I wanted to accept the challenge that I heard from all the hype. I am a very hard person to scare. As a child at the age of 5 years, my father let me watch anything I wanted. He would stay up with me all night watching monster marathons on television. I figured this game couldn't scare me. HOLY CRAP, I was wrong.

It's very hard to make really scary game, but Frictional Games did it. The main story took me about 6 hours, but after that i started playing custom stories. I gave 10 points because this game has everything! - Beautiful atmosphere, - Scary main story, -Scary monsters and - New custom stories every day. This game don't need weapons. They would ruin the idea of the game. People just concentrate on shooting. But every time i start this game, i enjoy it very much :)… Collapse

It would be impossible for me to leave spoilers in this, for I cannot beat the game. I have played the game, with my friend, for all of about an hour so far. We can't do it. We haven't seen a single monster yet, and we cannot continue forward. The game is just scary, it carries on-wards in the ways of freaking you out of your skin. We picked up a book, and accidently slammed it against a metal door, and it scared... The living... *Bleep* out of us. We of course continued forward, and got up to a point where our lantern ran out. It was at this point we really started to get.... on edge... To say the least. We found a small amount of oil and used it, continued forward. We were about to go through a door there was a hint stating something similar to "Hint: When there are enemies nearby, try to run and hide in the darkness" , this was the point where my friend (Who was playing at the time) said "I can't do it, just can't. I'm done". I of course proceeded to give it my shot. Within a minute, not even a full minute, I started to walk through the door with no lantern, and slowly opened it... When I saw something move. I backed up frightened into a corner and just stood still. I heard "Tip... Tap... Tip... Tap" Not of water, but of footsteps. The screen went blurred, and moved as if we had just been turned into a ghost and back. I gave up. We cannot continue for quite a while... We don't have the power-up from Binding of Isaac, "Balls of steel", or the other power-up of "Masculinity". I guess we just haven't spent enough time to get the "Puberty" one either. We're little children in this game. We.... Are... Done. Have fun everybody!… Expand

for the people that try to downpour this brilliant horror game obviously haven't played a good game yet. Amnesia is probably the best TRUE horror game out there, not only does it scare the **** out of you it involves high amounts of strategy and careful thought one you actions. for the people that try to downpour this brilliant horror game obviously haven't played a good game yet and are 40 year old lards you sit in front of there computer all day.… Expand

Too much wobbly camera. Extremely annoying looped sounds in certain areas. Character in game freaks out every time he sees his shadow. Its really difficult to immerse myself in the game if every minute I'm telling my character to "chill out it was just a shadow". "Daniel", the character you play as, freaks out way too often at just about everything and it completely tore me out of the experience. I can see why some people would like this game if you can get past some of the very questionable design choices, but this game is very overrated in my opinion. Also wasn't really all that scary from what I played, its just a glorified atmospheric game of hide and seek with a main character who has a panic attack every time he sees his own shadow.… Expand

One of the best true horror games of all time. This is game is not for the faint of heart, you will be scared **** A must buy for every horror fan.

When this game first released as an Indy game, it was a cult hit, and spread via the web to all gamers, even casual ones. After playing this title, I must tell anyone who is thinking of buying it two things: 1) Buy it. 2)Don't 'play' this 'game', don't think of this as a milestone that you must 'beat'. It is an experience that everyone should have, and it WILL scare you. I have never been so frightened by any form of media, be it a movie, game, music etc. There are a few parts where it will feel annoying because you may not understand how to get past a certain part, revealing it's true 'game' nature for only a moment, and then you are back in the experience. Buy it.… Expand

Creepiest game i have ever played in my live. I am sill having nightmares because of this game.. And the custom stories make this game much more than just the main story.. Actually the main story wasnt so great so -1 for that.

