Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 967 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 361 out of 967
  2. Mixed: 306 out of 967
  3. Negative: 300 out of 967

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  1. TheDVS
    Nov 5, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well congrats two frictional and Chinese room for making the biggest disappointment in the world. This game took me 5 hours to beat, i was taking my time reading the notes and listening to the recordings. No replay value at all. And it doesn't look like custom stories are coming out ever. The game looked like it took a lot of work to make. unfortunately it want scary, didn't have an impressive story, no physiological scares, and no replay value.… Expand
  2. GigaHz
    Nov 5, 2013
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Never have I been so disappointed in such a finely made game.

    Yes, you've read correctly.

    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs from an aesthetic standpoint is well done. The artwork, with the exception of some bland or dodgy areas for certain locations, is wonderfully done. The sound design is excellent, easily one of the best among indie titles. The score, while having bombastic, clumsy instances, fits the depressing tone that Machine for Pigs aims for. The voice work is strong, though some may complain about the obnoxious children. And lets be honest here, what child isn't obnoxious?

    What's wrong with Machine for Pigs is not the design. No, the problem goes much deeper than that.

    It seems after hours of touching up decour, writing scripts, designing loading screens, banging metallic things together in a foley studio, they forgot to design an actual GAME around the project. In fact, it seems as if fleshing out the gameplay was the last thing on the developers' priority list. It's akin to devoting several days to wrapping a present. You pick the right wrapping paper, make sure the fold is perfect, put bows, strings, glitter, and whatever fancy crap on it. But when the recipient finally unwraps everything, they're left with a pet rock.

    The game played like a disappointment because it starts out promising.

    Amnesia? Check.
    Nihilistic, depressing story? Check.
    Journal Entries/Backstory? Check.
    Motivation? Check.
    Intriguing mystery? Check.

    What could go wrong? Well, everything.

    First off, the game is at its best when you know absolutely nothing. You're wandering around your mansion, strange things are happening, and you have no idea what answers are in store for you. The mansion too is one of the best looking locations in the game, which is kind of unfortunate as some locations are bland by comparison.

    As you start to get deeper into the machine and story, the answers to the supposed mystery become more and more disappointing. You'll find yourself asking why they chose to make the story flow in such an obvious fashion. It was almost like there was absolutely no twist or curve ball you couldn't guess hours before it was officially stated in the context of the narrative.

    "Durrr, you mean my kids aren't still alive, trapped in a machine?"
    "Durrr, you mean I killed the kids myself?"
    "Durrr, you mean the machine feeds on people?"
    "Durrr, you mean I was the saboteur all along?"

    And just when you thought it couldn't get any more obvious, it becomes ridiculous. Moments after discovering that you were the saboteur, undoing what you had intended to do initially, you immediately return to becoming the saboteur again... but for reals this time!

    Then you... magically teleport from one location to another, and encounter pigmen who happen to have the exact same ability. Not that teleporting pigmen actually inconvenience you in the slightest.

    Then you... have pretentious hallucinations about your kids, rife with symbolism and obnoxious score. It's like something straight out of a bad arthouse film.

    At this point in the game, I felt that it was no longer trying to hold my interest or attention. It was like Machine for Pigs thought its core message was so profound and meaningful that it had to jerk itself off a little and bathe in its own perceived afterglow. I was buying none of that and slogged my way to the predictably disappointing ending. The whole experience left a sour taste in my mouth.

    Oh, and I didn't even mention the game aspect of this gold encrusted turd.

    You have a lamp with an endless supply of oil, no health or sanity to manage, no inventory, minimal puzzle solving, and laughable monster interactions. I must have died once my entire playthough and it was entirely inconsequential. I spawned near where I died and the monster was no where in sight. Completely contradictory to the first Amnesia, where any death hindered progress.

    The monsters are also a disappointment. Not only are they not frightening in the slightest, there are points in the game where you can view them in isolation, allowing the player to see them for prolonged periods of time without danger. I understand that the whole idea of the scene in question was to allow for the player to sympathize with the creatures but that's not something that you do in a game where you're supposed to be afraid of the unknown menace lurking around in the darkness.

    So, congratulations The Chinese Room: You have managed to create a beautiful, anti-horror, anti-game, psychological horror... experience!

    If you care at all about the Amnesia series, play this one if it goes on sale just keep the expectations to a minimum if you want to complete it. Otherwise, I suggest you only play Amnesia: The Dark Descent or any of the Penumbra titles.    … Expand
  3. Neveri
    Nov 3, 2013
    7
    When the first time world saw Amnesia: The Dark Descent, It got the best reviews and the best marketing program there is possible to get. It's a shame that Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs just can't handle the hype it got before release. I, myself waited this game 2 years to come and.. yeah! It is what it is. The Graphics are just magnificent, Story and storytelling is just pure awesomeness,When the first time world saw Amnesia: The Dark Descent, It got the best reviews and the best marketing program there is possible to get. It's a shame that Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs just can't handle the hype it got before release. I, myself waited this game 2 years to come and.. yeah! It is what it is. The Graphics are just magnificent, Story and storytelling is just pure awesomeness, but this game isn't scary enough and the atmosphere isn't the best possible. I don't want to spoil anything and I still think the game is worth of buying, so I recommend to experience it still. I think it might be better if you don't have that overhyped mind when you first time start it.

    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs truly is worth of money but sadly can't handle the hype behind it     … Expand
  4. dondon
    Nov 2, 2013
    2
    A technical failure for me. With all the supposed fixes out there nothing helped with my stuttering and freeze's. I pushed through all that to see what this game is like. All of the game-play that made Dark Descent is stripped away. There is no sanity meter, tinderboxes for candles, limited oil for lantern, and no inventory. It is mostly just a linear walk in the park type game. Thank godA technical failure for me. With all the supposed fixes out there nothing helped with my stuttering and freeze's. I pushed through all that to see what this game is like. All of the game-play that made Dark Descent is stripped away. There is no sanity meter, tinderboxes for candles, limited oil for lantern, and no inventory. It is mostly just a linear walk in the park type game. Thank god I got the torrent of this game first. Otherwise, I would have been pissed about the money I spent.… Expand
  5. iseeall
    Nov 2, 2013
    2
    Definitely worse than the first Amnesia game. You just run thru endless dark rooms and collect some notes. No gameplay whatsoever. Oh, you can throw chairs around. To the game's credit, there is some artistic style and classic music playing at some places, but this doesn't compensate for the global boredom this game brings. I just wonder why anyone would want to make like this, afterDefinitely worse than the first Amnesia game. You just run thru endless dark rooms and collect some notes. No gameplay whatsoever. Oh, you can throw chairs around. To the game's credit, there is some artistic style and classic music playing at some places, but this doesn't compensate for the global boredom this game brings. I just wonder why anyone would want to make like this, after seeing such great examples like Fallout or Deus Ex which came 10-15 years before. The person who designed this piece of junk definitely has nothing to do with games and doesn't know the word "gameplay". Gee, this so-called game would be worthless even if it were free.… Expand
  6. Keychain
    Nov 1, 2013
    7
    Not what you expected. It lingers very far from the origins of Amnesia, less focused on horror and more focused on detailed story-telling. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it makes me question why this game was under the Amnesia name all this time. The non-scripted horror interactions are minimal, the overall ability to interact with the world around you is minimal, and there's noNot what you expected. It lingers very far from the origins of Amnesia, less focused on horror and more focused on detailed story-telling. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it makes me question why this game was under the Amnesia name all this time. The non-scripted horror interactions are minimal, the overall ability to interact with the world around you is minimal, and there's no sort of inventory or loot system. It's not like the first Amnesia, in many bad ways, but at the same time it feels like it manages to do well enough of a job on its own right as its own game.

    It's a good game, but it's not a good Amnesia game. If you expected a true successor to Amnesia: The Dark Descent, you won't find it here. If you're looking for a similar, but different experience, then definitely pick this up.    … Expand
  7. Malchy
    Oct 30, 2013
    6
    A Machine for Pigs (AMfP) shows how badly can games end, if the original studio doesn't work on a sequel as well. Atmosphere and focus on enviorements and personal storyline of the main protagonist (antagonist?) is a great idea, but the lack of interaction, puzzles and any form of gameplay mechanics really turns this game into boring corridor stroller. It has much better enviorments andA Machine for Pigs (AMfP) shows how badly can games end, if the original studio doesn't work on a sequel as well. Atmosphere and focus on enviorements and personal storyline of the main protagonist (antagonist?) is a great idea, but the lack of interaction, puzzles and any form of gameplay mechanics really turns this game into boring corridor stroller. It has much better enviorments and interesting victorian London locations, but that is all. Fear and horror gets repetitive after while. I would much rather suggest investing in Outlast, but I have faith in the community. It shouldn't be hard to make more atmosferic story with better scenario, than the original made by devs.… Expand
  8. nymm
    Oct 28, 2013
    7
    While not being as great as the original Amnesia, it still keeps you immersed and manages to keep you scared and interested in the story. If you're an Amnesia fan, then this game should be able to keep you entertained, despite the 3-4 hour story
  9. Adresadini
    Oct 27, 2013
    8
    This game is better and worst than The Dark Descent.
    The story it's very good but hard to understand,but no accidentally,the creators made the story be spelled in some lately parts,and in the other they concentrate on game play.
    The scare factor is made by the atmosphere and the monsters that appear at some times. I personally didn't like that they limited what you can hold,so you can    This game is better and worst than The Dark Descent.
    The story it's very good but hard to understand,but no accidentally,the creators made the story be spelled in some lately parts,and in the other they concentrate on game play.
    The scare factor is made by the atmosphere and the monsters that appear at some times.
    I personally didn't like that they limited what you can hold,so you can tell this game is for no brain-ers,because it simply tells you that you can use that but not that.
    The ending was a bit obscure and mysterious,and i didn't understand everything.
    I don't think someone will waste his time with a custom story,because it's no inventory,no sanity and no oil,the notes are too long and some of them are useless.
    But cool game if you like puzzle adventure with a bit of horror.    … Expand
  10. AndrewJepson
    Oct 25, 2013
    9
    Amnesia a machine for pigs... This game has been developed by the Chinese room. This company is very different than frictional games which makes you wonder why they passed on such a high reputation game to them. Maybe it was because frictional games wasn't a known company before amnesia and felt that the chinese room had something special to offer and they trusted them being in theirAmnesia a machine for pigs... This game has been developed by the Chinese room. This company is very different than frictional games which makes you wonder why they passed on such a high reputation game to them. Maybe it was because frictional games wasn't a known company before amnesia and felt that the chinese room had something special to offer and they trusted them being in their position once. Or maybe, it was because after taking a look at Dear Esther, they knew the Chinese room had something more to offer, something different. And that is exactly what they put on the table. Amnesia The dark descent was a game everyone will remember as the game where they their pants and screamed like a little girl." and you can't deny that you probably did too. The story for Dark Descent was interesting, especially near the end of the game. What I love about A machine for pigs is it was completely different than its predecessor. I was worried that I would be playing an amnesia game that was completely similar to the first because the fear factor just wouldn't be there and if it was, it would not be the same. What the Chinese room did was they brought forth what I believe to be the most important parts of the horror genre; the story and atmosphere. Voice acting, soundtrack, environmental design and plot were things that were improved upon by a great amount. If you were to ask me about horror movies I would respond by saying I am tired of the slashing, the blood and basically the GUTS of what make up scary movies today. I want a story that will be able to grasp me and pull me into the madness it creates deep down (with a few pretty darn crazy scares along the way too!) And that is why I enjoy this game so much. You have every part of a disturbing and very successful horror story tied together with plausible monster creations and thrilling scares.… Expand
  11. Kuszh
    Oct 24, 2013
    4
    This game is disappointing for reasons which a lot of reviews have stated: This is NOT an Amnesia game.

    If one were to look at this title from this perspective it makes the game look better: This is essentially a REALLY good community mod for Amnesia: Dark Descent. Which in this case it almost is. There are no major overhauls on the visual end of things. In terms of gameplay though,    This game is disappointing for reasons which a lot of reviews have stated: This is NOT an Amnesia game.

    If one were to look at this title from this perspective it makes the game look better: This is essentially a REALLY good community mod for Amnesia: Dark Descent. Which in this case it almost is. There are no major overhauls on the visual end of things.

    In terms of gameplay though, things have actually been pruned back. There is no interaction with the world, and less linearity to the story (no alternative endings, less notes to pick up). The amount of tension in the atmosphere is significantly reduced, and for me this also reduced the immersion.

    The story goes a long way to redeeming this game. It's philosophical, intelligent, and gets you thinking. Unfortunately it's not interesting enough to me to ever consider playing it again.    … Expand
  12. ImJustaGlitch
    Oct 21, 2013
    6
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs has a fantastic story but falls short with it's monster encounters. The game's detail and music go great hand in hand. The scare fact of this game relies on you to listen with headphones in a pitch black room around 1-2 AM. The game only takes a few hours to complete so if you're interested in this game then I'd wait for a steam sale. All in all I still enjoyedAmnesia: A Machine for Pigs has a fantastic story but falls short with it's monster encounters. The game's detail and music go great hand in hand. The scare fact of this game relies on you to listen with headphones in a pitch black room around 1-2 AM. The game only takes a few hours to complete so if you're interested in this game then I'd wait for a steam sale. All in all I still enjoyed playing this game and suggest anyone to try it out.… Expand
  13. stranglehold
    Oct 20, 2013
    8
    A cerebral and spooky sequel that expands on the franchise’s story and themes, while slightly dialing down the terror. This is a good, and well made horror game, whats with all the criticism. I would recommend, you buy this if you are a horror game fan.
  14. JohnWitten
    Oct 20, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Concept: Tell another moody and atmospheric story about terror, tremors, and horrors of the factorial industrial period.

    Graphics: When it gets dark, pull out your lantern, because otherwise there is nothing much to be seen. When the lantern comes out however, it gets beautifully dark as can be.

    Sound: Between the rip roaring of machinery and the screaming and howling of monsters, you'll have your hands full with disseminating and distinguishing between what can hurt you and what can't. It's all terrifying however, and quite unexpected.

    Playability: Choosing between using a keyboard or a controller makes this experience easier on more players, but I would definitely prefer the classic layout of the original, and played through with that choice set-up.

    Entertainment: A truly scary and thought-provoking experience, as the first was. Not necessarily a step up, but not a giant step down either.

    Replay Value: Moderate.

