, fleeing from horrific enemies your charachter is too scared to l    ook at, which sets an excellent feeling of being helplessly vulnerable.

    Trust me, it's worth every penny.    … Expand
  88. Enhialus
    Apr 8, 2012
    10
    This is one of the best games Ive seen, ever. This is undoubtedly the scariest game i think ever created. Me and my friends often find people to play this game, and we all gather round to watch them crap themselves with fear.
  89. t200
    Apr 4, 2013
    9
    This game is definitely one of the high points of the survival-horror genre. However, before playing it, you should know what to expect; if you're expecting something more similar to Dead Space 2 out of this, you will have a bad time. It's not that kind of horror game. Gameplay isn't all that great, maybe 7/10, but the intense atmosphere makes up for it. Amazing sound, good (not too good, but more than enough) graphics...

    There's quite a lot of difference between Amnesia and most horror games, the main one I see being monster density. Monsters aren't very common. This is partially justified by your lack of self defense, but the real beauty in this is that you never really stop being scared of them. So instead of a lot of shootable monsters, you get a few very dangerous and terrifying ones.

    Now, "A few monsters" isn't really enough to keep the scares going. Amnesia solves this problem in an ingenious way. With the creepy ambience, the constant tiny creaks from the foundation, and even the illusory footsteps Daniel hears when low on sanity, you genuinely never feel completely safe. Aside from the tendency to encounter monsters while backtracking after grabbing an important item, it's pretty danm hard to predict where one will show up.

    Anyway, the point of the game is to make the player feel as scared as possible. So, don't play to win, play it just for the sake of being scared.    … Expand
  90. the-epikninja
    May 3, 2012
    10
    This game is the most intense game I have ever played! the atmosphere is terrifying. Also the game shows originality and very unique, most horror video games gives you an option to fight back and defend yourself. And Amnesia is a different type of game play that actually requires stealth and hiding. A nice storytelling makes a good game. -the-epikninja
  91. Krepost
    May 7, 2012
    10
    New, refreshing, and scream-inducing. Buy this game the day before Halloween in your college dorm, grab many snacks, and prepare to keep everyone else in your building awake at night. I'm not going to explain the game since that would take away from it. Just try it. Trust me. Best played with friends in the dark at night.
  92. EVEHOLT3141
    May 11, 2012
    10
    This is my all time favorite game. I am always on the lookout for games that can elicit a real emotion. This game does just that. Its atmosphere and immersion set you up for incredible scares. It turned out to be the game that has inspired the most emotion of any in me.

