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. Gengou
    Sep 14, 2013
    0
    How can you develop a game for so long and have 4 hours of gameplay as the result? I mean, if those 4 hours were the most intense of my gamelife then alright, I'd pay for that. But this game delivers 4 hours of straight walking through the same boring scenery again and again. It's like going into some horror house at the fair. Wow, I was sooooooo shocked. Story wasn't captivating at allHow can you develop a game for so long and have 4 hours of gameplay as the result? I mean, if those 4 hours were the most intense of my gamelife then alright, I'd pay for that. But this game delivers 4 hours of straight walking through the same boring scenery again and again. It's like going into some horror house at the fair. Wow, I was sooooooo shocked. Story wasn't captivating at all and the brutality and abominations of Amnesia: Dark Descent not even reached by a tiny bit. Worst game of 2013 confirmed. Don't buy unless you like to "play" a dumbed down version of the true Amnesia.… Expand
  2. CypherDave
    Sep 14, 2013
    1
    The word Amenisa needed to be dropped from the title because Machine for Pigs does a poor job to the franchise. They would've been more sucessful if they had turned it into a book or audio experience. The game play was truly lack luster compared to the original.

    Having just played outlast I can say it was far superior to machine for pigs in almost every way, resource management and even    The word Amenisa needed to be dropped from the title because Machine for Pigs does a poor job to the franchise. They would've been more sucessful if they had turned it into a book or audio experience. The game play was truly lack luster compared to the original.

    Having just played outlast I can say it was far superior to machine for pigs in almost every way, resource management and even a basic inventory system. AI's that follow you around. Far more scares. More gore and interesting environments to explore. I'd certainly recommend Outlast over Machine for pigs for player experience.    … Expand
  3. LukeDann
    Sep 14, 2013
    6
    Frictional Games while working on their next new IP brought in The Chinese Room a team that made the breathtaking Dear Esther in 2012 to create a sequel to what many consider to be, the scariest game ever. Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs is set in Victorian London in the year 1899. You play as Oswald Mandus a butcher who has built up a factory complex and built a great machine for pigs, heFrictional Games while working on their next new IP brought in The Chinese Room a team that made the breathtaking Dear Esther in 2012 to create a sequel to what many consider to be, the scariest game ever. Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs is set in Victorian London in the year 1899. You play as Oswald Mandus a butcher who has built up a factory complex and built a great machine for pigs, he wakes up one night after a fever dream to find that his children have gone missing and he must descent into the heart of the machine to save them. The game focuses heavily on narrative thus loses the massive emphasis on horror and survival that The Dark Descent had, of course with TCR working on the game it was inevitable to become a fresh experience but was that experience a great horror game i came to expect? No it started off really nicely but very slowly worked it's way to the first pigman encounter, after that the game lost it's momentum and i felt myself becoming confused on how i felt on the game. For the first half of the game you feel threatened by the pigs but after you reach the holding pens and observe them playing with blocks and acting like children you feel sorry for them and realise that they're just people, homeless and prostitutes that Mandus had taken into the machine, seeing that kills the mood. It had it's moments where it scared me and made me squeal like a piggy but they were too few and there are literally no hiding places in the form of closets and the like, most of the time it felt like a dull descent into the unknown. The new and improved mechanics makes it easier and more fun to throw items around but don't expect to pick up everything as the game forces you to only pick up items of interest. What the game does do well however is the stunning visuals and the amazing sound design that Jessica Curry has wonderfully composed, i think it was the music and story that kept me going to the end. All in all it wasn't what i expected that's not to say it's bad however it is NOT an Amnesia game if you are a veteran of the first you will be disappointed like I.… Expand
  4. Kild
    Sep 14, 2013
    0
    I am really disappointed from this game. There are only several times when you are scared (one or two), and the riddles are really easy. The game is really short, about 4 hours long, and an hour of it is just the start, which doesn't include nothing. The game doesn't have the sanity system and inventory, and the lantern doesn't run out. Only when you finish the game you feel that you onlyI am really disappointed from this game. There are only several times when you are scared (one or two), and the riddles are really easy. The game is really short, about 4 hours long, and an hour of it is just the start, which doesn't include nothing. The game doesn't have the sanity system and inventory, and the lantern doesn't run out. Only when you finish the game you feel that you only started, which is really bad. I am deeply disappointed from the game.… Expand
  5. targz
    Sep 14, 2013
    4
    Machine for pigs was a huge disappointment after Dark Descent. They removed many elements, such as sanity, inventory and tinderboxes. You can't grab many objects as you could in Dark Descent. This is like a walking simulator, not a horror game.
  6. SuperVaich
    Sep 14, 2013
    8
    If you liked the first Amnesia and that is also the reason you bought this game. Then you are in for a weird treat. Because "Amnesia: A machine for pigs" is not like "Amnesia: The Dark Descent".

    I experienced this game a lot more different than The Dark Descent. The things that made The dark descent amazing are removed from this game but instead they put in some other great things but    If you liked the first Amnesia and that is also the reason you bought this game. Then you are in for a weird treat. Because "Amnesia: A machine for pigs" is not like "Amnesia: The Dark Descent".

    I experienced this game a lot more different than The Dark Descent. The things that made The dark descent amazing are removed from this game but instead they put in some other great things but to be fair it was not what everyone was waiting for. AAMFP shows a great storytelling and you are completely immersed in the game. In fact, the game is completely based on its storytelling.

    At first I was a little bit afraid of the the game because i didn't know what to expect. But further on in the game. it was more excitement I felt instead of fear. It was weird to experience. I also thought the game was a bit short.