Wonderful horror game. I was essentially scared throughout the entire game. The music is great, the atmosphere is spot on, and the story is perfect. My only problem with the game is that I feel as if some its textures aren't polished. One example I experience with faulty textures was when I went through a wall and everything turned black, and then later I took two steps and somehow died. If that were fixed, this game would receive a ten. You most likely will not experience this at all; maybe it was just my **** graphics card, but regardless, the game is quite possibly the best horror game made. Buy it!!!… Expand

Anyone who loves horror should definitely try Amnesia. This game is able to enter into the human psyche, so if you follow the advice given before starting (play in the dark with headphones) you will certainly be taken from the atmosphere around Daniel.

I have to say that this is the scariest game I played, a lot scarier then Slender. If you are about to play this, have headphones on and play in the dark. So many moments I'm just going through a dark and creepy hallway and suddenly a monster comes around the corner and is going towards you fast, forcing you to hide, it just scares the crap out of me. And watching your sanity go down MIGHT make your real sanity go down. Other then the scares, the game play and story is pretty good. A lot off the puzzles are just so hard and genius that it takes me 10-20 minutes to figure them out. If you have at least a mid range PC, you should get this.… Expand

It's fun, scary...dark...everything you could ever want, right? Right. Things fly at you from the ceiling, you can hide in dressers, and you have some extreme anxiety issues. Recommended, if you're a fan of scary games. If you read this review, and decided to play it, then played it and died from fright (or the fact that the game is pure awesome), I am not responsible.

This game really does deserve the title of "World's Scariest Game". After playing the game for about ten to twenty minutes, I was wondering "Is this it?" and to be honest I wanted to backhand them for making a crapy game and calling it scary. I couldn't have been more wrong, the game absolutely scared me. I have never played a game that instilled fear into me like this: fear radiated through my body, the rush of adrenaline, heart pounding, jumping at every groan, splash of water and almost any other sound.

Okay, the downside, the graphics weren't the best, but the detail and architecture really did create the perfect mood for the game. Excellent use of sound all throughout the game; I did turn my volume down to zero to see what the game was like without the sound and to be honest, it was really calm, so well done on the sound effect. The plot was average, it was fitting of the mood though and it didn't need an awesome plot to be scary. I really liked the idea of being harmless, although I did try to pick up a chair and wave it around madly trying to fight off that horrible zombie thing. One thing that disappointed me, was the I could jump up onto a desk or a pile of rocks and the zombie couldn't get to me, it kind of ruined the mood when it was walking into a desk trying to move forward. The camera wobble was a bit annoying, although it did fit into the game, but overall I didn't like it.

In summation, it is a very good game and I enjoyed the scare I got from it; although I wouldn't advise this game for children or anyone who gets nightmares. Apart from that I advise you to play it.… Expand

Have you ever played Myst? And kno Bioshock was the best game of all time? Puzzle games totally suck because they totally forget what the word "logic" means. "Scary" movies haven't scared you since you were a child. Sooo Amnesia has all of that. This is a really great game. The only way you can't get scared by it is by thinking you're way too cool and you keep your guard up. Way, way up. In which case, you're only ruining the fun for yourself. Put on headphones, play in the dark. Lose yourself. The sound is amazing, which is critical to terror. Monsters, on a technical scale are only ehh, but when you combine it with the rest of the game, become horrifying poetry. There is also some of the deepest story I have ever encountered, and I only really like to play games with a ton of story. It's more like you're playing a book, but it feels like a movie you're directing... and suffering. You will not get a better form of Art in most modern AAA titles. I just got this for $5 on Steam, and I wish I could donate more to the company if I could. Personally I kinda wanna give it a 9 only because I really suck at puzzles, but compared to 99% of other digital titles, this game is an 11 out of 10… Expand

very random game, cant mention anything special. you walk arround and solve more or less obvious puzzles. graphics look a bit old, the sounds are ok, it has some basic physic effects. a weird story... if you find this game scary you might should take a look in a dictionary for the definition of this word. a ingrown toenail is a lot more scary than this. when its on sale buy it only if you are really bored, the regular price of 15… Expand

I was about to purchase this game based on reputation @Metacritic alone and boy, am I glad they offer a demo on Steam. I didn't even finish the demo because it is hardly scary. Granted, the audio may be superb but this feature is completely diminished by the fact that the graphics and level design appear to be based on something that was contrived in the very early 2000s. One could compare its quality to be part way between Thief II and Thief: Deadly Shadows. This is an absolute deal-breaker for me and I wonder, how this can be received with such a high degree of professional appraisal (Metascore of 85).