    Overall Score: 8.25    … Expand
  15. Osbrandt
    Oct 16, 2013
    10
    An incredible improvement over Dark Descent. Where once there was needless and abstract puzzles mixed in with running from meh monsters and a story that was mediocre at best; there is now an amazing story with simplified gameplay meant to focus on the experience of working your way through a grotesquely large machine meant only for the slaughtering of "pigs". Yes enemy encounters areAn incredible improvement over Dark Descent. Where once there was needless and abstract puzzles mixed in with running from meh monsters and a story that was mediocre at best; there is now an amazing story with simplified gameplay meant to focus on the experience of working your way through a grotesquely large machine meant only for the slaughtering of "pigs". Yes enemy encounters are disappointing, but even with how bad they are I can't take points away because the story and the immersion and the thoughts that are provoked by this game far and I mean FAR outweigh any negative impact from the enemies. Anybody that complains about the game not "scaring them" is because they didn't understand it wasn't meant to make you go, "AAAH! Monsters!" it was meant to make you go, "What monster am I? What have I done to these people? What did I do to my family?" You're meant to look inward at the horrors that can be committed by man not the horrors of pig-men trying to kill you. If you're looking for a game that will make you have those terrible thoughts and have to wonder what kind of a monster you are, than this is for you. If you want a puzzle game that relies on basic emotions (fear of character death) to scare you play Dark Descent or Penumbra (it's better than Dark Descent).… Expand
  16. Brosman
    Oct 15, 2013
    4
    Interesting story condiluded by bad writing and an unclear narrative structure. It is too easy to miss important parts of the story. Gameplay has been to simplified and their are next to no monster encounters or scares. Its a boring ride most of the way, and i feel that this story would have been better told as a novel or movie. Anyone who gives this game over a 6 is either a fanboy orInteresting story condiluded by bad writing and an unclear narrative structure. It is too easy to miss important parts of the story. Gameplay has been to simplified and their are next to no monster encounters or scares. Its a boring ride most of the way, and i feel that this story would have been better told as a novel or movie. Anyone who gives this game over a 6 is either a fanboy or just hasnt played the original. Amnesia the dark descent is incredible and more worth your money than this. Sadly disappointed by AMFP.… Expand
  17. MLP_Gustavia
    Oct 14, 2013
    6
    This game is a HUGE disappointment! The environment is non interactive, the inventory is gone, you don't have to worry about sanity, oil and tinderboxes anymore, no custom stories and the monster is not even scary! The story is pretty strange and some of the textures look like
  18. Frast2013X
    Oct 13, 2013
    7
    Kontynuacja najstraszniejszego horroru ostatnich lat wychodzi dobrze, ale tylko pod względem fabuły. Pomimo tego że pierwsza część strasznie wciągała jeżeli chodzi o fabułę. Chęć czytania listów, notatek i dowiadywania się kolejnych rzeczy aby wreszcie zrozumieć o co w tym wszystkim chodzi nadawała grze świetnego klimatu. Tutaj jednak twórcy postawili na fabułę jeszcze bardziej. ZresztąKontynuacja najstraszniejszego horroru ostatnich lat wychodzi dobrze, ale tylko pod względem fabuły. Pomimo tego że pierwsza część strasznie wciągała jeżeli chodzi o fabułę. Chęć czytania listów, notatek i dowiadywania się kolejnych rzeczy aby wreszcie zrozumieć o co w tym wszystkim chodzi nadawała grze świetnego klimatu. Tutaj jednak twórcy postawili na fabułę jeszcze bardziej. Zresztą musieli, oprócz fabuły nic ma tutaj prawie nic ciekawego. Twórcy zrezygnowali z większość pomysłów narzuconych w pierwszej części. Nie ma ekwipunki, nie ma strachu przed ciemnością. Szkoda, te elementy naprawdę narzucały straszny, specyficzny klimat Amensii. Graficznie gra wygląda jak sprzed dekady. Dziwne że twórcy użyli tego samego silnika tylko lekko go ulepszając. Gra do tego jest za krótka, straszy o wiele mniej(pomimo wprowadzonej większej ilości scryptów) do tego jest zbugowana i nie dopracowana. Aczkolwiek, ze względu na fabułę warto zagrać. Moja ocena 7/10… Expand
  19. Raidenskingdom
    Oct 12, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a horrible excuse for a horror game, especially for Amnesia. Interacting with objects, inventory, insanity, oil, all removed. You run around with an infinite light source and your monster is a freaking mutant pig. It's like you're literally trying to find ways to scare yourself, but simply cannot. Extremely disappointed.… Expand
  20. enricuzi
    Oct 10, 2013
    2
    No. The Chinese Room did all wrong for me. The atmosphere was barely tense (noisy machines doesn't create suspense and the lantern allerts when mob's coming).
    The hardest puzzle is something like "go in the other room and bring the thing back" (no inventory...).
    You can't interact with anything that is not part of the super linear path, the doors are all open or closed (no 1 key in all    No. The Chinese Room did all wrong for me. The atmosphere was barely tense (noisy machines doesn't create suspense and the lantern allerts when mob's coming).
    The hardest puzzle is something like "go in the other room and bring the thing back" (no inventory...).
    You can't interact with anything that is not part of the super linear path, the doors are all open or closed (no 1 key in all game) and even the dressers are all closed! come on!
    The encounters are too few and not so scary as they should be (only the water things are the most).
    The rooms are too big to to sense claustrophobia or panic and there is not so much feeling of being trappedand and survive.
    Only the story can stand for me because it's not completely equal to Dark Descent even if most of time I had to immagine to be horrified than seeing odd and dark things (pigs apart).
    The graphic and phisic is not evolved at all from D.D. as I expected to be.
    Maybe the thing that could save the game is an hypothetical new editor that should improve the old one to create new custom stories, but it's only an hope.
    Bad money spent....    … Expand
  21. datapolice
    Oct 6, 2013
    6
    Many other reviewers have noted Machine's lack of innovation that ignited the popularity of Dark Descent. While I feel that it was a deviation from those mechanics, there are no new innovations in that area that make up for the lost art of the first game.

    This game excels in the area of writing—taking you through the inner-torments of the protagonist through introspective scenes and    Many other reviewers have noted Machine's lack of innovation that ignited the popularity of Dark Descent. While I feel that it was a deviation from those mechanics, there are no new innovations in that area that make up for the lost art of the first game.

    This game excels in the area of writing—taking you through the inner-torments of the protagonist through introspective scenes and definitive journal entries. The game's puzzles amount to moving levers or items to their appropriate places—that's it. There isn't much of a horror element. I was truthfully scared exactly three times, but I did feel anxious/suspenseful many more times. However, if you start to take-in the game's subtle or not-so-subtle storyline hints and the atmosphere, you may become much more anxious when you start to realize that depth of depravity.

    The conflict seems predicable; once you go down far enough, you realize you're transgressing into an existential nightmare—and there will be no way out, which plays along well with the canon. The machinery seems overdone and the pacing becomes very predictable once you load a new zone. If you start to connect the dots, you'll realize how it all will end.

    The game is rather short and can be a quick fix for entertainment—it's certainly something to play all the way through at least once. I couldn't fathom any re-playability because of its truly linear storyline. Overall, I give it a 6 out of 10 and mark it as a good bargain buy.    … Expand
  22. TyrantSlaughter
    Oct 5, 2013
    5
    I went into this with high expectations. How couldn't I? Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of my favorite games of all time. But, after a year of waiting, the new developer (The Chinese Room) managed to fall short in every way.
    1. They took the main gameplay of the first game (rationing light sources through tinderboxes and lamp oil) and didn't even bother replacing it with new gameplay.    I went into this with high expectations. How couldn't I? Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of my favorite games of all time. But, after a year of waiting, the new developer (The Chinese Room) managed to fall short in every way.
    1. They took the main gameplay of the first game (rationing light sources through tinderboxes and lamp oil) and didn't even bother replacing it with new gameplay. The main action in this game is walking around.
    2. They managed to butcher the story in favor of the weird pseudo-poetic exposition used in Dear Esther. Contrary to what they seem to think, this doesn't make the plot nuanced and complex, it only makes it harder to identify with the protagonist. Not to mention the fact that the twist ending is as predictable as the sun rising in the morning.
    3. The removal of the inventory would have still ruined the game even if everything else was great. There are now no items to ration (one of the scariest parts of Amnesia: TDD) and every puzzle has been reduced to dragging and dropping. To prevent player confusion, the amount of interactive objects has been limited to puzzle related items. So, if you find something that is movable, it is for a puzzle. This removes any need for exploration and accentuates the games linearity.

    All of that being said, it still isn't too bad an experience for a horror fan. It's just a bad sequel. You can decide for yourself if it is scary enough to compensate for that. Just, try to limit your expectations.    … Expand
  23. AverageGamerRev
    Oct 4, 2013
    5
    Ok so first lets get all of this out of the way, its definitely not the first game and not as scary. I was rather disappointed when I got my hands on this game. for all the people who are pissed at this game it was made by different developers so of course it would be different. but really I had some fun with the game even though it was way more about puzzles than scares. people saying theOk so first lets get all of this out of the way, its definitely not the first game and not as scary. I was rather disappointed when I got my hands on this game. for all the people who are pissed at this game it was made by different developers so of course it would be different. but really I had some fun with the game even though it was way more about puzzles than scares. people saying the game is boring or its amazing are wrong now this is just my opinion and a honest review the graphics could of been better it basically looked like a texture pack. The game was made by a small group of people who also mad custom stories for the first game and those stories and maps were fun and really scary. but they did this series a injustice so much hype for so little I don't now if this is just me but I finished it in about 3 hours I almost died once through out the entire game. I give it a 5/10 it6 was scary about 5% of the time if you wont to play a descent horror game than pick it up but I you have to choose buy the first one.… Expand
  24. Gaarvaag
    Oct 4, 2013
    3
    I was looking forward to the sequel to Amnesia The Dark Descent, expecting it to be a horror game like the first one. A machine for pigs is, however, much more like Dear Esther than it is like Amnesia. All the mechanics that made Amnesia Amnesia have been removed. No sanity, no inventory, no interesting puzzles... The game is still dark, but there's no reason to fear it because you startI was looking forward to the sequel to Amnesia The Dark Descent, expecting it to be a horror game like the first one. A machine for pigs is, however, much more like Dear Esther than it is like Amnesia. All the mechanics that made Amnesia Amnesia have been removed. No sanity, no inventory, no interesting puzzles... The game is still dark, but there's no reason to fear it because you start with a latern that won't ever run out of fuel.

    The story is decent enough, but it wasn't enough to keep me interested in playing. Aside from that, the game also had a weird stuttering issue at the launch of the game which really broke the immersion. After reading up on it and seeing that Frictional wasn't going to do anything about it, I just stopped playing altogether.

    Frictional promised us a frightening game equal or better than the original, but they lied. If they had been honest about it, and at least tried to solve the game's problems (which fans have already done by this time), I might have been more forgiving. Frictional, however, really didn't keep their promises, and seemed not to care when reports of bugs were given.

    Frictional, I hope this is the last I hear from you,

    One of the fans you cheated.    … Expand
  25. HD3
    Oct 4, 2013
    9
    The game play is significantly simplified over the Dark Descent which will put some people off but it's every bit as scary and horrific as the original. The narrative is much stronger and well written and the environments are beautifully detailed. Cast performances are universally fantastic. Would recommend.
  26. ComBrandon
    Oct 2, 2013
    10
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs has proven to be quite a scary horror game. The environment, and the quality of the sounds, and stories invokes a feeling of dread on the player, the game itself has plenty of jumps, and scares despite what a lot of people have been saying. The game itself has some minor graphic improvements, however they also aimed to expand this game to people with lower-endAmnesia: A Machine for Pigs has proven to be quite a scary horror game. The environment, and the quality of the sounds, and stories invokes a feeling of dread on the player, the game itself has plenty of jumps, and scares despite what a lot of people have been saying. The game itself has some minor graphic improvements, however they also aimed to expand this game to people with lower-end computers, removing the physics attributes for a lot of unimportant in game scenery. All in all, I would highly recommend this game to anyone.… Expand
  27. SubspaceNinja
    Oct 2, 2013
    5
    Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs, compared to The Dark Decent, was a major let down. The atmosphere was good, and the aesthetics were nice, however it did not feel like an Amnesia game. The game did very little to frighten me and the 'monsters' did nothing but make me laugh. The AI was horrible as I, on countless occasions, managed to walk up to them and stand there while they did nothing toAmnesia: A Machine For Pigs, compared to The Dark Decent, was a major let down. The atmosphere was good, and the aesthetics were nice, however it did not feel like an Amnesia game. The game did very little to frighten me and the 'monsters' did nothing but make me laugh. The AI was horrible as I, on countless occasions, managed to walk up to them and stand there while they did nothing to prevent me from going past them. Another disappointment is the fact it took me only 3 hours to complete it, and that was with getting stuck at points due to misguidance in the game. For £13 that is horrible, I expected the game to last at least a bit longer than that, but alas it did not.
    Overall, it failed to grip me at all like the previous title(s), so I would not recommend buying this game at full price, just wait until it is on sale as it is not worth the money.    … Expand
  28. Alexx101
    Sep 30, 2013
    1
    Do not purchase this game. It was a disappointment. First, you can't interact with anything in the game, want to grab that flower pot? Nope, this chair? NOPE, very little interaction.

    Second, their is no more sanity mechanics, the dark does not do anything to you anymore, Lame lame LAME. The lantern you use is infinite in power, it must be nuclear or something The monsters in the    Do not purchase this game. It was a disappointment. First, you can't interact with anything in the game, want to grab that flower pot? Nope, this chair? NOPE, very little interaction.

    Second, their is no more sanity mechanics, the dark does not do anything to you anymore, Lame lame LAME. The lantern you use is infinite in power, it must be nuclear or something

    The monsters in the game are not scary, they remind me of a 5 year old's Halloween piglet costume. They also use the same EXACT items and décor as in amnesia dark descent, same chairs, same everything. Its a piss poor excuse of a new game.

    Overall I was very disappointed. I'm sad I waited so long fur such a lame game    … Expand
  29. Count69
    Sep 30, 2013
    6
    Amnesia 2 is like taking good parts out of your computer, and replacing it with parts, that can't produce the same effects, or just barely can do those, that the previous parts done greatly.

    It was a twisted journey, with a lot of interesting thoughts, but it was like the developers praised they great words in the game. Wanted too much poetry, but drowned in it. Overally, it was a    Amnesia 2 is like taking good parts out of your computer, and replacing it with parts, that can't produce the same effects, or just barely can do those, that the previous parts done greatly.

    It was a twisted journey, with a lot of interesting thoughts, but it was like the developers praised they great words in the game. Wanted too much poetry, but drowned in it.
    Overally, it was a mediocre storyline, with some lights.
    The puzzles were too simplistic, and unvariable.
    The music and the art of it were wonderful things, but I wanted to see more of the facility.    … Expand
  30. MikeLane
    Sep 29, 2013
    9
    Approach this not as a game but as a novella, or any other literary form, and you'll be very pleasantly surprised. It's not a better game than the original, but it's a better everything else.