    Based on the game play, I was a bit disappointed that was because the game was very easy. The enemy A.I was very easy to outrun and there weren't allot puzzles as far as I can tell. And if they actually were puzzles and that puzzles sucked. They also removed the inventory system in the game not that that was very important in the game but I missed the feeling that you didn't have much oil left and you would be very nervous for it to run out and would look for more. I also missed the sanity meter. I didn't (always) feel like my character was terrified. But because of the storytelling i still felt bonded with the character. Also there were some little things that made games from frictional games original was that you can pick up any object. in this game it is limited to some key objects.

    I gave this game an 8 because it still is amazing but on the other hand they really had to work on the game play because of its difficulty and a few other things like the inventory. So for short, the story is amazing. but the game play ruins the game for what i actually could have become    … Expand
  7. dReaMMMM
    Sep 14, 2013
    6
    Amnesia the Dark Descent was one of my favorite games ever made. It perfectly blended horror, adventure, and inventory management and was a perfect package (despite being 3-4 hours long). A Machine For Pigs scraps the inventory management as a WHOLE, and focuses on puzzles and such to keep you progressing. While playing A Machine For Pigs, I realized one thing.

    I was bored. The puzzles    Amnesia the Dark Descent was one of my favorite games ever made. It perfectly blended horror, adventure, and inventory management and was a perfect package (despite being 3-4 hours long). A Machine For Pigs scraps the inventory management as a WHOLE, and focuses on puzzles and such to keep you progressing. While playing A Machine For Pigs, I realized one thing.

    I was bored.
    The puzzles weren't entertaining enough to keep me wanting to play, and It takes WAY WAY WAYYYYYYYYY too long to ramp up the horror factor. The Chinese Room obviously had their way with Amnesia, as it truly feels like Dear Esther with a bit more interaction. To me, A Machine could have been GREAT if it had just retained the Dark Descent's mechanics, but no. A Machine For Pigs is not a terrible game; it has a great story, and great music/sound effects that match the tone and atmosphere perfectly. But the gameplay was obviously dumbed down, and it shows. So once again, AMFP is not terrible.

    It is just disappointing.    … Expand
  8. mrkzy
    Sep 14, 2013
    7
    Not such a disaster that many are complaining BUT it is true that many good old features were replaced with nothing and that the game is pretty linear.
    But still this game is pretty average indie-horror game although not nearly as good as Dark descent.. We also have to remember that this game was not from the original amnesia developers.
  9. Diango
    Sep 14, 2013
    3
    A:amfp was marketed as an Amnesia game. Sold as an Amensia game. Its nice that it wasn't mean to be an Amnesia game, but you can't sell apples to people and then flip you wig when customers get pissed off when they discover you actually sold them oranges.

    I understand FG and TCR are relatively new to the major gaming market, but welcome to marketing responsibility folks. I wish art    A:amfp was marketed as an Amnesia game. Sold as an Amensia game. Its nice that it wasn't mean to be an Amnesia game, but you can't sell apples to people and then flip you wig when customers get pissed off when they discover you actually sold them oranges.

    I understand FG and TCR are relatively new to the major gaming market, but welcome to marketing responsibility folks. I wish art houses like TCR could make really cool and experimental experiences without the need to worry about pesky things like customers and brand identity. But you know what, they sold the game for a profit, people paid money for a promised product, they got something different as evidence from the mixed reviews and now its time to sit down and think about not how you want to make games in the future, but how you market them from now on.

    Overall good job on the game A:amfp. It was a good game. Wasn't my cup of tea as I still consider the story to be shallow and pretentious. The scares were intellectually cheap in my opinion. Using ambiguity recklessly, and relying on shocking narrative just doesn't do it for me. But the atmosphere and sound assets where phenomenal. In terms of marketing, really poor job guys.    … Expand
  10. mGMUSE
    Sep 14, 2013
    7
    The game starts off slow and I didn't like it at all because I was such a fan of the old Amnesia, the Amnesia where you could only play for 20 minutes before having to take a rest. The game only had about a total of an hour of scare. It is definitely more of a psychological, immersive game rather than pure horror. That being said, it just isn't the game The Dark Descent was. There'sThe game starts off slow and I didn't like it at all because I was such a fan of the old Amnesia, the Amnesia where you could only play for 20 minutes before having to take a rest. The game only had about a total of an hour of scare. It is definitely more of a psychological, immersive game rather than pure horror. That being said, it just isn't the game The Dark Descent was. There's nothing new in game mechanics, nothing fanciful or fun, unlike how Frictional Games innovated with The Dark Descent.