Sure, there are games that look like crap an are extremely popular, such as Minecraft. But, in very stark contrast to Amnesia, the Minecraft experience does not thrive on ambience and immersion.

Considering the fact, that the vast majority of human cognitive perception is based on visual stimuli, I am having a very hard time understanding why anyone with a trained I could give this horror-flick a 100% on a professional review without constant fear of having you credibility on the line...YES, I am looking at you Gamecritics & Gamernode! wtf?… Expand

This game is scary as hell, but is fantastically scripted. The AI is amazing and this is the only game you can get a true fear feeling in. Excellent graphics, especially shadows. Also, it has a well written and intriguing storyline. Has some very minor bugs, which do not effect the game. I would go as far to say this is the most frightening game EVER created.

I love this game... The atmosphere is incredible, and the fact that you can't kill the monsters and you actually have to run or hide, is amazing. I really like it. Also, hearing weird noises gives an incredible feeling. I actually congratulates the creators of this game because it's fun to play this game and freak out.

This Game has a amazing and fightening Atmosphere. The Graphics are a little bit old, but the Colors and Lightning are perfect. Its so horrorfying to walk through the dark corridors, because you dont have any weapon. The Puzzles make fun, but the Gameplay and the Story could be better.

This game feels like an Edgar Allen Poe piece. Its extremely dark and thoughtful in feel... And I was disappointed it finally ended. With so many things done right, its hard to believe such a small group created this creative masterpiece.

Atmospheric and creepy for a while...then it gets boring. There's something that really breaks immersion for me. You can't fight at all. You can't even shove things away when you get close. You can't pick up any sort of weapon despite passing dozens of reasonable objects like shovels and knives. This leads to a problem. All the monsters have to be lame enough that you can just walk away from them. The sense of danger just goes out the window once you figure out the game mechanics. A "Horror" game isn't scary once you realize you are literally no danger whatsoever for 90% of the play time. It's not terrifying, it's a fun-house ride. Complete with blinking lights and people making "OOOoooooo" noises from around corners.

If you really try to get immersed in it, I guess it could be a pretty creepy experience. But it's not a all that great as a GAME. Which is a pity, because it's been quite a while since we had a horror game that was both fun to play and actually scary. We might have to go all the way back to System Shock 2 in 1999. Although i suppose F.E.A.R. or Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth might be honorable mentions.… Expand

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A truly terrifying game that is only rivaled by the other series made by this company, Penumbra. Unlike most horror games, this one focuses less on "monsters jumping from the closet" scares and is chock full of psychological and moral horror. Even without the literal monsters, the plot is full of human monsters; torture, human sacrifices, black magic and sorcery make the game reek of evil. The immersive sound design and well-implemented screen & graphical effects feed the fear of being cornered by other worldly monsters and human abominations. Without any weapons to fight back, this is a genuine "survival horror" game that you should pick up and lose sleep over.… Expand

I have never been more scared. That's all you need to know. Love the setting, the audio is absolutely phenomenal, the pacing is precise. What's not to like about this game?

