Overall, the Amnesia Collection is an outstanding package of games for horror fans. Developed by The Chinese Room ( Dear Esther, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture), A Machine for Pigs is more formulaic and less scary then The Dark Descent, and thus the weak link in the collection, but it remains a stylish, thought-provoking affair. In addition to The Dark Descent, the Amnesia Collection includes its expansion Justine - set in a different locale with a different protagonist - and its sequel A Machine for Pigs. It's especially glaring compared to the luscious graphics of Frictional's SOMA, also available on PS4. This doesn't affect negatively the game's mechanics or atmosphere, but fans hoping for a graphical overhaul will be left disappointed. Puzzles represent a nice, cerebral break from the visceral act of surviving Brennenburg Castle.Īlthough Amnesia is just as atmospheric and scary as it was back in 2010, it appears dated in terms of graphics. This could involve finding a heavy instrument to break down a barrier, or mixing chemical components together to create a compound. ![]() In addition to managing a limited supply of tinderboxes and outsmarting monsters, players will need to do some problem-solving. Daniel's only real options are either hiding or running for his life. These encounters are distressing and often unbearably suspenseful. As in Penumbra and SOMA, the hero of The Dark Descent is underpowered and under-equipped, and thus must play a deadly game of hide-and-seek with the game's monsters. Light will attract monsters, however, so players mustn't linger too long in the brightness. Tinderboxes and oil refills are in short supply so players must decide when to brave the darkness and when to illuminate their surroundings. Players can combat this by using tinderboxes to ignite lamps and candles or use an oil lamp to light the way. When shrouded in darkness he will lose focus and hallucinate and the screen will warp and blur. Daniel is (understandably) afraid of the dark. Similarly, Frictional plays with light and shadow to evoke disorientation and feelings of helplessness. Whether it's the sound of a shuffling monster or a creaking ceiling, noises in the game signal something terribly wrong and then let the player's imagination run wild. Instead of relying solely on jump scares - although there are quite a few in The Dark Descent - Frictional uses sound to inspire fear. The developers at Frictional Games, who proved their horror chops before Amnesia with Penumbra and afterward with SOMA, accomplish this sense of dread in two main ways: sound design and shadow. Not knowing what monster lurks around the corner or what horror awaits behind the door makes the game absolutely nerve-shredding. Not knowing what's going on with Daniel or with the castle is part of what makes the game so unnerving. In keeping with The Dark Descent's Lovecraftian framework, mystery is a big part of the proceedings, and fear an important instrument of gameplay. Gradually Daniel realizes that his amnesia is purposeful, perhaps even self-inflicted, and that he must journey to the depths of the castle to uncover the truth. ![]() The Dark Descent, the main draw in the collection, follows amnesiac Daniel as he makes his way through Brennenburg Castle. ![]() Those who own the games on PC, however, won't find much reason to double dip. Featuring the original Amnesia - worth the price of admission alone - plus its expansion Justine, and its sequel A Machine for Pigs, the Amnesia Collection is great for the uninitiated. Beginning last month, at long last, PS4 owners can experience the living nightmare in the comfort of their living rooms. By Evan Norris, posted on 23 December 2016 / 12,000 Viewsįor six years, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, one of the more chilling and influential first-person horror games ever made, was restricted only to PC.
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