    The plot was very good though, I liked how it left many questions unanswered and many subjects up to your own interpretation. I would say the plot saved the game, it was so untypical and unorthordox that my friends and I were left wanting to find out the mystery behind what was going on throuhgout the entire game.    … Expand
  11. Paranoid_Pumba
    Sep 13, 2013
    3
    Overall not a rememberable game and wasn't what i was expecting.
    They got rid of a lot of things that made the previous amnesia and penumbra games great.
    They got rid of the puzzles. They got rid of inventory drops like laudanum, oil and craftable parts. They got rid of having to hide from the monsters. They got rid of the suspenseful music, and in the end the storyline was pretty    Overall not a rememberable game and wasn't what i was expecting.
    They got rid of a lot of things that made the previous amnesia and penumbra games great.
    They got rid of the puzzles.
    They got rid of inventory drops like laudanum, oil and craftable parts.
    They got rid of having to hide from the monsters.
    They got rid of the suspenseful music, and in the end the storyline was pretty mediocre.
    If you want to play a good HPL interactive horror game try out the old penumbra games...    … Expand
  12. squidgee
    Sep 13, 2013
    6
    I like many others was expecting an experience much like the original Amnesia. I didn't think it would be as scary or as memorable as the first considering it was being developed by TCR, but I expected a good, solid game that would scare me good. While a constant sense of dread and tension is built throughout the game, the suspense never really climaxes into something truly terrifying, andI like many others was expecting an experience much like the original Amnesia. I didn't think it would be as scary or as memorable as the first considering it was being developed by TCR, but I expected a good, solid game that would scare me good. While a constant sense of dread and tension is built throughout the game, the suspense never really climaxes into something truly terrifying, and by the second hour in, the flickering lights and pig monsters almost lose their fear factor entirely. I wouldn't call this game scary. Creepy, disturbing and suspenseful are more accurate descriptions I think. The removal of some gameplay elements and also the inexhaustible lantern that also acts as a monster detector probably contributes to the lack of fear as well.

    Graphics wise, it's a small improvement over the first Amnesia but still looks a bit outdated. The lighting in particular often looks rather strange, with low res textures here and there. Sound design however is phenomenal and TCR use it brilliantly to create a really fleshed out atmosphere. Soundtrack and voice acting is top notch as well. If you really immerse yourself into the game, the story is not too bad either. Writing is generally very poetic and descriptive and you might find it difficult to grasp what's going on behind all the metaphorical language. The story is generally quite good though.

    To sum up the game, AAMFP is mostly like Dear Esther with some Amnesia sprinkled on top. I was somewhat disappointed after finishing the game, but I've learnt to appreciate the unique experience that TCR have created. In terms of length, think Penumbra: BP, around 4-6 hours.    … Expand
  13. BoydCooper
    Sep 13, 2013
    3
    This game is literally a downgrade from the original Amnesia, truly disappointing.
    The game itself feels way more linear, you don't have to do nothing else but move forward and solve the easiest puzzles you will ever see in your life and run from the enemies, hiding spots have been removed and the sanity system was also removed too. Interaction with the environment was something unique    This game is literally a downgrade from the original Amnesia, truly disappointing.
    The game itself feels way more linear, you don't have to do nothing else but move forward and solve the easiest puzzles you will ever see in your life and run from the enemies, hiding spots have been removed and the sanity system was also removed too. Interaction with the environment was something unique about the previous Amnesia, in this game you cannot interact with anything more than buttons and some props blocking some doors. It's also very sad that the health recovers automatically now, it makes you feel way more safer than in the previous game, where if you were at low health you would be constantly looking even in the darkest places scared looking for an item to recover your health.
    The replacement of the lantern was a good idea, but it just shows how much they wanted to cut down the exploration, you don't have to look for oil anymore, not even for keys, the inventory itself was removed.
    The story was good, but it's not good enough to cover the huge flaws this game had.
    It's really sad to see how the Amnesia series has stepped down to this.
    You can get this game for 20 dollars i think, it's not worth it. If i were you i would get it for 5 dollars at least.    … Expand
  14. Zeno3399
    Sep 13, 2013
    4
    This feels more like the first amnesia a lot of features are gone that was in dark decent these devs got lazy no more phys but chairs and doors pretty much., but better then nothing still sorta dissapointed game did go down hill.
  15. DyagoDiih
    Sep 13, 2013
    6
    nao amnesia tiraram tudo que tinha de bom no primeiro game pra fazer esse machine que ficou muito chato,cheio de barulhos chatos ,mas a ambientação ficou muito boa (só isso mesmo)

    vou ir jogar o primeiro game pq esse ta
  16. sentosasam
    Sep 13, 2013
    10
    Hell to the naysayers, this game is amazing. Its true potential may be hidden by a false face of bland maps, linear and easy puzzles and an absence of scares, but don't let that fool you!

    When you fully understand the power of the chairs (more specifically stools), you will come to the understanding that this game is a deep social commentary with so much depth and multifaceted intricacy    Hell to the naysayers, this game is amazing. Its true potential may be hidden by a false face of bland maps, linear and easy puzzles and an absence of scares, but don't let that fool you!

    When you fully understand the power of the chairs (more specifically stools), you will come to the understanding that this game is a deep social commentary with so much depth and multifaceted intricacy that to even begin to comprehend it could result in your death. The grand ascension of chairs is the life of this game.

    So, grab yourself a stool, lie it down and jump on top. Prepare to harness the power of the chair! Speed through halls like a winged hyena and don't stop at the constraints of the map blitz through bars, walls and even the ground! ENTER THE CHAIR REALM and the vicious emptiness that is skybox-glitch! All hail stool! All hail stool!

    It's all part of a machine; a machine for chairs.