This has to be one of the most atmospheric games I have ever endured to play in my life. You've got a squid-looking guy walking around, making your swallow your tongue, and watching your heart drop through your intestines. It is amazingly scary. People think this game is "trash", and it's "not scary", play it once. We'll see if your mind changes. The game itself is horrifying, but I wish there was more to it. There needs to be something there that just sparks your mind and makes the game better than it already its, on this one though I am going to have to score it good overall. Not recommended for players that get easily scared though. This is one of the most highly recommended games I have for you.… Expand

Story original. Graphisms correct. The ambiance is intense and frightening as said. You walk in the darkness and have to care about your health and mental. A good product. Don't hesitate on that title

The only game out there that will literally make u shiver in fear. Close the door, turn off the lights, get your headphones, and prepare to pee your pants.

This is a great game. While it did not scare me, because it's not my thing, I was amazed at how well the story was written, how astounding the music was, how developed the characters were and how challenging some of the puzzles were. Looking forward to the sequel.

Behold immersion through sensory deprivation! As paradoxical as the previous sentence may seems, I'd suggest that's exactly what Amnesia succeeded to achieve. The game's premise is that you are alone, chased by a living nightmare from which you can only hide from. Being completely vulnerable, you constantly keep you ears open for some unknown sound, being in the dark, relying on the frail light of your lantern, you keep scrutinizing for somewhere to hide or for some way to escape through and being on the verge of sanity, your heart keeps pounding, your breathing gets heavier: the immersion begins. Soon, you learn that your only way out of this nightmare is only forward, deeper where all the horrors come from. All this, makes Amnesia a game you'll never forget (no freakin pun intended) if only for the atmosphere it creates. Aside from keeping your head cool, progressing in Amnesia requires you to solve puzzles and obstacles, most of which are logical and well integrated. In all, this makes it one of the best game-play experience I've had in some years.

Technically, the graphics are very decent (not even considering that it's an indie production) but where the game shines most is perhaps in it's sound effects which are greatly responsible for the realistic feeling of this game.

I'm not aware of much games in the style of Amnesia but in the end, if you liked it, I strongly suggest you try Miasmata.… Expand

Amnesia: the dark descent is a well crafted experience that manages to pull off something that a lot of games fail to do these days, and that is atmosphere. By keeping the gameplay and interface very simple, one is much more easily drawn into the world. And it is the first game I've played in a very long time that has actually succeeded in scaring me. I was skeptical at first that it could have such an effect on my all but dead emotions, but the first time I was being chased by a creature, thought I'd outrun it, then turned around to see it right behind me, I very nearly wet myself. Some reviewers will often say that the monsters were not scary because, if you watched them closely, their behaviour was predictable and they were easy to avoid. But if you can sit back and enjoy a game without having to test the engine's every weak point, then this game should scare you. If you were the kind of kid who pulled the beard off the mall santa, then it probably won't. But if you're a cynic who can't suspend a little disbelief every now and then, then I don't see how any game could scare you. (And for that matter, feel free to suspend a little disbelief on the matter of not being able to pick up candles. It serves the gameplay. Just accept it.)
All this is not to say that the game is perfect there are a few items on which the game falls down. Firstly, the level design occasionally feels a little samey. It's not nearly as bad as the endless repeating corridors in the likes of Eye of the Beholder, but it is a little like that. Also the voice acting is a little painful to listen to at times. I wish I could say that it's below par, but in the gaming industry this is probably better than average. [slight spoiler alert] In particular the voice of Agrippa fails. Here's this weird, creepy undead dude missing his jaw hanging from a chain, and he sounds like a jolly fat guy with rosey cheeks wearing lederhosen and playing the accordion [spoiler over].
These, mostly minor, complaints aside, Amnesia: the Dark Descent is a great game. The story is interesting and very well researched (look up the Brazen Bull for example), and the attention to detail was for the most part spot on. Atmosphere, immersion and tension are excellent, and the game goes for just long enough to not overstay its welcome. And most of all it's a stand out, iconic title with some true innovation amidst a pool of samey, tepid drivel.… Expand