    A slightly snotty warning: If you have no idea who Ambrose Bierce was, or his contemporaries, maybe go buy the new GTA, instead.
  31. Vizition
    Sep 29, 2013
    8
    Great horror game. Dark atmosphere. This game is maybe for the lesser-hardcore horror freaks, as i've enjoyed A Machine for Pigs much more than the dark descent. It's maybe because it's not as spooky, but still very, very dark.
  32. Bobby_marston
    Sep 28, 2013
    0
    This game is practically a Gmod horror map except the puzzles are easier. The main enemy is spooky pig men. I would probably be scared if I was still in my youth. But honestly. This should be a free to play game for what you get, it's practically a poorly made expansion pack. Also the game is 2-3 hours long unless you've got the brain of a chimp. If you're really eager to play the gameThis game is practically a Gmod horror map except the puzzles are easier. The main enemy is spooky pig men. I would probably be scared if I was still in my youth. But honestly. This should be a free to play game for what you get, it's practically a poorly made expansion pack. Also the game is 2-3 hours long unless you've got the brain of a chimp. If you're really eager to play the game just pirate it. They don't deserve your money.… Expand
  33. Skullz
    Sep 27, 2013
    10
    I like to think of the Amnesia games as an Anthology, each will be quite different (If they make more). A Machine for Pigs is by far very different from the Dark Descent. I rate this game so highly because of the way it plays out. Yes there were some game mechanics that I did not understand. However they're not important. I think most people didn't like this game because it is a differentI like to think of the Amnesia games as an Anthology, each will be quite different (If they make more). A Machine for Pigs is by far very different from the Dark Descent. I rate this game so highly because of the way it plays out. Yes there were some game mechanics that I did not understand. However they're not important. I think most people didn't like this game because it is a different kind of horror. The story is very hard to pick up if you are not careful to detail and if you don't read the notes. This game wants you to try and understand what's going on, it isn't a game for people who want to run through and get a bunch of jump scares (Which is what the general non-horror game loving public thinks modern horror games are all about...Slender is over with people not every game is going to be a Boo! and Run! game!!) I think the graphics were amazing, however I had issues with crashing but fixed it with a little computer knowledge. Apparently Frictional doesn't like Intel graphics cards. I thought it had great atmosphere and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THE MUSIC. I thought about giving this game a 9/10 since I enjoyed The Dark Descent a hair more (probably because The Dark Descent was way more disturbing) but this game deserves a higher score so I'm giving it a 10/10 because it really is a good sequel to a series that brings a lot to the table!… Expand
  34. Fixxed
    Sep 27, 2013
    4
    If i could describe this game with 1 word, it would definetly be failure or disappointment.

    I shall start by saying that I was truly looking forward to this game... However with the first 30 minutes, i realised how it took a turn to the worst... They eliminated the survival aspect of the game... they decided that it would be far more interesting to focus on the story (which in my    If i could describe this game with 1 word, it would definetly be failure or disappointment.

    I shall start by saying that I was truly looking forward to this game... However with the first 30 minutes, i realised how it took a turn to the worst... They eliminated the survival aspect of the game... they decided that it would be far more interesting to focus on the story (which in my opinion is really pretentious) and forget that this is a sequel to an awesome horror game...

    Seriously... this game is neither a horror game nor an action/adventure game... its a sh%$ walk through type of game where everything is handed to you on a platter and you just press W and some clicks to see the bad pretentious story unfold... are you FU%$I*# serious???? is this what i waited anxiously to play???

    Let me make it clear that Outlast came out 6 days before this game... and i only bought it lol as a warmup to this game... FAIL. because outlast is a clear 8... this game however is barely half of that score...

    No scary enemies...
    No jumps...
    3 patrolling enemies.....
    No survival aspect... (no tinder, batteries or anything that forces you to explore)
    no tough puzzles...
    lots of non-interactable objects and doors... (WHY??)
    and... 4 hours long... 4 hours.... thats not even enough for a damn dlc...

    i could go on rumbling about how trash this game is. How big of a disappointment it is.. but instead i shall go beg Redbarrel to make Outlast 2 and forget amnesia series exist...    … Expand
  35. MacyNell
    Sep 27, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I cannot understand why most people are underwhelmed by the scare factor in A Machine For Pigs. In all honesty, I found it to be creepier and more fear-inducing than Dark Descent, mainly due to the games inclusion of children and...*shudder*....pigs. In fact, the underlying story was amazingly horrific directly because of the effective use of these elements as its basis.… Expand
  36. Kela-Appi
    Sep 26, 2013
    6
    Not a bad game, but not nearly as good as Dark Descent was. Too straightforward and not even that scary. There is little to interact with the environment, basically only those imperative items could be picked up, unlike in Dark Descent where you could pick up pretty much everything. All in all, a bit of a let down.
  37. EKS666
    Sep 26, 2013
    4
    This game was one of the biggest disappointments lately. What made the original so memorable is not sustained in this installment, instead there is a game of walking through large, uninteresting areas and doing simple puzzles. The soundtrack for this game was very immerse and matched the style of the game perfectly, but it felt like most of the game was spent in an awkward silence. I haveThis game was one of the biggest disappointments lately. What made the original so memorable is not sustained in this installment, instead there is a game of walking through large, uninteresting areas and doing simple puzzles. The soundtrack for this game was very immerse and matched the style of the game perfectly, but it felt like most of the game was spent in an awkward silence. I have played many games that a silent soundtrack for most of the game works in its favor, but this isn't one of them. This entire game just feels empty. All of the areas have no one else in them except for the occasional enemy that you can simply run past with no challenge, and I found myself asking "Where is everyone?"

    This game does do some things right, such as the absolutely dreadful atmosphere, with the added immersion from the soundtrack and the excellent voice acting. It is a game similar to Dear Esther, with about the same amount of immersion, but without the memorable visuals and the interesting and original areas like in Dear Esther.

    Anything that might have been hard to program for the developers is left out, such as the inventory system, sanity system, depleting light source, extra items to interact with other than the immediate next thing to do, and other things that would have made the game more interesting. This game is way too short and way too easy, only around 3.5-4 hours with no replay value and no multiplayer, which is unacceptable for a game priced higher than better indie games such as Fez or Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons. It's extremely lazy, and just a cash-in on the success of the first game.    … Expand
  38. reaver
    Sep 26, 2013
    5
    Amnesia: A machine for pigs developed by The Chinese Room and published by Frictional Games, sets out on the glorious quest to win the crown of horror in this non direct sequel to Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Does it surpass the original game? Find out below!

    It's hard to talk about the story of this game without giving away mayor spoilers, so here's a short non spoiler summarize. You    Amnesia: A machine for pigs developed by The Chinese Room and published by Frictional Games, sets out on the glorious quest to win the crown of horror in this non direct sequel to Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Does it surpass the original game? Find out below!

    It's hard to talk about the story of this game without giving away mayor spoilers, so here's a short non spoiler summarize. You take the roll of Manuds, a rich man who awakes deliriously from high fever in his bed. Haunted by visions of a powerful and evil machine that has taken your two children as hostages. Manuds has no choice but to walk deeply inside the machine and hopefully return his precious Children to their home. The story is quiet intriguing as you push forward, it got lots of twists and turns that'll make you question your perspective through the entire game. Some twists and turns might also entangle with some other twists leaving a big question mark behind. But for some, a second play through might come in handy to see details unfold in the beginning of the game.

    Now to the most important part of all, how does it play? The game still have the same 'push and pull' mechanic from Amnesia(also in Frictional Games earlier series, Penumbra) where you grab a door with the mouse button and then either, push and pull to open it. The same also goes to other object like drawers, levers and valves. This mechanic feel very good and if you are being chased by a monster it's crucial that you know how to close a door behind you in a fast manner to avoid getting eaten.

    Speaking of running away it's the only defense you have against the monsters (the few times you encounter them). There are no shotguns to blast the piggies away, just you, your lantern and any crawl space you can find.
    The game removes a lot of things from it's predecessor, things like;

    Inventory
    Lantern Oil management
    Picking up random objects (bottles, books etc)
    Mental Health
    Tinderboxes
    Madness when standing in dark places

    By removing these things, objectives like solving puzzles are way simpler. When you encounter a zone where a puzzle is, all you have to do is to either, look around for a valve or look for the only object that can be picked up. This is not a good thing. It's too easy and it takes away the immersion the first game had.

    They've also took the time to lock almost everything up, many doors, drawers, wardrobes can't be explored at all. When you do find a drawer that can be opened there's only one thing that'll be in that drawer, a note. Yes the only things you pick up in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is notes and puzzle pieces. This sucks, in the original Amnesia you could tear down an entire room, it was great pulling out every book from a drawer -
    or a shelf, maybe there would be something there much more important than a note, oil perhaps? Like I mentioned above the oil management has been removed. You are using an infinite electric lantern that you never have to worry about. This is also a very bad thing. You are not scared when using it, another recent horror game knew that it's important to limit the player 'Safe Object'. Outlast had batteries to it's 'Safe Object' which was a camera. Then you got more things to worry about then just monsters when walking into the darkness.

    The monsters in this new Amnesia really lack the true horror that the first game had. It's pigs, with some human modifications, like an arm. Most of the times they will just run past the screen, down on all fours, like a pig. The game always gives away when a pig is approaching too. Like in Silent Hill when your radio came on you knew that monsters where around, in this game your lantern and surrounding lights will start to flicker giving away any potential scare of it. "Why?" you might ask, well it's creepy the first six times it happens but after that it gets repetitive and boring. The very first time you encounter a monster in this game, there's no music and no stinger sound of any kind. It's just a pig, walking around, down on all fours.

    Remember the water part in the original Amnesia? Well it returns but with invisible pig ghosts instead! It's not great and I will not go into detail why as it could take me several pages to explain how it doesn't fit in into this game or why it's not scary.
    So all in all the gameplay is about you pushing forward the entire game, turning valves and reading notes.

    Now the presentation of this game is where it really shines. The game is filled with very interesting machinery that will make you awe in some spots. Almost every asset in this game is new (sure some assets from the original Amnesia will show up in some spots). The dark descent into the machine is intriguing, almost every section of the machine will be something new to look at, which is really nice. The games soundtrack sound design is also very good.

    I wouldn't recommend this game to newcommers of Amnesia. Get the first one and ignore this.    … Expand
  39. Digitalensis
    Sep 25, 2013
    10
    Amnesia Machine For Pigs will move you. Don't expect a re-harsh of Dark Descent. This might as well be its own game. Very compelling, beautifully crafted, and scary as hell. Buy this one if you are truly ready to move to the next level of story telling and game play. A must to experience....Here piggy piggy...
  40. cmfrip
    Sep 25, 2013
    5
    5/10 Amnesia 2 is just a tame, melancholic walk through, a second a rate sequel( perhaps a let down is expected as it is a sequel?).

    +++ Great concept, Excellent art and imagery Sound is good but (prefer it's predecessor's score), Decent level design. --- Massive Culling of parts from original no more: sanity, fear of death, need to scout and explore,Items, Interaction with    5/10 Amnesia 2 is just a tame, melancholic walk through, a second a rate sequel( perhaps a let down is expected as it is a sequel?).

    +++ Great concept, Excellent art and imagery Sound is good but (prefer it's predecessor's score), Decent level design.
    --- Massive Culling of parts from original no more: sanity, fear of death, need to scout and explore,Items, Interaction with environment, linear gameplay and design (so some will need to stock up on drink, another expense...) Not 'THAT' great or original, or at all complex story. No decent puzzles (all puzzles are things you would be able to do in your sleep...) No Fear... Too short! (Finishing it and finding it lasts 5-7 hrs and that you will never play it again... It IS 'a Machine for Pigs'.

    I felt compelled to write a review on here as I have just run through and found my self EXTREMELY disappointed with this supposed 'sequel' to the 'Dark Descent'. Yes as noted, this is not the same game, but it has all the same hall marks, most of the same engine despite most objects are not inter-actable, which kills any dream of a good puzzle or any fast paced desk and cupboard choreography of sealing doors as you run from your nemesis; Only a hoping you reach a 'check point' in time. A 'Game for the Industry' I would call it, not the 'Machine for Pigs'... Only a shame it carries the same name...

    So the game is linear, and keeps on going with no reward for wander? and no adrenaline pumping chases? So what does it have? I will be the first to admit, all the work has been diverted away from any form of challenge, game wise, to the art side, the story and some kind of On the rails', 'Cinema-interactive experience'. The concept idea is great, the textures and the levels are beautiful, the story... is not as good or any where as compelling as Amnesia 1 and those who think it is because of the skill of the developers, please dont say it is, because it is a wandering video-game-story on its own, which mounts a great deal of weight on the 'story' side of the game and the 'pretties' side which mean both need to make up for the 'not alot happens' side and 'absent risk' and 'absent counter-interaction' side, resulting in linear-boring traipsing around with no need to worry about that *clink* or a door opening with a creepy sound Which was what Amnesia 1 had in spades and probably was the reason why it worked. They must admit then that this game is a joke in-comparison to the original because IT IS NO LONGER A GAME, but some kind of an interactive story; for that I hate it. A Machine for Pigs.

    But with all the art... the idea of this 'thing'... and the way the place looks they should be commended. The gameplay is not bad either, the engine still feels nice to use. However, I do believe they could have done better with the story, it is not all that compelling and I didn't feel drawn to know what happened(or perhaps I was bored? Or busy browsing the imagery?), it is not particularly original: I must have it and 'will' myself to do this It gave me a head ache and felt like screaming at the screen, "So... why are you living again? What did you come here to achieve??!..." And there it kind of kills the need for there to be a story, other than this magnificent 'THING' Its just 'A to B'. A Machine for Pigs...

    In retrospect, Maybe it is because there is not enough detail and I find the story lacks 'something' (no! not more pretties! Some detail, a part of the story, some plot or perhaps an occurrence of something). Or perhaps more detail to justify the man's love for his

    5/ 10 for this as this game is not complete. Personally as we are talking about something that is on sale on a market I think this game is worth £5 max. And I bought it pre-order lured on by the fact that I expected another 'Dark Descent', perhaps extended. This is not Dark Descent to my woe! It should be noted that it is worth 5 hrs play time, after that, other than if your a plank or you want to look deeper at the textures and level design, then the game is made redundant. I did question my self, does it have multiple paths? I am certain it does not... Even then the main mechanics of the game have been culled and it is left as a pig farm after a 'foot and mouth' virus out break.

    I do not feel a desire to follow 'The Chinese room' if this what they make... and I am unsure what Frictional plan now... If it was meant to be some stupid story... so be it, I will plead guilty of ignorance and hope I will pay attention the next time, despite the fact Amnesia the Dark Descent was such a good 'game'... In fact I would suggest new players to stick with The Dark Descent and Download from Desura or online the countless number of excellent user made maps (Whitenight Btw is like this rubbish and a walkthrough, Frictional Games rewarded those people for that scenario in a competition(how ironic Amnesia 2 is just like it... What were they thinking!??)).    … Expand
  41. Late2theparty
    Sep 24, 2013
    7
    Should you buy this game? If you're new to the Amnesia franchise or horror games in general, yes, totally. If you're already huge fan of Amnesia: the Dark Descent and you have high hopes and expectations for the sequel, maybe not.

    Had I known nothing about the previous games in the series, I would have reviewed it as a 9/10. It would have stood better on its own than being presented as    Should you buy this game? If you're new to the Amnesia franchise or horror games in general, yes, totally. If you're already huge fan of Amnesia: the Dark Descent and you have high hopes and expectations for the sequel, maybe not.

    Had I known nothing about the previous games in the series, I would have reviewed it as a 9/10. It would have stood better on its own than being presented as a sequel. I was disappointed when my expectations set by The Dark Descent were not met. I'm like a kid at Christmas who got a parrot instead of a puppy. Mom and dad, this is cool, but I wanted someone to play fetch with!

    In the Dark Descent, I was crippled by fear, afraid open the door to the next room, but I was so terribly curious what would be revealed next. I found this quality of tension and mystery lacking in a Machine for Pigs (MFP). What is rewarding about MFP is the deeper philosophical question it raises. "How does society treat those who we view as second-class citizens? How do I treat them?"

    Secondly, it might seem minor, but I was highly disappointed that I couldn't tear books off shelves in MFP. You can only interact with items that are important to progressing to the next area. This breaks the immersion. I found that I actually missed the complex puzzles and hunt for hidden items.