    Tl;dr: this game kicks arse, 10/10 best chair simulator ever.    … Expand
  17. hyddro
    Sep 13, 2013
    10
    A machine for pigs. What can I say about it. This game cannot (and must not) be compared to the previous Amnesia game. For one, the two games are developed by two different companies, and the way these two companies created both master pieces, is similar YET very different. AMFP is more story oriented, has a great and creative story and makes you immerse in a world that is complete strangeA machine for pigs. What can I say about it. This game cannot (and must not) be compared to the previous Amnesia game. For one, the two games are developed by two different companies, and the way these two companies created both master pieces, is similar YET very different. AMFP is more story oriented, has a great and creative story and makes you immerse in a world that is complete strange to you. I gave this game a 9 just because the game wasnt scary cause i believe the first game was way scarier) but because is unique, it shows that they put a lot of effort on writing it and this is why i loved it. Not a 10 because i dont believe the name should have contained 'Amnesia' in it... this is a very different game... anyway.. totally recommending this game… Expand
  18. OkamiKurai2013
    Sep 13, 2013
    0
    As far as sequels go and not created by Frictional Games. But made by a company I never heard of before called A Chinese Room, really really... sucks. I think Frictional Games should develop their own games and not give it into the hands of people who don't know what the f*ck they're doing. This game was short, easy, linear, not scary, and absolutely stupid. I pre ordered this and I feelAs far as sequels go and not created by Frictional Games. But made by a company I never heard of before called A Chinese Room, really really... sucks. I think Frictional Games should develop their own games and not give it into the hands of people who don't know what the f*ck they're doing. This game was short, easy, linear, not scary, and absolutely stupid. I pre ordered this and I feel ripped off. 16 bucks for a game that I finished in 4 hours time.

    The enemy A.I. is retarded. The enemies are stupid and not scary. You run away from pigs. PIGS! The f*ck is so scary about pigs?! Unlike the first Amnesia, nothing is interactable. Only things you can pick up are objects used to solve puzzles that are way too easy in comparison with the first Amnesia. They took away the inventory system, your lantern is infinite, it flickers letting you know if pigs are near by, and the game is just rediculously easy, and short.

    If you loved the first Amnesia game, stick to that. This game is for the birds. This game is the biggest disappointment I have ever seen. Why the hell did Frictional Games give their best selling title to a bunch of morons who cannot grasp how or why made the original Amnesia so great? You never feel threatened in this game. The game relies on loud sounds and the maps shaking in order to scare you. That is it. The atmosphere is ok, but the overall game is just not scary. At all.

    Heh... I can imagine PewDiePie trying to act as if he is scared playing this game. He better be a good actor cause this game is a piece of sh*t. Don't bother buying or playing this game unless you are curious. And know that this game was not created by Frictional Games. That pisses me off. I still await another game from the real guys who made the original Amnesia so great. That is Frictional Games. Not f*cking The Chinese Room. F*ck those guys.    … Expand
  19. Anilexeas
    Sep 13, 2013
    7
    The game does not have as many jumps and scares as the first one, for one it takes out the insanity factor that i loved so much in the first one as well as running the chance of running out of oil for your lantern. I believe it was well priced at 20$ and what it lacks in horror, which at first i was disappointed in, i believe the story-line was well thought out and planed. I'll admit, iThe game does not have as many jumps and scares as the first one, for one it takes out the insanity factor that i loved so much in the first one as well as running the chance of running out of oil for your lantern. I believe it was well priced at 20$ and what it lacks in horror, which at first i was disappointed in, i believe the story-line was well thought out and planed. I'll admit, i was disappointed at first but by the end of the game i enjoyed it in a much different way than just being scared, i got into the story line. But if you are looking for a scary game and one that will make you jump, play the first one instead of this one. This one is allot more layed back but i personally enjoyed it.… Expand
  20. Marco299
    Sep 13, 2013
    3
    This game shouldn't be exist. the chinese room ruin the good name of this brand. I don't know why Frictional decided to give his game to another team, but the result is a disaster. Amnesia: a machine for pigs is the worst sequel you can imagine.
  21. Yellers
    Sep 13, 2013
    6
    It was said that this installment of the Amnesia games was made to be less of an adventure game, less of a puzzler and more of a horror game. While it definitely is less of an adventure and less of a puzzler, it is NOT scarier. Not one single bit. They took out the tension that light management brought us, they took away sanity, which was one of the biggest concerns for the last Amnesia.It was said that this installment of the Amnesia games was made to be less of an adventure game, less of a puzzler and more of a horror game. While it definitely is less of an adventure and less of a puzzler, it is NOT scarier. Not one single bit. They took out the tension that light management brought us, they took away sanity, which was one of the biggest concerns for the last Amnesia. Puzzles barely exist anymore, there is some here and there but it's very simplistic. That's all bad, but what about the horror part? Oh, lord. The monsters look like fat dogs, they're tiny and wide. You never see their face, which is the scariest part of them in the concept art. They move fairly slow, and the only way they will intimidate you is if you think they are dangerous. They do horrible damage they are barely dangerous.
    All that said, the sound effects are what gave the game a rating 6 from me, the "pigs" aren't scary, but their sounds are. The sound of that insane, bloodcrazed pig will give you chills. But, when they see you, you can hop around and smile. The storyline is hands down great. Voice acting was much better in the last Amnesia, and the soundtrack is forgettable.
    Why, Frictional, WHY did you team up with The Chinese Room?! WHY?! Ugh, I'm trying so hard to like this game. But it's just much easier than the last one, and the only way for you to get scared, is by thinking its scary. Very sad, and fairly dissapointed.    … Expand
  22. Orionsbelt
    Sep 13, 2013
    1
    This is not Amnesia. The trailer for this game was a complete lie and showed Amnesia type gameplay. This game is nothing like the trailer. Someone decided to make a quick buck by taking the Amnesia title and slap it on their own product, or Frictional decided to sell their title and let someone slap it onto a different game.
  23. gvazdas
    Sep 13, 2013
    5
    Everyone IS right that this game is different from The Dark Descent.
    And it's different in a bad way.
    The environments look nice, the graphics are okay for a game for it's time and the sound design is flawless. The first few levels seem to throw you into this sort of 'look everywhere, explore and leave no stone unturned' mentality. After an hour of play, as you continue down into The    Everyone IS right that this game is different from The Dark Descent.
    And it's different in a bad way.
    The environments look nice, the graphics are okay for a game for it's time and the sound design is flawless.
    The first few levels seem to throw you into this sort of 'look everywhere, explore and leave no stone unturned' mentality. After an hour of play, as you continue down into The Machine, the game gets linear, loud and boring. Jump-scares, screen-shaking and loud noises are the main 'scares' in the game.
    Not to mention that the game seems to have degraded in terms of gameplay. There's no more inventory interaction, the only objects that you can use for the 'AMAZINGLY POLISHED PHYSICS ENGINE' are chairs, closets and big boxes you have to push. The physics are extremely buggy and you can get ragdolls stuck inside of things, including walls and small crevices.
    The monsters seem to be really well-made though and the soundtrack is top notch.
    I honestly think The Chinese Room should stick to no-gameplay 'hipster art' games. Dear Esther was great, but this game is horrible. After playing Dear Esther, I expected the developers to turn the Amnesia game into a horror thriller with shiny graphics and an amazing narrative.
    Sadly, only the narrative catched on. The unique writing for the game did not save it's horrible gameplay and linearity.
    This game is a huge let-down considering I have waited long for it. Frictional Games, I have no idea why you let a few indie developers famous for beautiful games develop a game that has to have actual horror and atmosphere in it.    … Expand
  24. SH3RIFFO
    Sep 13, 2013
    5
    Before I pre-ordered it, I was mind blown by the teasers and the description of the game. It said to expect classic 'Amnesia game-play.' And how it is a complete fresh game, but it stays to its origins. This was all nonsense. There was absolutely no 'Amnesia' in it. As a sequel to the masterpiece of the Dark Decent, this was preposterous. Horrible sequel. I was honestly disappointing. ItBefore I pre-ordered it, I was mind blown by the teasers and the description of the game. It said to expect classic 'Amnesia game-play.' And how it is a complete fresh game, but it stays to its origins. This was all nonsense. There was absolutely no 'Amnesia' in it. As a sequel to the masterpiece of the Dark Decent, this was preposterous. Horrible sequel. I was honestly disappointing. It lacked interaction, scares, puzzles, and mostly the horrifying feeling of being haunted you had when playing the first Amnesia.