    That's not to say that it's perfect. Its graphics clearly show that it is an indie game. Beyond that the ending is disap    pointing and there are sci-fi elements that detract from the story. Regardless it's one of the greatest games in terms of emotion and immersion.… Expand
  93. xZippy
    May 20, 2012
    9
    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 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
  94. FFStudios
    Jun 1, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers. I'm not a fan of horror games, that was until I played Amnesia; the dark descent; a FP survival horror which drops the dodgy combat from Penumbra and instead forces the player to hide or run. What puts me off most horror games is their reliance on excessive gore, which isn't really that scary once you become desensitised to it. Amnesia understands this and implements just about every aspect perfectly: you're defenceless, the graphics are appropriately grim and spooky, resources are limited and the main antagonists are never really clearly seen. Negatives; the story is an interesting tale of your character Daniel waking up with amnesia and discovering that he must descend into the depths of the castle to kill an individual named Alexander. All I will say is that the ending is somewhat lukewarm and Frictional still have a tendency to use long letters to tell back stories rather than implement them into the environment. Also, despite the length of six hours or so, Amnesia would have benefitted from being trimmed to about half that. But any criticisms I have are overshadowed by the sheer terror that Amnesia manages to achieve. If you are a horror fan or even just any other gamer who wants to experience something truly terrifying, then look no further than Amnesia.… Collapse
  95. HwoDragon
    Jun 4, 2012
    10
    A truly remarkable puzzle game, Amnesia is not for the faint of heart. The game takes advantage of ambient creaks, moans, and other creepy sounds to keep you constantly on edge, making the game super immersive. Once I heard a noise and felt something tap my shoulder. Immediately I started hyperventilating and holding down shift while sprinting, teeth gritted, down the hallway, until I realized that the enemy was actually my brother, who had snuck up behind me and tapped my shoulder (The little troll) There were a couple "Jump out and shout boo" monsters, but there was a lot of subtle creepiness that kept you at the edge of your seat. (And when nothing happens, you get closer to the edge of your seat. Then the monster pops out and you fall off your seat, promise you will never play this horrible, wicked game again, respawn, and keep going.) One point where I was genuinely terrified didn't even have any monsters. At a few points in the game you will have a big room leading to lots of separate rooms, each with their own set of minipuzzles, to solve. At one point I arrived at one such room, and quiet, relaxing music played. The room was well lit, carved with some nice beautiful architecture, paintings, fancy windows, it was like a safe haven. And then I solved the puzzles. When I returned to my safe haven, strange organic pulsating pinkish blobs of flesh appeared. The lights went out. The paintings changed. The fountain no longer looked like a lady bathing, but like a lady being drowned and eaten alive by a little impy thing. I felt terrified. I felt violated. I felt sick. My safe haven was destroyed, my sense of security and trust breached. I wanted to STOP PLAYING THIS GAME. It was exhilarating and I loved it. The puzzles themselves are fun, not too easy, not too hard, and not too frustrating. Some of them are Fix-the-Machine-puzzles, some of them are Throw-a-human-limb-across-the-room-so-that-you-can-make-a break-for-the-door-and-try-to-escape-while-an-invisible-demon-chases-you puzzles, but they are all interesting. I only have a little bit of critisism and that is the sanity. I think my character is afraid of the dark, and rightly so, because based on the sound effects, when it is really dark a ghost sneaks up on me and crinkles Jolly Rancher wrappers in my ear. I just don't get that. Penumbra wasn't my favorite game, but at least I could still solve puzzles in the dark. I guess that is the reasoning behind it though. Penumbra just wasn't scary because I could turn up my brightness and kill the enemies. In Amnesia the enemies are unkillable and there is an actual incentive to not just play in the dark with brightness up super high. All of Amnesia's neat features turned it into what I can safely and easily call the scariest game I have ever played. All in all, Amnesia. Great game. Scary. You buy. You buy now. Unless baby. If baby do not buy.… Expand
  96. IAmPhongNguyen
    Jun 9, 2012
    10
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is truly a good example of what "horror" is all about. Horror should be about the creepy atmosphere and story it's being placed in. Those cringing moments of anticipating something to come after you. Worse, those terrifying moments of silence. Amnesia: The Dark Descent had all those qualities plus many more. It lacked the use of weapons to defend yourself with but the skills of hiding, running, and closing. You would have a limited juice of light source to keep you from being frightened even more. Oh, and yeah this creature does not have the ability to die at all. But one thing that made this game unique from others is that you would actually have to open and close closets, doors, and drawers by yourself. That's the main thing that makes this game so realistic. I could go on with many things to brag about this masterpiece. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is and will be one of those timeless games for years to come. This is by far one of the most terrifying and unforgettable experience since Silent Hill. This is what you call horror.… Expand
  97. kuehnau
    Jun 14, 2012
    1
    Welcome to the world of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, a survival horror that is so boring, I feel like falling alseep in the first 20 mineuts of the game. I am not even joking, after reading rave reviews about this game I decided to go ahead and pick it up, I managed to get it for a single dollar because it was being offered in one of the "Indie Humble Bundles". The beginning of the game is slow and boring, all you do is walk around old, dimly lit rooms, collecting a small haldful of items. Every once and awhile your character will trip out or wind will blow through a room. Along the way you collect some notes that are too long and boring to bother reading or even listening to.

    I'll be frank, this game is really dry, really, really dry. I was so board with the game that I couldn't get past playing it for more then a half hour and not once did I ever encounter a single monster.

    Room layouts seem random and spastic, not only that, all of the rooms look the same. The game tries to create a "spooky" atmosphere by having random stuff happen, but it's more annoying the scary. I don't like this game, it feels like they tried to write a really bad book and decided to turn it into an even worse video game. A friend assures me once you play it longer, it gets really good. That's like forcing me to eat a handful of sand and telling me in a half an hour I can have a drink, no thanks.