    Lastly, the absolute terror of the monsters is gone. This is due to familiarity. You could never get a clear look at the horror chasing you through Dark Descent, or figure out where and when it would show up next. The monsters in MFP quickly become familiar, predictable, easily avoided. There's no hiding; you just avoid their path. The horror is not in them sneaking up on you, but what they represent.

    So, you're buying it anyway? Try to approach this game with an open mind, and you'll enjoy it.    … Expand
  42. TheGrand
    Sep 24, 2013
    1
    Welcome to Dear Esther 2!
    I can't do a serious analisis because this isn't amnesia.
    Sound: Good.
    Atmosphere: Good
    Graphics: Good
    Terror: 0%

    If terror doesn't exist the game shouldn't be called Amnesia.
  43. gilas18
    Sep 24, 2013
    6
    This game is not what i was expecting. It so predictable and not so scary, even the puzzles are easy and the game helps the player through them. But its not all bad. Its not an "Amnesia" game, its a totally different one but still enjoyable. The atmosphere its better and improved, soundtrack the best i ever heard and the graphics also improved despite some minor insignificant bugs but whatThis game is not what i was expecting. It so predictable and not so scary, even the puzzles are easy and the game helps the player through them. But its not all bad. Its not an "Amnesia" game, its a totally different one but still enjoyable. The atmosphere its better and improved, soundtrack the best i ever heard and the graphics also improved despite some minor insignificant bugs but what i really like is the story which i say Congratulations to The Chinese Room for possibly the best story ever in a video game, even had a few scares. So for all the people who say this game is i strongly advise to play it again and absorb its story and its atmosphere and then we will talk.… Expand
  44. Domkex
    Sep 24, 2013
    10
    The beggining of game is really and i was though that this game became a real piece of but then when i started to hear those wonderful soundtracks and interesting storyline, i changed my mind. Bassicilly i would give 7,5 but to rise a bit the score i give 10.
  45. stevenlin
    Sep 23, 2013
    8
    I remember monotonous pipes, pigs, mind-numbingly boring puzzles, Bioshock, pigmen, surreal, nasty, visceral writing, blood, the church, a vague ending.
  46. W4nt
    Sep 23, 2013
    5
    In short, they shifted the premise from "scary jumpscares with a sub-par story" to "eerie environment with a good story", which isn't a bad thing at all. I just wasn't expecting it, as were a lot of fans of the Dark Descent.
  47. KinkInspector
    Sep 23, 2013
    4
    This game in no way feels like a Frictional title, probably because it was developed by "The Chinese Room". Which created Dear Esther for the full steam release around last year. But all aside this game is not a survival horror, which in many ways disappointed me when I played it. Instead it is a rehash of Amnesia the Dark Descent but dumbed down to a point where survival is not aThis game in no way feels like a Frictional title, probably because it was developed by "The Chinese Room". Which created Dear Esther for the full steam release around last year. But all aside this game is not a survival horror, which in many ways disappointed me when I played it. Instead it is a rehash of Amnesia the Dark Descent but dumbed down to a point where survival is not a challenge in the game. The only good thing that came out of Amnesia A Machine for Pigs was the story. Well yes there are some parts that seemed mildly stupid, but in all it was a somewhat deep and disturbing tale. This game almost ruined The Chinese Room and Frictional Game's reputation in my mind. But its not the worst that could happen.… Expand
  48. SpongyTwinkies
    Sep 23, 2013
    3
    This game is a disappointment. The developers have forgotten that they were creating a game for their customers; a game is more interactive than this walk-through, which only has a few boring puzzles. Instead, what they have dumped on the customer is their attempt at writing a poorly told short story and expecting you to pay for something they consider 'art'.

    This is not art and it's    This game is a disappointment. The developers have forgotten that they were creating a game for their customers; a game is more interactive than this walk-through, which only has a few boring puzzles. Instead, what they have dumped on the customer is their attempt at writing a poorly told short story and expecting you to pay for something they consider 'art'.

    This is not art and it's not a good story. If a book editor were to review the text, so much of the material would have been deleted because it doesn't add anything to this amateurish effort. Certainly, no editor would have published this as a novel or novella, so the game publishers would have to resort to self-publishing. And the game developers did just that. They have self-published some bad fiction and disregarded good game development.

    I'm not exaggerating when I say this story is bad. It can be summed up in a few sentences: "Oh God, I'm so tormented," "Oh God, I'm so tormented," restate background information with different prose, throw in enigmatic monologue and information and have the main character think about the same information, again and again. Most of this story is just static word pictures and it's often told in flashback (zzzzzzzzz). You, the gamer, and Mandus, the main character, never really do anything.

    So now, I'm having a bad flashback, recalling the moment when I had purchased and played this boring game. I wail, gnash my teeth and pull my hair. Falling to my knees, I pray this bad game might get better. With tears and hope in my eyes, I look at the monitor but there is no change; Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is still a terrible game and a boring story. Oh God, I'm so tormented!    … Expand
  49. tanky87
    Sep 21, 2013
    7
    The Amnesia series Prides itself on doing something different and well the developers have managed to a pretty decent job on the latest game.
    Despite the ridiculously stupid monsters (flawed AI) and Childish puzzles, The Atmosphere is fantastic, the story engaging (but ultimately predictable) and the Sound design is absolutely brilliant..
    I'm sure all the hardcore horror fans will be    The Amnesia series Prides itself on doing something different and well the developers have managed to a pretty decent job on the latest game.
    Despite the ridiculously stupid monsters (flawed AI) and Childish puzzles, The Atmosphere is fantastic, the story engaging (but ultimately predictable) and the Sound design is absolutely brilliant..
    I'm sure all the hardcore horror fans will be disappointed, especially with the first game The Dark Descent being a masterpiece but the psychological horror that this game imparts along with its deeply disturbing and gruesome story line is what makes this game so unique.

    Granted, the monster encounters are few, the puzzles are annoyingly stupid and some level designs become repetitive but it does what is sets out to do Manages to keep a perfect balance of psychological horror and story telling (that is if you are patient enough to read and comprehend all the notes).

    The fear, the dread that someone is ready to pounce on you( like in TDD )is always there but some of the horror is sucked out as the game warns you of the presence of/ approaching enemies...However its hauntingly beautiful atmosphere along with a brilliant sound design makes up for that in a way.
    The atmosphere (sudden clunking of the machinery,winds,distant screams and many more all in the perfect location (Victorian Era England)) has been portrayed beautifully.. The music score by Jessica Curry is simply incredible and is worth buying alone.

    The inclusion of the sanity mechanic and more interactions with the surrounding environment would have made this game much better no doubt It also made sense to have a lantern that does not die out frequently during the age of the Industrial Revolution but making it everlasting was a bad call. There are bugs and glitches but they don't hamper your gaming experience too often. During its course the game reminds you of some of the elements of the dark descent in an interesting way.

    All in all,This game should not be played in a hurry nor should it be compared to the incredible level of its predecessor for it delivers a relatively different experience.. It should be played cause it manages to experiment and succeed in many aspects that the horror genre has paid little attention to ,considering The motive has always been to 'scare'....
    A Machine for Pigs is a pretty looking game set in a fascinating era and has been portrayed beautifully. It definitely does not come even close to scaring you like its predecessor but is definitely worth playing once for its unique experience.
    Just wait for Steam to reduce its current price.    … Expand
  50. Blackpearl2929
    Sep 21, 2013
    4
    Amnesia a machine for pigs is not as good as I expected it to be. It has barely any interaction with objects, no potions, good jump scares or a good monster.In my opinion it was quite a downfall for the creators. Personally for me it just seemed like a mod, not a full game made by the same creators as Amnesia's the dark descend's. Again: the monsters were simply ridiculous and the storyAmnesia a machine for pigs is not as good as I expected it to be. It has barely any interaction with objects, no potions, good jump scares or a good monster.In my opinion it was quite a downfall for the creators. Personally for me it just seemed like a mod, not a full game made by the same creators as Amnesia's the dark descend's. Again: the monsters were simply ridiculous and the story didn't connect what so ever, the game cant even be called horror anymore, there wasn't even an inventory! The game was just bad.… Expand
  51. xetelian
    Sep 21, 2013
    3
    This game took very little effort and time, so little time in fact that I can't imagine paying more than 10$ Let alone 20$.

    -1 Not nearly scary as the first, not as grim or dark its literally lit everywhere -1 Way short less than 4 hours of game play and I finished it just a moment ago in 2 hours 30 minutes -1 No threats, I died once on purpose, that was all -1 Puzzles not    This game took very little effort and time, so little time in fact that I can't imagine paying more than 10$ Let alone 20$.

    -1 Not nearly scary as the first, not as grim or dark its literally lit everywhere
    -1 Way short less than 4 hours of game play and I finished it just a moment ago in 2 hours 30 minutes
    -1 No threats, I died once on purpose, that was all
    -1 Puzzles not puzzling at all, everything you need is located right next to you and journal tells you how
    -1 Very confusing story and as you progress it gets boring and some of it makes no sense
    -1 Ending, climax of the story was weak, very very weak and predictable
    -1 No inventory, no combining, no oil no limited resources
    +1 Awesome voice acting
    +1 Amazing sound track
    +1 Bacon! Couple of throwbacks to the first game

    As a fan of Frictional's Penumbra series and Amnesia the lacking of puzzles and the shortness makes this less of a game an more of a mod on the old engine. You can't interact with 90% of the boxes and items like you could in the first and the paths are all straight forward.    … Expand
  52. Dunge
    Sep 21, 2013
    6
    I finished the game, the problem is not that it's "different", the game is flawed on nearly all concepts.

    The asset re-utilization is awful. The first time you see a painting you think it's a nice touch, but when it's the 40th time you see the same plastered all over the game, it lose its style. Same thing for most objects. Most rooms (level design) are completely implausible in size    I finished the game, the problem is not that it's "different", the game is flawed on nearly all concepts.

    The asset re-utilization is awful. The first time you see a painting you think it's a nice touch, but when it's the 40th time you see the same plastered all over the game, it lose its style. Same thing for most objects. Most rooms (level design) are completely implausible in size and architecture and don't feel real at all.
    On the other hand, the level of detail is quite good and better than most game (geometry/texturing).

    Contrarily to Penumbra series where you had some very clever puzzle to solve, Amnesia: MFP only have a few "move objects from point A to point B" gameplay elements, and it don't get more that than.

    There is a SINGLE other moving entity type in the game (appear 4-5 times along the way) and it's a PIG! How can they be serious? You have to run away from a PIG! You can't even fight back. Is that supposed to be scary or funny?

    The story in itself is not enough to save the game, the story is kinda simple and a lot of elementary students could come up with a better one. Also, it's probably delivered in the worst way unimaginable. Instead of integrating the storytelling elements into the gameplay (in cut-scenes or when the player have control) they just plastered written "notes" all over and phones with "audio log" type of message. Even worse, as soon as one of these audio log start playing, the player movement lower to about 10% of his speed and the screen becomes blurry to the point you need to wait until it's finished to continue moving.

    A lot of bad reviews say it's too linear. There's nothing wrong with a linear game, when linearity actually help to support an story with eventful scripted scenes and nice transitions between rooms. In the case of Amnesia, it's just running into empty long corridors where nothing happen and only 1/10 doors are unlocked along the way.

    A lot of bad review say the game is much too short. While it is short (around 5hours), it's not that of a problem.    … Expand
  53. Flavor-Country
    Sep 21, 2013
    2
    I LOVED the first Amnesia. I completely dislike the second. It's a pale imitation with none of the cool features we all liked in the first iteration. No lantern running out of oil. No real use of light and shadow at all. No spiral into madness. No terror of the unknown...
  54. AmyImpact
    Sep 21, 2013
    0
    I really was waiting more from this game. Really disappointed. Where is the sanity? Where is the oil? The only good point is the main history. The last game was much better.
  55. PieM0nk
    Sep 20, 2013
    9
    Part of the problem with most horror game reviews are simply they are rushed through just to get the review finished with. Put on your headphones, isolate yourself from other people, turn off all of the lights, and play A Machine for Pigs. After playing this game in that kind of isolation, as it should be played, (who would want to watch a horror movie or play a horror game in broadPart of the problem with most horror game reviews are simply they are rushed through just to get the review finished with. Put on your headphones, isolate yourself from other people, turn off all of the lights, and play A Machine for Pigs. After playing this game in that kind of isolation, as it should be played, (who would want to watch a horror movie or play a horror game in broad daylight anyways?) what I got from this game was a constant feeling of dreadful anxiety.

    A Machine for Pigs is different in the sense of mechanics from The Dark Descent, but it terrified me more than the original title. The sequel takes a step further in atmospheric horror, giving you a horrible dread throughout the entire game. This is where it improves from the original. The previous Amnesia had its pockets where you felt like you overcame a situation and had an opportunity to breathe and relax for a bit. In A Machine for Pigs, you are constantly under an awfully frightening Victorian inspired atmosphere. The writing is incredibly dark and twisted, and the level design is superb. Plummeting further into the dreadful machine had me yelling out loud and screaming; the eerie machinery and loud noises is something that will always be a terrifying mechanism to use, which brings me to my next point, the music.

    The music and general sound in this game is by far the best out of anything that I have heard out of a horror themed creation period. A large portion of the game I spent yelling for the loud, sudden noises to stop, in which most cases they did not. This is scary as hell, and so is this game's suddenly deathly quietness in some cases, where the sound of pressure is filled inside your head, making it feel like you can't breathe.

    In conclusion, anyone who wants something to stay absolutely the same is not going to be happy. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a game that changes from its predecessor and actually works and improves on the original. Sure there there are no tinderboxes, no sanity, and no lantern oil, but it is a more story driven horror title. A Machine for Pigs shows that copying and pasting game mechanics from its previous title is not needed to be an even scarier game.

    This game took me just under six hours to beat with myself taking my time and immersing myself completely, which is a good amount of gameplay for a $20 game. Yes, this is a different experience, and in my opinion, a much more frightening one.    … Expand
  56. m0rb
    Sep 20, 2013
    1
    I loved Amnesia: The Dark Descent!

    it was probably the first commercially succesful "survival-horror" game and it instantly became the benchmark for the genre... it's mechanics were great and very innovative, hiding in closets, a constant search for matches and lamp-oil and above all, keeping an eye on your "sanity metre", which became too high whenever you were in the dark for too    I loved Amnesia: The Dark Descent!

    it was probably the first commercially succesful "survival-horror" game and it instantly became the benchmark for the genre...
    it's mechanics were great and very innovative, hiding in closets, a constant search for matches and lamp-oil and above all, keeping an eye on your "sanity metre", which became too high whenever you were in the dark for too long all these were simply GREAT! innovative (for the most) and refreshingly different from everything we've had seen to that point.

    to make a long story short: "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" is a fantastic game, it's innovative gameplay-mechanics were simply wonderful and the game was full of suspense, thrills, a reasonable amount of jump-scares.
    an almost perfect game, a truely perfect survival-horror game!

    so, when I heard about the sequel and saw the trailer to "Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs", I was looking forward to it.

    all those great gameplay-mechanics I've mentioned above GONE!