    Let me tell you something, if this was a stand alone game by The Chinese Room, and it was no official sequel to Amnesia at all, it would have been a Great game! I would've rated a 7.5. As a standalone game, it was great, really was, amazing story, incredible graphics for an indie game, and all in all, fun gameplay. But knowing that this is the official sequel to the mind-blowing "Amnesia: The Dark Decent", this was a bad careless move. I rate this 5 for that particular reason. This lacks everything great about Amnesia. I saw this comment on YouTube and I have to admit, it's so accurate:

    Graphics: 9 10
    Atmosphere: 8 10
    Story: 9 10
    Scares: 2 10
    Gameplay: 4 10
    Horror: 3 10
    Amnesia: 0 10

    This is my review. Thanks for reading. Play the game for yourself and judge only then.    … Expand
  25. scissor
    Sep 13, 2013
    5
    Overall,a machine for pigs(AMFP) is not better than the dark descent(TDD).Apparently AMFP has lower tension and lower stressful.
    I think AMFP is mainly focus on plot of a play it lost lots of fun and challenge for lack of many puzzles and inventory systems especially the lantern oil system.
    Still like the horror game who made by FrictionalGames ,like Penumbra and Amnesia-TDD. AMFP was    Overall,a machine for pigs(AMFP) is not better than the dark descent(TDD).Apparently AMFP has lower tension and lower stressful.
    I think AMFP is mainly focus on plot of a play it lost lots of fun and challenge for lack of many puzzles and inventory systems especially the lantern oil system.
    Still like the horror game who made by FrictionalGames ,like Penumbra and Amnesia-TDD.
    AMFP was mainly developed by Chineseroom ,and the AMFP's game style is very familiar with their games->Dear Esther.Sometimes i thought i was playing DearEsther instead of Amnesia series.
    And the most important thing is that they remove the Customstory! The customstory is the "Continuation of life" in this game,don't know why the Chineseroom remove it.    … Expand
  26. Joso2304
    Sep 13, 2013
    5
    I played through this game in 2 hours. There was no need to explorer because there were NOTHING to gain from exploring. No oil, no health, no sanity, no freaking nothing. Dissapointed. But it was able to scare me sometimes and set a good atmosphere. But it was a big let down from the Amnesia Series. I think this game actually don't belong in the Amnesia series because; 1. He didn't haveI played through this game in 2 hours. There was no need to explorer because there were NOTHING to gain from exploring. No oil, no health, no sanity, no freaking nothing. Dissapointed. But it was able to scare me sometimes and set a good atmosphere. But it was a big let down from the Amnesia Series. I think this game actually don't belong in the Amnesia series because; 1. He didn't have (the same type) Amnesia as in the first game. 2. It doesn't have anything to do with Amneisa. It shouldn't have been an Amneisia game. It would have been better if it was just an indie game called Machine for pigs.… Expand
  27. VadimLongcat
    Sep 13, 2013
    9
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is really different experience, comparing to the original. However, changing in gameplay, style and storytelling did what they had to now this game is an awesome expansion to the Amnesia universe with mad and horror story, excellent music and perfect design.
  28. Curunir
    Sep 13, 2013
    0
    I went in with full expectations for a game very different from the first game and an hour in I thought it was going to be brilliant. When I finished the game I was mostly disappointed. The horror related to surviving the world is virtually non-existent. The monsters in the game invoke a sense of sadness, not of dread. The story had amazing potential that was mostly squandered before theI went in with full expectations for a game very different from the first game and an hour in I thought it was going to be brilliant. When I finished the game I was mostly disappointed. The horror related to surviving the world is virtually non-existent. The monsters in the game invoke a sense of sadness, not of dread. The story had amazing potential that was mostly squandered before the mid-game by revealing too much of the plot too early and then just forcing the player to plod on through the locales, knowing all there is to know about the story. The puzzles are non-existent and are simply interactive spots, not puzzles per se.

