| Platform | OVERALL |
|---|---|
| PC | 5.70 |
| Overall | 5.70 |
|
I can see the appeal of Amnesia if I played it when it came out. It was a time where actual slow paced horrors games were endangered and in comes this game that goes all in on being an adventure themed horror game with basically no combat. But that's all it really is, an adventure game, not really a great one and it's missing most of the elements that made survival horror games of old so compelling. What you get is a game in a scary setting with average gameplay at best. Amnesia is a first person adventure game which enhances the immersion into the horror setting. You explore an old castle and it's dark basements so any fans of horror games will feel right at home. The game isn't exactly fully open, it sort of pushes you forward but gives you two or three paths to take in each area. Basically you walk around in the dark until you find an item or document telling you the goal of that area like say clear debris from a hallway by make an explosive. So you get a note that tells you ingredients for the explosives and you need to find a mixing table to mix it. So you explore other areas to find those items, which glow so you can't miss them. It follows the structure survival horror games used so effectively. That said there isn't really any thinking involved. Once you find the items you take them to the only area where they can be used. Mixing them is automatic, just click use item and you are done, no need to think of the order. This is basically how the whole game is, items are just keys that you use to advance to the next era. Rarely do you need to think about anything with the items, the whole game feels like a giant game of find the item as all you do is find an item one place and move it to another. There is a physics based object manipulation system in place which does lead to some puzzles. Most objects in the game world, but none of the key items strangely, can be manipulated in any way. So say there is a gear missing in a machine, you can pick up a gear off the floor and attach it. Sometimes you can't reach a trap door so you stack boxes to climb. They are simple but at least this makes you think of the environment. There aren't many of these puzzles but it's the best the game has and really should have been the focus. Now the hook of the game is that while you have to explore all these area you will be scared because every area is dark, has creepy sounds and is generally unpleasant. You have limited light in the form of oil for your lantern and matches for candles. If you stay in the dark to long you slowly go insane, this is mostly cosmetic as you don't get any cool insanity effects like eternal darkness. Things get wobbly like you are drunk and eventually you die, so staying in light is key. At first it feels like you really need to manage your light but there are so much oil and matches that in the end you can practically go the whole game in light. The other half of this mechanic are the monsters that chase you and if they see light they know where you are creating the balance you need to have with light and dark. This would be great if the monster system was any good but it is down right terrible. This stupid thing announces its presence with ominous music and since you can't attack in any way not have any defense whatsoever all you can do is run and hide in a dark corner or get behind something and just do nothing for like a minute until the music stops. That's the gameplay, DO NOTHING, basically waste your time. Eventually the monster will just vanish allowing you to continue on. It has no set pattern, there is no strategy, all you can do is hide and wait. You can't even run from them because they run faster than you meaning of they see you you will die, nothing can stop it. So there is no alternative, when you hear music you do nothing for a few minutes then continue. It's total garbage. I have played outlast, it does the stealth horror thing so much better than this game. In that game enemies don't magically appear or reappear, the crux of the game is finding a way around them by sneaking past when they aren't looking. The enemies matter, hiding matters, the environment matters. This makes the game intense. Knowing a stupid monster is coming because of music and knowing it won't see you cause you are in a dark corner in the room is not tense. Let me spoil something for you, that's the only enemy. There are like two forms of it but that's basically it for the entire game. Once you learn the trick none of it scares you. And say you do die, nothing happens! You start at a close checkpoint and sometimes the monster just disappears almost like a free pass for sucking. After you realize the monster is a terrible gameplay mechanic the rest of the world ceases to be all that scary, it's basically a giant fake haunted house with creepy noises but no real threat. There was one moment where the game actually had an interesting gameplay scenario, it stands out so much because it is the only actually well thought out moment. There is this basement filled with water, crates are floating all around, but you can jump on crates only so far before having to jump into the water and when you do you see the water splashing toward you. It's an invisible monster where you see the splashes it makes as it tries to get you. This thing chases you across multiple rooms, there is platforming involved, you need to distract it by throwing objects, it's like a cool boss battle. I was so thrilled with that section, that's the kind of stuff I want from my games, interesting gameplay situations, and I thought there would be many more of those. Nope, not one other situation like that, such a shame. The story in amnesia is mostly rubbish, you learn about it through notes and some small flashbacks, it’s mostly all just voice work. Its generic horror movie stuff. The strength of the game is absolutely the atmosphere it creates and some of the adventure elements. When I was just exploring and enjoying the creepy locations I enjoyed my time. The terrible monster mechanic mostly ruined the experience for me because it was pointless. How can I be scared in a game where there is such stupid danger, a danger with such dumb rules that don't work well. This could be a great game instead it’s just an average one. |
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Posted by Dvader Wed, 20 Apr 2016 01:39:16
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*crickets*
You should definitely try the Penumbras, dvader. So much better, imo.