    "Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs" LACKS_EVERYTHING_THAT_MADE_THE_FIRST_GAME_SO_GREAT!

    the story is decent, sure, but that is in no way, shape or form enough to make a halway decent game.
    apart from the well-written story, "Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs" is just boring.
    the athmosphere is quite tense, but the comical "monsters" do not look threatening or scary at all. you can outrun them easily, so there wouldn't even be the need to hide in a closet... unfortunately.

    the developers "The Chinese Room" have proven once again (and hopefully for all and ever!) that an interesting story is NOT ENOUGH to make a good game!
    I wanted to like this game, I really did(!), but the lack of gameplay is the scariest thing this piece of game has to offer.

    retrospectively, I am really glad I didn't buy or even pre-order this game.
    since "demos" have disappeared, I found a solution I can live with: I PIRATE everything I am interested in! then I play it, I "test" whether I want to buy and own a game or not. and guess what, after I decided whether I like it or not, I BUY or delete the games I pirated before.

    and if anybody doesn't believe me, you can have my steam name and take a look at my +200 games steam-library!

    I feel really sorry for everybody who spent money on this game... story and a semi-frightening athmosphere are NOT enough to make a game I truely hope "The Chinese Room" realizes this, before they release another game.

    as much as Iwanted to like "Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs", it simply isn't good enough and the fact that "The Chinese Room" took ALL mechanics that made "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" so great OUT OF the sequel is a shame! A SHAME!

    1 point for a decent story, which unfortuantely wasn't immersive enough for me and didn't make me goosebumps once.

    A SHAME! (gosh, this game really pissed me off! I LOVED the first one and I came to realize, I HATE "The Chinese Room" hopefully, someone burns the down! another game that doesn't sell, like this one and that "room" will be boarded-up)    … Expand
  57. BatFat09
    Sep 20, 2013
    7
    Tis game... this game... The story was presented wonderfully but the problems out weigh many of the great story moments and gameplay "improvements" It was just lacking the pure fear that you felt playing the dark descent, it lost the survival aspect. I felt safer and less scared in this game than any other "survival horror" game i have ever played. The game is still worth playing however...
  58. PinchofGinger
    Sep 20, 2013
    4
    While it is not a *horribly* bad game is was definitely an overwhelming disappointment for me.

    The game-play was okay, the graphics were astounding and the scenery very beautifully made and it definitely created the dark and horrific atmosphere Amnesia had, but I could not find it in myself to care about the story or the main character at all. Which for me, is one of the greatest sins    While it is not a *horribly* bad game is was definitely an overwhelming disappointment for me.

    The game-play was okay, the graphics were astounding and the scenery very beautifully made and it definitely created the dark and horrific atmosphere Amnesia had, but I could not find it in myself to care about the story or the main character at all. Which for me, is one of the greatest sins a game can ever commit.

    Unlike the first amnesia game were you truly wanted to learn what had happened, who the main character was and how to stop the coming evil and thus searched frantically for clues about those In this game, I had to force myself to read the notes and listen to the records after a while, it just got too boring and much too confusing. I am sure that if this had been a book where they could explain everything a little better, I would have loved it, but somehow the game took such an overdramatic, religiously fanatic approach that most of the time I just rolled my eyes at the recordings. If you are playing the main character in a game, you want to *like* him. In Amnesia you felt sorry for the MC even if he was a douche, but this MC is just a jerk, and even if there are a few redeeming hints thrown in here and there, I still found myself disliking him.

    I really wanted to love this game because it was an “Amnesia”, but there are just so many things about it that annoys me The sanity meter is gone for one, and the main characters health regenerates rather quickly, which made the pig monsters that much less scary: I could always outrun them so why care if I took a hit? Also, the whole "pig" theme seems rather forced after a while: Yes, humans are pigs, understood, please stop using it in every-single-monologue.

    The game gets boringly linear after a while. You are doing the same thing over and over and over again for ages just in slightly varying ways. The first time I had to turn a wheel and pull a lever to fix something was fine, but doing it 20+ times?

    Maybe I am being too harsh on the game, but that is only because I keep comparing it to the first Amnesia, and I fully admit that! But if you choose to create a game as a sequel to Amnesia instead of a game of it´s own genre and style in order to sell more copies, and then strip it of so many of the things that made the previous game so popular, people will be rather disappointing: It is like creating a Mass Effect game without the dialogue wheel Same game yes, but the games “soul” is gone.

    If they released this as a game of it´s own, I think I would have liked it better, but only a bit because for me, creating an unlikeable main character, boringly linear tasks, and face-palm worthy over-dramatic monologue gives you a nice place in the back of my closet where you shall stay forevermore never to be played again.

    All in all an okay game, but very over the top dramatic, not really scary and in the end, not what I wanted the next Amnesia game to be like. Sorry.    … Expand
  59. dokluch
    Sep 19, 2013
    8
    Sadly this game is not Amnesia anymore.
    While having more detailed and complete storyline than original title and truly great story development (here we can thank chineeseroom, I guess), the game lacks one crucial point. Fear.
    Getting rid of all UI is a good solution, but hey, the game is scary for only 1/3 of the time. You can walk in the dark freely as though it's you, who is the    Sadly this game is not Amnesia anymore.
    While having more detailed and complete storyline than original title and truly great story development (here we can thank chineeseroom, I guess), the game lacks one crucial point. Fear.

    Getting rid of all UI is a good solution, but hey, the game is scary for only 1/3 of the time. You can walk in the dark freely as though it's you, who is the monster. Meeting monsters doesn't drive you mad and you can actually get hit by one and run away from it. Should I also point to the fact that pigs have great smell sense and will definitely smell you hiding behind crates?

    After reading interview with Amnesia creator I was waiting for more "fear development", and in some parts it was very good indeed. Low frequency sounds, flickering lights, strange growls. But the second half of the game is just "run and click some buttons", so I guess they were just in a hurry to release the game. Of course I have read all the notes and documents in game, but I still have this bitter feeling of being fooled by the title.

    Anyway, the story has made me think a lot and I still think it is a good game. But good like Dear Esther, not Amnesia.    … Expand
  60. darkcerb
    Sep 19, 2013
    3
    It aspires to be an interactive story without an inventory or sanity effects and without the intimidating enemy's of the first the best the game can do to horrify is flicker the lights shake the camera and abuse the audio.

    The simple and obvious fact is the amnesia devs sold out and outsourced large portions of the game to the dev team of dear esther, an interactive story can be great,    It aspires to be an interactive story without an inventory or sanity effects and without the intimidating enemy's of the first the best the game can do to horrify is flicker the lights shake the camera and abuse the audio.

    The simple and obvious fact is the amnesia devs sold out and outsourced large portions of the game to the dev team of dear esther, an interactive story can be great, but that's not what amnesia was and it's not what was promised.

    Please skip this game, don't reward this kind of behavior grab outlast instead it has faults but it stays very true to the genre and brims with the passion and care of it's team.    … Expand
  61. JurasTW
    Sep 19, 2013
    10
    As well as the first one, this game surprised me with a deep and beautiful plot about a man, struggling to undo his evil. I passed this game on one breath while the first game took me a week or two. But the gameplay is not shorter. The scares become less intense and overall the gameplay became easier, which is a good thing I guess, since scaring you is the second objective of this game.As well as the first one, this game surprised me with a deep and beautiful plot about a man, struggling to undo his evil. I passed this game on one breath while the first game took me a week or two. But the gameplay is not shorter. The scares become less intense and overall the gameplay became easier, which is a good thing I guess, since scaring you is the second objective of this game. The plot is heavy and not always easy to accept but if you play the first game you will get an idea why is it this way. Personally I found this game to be one of the best horror games. A fair amount of jumpscares, a fair amount of creepy content and a tension from the beginning and till the end. I must comment the sound, as it is the games bread and butter. I was terrified every time hearing a monster eating something behind the corner. And this narration is a gem of modern gaming.
    If this series will ever continue, I would play every game to come only because these two have taken a place in my heart. I recommend this game to every person that seeks a game, that tells you a story, rather than attacks from the corner to dismember you and makes you walk on human flesh.
    And to all those, who think this game is worse that the first one or even any game available today, play "Dear Esther" to understand the concept, not "Outlast". Amnesia has its scary parts, but it does not kill you every time you encounter an enemy. Good or bad, this is what the game is so don't get fooled by the glory of the first game. You will enjoy if you want to enjoy a story.    … Expand
  62. RamblingFool
    Sep 19, 2013
    8
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is not quite as consistently scary or viscerally disturbing as it's predecessor (Amnesia: The Dark Descent), but it's a more of a poignant story overall this time around in terms of how well it delivers its themes (industry, greed, control, power, technology... and how they affect society, etc.), and also has more than a few cryptic helpings of surreal allegoryAmnesia: A Machine for Pigs is not quite as consistently scary or viscerally disturbing as it's predecessor (Amnesia: The Dark Descent), but it's a more of a poignant story overall this time around in terms of how well it delivers its themes (industry, greed, control, power, technology... and how they affect society, etc.), and also has more than a few cryptic helpings of surreal allegory that will have you asking "What the hell does that REALLY mean?"

    However, A Machine for Pigs is a linear game overall and has less interaction than your average console game (when you aren't reading cryptic journal entries, you'll spend the remaining 80% of your in-game time turning valves, walking, occasionally running in terror, and turning your lamp on or off). The well-crafted story is essentially the sole focus of the game, but the accompanying art gives you a solid sense of the late 1800's Victorian setting (set a year before the turn of the century), though it's comparatively less evocative than the Gothic castle setting of the first Amnesia game; the grimy streets of London and its steam-pipe laden industrial underbelly ultimately become a repetetive, indistinct mash-up of dark brown bricks, pipes, mud, sewage, and blackened gore by the game's finale.

    Overall, its more of semi-interactive version take on classic horror novels than a game. But a story is a story, and this one is a great one... so, unless you're a stickler for purity and would rather simultaneously play Call of Duty, visit an art gallery, and listen to classical music on and iPod while reading H.P. Lovecraft, A Machine for Pigs is the best (and most efficient) choice for anyone who craves depthy and intelligent narrative and/or horror, but can't go without the illusion of free will that only a video game (or the machine that runs it?) can provide.

    7.8/10    … Expand
  63. matman4077
    Sep 19, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is not the game Amnesia fans waited years for.

    When Frictional made Dark Descent, they created a highly interactive atmosphere that drew you in until you were too scared to go into the next room and see what horror was waiting for you. Instead of adding to the mechanics of the original, Chinese Room decided to remove practically all the original mechanics (no inventory, no health/sanity, you can't manipulate all objects, no hiding spots). The panic of getting Daniel through the dark to light before he went insane and preserving lamp oil contributed so much to the fear factor. Taking those elements away removed A LOT of quality from the game.
    Many fans say the enemies are not scary, I'm not sure that's entirely true though. The idea of the enemy models was great and the sounds are frightening enough, but they never appear in a moment you clearly have an advantage. The grunts from the first game appeared in some of the worst moments you could imagine and scrambling for a hiding place was unforgettably chaotic. The enemies were presented badly and the feeling of helplessness is completely absent. The biggest question I have is why couldn't they find a way to bring back the grunts??? Get creative next time Chinese Room, I expected to be chased and beat senseless but your pigs were too stupid to catch me (never died once on my first play through). The AI should have improved from Dark Descent, not degraded into mindless creatures that will completely miss you when you're right next to them. Maybe if Mandus was actually afraid of the dark like Daniel they would have noticed me.
    The design looks rather nice and I enjoyed amnesia's art style looking good, but you never wondered what was next. The next room would be some mechanical room that looked basically like the last. You could say the first amnesia did that with the castle looking the same, but the environments changed enough that it was fresh and that dreadful feeling of going deeper was much more prominent. That 'going deeper' theme is repeated in Machine for Pigs but honestly I was just hoping that something would surprise me.
    Another reason the rating isn't that low is the story really is pretty cool. The political satire and dark themes are interesting, but I could actually pay attention to this story because I wasn't scared out of my mind something was about to eat me again (I loved the first game's story on a later playthrough where I actually payed attention). A good story isn't enough to impress me though. This game is supposed to be a sequel and yet I found it to be 100% unrelated to the original. There is not a single reference to the evil we witnessed and feared in Brennenburg Castle. That may have been difficult since it's been moved to a separate era and location, but I hate that the first game is ignored. Chinese Room did tell us that they were putting a lot into the story and that was true. If only they didn't forget to put in the rest of the game. This is where I felt kind of nauseous inside because I realized that Amnesia had fallen victim to being inspired by Dear Esther. I know that game was supposed to be 'artistic', but a complete lack of gameplay made for one the most disappointing wastes of time and money of my life. Thank goodness some of Amnesia is still in this game or fans would have been even more furious.
    One more MAJOR complaint and perhaps the worst. When I played the first Amnesia, it took me 7-8 hours to finally reach Alexander. That game was LONG and I loved every moment of my terror. What happened with all that time for development for this game??? Did they forget to add-in half the game? I feel like at some point I must have bypassed the entire game since I watched the credits roll within the time it would have taken me to watch a movie. The length is the worst factor that Dear Esther rubbed off onto this game. I'm crossing my fingers that they implement what is needed for Custom Stories or this game will NEVER be worth what I payed. It's not that the game is unfinished, it's that it goes by so dang fast that you didn't have a chance to get that scared. If I could only make one change then I would beg for a couple more hours worth of gameplay. It may not be Dark Descent, but I was still having fun.
    As a horror game on its own, this game is decent and has a great story with awesome music and voice acting. I will applaud those achievements and you earned half a rating. However, this game is far too short and feels more like a professional custom story than a full sequel. Had they not put "Amnesia" in the title I think I would be happier because on its own it really is good. Maybe Dear Piggy would be more appropriate. I would still recommend giving the game a play through, but please don't walk out of that first bedroom with expectations so you can enjoy it for what it's worth.    … Expand
  64. Erdrick27
    Sep 19, 2013
    4
    A huge disappointment, I should've known that when the Chinese Room got involved they'd strip out the elements that actually make it a game and turn it into another failure like Dear Esther. It barely qualifies as a game and definitely doesn't quality as a good one. Your money is better spent elsewhere.
  65. jack67
    Sep 19, 2013
    7
    Although it's not a survival horror, as other reviews have mentioned, the writing is excellent and all the horror elements of good fiction are there. The ending is thought-provoking, if not slightly unclear as to how it all comes to a close. The play-time is incredibly short, however, and I can't help but think it would be better served at a lower price-point. After a three-hour game, mostAlthough it's not a survival horror, as other reviews have mentioned, the writing is excellent and all the horror elements of good fiction are there. The ending is thought-provoking, if not slightly unclear as to how it all comes to a close. The play-time is incredibly short, however, and I can't help but think it would be better served at a lower price-point. After a three-hour game, most gamers might think $10 is a better investment. A Machine for Pigs is little more than interactive cinema; there is some risk of the character's death, but it's ultimately inconsequential, since the player restarts very close to the point of death and the creature who did the killing is then no longer present.

    I enjoyed it. Like I said, the writing is worth the price of admission, particularly the bits between screen loads which are deftly written, full of excellent imagery. But still way too short for a game with no replay potential.    … Expand
  66. empirecoder
    Sep 18, 2013
    3
    Overall, this game was a big time disappointment for me. Machine for Pigs is at most 20% as scary as The Dark Descent. All of the major changes to the play mechanics add up to make this game suck. I blame it on the developer The Chinese Room, and not Frictional Games. This team up was a bad idea.
    Negatives: Removal of an inventory. No more lantern oil. Staying in shadows no longer    Overall, this game was a big time disappointment for me. Machine for Pigs is at most 20% as scary as The Dark Descent. All of the major changes to the play mechanics add up to make this game suck. I blame it on the developer The Chinese Room, and not Frictional Games. This team up was a bad idea.
    Negatives: Removal of an inventory. No more lantern oil. Staying in shadows no longer increases your insanity. You can look at the enemies without penalty. You run away from enemies easily. Unreadable font used for notes and journal entries. I found the story somewhat interesting, but boring in the end. Scare events were not executed well.
    Positives: Better game engine. Larger levels. Good music. Good voice acting. Okay story.    … Expand
  67. MageValerie
    Sep 18, 2013
    4
    This game is so far removed from the original, it was quite disappointing. However, I think it would have been received as much better if it was released without the Amnesia title. On it's own, Machine for Pigs is just fine, but you cannot take away every element of the first (especially the actual horror the original gave us) and expect good results.