    The biggest letdown was probably the pacing and contents of the story one presented somewhat clumsily and unveiled too early on, one that never culminates into any significant revelation. The people claiming this is very much Dear Esther 2 are right to a large degree. Both games ended in a very similar way and the feelings they invoked in me were very similar.

    The game would have done a lot better without promising me the "darkest, most horrific tale ever told in a videogame" and without the Amnesia logo. If this was a standalone release from the Chinese Room, I would have rated this a lot higher because the story was FINE. It was just depressing and very very sad, not horrific, and there was a severe lack of visuals to support the purportedly 'psychological slow burn horror' the game went for. I cannot be scared by a story just because its makers tell me it's dark and twisted, games as a medium should use their full range of tools to convey those feelings and the game failed in that department. While it would have been a fine novel, AMFP generally fails at being a good game, despite its intriguing plot.    … Expand
  29. Scottman
    Sep 12, 2013
    10
    Despite the fact that many people did not like this game as it was "Not anything to the dark decent" I find hard to understand. Meaning yes it was A LOT different but despite that I found it very exciting. Lots of games experiment with new things so the player dosent feel like he/she is playing a copy of the previous ones. One point I must make is the monsters, Many people complain thatDespite the fact that many people did not like this game as it was "Not anything to the dark decent" I find hard to understand. Meaning yes it was A LOT different but despite that I found it very exciting. Lots of games experiment with new things so the player dosent feel like he/she is playing a copy of the previous ones. One point I must make is the monsters, Many people complain that they are easy to escape from, and they run very slow. Yes you have a point but when you put facts together could a 600lbs pig man run as fast as a 200lb adult man? I thought the man pigs were fine and plus I cared about the story more than the scares. Yes without the scared the game wouldn't be what it would have been. To sum it up I think this game deserved more.… Expand
  30. Kaniya
    Sep 12, 2013
    8
    Amnesia A machine for pigs is a whole new experience compare to its previous version. it is not always fair to criticize a game in according to what the overall product used to be. Amnesia AMFP does take out somethings and does bring some new things in in comparison to its previous title but reviewing a game is not always about comparing, it is about its current state in the market as wellAmnesia A machine for pigs is a whole new experience compare to its previous version. it is not always fair to criticize a game in according to what the overall product used to be. Amnesia AMFP does take out somethings and does bring some new things in in comparison to its previous title but reviewing a game is not always about comparing, it is about its current state in the market as well and how developers have crafted the game.
    In terms of story I should say AMFP has nothing less than the the dark descent. The story is wonderfully written, undoubtedly it is not cliche like outlast, as you progress into the world of the game in search for your lost daughters you will come across record pieces which will tell you what has happened before the game starts and as well beautifully story presents itself through the game instead of taking place into the boring cut scenes and it tells its story visually as well which is an interesting and praising point for an indie title. I will not spoil the story further but i should say the concept of the story and its metaphor and references are quiet interesting if you have the enough knowledge.
    Amnesia has never been entirely based upon sudden fears, its about the tension in the environment and atmosphere. Remember how we used to be scared all the time while we were playing Silent hill 1,2,3 which did not have any particular sudden fears? Amensia AMFP delivers the same mechanism through its awesome sound effects, very well done soundtracks and the creepy crafted environment which takes place in London. I think choosing the setting as London has good preferences built into it in order to present the story. The gamed does terrifies you, it is divided through the different sections throughout the 6-8 hour of game play and each section delivers a different kind of fear in them. Although I should mention some of the mechanisms have been dated in terms of predictability specially for those who have played the previous title. But still I do like how the game forces people to imagine the monsters rather than facing and killing them.
    Gameplay takes in varied environments through out the game and it does have interesting stuff to be seen and to be faced with. Puzzle parts are fairly remained same but I like how it is more advanced and scripted (technically and story) in comparison to other titles like Outlast. Some of the elements of previous game are removed which does not make much difference, only the sanity meter has affected the gameplay much. I imagine how it could be with sanity meter of course could make the gameplay and the action much more engaging and exciting.
    Finally in terms of graphics, the game has fairly remained same, but as the matter of fact the art direction is much better than it used to be. I like the concept art works built into game and I really enjoyed how much detail is crafted in the game world in various sections. It has made the areas much more believable and real to me.
    In the end, i Do understand some of the fans (Even myself) might find the changes in this game to be weird or not interesting but overall I really enjoyed the game because in the current market we do not see many horror games with a non cliche story and a heavy atmosphere.
    I am pretty sure the developers will take the feedback into the next game and will combine what has been presented in both titles in terms of gameplay mechanism and other stuff so as considering it is an indie title, i should say overall it is a very awesome product     … Expand
  31. Baub
    Sep 12, 2013
    4
    They took a "Survival Horror" game, and removed the 'survival' aspect, and the game wasn't even scary so it loses its title of 'horror' as well.