On my opinion, i found Amnesia the dark descent horrifying... I got to be honest with you, Amnesia made me feel fear. I never played a game like this. Frictional games did here a master piece
The monsters are not very scary but the suspance... Just the soundtrack of the game is amazing! Did you knew that each object in Amnesia has its own sound? And the felling of being hunted, defence less and above all vulnerable makes you scared. Very scared. But amnesia put a lot of afford on the atmosphere. The light sources are few so you have to walk into the darkness a lot of times.
The story could be a little better. Its is good but not perfect. I found myself bored of reading all those notes. I belive this game is awesome to fans of horror and im really willing to play Machine for Pigs… Expand

The Singleplayer is not very appealing to me. With custom stories a maybe very scary and funny adventure.

This game scares me like no other. You can't fight back, so your best bet is to avoid the monsters whenever possible, and run like hell when you can't. It's an eerie on-edge feeling punctuated with adrenaline-rush moments. The story is quite captivating; sometimes I wish the game weren't quite so good at scaring me so I could get through the story more quickly.

Amnesia unlike most horror games brought an entirely new entity to Horror Games. Being complete vulnerable to enemy attacks, with the only defence of running and hiding in an eery castle complex in 1839 makes this a lot more fun! With only a lantern and a limited supply of oil, Frictional Games surely know how to keep on scaring people! 9/10

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

More an experience than a video game. And a really amazing experience at that. The cult classic really delivers with its atmosphere and feel, which suck you in in minutes. The vast amount of custom stories ensures hours of entertainment beyond the main story. As a downside it can sometimes be difficult to get your room lighting right for playing. Amnesia is a game that can be pulled from the shelf many times and it has the same chilling charm every time.… Expand

Le jeux est magnifique! ses sure qu'il y avais quelque bug dans les mure mais pour un jeux fait par un petit groupe! il est ultra bon! moi je vous dit jouer avec sa vaux la pane! si tu aime les jeux d'horreur ses un peux jeux a jouer pour le commencement!

An amazing game that truly shows what a true survival horror is all about, and it offers something that no previous survival has offered to date, an utterly useless protagonist. Even in the best examples of the genre, the tension gets watered down by an unusually strong protagonist with nerves of steel and armed to the teeth.......... it's hard to get scared when you're controlling the equivalent to bruce willis, even in silent hill where you're suposed to control an average joe, he suddenly gets the ability to wield any concievable firearm out of the blue. Amnesia finally does things right, he puts you in the shoes of a normal, frightened, vulnerable and harmless man, caught in supernatural circumstances that he can't fully understand. He shivers, pants, and tries to give comfort to himself every now and then, while crouching helpless in a corner....... just what any of us would do in such case scenario.

The only complain I have for the game is the enemy variety, both brutes and grunts move and act the same, it would've been interesting to see additional enemies with diferent reactions to how you move and interact with the enviroment; a perfect example of this is the invisible thing at the beggining of the game. In any case this is a one of a kind experience, a true return of survival horrors and something that shouldn't be missed.… Expand

Very good peace of work. I love it very fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun game. It is not like dead space at all; you can't kill your enemies and that's what's so fun about it. It tells you at first just have fun and kind of "go" into the world of Amnesia. GENIUS! It is the perfect way to get into the game. And when I bought this I bought it at night, so I played till like what? 11:30 maybe, and I couldn't go to sleep later. So got up and played again. VERY addicting game. The only reason is why I am only giving it 9/10 is because the sanity drains like crazy. I put my lantern down for 2 seconds and it starts wigging out and 10 seconds later my dude's about to pass out or die or something.… Expand

When you tell me about "Survival Horror" and name games like Resident Evil 4, Silent Hill Homecoming, etc. I can only be disappointed. This game did its job well. It still is my favorite Horror-Game. The graphics are pretty well for an indie-game and the story is fun, too. But the best thing about this game is its atmosphere. You never feel safe, when you play it.
I can't wait for the second Amnesia. I hope it will be at least as good as this one.… Expand