    I would suggest watching someone    This game is so far removed from the original, it was quite disappointing. However, I think it would have been received as much better if it was released without the Amnesia title. On it's own, Machine for Pigs is just fine, but you cannot take away every element of the first (especially the actual horror the original gave us) and expect good results.

    I would suggest watching someone else play it first I wish I had, wasted my money instead.    … Expand
  68. SPIDERASSAULT
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    I come bearing sad news, gentlemen.. I've now played through the entire Machine for Pigs story, and I have found only sorrow. While Frictional Games has been doling out games full of delight for some time (Penumbra Series & The Dark Descent were amazing!), they have finally released a dud. I can't tell you all how sad and wrong I feel saying this, but it's true. I'll try to explain myI come bearing sad news, gentlemen.. I've now played through the entire Machine for Pigs story, and I have found only sorrow. While Frictional Games has been doling out games full of delight for some time (Penumbra Series & The Dark Descent were amazing!), they have finally released a dud. I can't tell you all how sad and wrong I feel saying this, but it's true. I'll try to explain my reasoning as clearly as possible.

    Down to Bidness: Why is this game getting bad reviews? What should veteran players know before buying?

    1. Painfully linear. The Dark Descent had a great map. You'd travel through great halls, small caverns, and terrifying corridors, all in search of the secrets behind the castle and its.. residents. While it was linear, it didn't 'feel' linear. Well, A Machine for Pigs really tried to stick with this equation. However, I ended up feeling like every room with a puzzle was simply built at random, with no reason for the randomness other than keeping you there a little longer. It almost felt like the rooms were built to extend game time, and confuse! I asked myself about 1/3 into the game... "Where's the elevator or stairwell in this place? This isn't efficient at all!" I couldn't 'place' myself there, because it was such an unrealistic build.

    2. Very little narration, creating a disconnect between player and storyline. I really tried to get into the story, because Dark Descent was simply captivating. Well, don't expect awesomeness in this one. The scariest parts were at the beginning, and they're few and far between afterwards. They tried to keep the story deep, but in the end, they must have decided to focus on other game elements.

    3. "6 Hours Played" on Steam. That means it took a maximum of 6 hours & 59 minutes to beat the game. I picked A Machine for Pigs up the day it arrived, because I loved all of Frictional Games' past titles. I played it for a night, put it down about half way through the game, and asked myself, "Why bother?" Well, I had faith in Frictional, so I decided I owed it to them to play through it entirely. Upon finishing it the next day, I felt really frustrated that I had wasted my money, uninstalled the game, and tried to wipe it from my mind as well. It had no depth. You simply walked through spoooooky rooms in order to complete easy puzzles to complete this lazily-described mission which you were not invested in... It broke my leetle heart.

    4. My greatest disappointment: No more tinderboxes, and your lantern has unlimited oil... Can you believe that? These items were the one thing that made searching through drawers and side rooms interesting. There's no longer a point in going off exploring, because you won't find anything of value.

    5. It's just not as scary. Frictional Games seemed to focus this game more on shock horror than the fear of the unknown. A Machine for Pigs felt like a one-trick pony.

    6. Physics were 'dumbed down' from Dark Descent. Did you enjoy throwing such items as bottles, plates, and statuettes in the first Amnesia as much as I did? Well, prepare for disappointment. Throughout the game, you can pick up very few random items past chairs. Why?

    7. No more inventory system. You can no longer pick up and hold onto items in your backpack that may be helpful later in the game. You pick items up with your cursor, walk them through a room, and that's it. No more health/sanity meter either. Nothing.

    8. No sanity meter no character freak-outs. I don't know if this was a glitch on my system, because I want to believe it was... But the main character rarely freaks out. You have no real need for the lantern, or lighting up rooms. You won't start to hear cracking eggshells, nor will the screen get blurry, with heavy breathing coming through your character's lips. This was such a valuable element from Dark Descent.

    9. Everything is really dark. It just doesn't look as pretty as the first Amnesia, since you must use your lantern to see any colors past this blue/green/black filter they've added. You can change the gamma, but you'll never stop squinting to see what's in front of you. You won't care to by the end, because there's little to see in any case.

    Conclusions: It felt like a console game ported to PC! It felt dumbed down. It's strange, but it felt like I was playing Bioshock with how it was set up. It played like a clunky Bioshock, minus guns. This game is a far cry from its predecessors. It seems thrown together, and created simply to make money, while the 'Amnesia' stamp promised us all greatness.I'm beyond disappointed, since I trusted Frictional Games with $20. I will certainly buy their next game whenever it releases, because Frictional Games still deserves it in my book! However, not until I see positive reviews. I hate to be harsh, but A Machine for Pigs was a waste of my hard-earned money, which is becoming increasingly difficult to come by nowadays.

    I yearn to see the positives of this game, but truly, it's a step backwards.    … Expand
  69. flamingskulls73
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As an avid Amnesia: The dark descent fan, I am extremely disappointed with A Machine For Pigs. For starters, the monsters are laughably easy to avoid. Every time there was an actual encounter with one of the walking pigs, I could literally run right by them, be chased for a few seconds, and they would give up. In the original, the monsters would actively seek you out for a very long time, forcing you to run in the darkness as the terror-meter blared, and tremble in a dark corner as they approached. The fact that you can stare at the new pig monsters with no ill effects is another minus, for I'm sure we all remember the horrible repercussions of staring too long at a monster in ATDD (being discovered and promptly chased from here to Marathon).
    The removal of the inventory was another major letdown. One of the best little features of ATDD was being able to pick up pretty much anything and investigate it, and possibly store it in your inventory. In AAMFP, you can pick up a few chairs, not that you need them to throw at monsters since they don't really chase you. Removal of the need for light was also a terrible mistake, in my opinion. Without the need for light, the horror factor of running into a monster was incredibly diminished. The lantern in AAMFP even flickers to let you know that there is a monster nearby! The few jump scares involving the pigs ended with no chase, no continuation of the feeling of dread, no follow up monster. Just silence and confusion on my part.
    On the plus side, the story was fairly good. I absolutely loved Mandus' character and the way the plot unveiled, but it was a bit predictable. After the experience of realizing that Daniel was torturing people in ATDD, finding out that Mandus was the saboteur and the inventor of the Machine wasn't that shocking, just kind of "Oh, yeah. I thought so."
    In addition, the game kept crashing on me in the middle of the most tense moments, causing me to quickly loose interest and immersion, whereas ATDD told me how to play the game for the best effect and ran smoothly on the highest graphics settings.
    Not worth the $20 I spent on it.

    Pros: Soundtrack, first 1/2 of plot, graphics
    Cons: Monsters, lack of inventory, no environmental interaction, weak last half of plot, everything else    … Expand
  70. Makeruco
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    Esto es una crítica SUBJETIVA tras finalizar el juego. (Spanish critic) LO BUENO: Gran ambientación e historia y enemigos que te ponen los pelos de punta. LO MALO: Que lo bueno es solo eso y que tiene una duración ridícula. Es una pena que a una gran historia como la que se va desvelando a lo largo del juego (gran parte a través de las notas) no se le haya sabido dar un juego mejo mejor.Esto es una crítica SUBJETIVA tras finalizar el juego. (Spanish critic) LO BUENO: Gran ambientación e historia y enemigos que te ponen los pelos de punta. LO MALO: Que lo bueno es solo eso y que tiene una duración ridícula. Es una pena que a una gran historia como la que se va desvelando a lo largo del juego (gran parte a través de las notas) no se le haya sabido dar un juego mejo mejor. Creo que habría sido más productivo crear una novela que haber diseñado todo un juego; porque eso es Amnesia: A machine for pigs, una novela interactiva.

    Tanto las cosas buenas como las malas que he escrito sobre el juego se las ha ganado por méritos propios, pero hay que reconocer que en parte el ''tortazo'' que se ha dado ha sido por ser el sucesor de un juego que dejó el listón más alto y de cuya secuela por lo tanto se iba a esperar mucho más. Pasillos lineales llenos de puertas de adorno, cuatro enemigos a lo largo del juego, supresión del inventario (y lo que ello conlleva), farol con luz infinita (menos tensión), puzzles basados únicamente en mover objetos y, eso sí, una ambientación muy lograda seguida de una gran historia. Si lo que buscas es un juego con el que pasar momentos de tensión o lo que es peor, una experiencia como la que se tuvo con Amnesia: The dark descent, aquí no la vas a encontrar; si por el contrario te dejas llevar por una lograda atmósfera y una historia que te hace pensar, entonces píllalo (aunque es más bien de esos juegos que es mejor alquilar si se pudiera...) ya que no es muy caro (según se mire, claro). Collapse    … Expand
  71. Synyster19
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    I want to start off by saying that I did enjoy this game. It had a great story line with heavy immersion and great atmosphere that one rarely finds in other horror titles. The game was good, but it felt rather bare compared to The Dark Descent. Inventory, tinderboxes, and oil are completely removed from the game, along with the health and insanity meters. This was quite a disappointment,I want to start off by saying that I did enjoy this game. It had a great story line with heavy immersion and great atmosphere that one rarely finds in other horror titles. The game was good, but it felt rather bare compared to The Dark Descent. Inventory, tinderboxes, and oil are completely removed from the game, along with the health and insanity meters. This was quite a disappointment, but I eventually got over it because the game's primary focus was immersion and atmosphere. But what really lowered the score for me was the fact that there are no custom stories! What in the world were they thinking?? Without custom stories, this game offers absolutely no replayability, which really sucks due to the fact that you can beat the game in just 4 hours. There was a great community of people who modded Amnesia and made many awesome custom stories that really added to The Dark Descent's content, but what happens to that now? Are we just forgetting about one of the best features of Amnesia? That doesn't seem fair to all the dedicated people who made custom stories before and who were probably looking forward to doing it now in A Machine for Pigs. I hope they might put a patch out or something to add this back into the game, because otherwise I don't see any point in keeping in my Steam library anymore. As I said before, it is a good game, but it's hard for me to decide whether it was even worth the purchase due to all these awesome features that were just stripped out of the game, as well as the fact that it was only 4 hours long. Maybe they will patch it, maybe not. We will just have to wait and see how they deal with this issue.… Expand
  72. iamkylerawr
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    Storyline: AMFP's story is morbidly excellent just like its predecessor. Not your typical horror story.

    Quality/Appearance: For those who played Dark Descent, it's pretty obvious for us that it improved. And for those who haven't, it's roughly good. Although, I have observed some recycled skins and objects while playing so I'll just assume that somebody got lazy. Music/Sounds: What I    Storyline: AMFP's story is morbidly excellent just like its predecessor. Not your typical horror story.

    Quality/Appearance: For those who played Dark Descent, it's pretty obvious for us that it improved. And for those who haven't, it's roughly good. Although, I have observed some recycled skins and objects while playing so I'll just assume that somebody got lazy.

    Music/Sounds: What I loved about this game is the BGM. Especially the drama-enhancing opera BGM that plays on certain scenes. Shivers are sure to be sent down thy spines while thou art listening. Don't know what I'm talking about? Play the game.

    Gameplay: Now this is where AMFP fell behind. I have seen a lot of angry questions thrown at the game, and I would like to analyze and comment on each of those questions that i saw.

    1.) WHERE THE HELL IS THE SANITY METER?
    - I too asked this myself. Why would they remove the sanity meter? Is our protagonist just too uber-manly to be scared? Or is it because parental love overshadow fear? I would like to believe with the latter idea. However, it is a bad move for AMFP to remove this game mechanic because it was the one that was actually inducing fear to the players. It was the one who was ordering the players to be scared.

    2.) WHERE THE HELL IS MY INVENTORY?
    - I kept on pressing tab until I realized that it was all for naught. Apparently, our protagonist doesn't like to carry anything at all. Unlike Daniel (Dark Descent), our protagonist for AMFP can't lift non-important things such as vases, jars, hammers, etc. This one wasn't exactly the case because there are still instances when you're required to put this there and combine this with that. But if I was the one who was scouring a dark and blood-spattered hallway? I would like to hold on to something just in case I need to throw something on something. Something-ception.

    3.) WHY CAN'T I HOLD ANYTHING?
    -See number 2. tl;dr? Daniel lifts and this one doesn't.

    4.) WHY IS MY LANTERN NOT RUNNING OUT OF OIL?!
    - One word. Batteries. LOLjk. This took out the challenge though. It took out the "you-are-surviving-so-you-should-save-supplies-so-you-could-die-another-day" idea.

    5.) WHERE ARE THE TINDERBOXES AND LAUDANUM?
    - Yes! You can't light candles and chandeliers anymore. Yes! You don't need a drugged herbal elixir to cure your injuries anymore. Apparently, you got Wolverine's regeneration ability and you're injuries just close up in just a matter of seconds. And who needs candles when you got a battery-powered lantern?

    Horror Factors: Expect jumpscares, panic-inducing moments, and of course, the dark and gruesome surroundings.

    Conclusion: Although AMFP lacked challenge, its story was well-written and it can still give you nightmares. However, Amnesia: The Dark Descent was hands down, better.

    Final Score: 8/10    … Expand
  73. Soujirop
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    A little lackluster considering its great predecessor. The graphic quality has not advanced, and the game follows the same formula of the previous Amnesia, but unfortunately, it's not as scary. Still pretty horrifying when compared with any other survival horror. Its low price makes it a good deal.
  74. ZachayesR
    Sep 16, 2013
    8
    The terror in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs comes not from the jump scares of an unseen water monster or the fright of a new Manpig sprinting at you but rather from the horrifying well-written story, notes, and journals that you find along the way. The jumps are still there, but they are less frequent which is actually a bit more scary, it makes you think you're safe. The new creatures areThe terror in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs comes not from the jump scares of an unseen water monster or the fright of a new Manpig sprinting at you but rather from the horrifying well-written story, notes, and journals that you find along the way. The jumps are still there, but they are less frequent which is actually a bit more scary, it makes you think you're safe. The new creatures are splendid and the layout is still just as much of a labyrinth, but the storyline drives this game. Curry's soundtrack is phenomenal and the use of unseen children's voices adds a level of under-your-skin creepiness.… Expand
  75. btard
    Sep 16, 2013
    0
    Hated it. Story was great. Idea was great. There's barely any evading! There's zero to none interactions with objects, only the one they want you to use. I only got scared 2 or 3 times in the entire game. Very disappointed.
  76. diezlwolf
    Sep 16, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Honestly I had very high hopes for an Amnesia sequel, but A Machine for Pigs was very disappointing. I don't want to impugn the hard work of the wonderful developers who worked on the project, but the game felt like it was half-assed, for which there is no excuse given that the release date kept getting pushed back. My biggest complaint is that this game is barely even 30% as scary as The Dark Descent mainly because they removed the insanity mechanic. The Dark Descent was so terrifying because you were FORCED into the darkness at the cost of your character's sanity in order to survive and make progress, relying only on your finite lantern oil and finite tinderboxes to keep you on the right track.