    So what are we left with? Certainly not a game (thanks Chinese Room!), but rather a mediocre, interactive story.
  32. jcamato
    Sep 12, 2013
    0
    For having an extra year than the planned release date, this was an utter disappointment. I've never even felt so strongly to write a review before but this game was absolutely abysmal. I finished it in 3.8 hours, encountered a couple monsters, and never died. There were zero scares, which means this, as a horror game, is terrible. I am a huge fan of horror games also: the firstFor having an extra year than the planned release date, this was an utter disappointment. I've never even felt so strongly to write a review before but this game was absolutely abysmal. I finished it in 3.8 hours, encountered a couple monsters, and never died. There were zero scares, which means this, as a horror game, is terrible. I am a huge fan of horror games also: the first amnesia, nightmare house 2, cry of fear etc. This game doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the presence of those games. Biggest waste of $20.… Expand
  33. John1337
    Sep 12, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs falls well below the standard set by Amnesia: The Dark Descent and it was not the experience that I was hoping for. I was hoping for horror like the sounds of torture victims being carried by pipes to prisoners cells that made The Dark Descent so memorable. I was expecting to see horrifying machines doing horrifying things to helpless victims but that is not what I got. I didn't get to see a human being turned into a Pigman which I thought would have been at least part of the climax of the game. Speaking of the Pigman I found this monster to be cute which is not a good quality you want in a supposedly terrifying horror monster. The story was average not great and left a lot to your imagination which like I stated before was extremely disappointing. There is nothing controversial about this game other than the mixed reviews it has been receiving. It is sad to say that Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a completely forgettable game.… Expand
  34. Zen-Zinxe
    Sep 12, 2013
    4
    I never played the original Amnesia so I can't compare this game to the first. But I can say that this game isn't horrible. I thought the setting and sounds were really very well done. I thought the creatures could have been perhaps a little scarier or at least more persistent. This game is basically a visual book. The interactivity with objects is very limited and becomes almost nonI never played the original Amnesia so I can't compare this game to the first. But I can say that this game isn't horrible. I thought the setting and sounds were really very well done. I thought the creatures could have been perhaps a little scarier or at least more persistent. This game is basically a visual book. The interactivity with objects is very limited and becomes almost non existent later in the game. Which I couldn't complain about because tediously opening drawers on a single desk in hopes of finding a note wasn't terribly rewarding.

    This type of genre would thrive off of increased interactivity. If you could throw objects in front of enemies chasing you and slide desks to block off doors or even just brace against a door while you try to think of a plan to escape. But this game doesn't take hold of the potential that is there. In a game with no guns to use or bullets and explosion physics to figure out I would hope the developers would take the time to actually make a world that is highly interactive. The only things I recall being able to interact with in the game are doors, some windows, chairs, and puzzle specific objects. Including levers, wheels, and fuses/canisters.

    As much as I like the atmosphere, it was difficult to figure out what was going on or what happened. Sometimes something is explained in a note you found or a voice you remember but generally, especially near the end of the game, inexplicable things start happening that just made me think "what is going on? Why is that there?" Was Mandus hallucinating? I don't know.