    I feel ripped off I paid a dollar for this worthless game.    … Expand
  98. Le_Moose
    Jun 17, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very few horror games today embrace the most terrifying form of horror there is: subtlety. That knowledge that something is there hunting you down and is constantly getting closer to you that brings us to the masterpiece that is Amnesia: The Dark Descent. I can honestly say I have walked away from my computer at times screaming with shock and terror from what has come from this game. It truly brought back horror into my heart. While the game still produces fear in me, I still question some of it's elements that make it the horror game it is. There is no way to defend yourself from the creatures hunting you. And while this aspect is what defines the horror in it (meaning all you can do is run and hide with what dignity you have left), I daresay I would be one of those hero's in the story to pick up a rock or stick to defend myself in dark dungeons and labyrinths. I cannot count these as cons to the game because the creatures are truly unearthly. The very chill they send through your spine is the stuff of nightmares and I doubt even I with the logical sense to defend myself could stand in front of one and not panic. This game redefines horror showing us all how it's done. Not for the squeamish or faint-hearted but then again, even the most fearless of gamers have walked away from this game shaking!… Expand
  99. potatoes351
    Jun 22, 2012
    9
    Perhaps the best survival horror game to grace my PC ever. Amnesia keeps you hooked from start to finish, if you can even get that far. The shocks are purely atmospheric with little to look at or do other than physics puzzles.There is no combat which makes hiding from the monsters that much scarier. Perhaps one of the best PC games to happen since Half-Life 2, Amnesia:The Dark Descent is a must buy for any indie, horror or PC gamers.… Expand
  100. signcontrast
    Jul 7, 2012
    7
    For the price, it's not a bad game. Steam had it on sale for $5 or $10 when I bought it. If you're looking for something original, this game tries some things brazenly. In the end, it becomes repetitive. Thank goodness it's fairly short. I generally take a long time to finish games, as I'm something of a completionist, but this game was done in 12 hours. Games like Deus Ex: HR took me closer to 50 hours, and games like Skyrim took about 100 hours. -------
    ----
    That said, those are the game's two major flaws: narrow world which makes it short, and a repetitive game play. In the beginning, when the game play hasn't had a chance to wear on you, it's a fine and novel game. You sneak around, you get scared, you run, you plan your escape routes methodically, you wonder what is going on in this hellish world. All wonderful things. And if you're like me, you'll relish the immersion, so you'll put on a pair of headphones, turn up the volume, and turn off the lights. Make sure the kiddies are asleep because you won't want them catching a glimpse of this little horror bit. It'd give them nightmares. But it doesn't do this through cheap thrills and gore - though there's a little of that. Much of it is done through understated mixtures of sound and visuals. ----------
    ----
    Still, eventually you long to be able to use some of the things you find to at least hinder creatures. It feels like I should be able to use some simple lamp oil to set these nasties on fire - especially if I felt like wasting my precious oil, or if I'd been especially careful about saving it, as I was. And eventually you get the hang of the AI, but I can't complain too much about that. For what it's worth, the AI is better than new games like Deus Ex: HR. Probably the worst offending part of the repetitive gameplay is that the game actually gets easier if you reload more than twice. That's sad. Being a completionist, I *enjoy* the challenge of retrying the occasional situation a third or fourth time. That should be rare, since it breaks the immersion, but so does a monster totally disappearing from a zone because I happened to be taking a sip of beer on the first playthrough, and didn't quite get it right on the second playthrough. It detracts from the game's serious attraction: brutal and unforgiving horror survival. That gameplay would also be seriously enhanced with more to do in the game and more to explore other than the single dungeon. There were many times I asked myself, why would I stay in such a deathtrap?? I'd like to at least break a window and climb outside in the snow and discover that I couldn't travel far without the wolves attacking. Perhaps that would lead to some interesting gameplay with me exploring the stables and finding a demolished wagon, or perhaps I'd find that the roads leading to this castle were treacherously steep as poor Jonathan Harker discovers in Bram Stoker. These diversion would make sense, give me a break from the monotony of the castle, and immerse me in the world a little.------
    ---
    All in all, though, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy the game for the pennies I paid. The game studio deserved my money, and perhaps we'll see more developed games from them in the future.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. XGN
    Apr 19, 2011
    90
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the scariest game in years. You'll get an extremely creepy vibe from the castle and all of the mysterious things that are happening there. The voice overs and the ending of the game aren't great, but this shouldn't bother anyone seeing how you'll be extremely scared when you play this on your own in a dark room.
    Read full review
  2. Absolute Games
    Jan 31, 2011
    83
    Amnesia offers an experience so rich that we're willing to forgive its weak ending, imperfections of the engine, and low-bugdet production values.
    Read full review
  3. Thunderbolt
    Jan 29, 2011
    90
    At times it's a struggle to play purely because of how scary it can be, and it's not often you can say that about a video game. Just remember: lights off, headphones on, and try not to go insane.
    Read full review
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