    This game also lacks any kind of puzzles worth mentioning, making it feel dull and easy if there's nothing to use your brain on then why not just have the player walk through the entire game?

    Elimination of the inventory screen was also a big mistake. Having items for the player to collect: whether they're vital pieces of some puzzle down the road or precious vials of laudanum or lantern oil entices the player to explore dark areas they might otherwise just walk by. The inventory screen also gives players the option of having and using tools to solve puzzles or break through impassable areas, giving another dimension of creativity to making progress.

    The enemy design in this game is uninspired to say the least. Given there is no "insanity penalty" for looking at the monsters it allows the player to study them closely and see just how unthreatening they are. The enemies encountered in the Dark Descent by contrast are nothing less than the stuff of nightmares: I've played through thousands of hours of zombie games in my lifetime and I've yet to encounter anything even remotely as terrifying as the Servant-Gatherers from the Dark Descent (honorable mention: Pyramid Head but he STILL doesn't strike fear into the heart of the player like Mr. Face screaming towards you in a dark corridor).

    Finally, the storytelling elements in this game fall flat over so many omitted details. The journal entries were just words on the screen (in a hard-to-read font) rather than the outstanding voice-acting and ambiance-of-terror music of its predecessor. A Machine for Pigs had none of the dramatic irony through music, well-placed flashbacks, hallucinations of screaming victims, or other unsettling events which make a horror story feel authentic. While the music composed for this game wasn't bad, it didn't go far enough and there wasn't enough of it. Silence through corridors isn't spooky it just seems lazy. Attention to every little detail of the experience is why I've recommended Amnesia: The Dark Descent to just about everybody I know, purely on artistic grounds alone to say nothing of being the single most terrifying work of media I've ever encountered.

    I thank the developers for their hard work on this entry into the Amnesia series, and I hope they will return to and build upon the original formula of The Dark Descent in making a third Amnesia game.    … Expand
  77. Blahguy126
    Sep 16, 2013
    9
    Simply put, this is the exact median between Dear Esther and The Dark Decent. I went into this game expecting a campy storyline with some great scares, but what I got instead was the most unsettling game I have ever played. Surprisingly enough, for how amazing of a plot this game has (as pretentiously metaphorical it can be sometimes), there's very few plot holes and the level design isSimply put, this is the exact median between Dear Esther and The Dark Decent. I went into this game expecting a campy storyline with some great scares, but what I got instead was the most unsettling game I have ever played. Surprisingly enough, for how amazing of a plot this game has (as pretentiously metaphorical it can be sometimes), there's very few plot holes and the level design is near perfect despite it being so incredibly linear. I have no problem with that, as I know that linear gameplay is the best way to tell a story. The writing is great, the voice acting is top notch (despite some cheap sound effects), and the atmosphere is PERFECT. The graphics are also fantastic despite having indie origins. The plot lays out like Bioshock, which also means it has pacing issues. Also, the inconsistency of the enemy encounters is noticeably annoying, but the encounters it does have are BLISTERINGLY intense. Way more frightening than anything in the first game.… Expand
  78. Alowishus
    Sep 16, 2013
    3
    The game is too short I completed it first time in 3 and 1/2 hours whilst exploring, so I was hardly rushing through. The game is not scary this is due to the removal of the insanity effects and the infinite lantern you now have. The game itself is actually rarely if at all in total darkness so you can see everything coming. There is basically one type of enemy the rest being pastedThe game is too short I completed it first time in 3 and 1/2 hours whilst exploring, so I was hardly rushing through. The game is not scary this is due to the removal of the insanity effects and the infinite lantern you now have. The game itself is actually rarely if at all in total darkness so you can see everything coming. There is basically one type of enemy the rest being pasted from the Dark Descent and they are not scary at all. In fact most of the enemy encounters are scripted and they cannot kill you, making the enemies almost trivial. There is only a few sections were the enemies roam about and you know when they are coming because they always occur in large rooms were the enemies can move about. If you are in a linear corridor you know you are safe. The puzzles are basically non-existent, mainly because you can barely interact with any items which makes the locating of "puzzle" items extremely easy in fact to call them puzzles is an over-exaggeration, they are mostly lift item x and place in slot y.

    Basically the gameplay is non-existent. You walk through linear corridors, see an enemy jump out and go boo and that is it. It's basically walk from the start of the game to the end. The pros of this game are the soundtrack, voice acting and the story.

    So for a horror game, it is a bit of a joke and it was hugely disappointing for me.    … Expand
  79. Gilrajeen
    Sep 16, 2013
    7
    Wer nach einem Horrorgame wie The Dark Descent sucht, wird leider enttäuscht. A Machine for Pigs erzählt eine bizarre Geschichte, welche nicht viel Platz für richtigen Horror lässt. Fast scheint es so, als wurde die ganze Energie in die Story gesteckt und der Horror rückte in den Hintergrund. Als Horrorfan erscheint dies bitter, denn auch ich habe mich auf schlaflose Nächte gefreut. DochWer nach einem Horrorgame wie The Dark Descent sucht, wird leider enttäuscht. A Machine for Pigs erzählt eine bizarre Geschichte, welche nicht viel Platz für richtigen Horror lässt. Fast scheint es so, als wurde die ganze Energie in die Story gesteckt und der Horror rückte in den Hintergrund. Als Horrorfan erscheint dies bitter, denn auch ich habe mich auf schlaflose Nächte gefreut. Doch je mehr ich mich mit der Story auseinandersetze, desto bizarrer erscheint sie. Ein richtiger Die Story finde ich wirklich sehr Gelungen.

    Was mich stört(e):
    - Die Rätsel sind zu einfach
    - (fast) Keine Verfolgungsjagden
    - Kein Inventar (und kein "Zustand") mehr und darum ist es auch nicht nötig, jeden Raum nach brauchbarem abzusuchen
    - Wenn man ein Schweinchen sieht, dann flackert höchstens die Lampe. Angst scheint man keine zu haben
    - zu wenig horror

    Was ich gut fand:
    - Die Story
    - Die Effekte

    Alles in allem fand ich das Game nicht schlecht, wer aber Horror sucht, ist bei diesem Spiel falsch. Wer wert auf eine gute Story legt, der sollte sich dieses Spiel unbedingt genauer anschauen.    … Expand
  80. Xon
    Sep 16, 2013
    8
    The game is good, but since it is an Amnesia sequel many would feel disappointed because it is almost entirely a different genre of game. But the atmosphere is brilliant, the world painstakingly detailed and the sounds realistic and eery.
  81. Lordgrey
    Sep 16, 2013
    7
    Not scare. Have no any horror. But storyline completely crazy and has some interesting ideas, many blood and use to show us a essence what rule this unperfect world. In time of sterile censored games with pink blood and unnatural soft and too simple lexicon it very...not bad, yeah. If you love psychedelic atmosphere, your favorite film is "The silence of the lambs" and your think thatNot scare. Have no any horror. But storyline completely crazy and has some interesting ideas, many blood and use to show us a essence what rule this unperfect world. In time of sterile censored games with pink blood and unnatural soft and too simple lexicon it very...not bad, yeah. If you love psychedelic atmosphere, your favorite film is "The silence of the lambs" and your think that Hannibal the most charismatic character for ever, i think you like this game.… Expand
  82. BlueKobold
    Sep 16, 2013
    2
    This isn't Amnesia, it tastes like Chinese. Seriously, if they wanted Dear Ester 2, the Chinese Room could have made it themselves and kept their pretentious fingers off Amnesia. Not to mention that ending! A disappointing ending to a disappointing game. I honestly can't believe Frictional Games allowed this to be released. They are still one of my favorite companies, but they shouldThis isn't Amnesia, it tastes like Chinese. Seriously, if they wanted Dear Ester 2, the Chinese Room could have made it themselves and kept their pretentious fingers off Amnesia. Not to mention that ending! A disappointing ending to a disappointing game. I honestly can't believe Frictional Games allowed this to be released. They are still one of my favorite companies, but they should keep the Chinese Room as far away from their franchise as possible.… Expand
  83. aznassassin
    Sep 16, 2013
    6
    Lacks the same flavour and taste that made the original so great while also being less accessible with fewer scares. Mediocre graphics that look a complete step down from the original and frustrating long load times dont help either.
  84. czerro
    Sep 16, 2013
    2
    Game is unfortunately woefully undercooked. The story backdrop is intriguing, but for a game that clocks in at around 4 hours, oddly somehow manages to outstay it's welcome in record time. I guess that's the next thing to mention: to call this game 'a short experience' is a gross understatement. The locale should lend itself to more intriguing environments than ATDD, yet somehow reallyGame is unfortunately woefully undercooked. The story backdrop is intriguing, but for a game that clocks in at around 4 hours, oddly somehow manages to outstay it's welcome in record time. I guess that's the next thing to mention: to call this game 'a short experience' is a gross understatement. The locale should lend itself to more intriguing environments than ATDD, yet somehow really fails to capitalize on this. I think part of this is simply 'level' design. There is no exploration to take advantage of as the player is herded down abbreviated corridors from door A to B, stripping the player of any feeling of discovery. This design also deflates another Amnesia staple: the cat and mouse. Enemies by nature of the level (read: tunnel) design, must spawn/monster box the player from behind. The player then just continues down the predetermined path he was already on to begin with... Players are not even trusted with an escape mechanic (figuring out how to manipulate something or block a door to prevent the adversary's advance. Either a gate inexplicably falls preventing the monster's advancement, or the door itself activates a loading screen. Now, as there are essentially no game mechanics, there is only the story for the player. Does it deliver? Despite some nicely written pages revealing the grim industry of the machine, No. The central mystery that kicks off the tale and provides impetus for the character's decent, will be seen through immediately upon it's introduction and it's continuous method of delivery. As grating as grinding your way towards this reveal is, the secondary plot reveal is thinly veiled as well and is EXACTLY the central twist in a much more popular and successful game.… Expand
  85. TundraFreeze
    Sep 15, 2013
    7
    This being all about the atmosphere, I find myself missing the puzzles and monsters from the first game.The skill and money going into this game has focused on creating a range of spooky atmospheres. You have a creepy old house, a church, sewers, etc. With headphones on and in a darkened room this game is definitely creepy. The storyline is great and the game allows you to explore theThis being all about the atmosphere, I find myself missing the puzzles and monsters from the first game.The skill and money going into this game has focused on creating a range of spooky atmospheres. You have a creepy old house, a church, sewers, etc. With headphones on and in a darkened room this game is definitely creepy. The storyline is great and the game allows you to explore the areas you travel through. However you simply don't DO much in this sequel. There are puzzles in this game but to be honest none of them are particularly challenging nor interesting. There are monsters too but they are not as unique and original as in the first game. So if you like creepy atmopsheres and a good horror storyline you should enjoy this sequel, that is the focus of the game. If you want challenging and interesting puzzles in addition to that I am not so sure you will enjoy it. 'A Machine for Pigs' is not a bad horror game by any means but it doesn't live up to the original, it feels 'average'. In fact my favourite horror game so far in 2013 is 'Outlast', it was far more interesting and unique than 'A Machine for Pigs'.… Expand
  86. RockinSmack
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    I wonder what people would have said had they not had A:TDD to compare A:AMFP to? Personally, I loved both games. Sharper graphics/textures, improved audio in this one. Great writing this time around, I enjoyed the tale even more so. So many of the negative user scores mention A:TDD and how this game just doesn't stack up I suggest you all just enjoy it for the game it is. I thinkI wonder what people would have said had they not had A:TDD to compare A:AMFP to? Personally, I loved both games. Sharper graphics/textures, improved audio in this one. Great writing this time around, I enjoyed the tale even more so. So many of the negative user scores mention A:TDD and how this game just doesn't stack up I suggest you all just enjoy it for the game it is. I think after all this backlash, Frictional will be sure to do the next one all on their own. Let's be careful we don't cause them to pack it in altogether... Cheers!… Expand
  87. popizdeosam
    Sep 15, 2013
    0
    This game is designed to satisfy stupid people. There is no logic, puzzles are kiddengarden class. Noting is scary, generally so much dead pigs are not scary. It had good potential but its not used properly. Don't spend money on this. Play amnesia dark descent and don't waste time on this. Not worthy even time for being downloaded on piratebay.
  88. tanmanjf
    Sep 15, 2013
    9
    What to say about Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs... It is definable not like a dark descent, but it is much, much deeper in story. If you are someone who flew through a dark descent with out reading anything then I am certain this game is not for you! But if you did read and enjoyed the story in a dark descent, You will most likely enjoy Machine for pigs. It has a wonderful deep story butWhat to say about Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs... It is definable not like a dark descent, but it is much, much deeper in story. If you are someone who flew through a dark descent with out reading anything then I am certain this game is not for you! But if you did read and enjoyed the story in a dark descent, You will most likely enjoy Machine for pigs. It has a wonderful deep story but lacks in the strong horror elements that made a dark descent so great. I'm not gonna call this a spoiler because it is so obvious, in the game their are pigs, as someone who has had pigs and had pigs slaughtered made this game particularly not frightening. But, the story was so good that I enjoyed it anyways.

    For pure horror: skip it
    For a great interactive story experience: play it    … Expand
  89. Isabelbdn
    Sep 15, 2013
    1
    I was expecting something else ...
    1 the story of the game was good but too short
    2 the scenes were good but not too interactive 3 infinite lantern is a joke? 4 the puzzles were laughing, too simple 5 do not need the inventory because the game is too easy 6 do not you worry about your health or getting laudanum or find parts for a complicated puzzle is so easy that you will    I was expecting something else ...
    1 the story of the game was good but too short
    2 the scenes were good but not too interactive
    3 infinite lantern is a joke?
    4 the puzzles were laughing, too simple
    5 do not need the inventory because the game is too easy
    6 do not you worry about your health or getting laudanum or find parts for a complicated puzzle is so easy that you will not die even once
    7 The plot is very repetitive (but simpler) draining pumps to remove the water and was in the first amnesia ...
    8 NO SCARES, there are no moments of fear they promised to

    I expected a lot more They promised us many things and have not been complied The first amnesia with less money was infinitely better ...

    CONCLUSÓN: Do it again

    Make good use of the money collected because it was not worth what I paid for it    … Expand
  90. Fogdale
    Sep 15, 2013
    8
    "Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs" is the sequel to" Amnesia: The Dark Descent", but doesn't really feel like that. The graphics and the atmosphere are definetly awesome, but the gameplay is heavily reduced.

    The inventory sytem is missing, you don't have to refill the lantern and you can't move as many objects as you could in "The Dark Descent". The monsters in "A Machine For Pigs" are    "Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs" is the sequel to" Amnesia: The Dark Descent", but doesn't really feel like that. The graphics and the atmosphere are definetly awesome, but the gameplay is heavily reduced.

    The inventory sytem is missing, you don't have to refill the lantern and you can't move as many objects as you could in "The Dark Descent".

    The monsters in "A Machine For Pigs" are looking scarier than the monsters in "The Dark Descent", but don't really seem to be a real threat to me, mainly because the chasing noise doesn't appear anymore.

    The puzzles aren't as challenging as the ones in "The Dark Descent", which isn't exactly a bad thing, because you don't use so much time on finding and combining stuff anymore.

    "A Machine For Pigs" is a bit short, but I felt satisfied in the end. The story confused me and I still don't really know what was going on, but I didn't have the feeling I had after games like "Outlast" where the ending was just bad to me.

    "A Machine For Pigs" is definetly a good game, but the fact that it is the sequel to one of the scariest games ever created makes it seem a bit bad. If you would take the "Amnesia" out of the name and would just call it "A Machine For Pigs" it would seem way better because one doesn't compare it to "The Dark Descent" anymore.    … Expand
  91. Ignell2
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    I can't understand why people are hating on this game so much. Its interesting, but is not the same game as Amnesia: The Dark Decent. They still keep up their reputation of horrifying ambience and it seems they have even improved on that aspect. Don't listen to all those haters it's a great game.
  92. cornbread
    Sep 15, 2013
    10
    After playing AMFP, I was surprised with the negative reviews of the game. Having just finished Outlast which was certainly very scary, AMFP had something else that was more powerful to me: dread.

    The jumpy scares were greatly reduced to only a few instances in the game, but the effect was that you never knew what was going to happen. With Outlast, and Amensia: The Dark Descent, I    After playing AMFP, I was surprised with the negative reviews of the game. Having just finished Outlast which was certainly very scary, AMFP had something else that was more powerful to me: dread.

    The jumpy scares were greatly reduced to only a few instances in the game, but the effect was that you never knew what was going to happen. With Outlast, and Amensia: The Dark Descent, I become almost desensitized to the scares because they were so frequent.

    In a lot of ways I felt the game was actually very similar to The Dark Descent. They simplified the torch and lantern system without sacrificing the fear element, and in many situations you couldn't slip into the darkness to see everything around you like The Dark Descent. Beyond that though many of the elements and puzzles were similar.

    I felt unsettled and uncomfortable the whole time while playing AMFP, which was great. Coupled with the creepy late 1800's atmosphere of scientific discovery, and this was a game I greatly enjoyed. Play time for me was about 12 hours, similar to The Dark Descent.    … Expand
  93. Nester
    Sep 15, 2013
    7
    This was a game I had long waited for, and I am please to say it was not a disappointment. The game brings back true horror with the chilling areas, the atmosphere, and its brain-bending puzzles.

    As a fan of the first game, I am slightly disappointed that some features from the last game were removed, mainly the sanity meter, as I found it one of the many elements that adds strategy and    This was a game I had long waited for, and I am please to say it was not a disappointment. The game brings back true horror with the chilling areas, the atmosphere, and its brain-bending puzzles.

    As a fan of the first game, I am slightly disappointed that some features from the last game were removed, mainly the sanity meter, as I found it one of the many elements that adds strategy and horror to the game.

    Despite that, this sequel does bring back the gripping storytelling that Frictional Games provides us with, as I found the mysteries exciting and shocking that it made me carry on with the game.

    Overall, it isn't the best sequel to the series, but then again, no game is perfect. It has its pros and cons, but I like to see it as a good addition to what may come further in these horrifying games.    … Expand
  94. mysteryone
    Sep 15, 2013
    5
    I love Amnesia,
    but I must say, I'm disappointed with this game...
    they took off what was the best in "the dark descent" the puzzles are too easy to solve, because you have almost no interactivity with objects. no inventory, and worse, no insanity bar... in "the dark descent", you really feel the pressure, you don't want to be in the dark, because your character start to shake and    I love Amnesia,
    but I must say, I'm disappointed with this game...

    they took off what was the best in "the dark descent"
    the puzzles are too easy to solve, because you have almost no interactivity with objects.
    no inventory, and worse, no insanity bar...

    in "the dark descent", you really feel the pressure, you don't want to be in the dark, because your character start to shake and may cry, when scared he falls and you can only crawl into the ground like a worm afraid to become another pray... you have nothing like that in "a machine for pigs" is closer to "Dear Esther" than "Amnesia".

    Light was something precious, you needed light to cure, but you knew, you can't keep the lights on because monsters may see you, and you need to be careful about how you spend it, or it may end.
    in "a machine for pigs", you have an infinite lantern, and the dark does nothing to you.

    in "the dark descent" you don't want to look to the monster, because your vision blurs, you become insane, cry, and the monster sees you.
    I looked directly into the monsters eyes, what happens? nothing... nothing happens in "a machine for pigs".

    seriously, no Amnesia fans will like it... play the Dark Decent if you want real pressure, real immersion.
    this game took off what was the best.

    if a give them 5, is because they did a good work with the ambient, sounds and 3D, and I like the telephone calls.
    I hope the story will make me love this game.    … Expand
  95. Mipply
    Sep 15, 2013
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bigger. No. Badder. Yes.

    Story -
    In a year where we are graced with games like Bioshock Infinite, Metro: Last Light and The Last of Us, how this game feels fit to use its narrative as the driving force behind the experience baffles me. Whilst it showed serious promise at first with the machine, what felt like a suitably dark story ended up as what I like to call the ME3 method. This is where the resolution to a problem simple repeats the initial problem. To spoil, the Machine for Pigs was built to kill every one because he didn't want every one to die in world war 1 and the rest of the 20th centenary...huh, well I guess being kidnapped, beaten, detoothed, stripped, bled and minced is a much better alternative to being shot, or is that just me?

    Asthetic-
    If you liked the first Amnesia's repeated stone corridors and wooden beams then you'll be pleased to hear that the sequel bumps this trend by setting the majority of the game in stone TUNNELS with METAL bea...Oh for sake. Character models are passable and surprisingly well rounded for an independent project but beyond that, you'll be sprinting down the same metal paths and cobbled roads for the majority of the game.

    USP-
    I am either stupid (likely) or misinformed but I always believed that the USP of Amnesia was that it was supposed to be a new horror IP in a world of grey money grabbing shooters. How fitting then that the unique selling point of the franchise has been sanded down to an initial burst before (I you not) the pigs have a banquet, you walk through excrement which the game seems to think it so dark and...wait for it, the Attack of the Electric Pig. I wish I was joking.

    Conclusion-
    The story is supposed to be the main hook for AMFP but it neither delivers upon this or backs it up with better core mechanics. If you liked Dear Esther I doubt you'll like this as the game ****s itself inside out in the second and third act. Its awfully choppy with frame rate, the removed mechanics are not reinforced with anything else and it just isn't...scary. There were many times in the game where I really missed the mechanic from the Metro games to charge your lamp as the infiniy-bulb never dies, only flickers which worked once or twice but you'll soon figure out is just for affect. The only thing I can really recommend is that it is at least interesting enough to hold you to its unsatisfying conclusion and that the sound design and voice acting are well done. For £12.99 on steam you can buy the original, I'd do that if I were you.
    Chow.    … Expand
  96. Mothhive
    Sep 15, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with the game, maybe because I was a massive fan of the original, as well as a fan or Dear Esther, and had been excited about playing this since the reveal, I don't know. Anyway, here's what I found good and bad:

    Good:

    As usual, the world is extremely detailed looking.

    The music is quite good and fits with each situation in the game

    There were a few cool moments when objects or even doors and passages would appear/disappear leaving you a little confused or freaked out for a moment, but in a good way! :)

    Bad:

    Far too short. I finished it in 4 hours, and I didn't rush through. I'm OCD and I explore everywhere and look at everything in games. Regular gamers would probably get through it even faster!

    There was absolutely no tension or atmosphere, which are things the original had in spades! At no point did I feel dread, fear, apprehension, or any of the other good stuff the original made me feel.

    The only scares in the game were a handful of cheap jump scares, like platforms falling, children running at you, etc.

    The story seemed to be the main focus of the game, but it was extremely predictable. There was obviously a lot of effort put into it with all the notes and dialogue, but most of it was so over the top, almost pretentious sounding, coupled with the shovelling of as many terms relating to pigs as possible (yes, we get it, there are pigs in this game!), it was incredibly hard to take seriously and almost painful to get through, nearly to the point where I considered skipping reading the notes/journal.

    The monsters were not even remotely scary and never felt like they were a threat, even when they spotted you and chased you. In fact, I'd go as far as to say they were almost comical in their appearance and behaviour (WTF was up with that Space Pig???). So disappointed after the terrifying array of monsters in the original.

    Lack of mechanics from the previous game, like tinder boxes, lantern fuel, inventory, insanity, health, etc. The game was over simplified and lost a lot of it's charm and things which helped make the original scary.

    While the graphics are similar quality to the original, there seemed to be this weird fuzz/glow over everything, that in the darkest parts of the game would cause weird artifacts and colour banding that I hadn't experienced previously.

    Overall, I found this to be a disappointment and I wish I'd picked it up in a Steam sale, rather than pre-ordering, because it certainly was not worth the money.    … Expand
  97. MunchkinX2000
    Sep 15, 2013
    8
    I found the original Amnesia to have great ideas but to fall flat on its ass with how gamey the inventory and the meters made it feel. Only every now and then were you able to forget its actually a game.

    This time around they concentrated on what made Amnesia great. (If you can honestly say playing around with your inventory was what made it good then... I don't know... Diablo or Path    I found the original Amnesia to have great ideas but to fall flat on its ass with how gamey the inventory and the meters made it feel. Only every now and then were you able to forget its actually a game.

    This time around they concentrated on what made Amnesia great. (If you can honestly say playing around with your inventory was what made it good then... I don't know... Diablo or Path of Exile might be more your cup of tea )

    Good:
    - Atmosphere
    - Story
    - The horror element Until...

    Bad:
    Once they reveal too much of the pig-men. Once you've seen them a bunch they really lose their effectiveness. This is not a monster design flaw IMO. The same thing happens with all monsters once you get a good long look at them. It is a pacing story telling flaw. This is were almost all horror games & movies for that matter fall flat on their arse.    … Expand
  98. Sysgen
    Sep 14, 2013
    9
    The curtain closes and I'm left staring at the credits pondering the splendid story I've just been told both by voice and by pen. The writing through notes scattered about the environment is unbelievably magnificent. The musical score is also noteworthy and like it's predecessor the atmosphere is thick, rich and well maintained throughout.

    I'm not going to compare Amnesia: A Machine for    The curtain closes and I'm left staring at the credits pondering the splendid story I've just been told both by voice and by pen. The writing through notes scattered about the environment is unbelievably magnificent. The musical score is also noteworthy and like it's predecessor the atmosphere is thick, rich and well maintained throughout.

    I'm not going to compare Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs with Amnesia: The Dark Descent as is the rage on the Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs Steam forums and most likely on any gaming forum that your browser may come upon. Simply put, just because two siblings share the same surname does not mandate that the youngest emulate or follow in the footsteps of the elder Both siblings can be great in their own way. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs deserves to stand on it's own and bask in it's own brilliance and magnificence.    … Expand
  99. Steeltel
    Sep 14, 2013
    0
    The only real horror that I experienced in this game that was advertised with a terrifying journey into madness, industrialisation and the darkest secrets of the soul. was the realisation after completing this boring piece of garbage that I actually paid money for it.
    I could not believe that it would be this bad, but really, it is not scary at all. The only gameplay consists of the    The only real horror that I experienced in this game that was advertised with a terrifying journey into madness, industrialisation and the darkest secrets of the soul. was the realisation after completing this boring piece of garbage that I actually paid money for it.
    I could not believe that it would be this bad, but really, it is not scary at all. The only gameplay consists of the occasional turning of some valves. And the overarching storyline that gives AaMfP some points with the critics... meh. "The whole world will be destroyed". Good Lord, I never have heard that before.    … Expand
  100. LordrinD
    Sep 14, 2013
    8
    Set in a slightly steampunk-esque 1899 London, A Machine for Pigs pits the player as Oswald Mandus, a meat factory owner and inventor of reputable skill, as he wakes up suffering from memory loss and trying to find his missing children as he travels down into the depths of an enormous machine. Like the first Amnesia the player must avoid grotesque abominations as they travel through a darkSet in a slightly steampunk-esque 1899 London, A Machine for Pigs pits the player as Oswald Mandus, a meat factory owner and inventor of reputable skill, as he wakes up suffering from memory loss and trying to find his missing children as he travels down into the depths of an enormous machine. Like the first Amnesia the player must avoid grotesque abominations as they travel through a dark chilling environment and occasionally must solve a puzzle, usually fairly simple like putting an object somewhere.

    But what many Amnesia fans might be disappointed to see is that The Chinese Room has taken their beloved monster-terror-meaty franchise and fried it up in a new, more literary fashion. Inventory, resource management, health status, and sanity status have all been removed, as well as a lot of environment interactivity, stripping the game to a pure essence. What many might overlook in their descent to the fetid bowels of this insidious machine, however, is the stunningly written horror story within. It deals with lofty subjects in spades, ranging from love and contempt, to idealism and defeatism, and more. Much of the story though is told vaguely through recalled dialogue and journal excerpts and must be pieced together by the player, which may simply not happen when one is busy focusing too much on the scare and monsters.

    Or lack thereof.

    One the biggest blows to the game, and indeed what seems to be garnering it many unjustly low reviews, are the often seen yet rarely thrown-at-you monsters. The Dark Descent was well known for its ruthless baddies that chase and stalk you through dark corridors and rooms, but this oft beloved scare tactic simply isn't there in A Machine for Pigs. There are a few moments where the player is required to avoid patrolling pigmen, but often it proves quick and surprisingly easy. Granted, although any actual danger in the game is relatively low the terror and tension are still there if you slow down and allow yourself to be immersed in the game's superb modeling, texturing, lighting, and audio work. Moody dread might be better to describe the game's atmosphere, rather than hostilely suffocating.

    Nevertheless, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Scariness and danger threats are not metrics to which the horror genre is held to. I for one am glad that this game was kept from the slippery slopes of stealth-horror and gather-while-chased that seems to be dominating horror games these days, especially if such mechanics might lead to a frustratingly difficult journey that could very well distract from what was being told.

    Sadly some might not consider literary horror compelling enough to carry gameplay, and indeed resource management and brutal monster chases seem to be what's delivering the desired scariness level currently. Those who are interested in a deep, compelling horror story delivered with a dark, moody atmosphere are in for a real treat, but those looking for threatening monster chases and jump scares will be sorely disappointed. Since many Amnesia fans will likely be expecting the latter, this game might sadly be destined as mere pearls before swine.

    8/10 Masterful horror storytelling with impressively crafted atmosphere. Actual game mechanics and enemy usage could have been better to keep up with its highly praised predecessor. A little short for it's cost and production time, but it still delivers while avoiding repetition.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

25
#25 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
69
#69 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 59 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 59
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 59
  3. Negative: 1 out of 59
  1. Level7.nu
    Dec 12, 2013
    70
    A Machine for Pigs is a well made and impressive game with a thorough thematic design and atmosphere. As a horror game it is rather spartan yet brilliant in that it let’s your brain conjure most of its horrors. Unfortunately it comes with a rather numbing effect that makes later parts of the game feel more formulaic and not as scary.
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  2. GameOver.gr
    Nov 5, 2013
    50
    With problematic pacing and a complete lack of the horror element -that was the highlight of the first game- A Machine for Pigs didn't meet our expectations.
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  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 24, 2013
    80
    A perfect clash of Dear Esther and Amnesia, focused on straining your nerves while easing - perhaps a tad too much - on the interaction and gameplay. [Issue#234]
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