    I feel like I bought an expensive book. I wish the game were longer, the enemies were smarter, and that I could interact with and move almost anything around in the game that isn't bolted to the floor. On another note I wish you could see your characters hands and body as well when you looked down and did stuff. I decided to pick amnesia: A Machine for Pigs over Outlast, due to how popular the first amnesia seemed to be, but I'm fairly disappointed with the result.    … Expand
  35. JohnDoe123
    Sep 12, 2013
    3
    There are lots of things that I could criticize the game for, but I think I can sum it up by saying this:
    A Machine for Pigs entirely fails to be a horror game. It mostly fails to be a game. And as a storytelling exercise it is overly pretentious and poorly executed.
  36. Kaiser21
    Sep 12, 2013
    1
    compared to The Dark Decent it is a terrible game, but to those who have not seen or played the game it would be scary. The game had no 'True' puzzles and i have seen the game streamed live on Twitch.TV and i did not find the game scary at all and com pared to games like F.E.A.R (the first one), Clive Barkers Jericho, and Alan Wake it couldn't hold a lantern to it. the o,y thing it hadcompared to The Dark Decent it is a terrible game, but to those who have not seen or played the game it would be scary. The game had no 'True' puzzles and i have seen the game streamed live on Twitch.TV and i did not find the game scary at all and com pared to games like F.E.A.R (the first one), Clive Barkers Jericho, and Alan Wake it couldn't hold a lantern to it. the o,y thing it had were mediocre jump scares that Doom 3 did better.… Expand
  37. Vasco
    Sep 12, 2013
    4
    Oh, this game is so bad! The biggest disappointment of the whole year! I'm a huge fan of Amnesia The Dark Descent, and I found A machine for pigs just terrible. I wanted a new Amnesia game, not Dear Esther.
  38. SnowUltran
    Sep 12, 2013
    7
    This game was a little dissapointing.people were expecting a game 10 X scarier than the original but we got a game that was short, it took me a day to beat it.also it wasn't that scary. however it had a AMAZING storyline. the story made me finish. it was creepy at some parts but most parts were not that scary. i wouldn't consider this game a amnesia game. but it was a pretty good game.This game was a little dissapointing.people were expecting a game 10 X scarier than the original but we got a game that was short, it took me a day to beat it.also it wasn't that scary. however it had a AMAZING storyline. the story made me finish. it was creepy at some parts but most parts were not that scary. i wouldn't consider this game a amnesia game. but it was a pretty good game. with great puzzles and a amazing storyline.overall 7/10… Expand
  39. TheHorrorAnthem
    Sep 12, 2013
    7
    And finally, here she is, the spiritual successor to the mighty Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the horror survival that over half of its own fans did not even complete. So, along comes A Machine For Pigs, and what mighty big boots it has to fill. Honestly, how does one go about topping the game that may have single handedly saved the survival horror genre, as well as boosted independentAnd finally, here she is, the spiritual successor to the mighty Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the horror survival that over half of its own fans did not even complete. So, along comes A Machine For Pigs, and what mighty big boots it has to fill. Honestly, how does one go about topping the game that may have single handedly saved the survival horror genre, as well as boosted independent gaming, saved Frictional Games from going under, got many of us to download the PC revolution that is Steam, all while quite possibly being the scariest game of all time? Well I suppose one way to go about this is too simple just not top it, which almost seems to be what A Machine For Pigs has intentionally done here. I am sorry folks who were squealing to get their hooves into this one, but this successor admits defeat from its predecessor from the word "go". But is it bad? Is it worth the bacon? Could it still send us screaming "wee wee wee" all the way home, and under our beds? Well The Dark Descent raised the bar so high, that anything capable of biting at its heels is still going to be pretty terrifying, and that is where "Pigs" shines. Yes, it is a great survival horror experience, and should be played, and can be enjoyed by anyone who is open minded enough to accept it for what it is. In many ways, this game feels like it should have been the first Amnesia, and Dark Descent should have been its bigger sequel. "Pigs" feels almost like a really big piece of DLC more than a sequel, as it is far shorter, has had no graphic enhancements, features the exact same mechanics, and is far less interactive. It is simplified to the point of disappointment, and no longer will you scrounge in the dark for answers to puzzles, and what few "puzzles" there are, are solved mere feet away from the solution with no thought. No longer do you need to open drawers or explore, unless you are hunting documents to look further into the back story, and no longer do you need to search for tinderboxes as light does nothing for you this time around. In fact light is more harmful in this one as it attracts enemies. You are given a lantern this time that does not feed off of oil, which is a huge departure from Dark Descents signature terror. You are free to run and skip about with that lantern on all the night long if you wish, but not without a price. My disappointment of this feature became a gleeful burden in the games latter half when I realized the dang thing was going to get me killed, and much of my journey became lurking in the dark, as I barely even saw my lantern in the final chapters. The biggest departure and most shocking decision in the entire game, is as follows, there is no sanity meter. Developers The Chinese Room under publishing of Frictional Games has done away with the original Amnesia's sanity meter, which was the games identity in many ways. It was what separated the scares in other games from itself, and having complete both games, I am still not sure if this was a good decision or not. Luckily this did not take away from my fear when I found myself face to face with the creatures that were more pleased to see me dead than alive. Though, without insanity bringing me down, escape was not difficult. In fact it was easy. Little did I know at the time, but getting away was not hard, and never did I need to block doors, or climb into a chifferobe, for usually ducking behind something, or even standing in a dark corner often worked. I hate to say it, but I did not die one single time in my playthrough, something I cannot say about the original. My only other gripe with this journey is the overuse of journal entrees, none which are narrated. It is not that I mind reading, but you will be constantly pulled out of the terror to read the thoughts of our protagonist Mandus, and I do mean constantly. So, why give an oink about this game? Because it is a damn good time, and is damn frightening, peppered with intriguing story telling to boot. Sure the light is eternal, but brings forth the enemy, sure the sanity meter is gone, but the "machine" aspect of the game is startling to the audio enough and will pierce the ear drum probably twice as much as the original sanity meter. The story is enough to pull you through, but it fumbles in its third act and becomes bloated, but overall gets the job done, at least as much as expected. "Pigs" is worth playing, if you are a horror junkie, it is a must. It was never intended to out due Dark Descent, so take it for what it is, be open minded, and enjoy the talent behind it. It is dark, mean, scary, and what the gaming community needs more of, and if not for the original's standards there would be nothing disappointing. If Dark Descent was a great horror novel, then A Machine For Pigs is a great camp fire story, not as grand nor bold, but fun and worth its weight in memories. So, If you wanted more punishment after your dark descent into insanity, hop aboard this machine, its a damn good swine, mhm, time.… Expand
  40. my-junk-it-does
    Sep 12, 2013
    6
    This might be a disappointment to any fan of the first amnesia game. Machine for Pigs does have the elements, soundtrack, atmosphere and story to pull off as a amazing psychological horror experience, however it was just pulled off poorly. They stripped down a lot from what made dark descent spectacular and scary.

    Machine For Pigs you just felt like you weren't even being challenged at    This might be a disappointment to any fan of the first amnesia game. Machine for Pigs does have the elements, soundtrack, atmosphere and story to pull off as a amazing psychological horror experience, however it was just pulled off poorly. They stripped down a lot from what made dark descent spectacular and scary.

    Machine For Pigs you just felt like you weren't even being challenged at all, there were no puzzles or obstacles that you had to overcome, sure you had to get around a few enemies but that was very few and those moments were nothing but "meh."

    For me I am usually a guy who likes to explore and discover, but I honestly felt no desire to learn about the place I am in or the history of the machine or to learn about what happened, cause they scribble all the details and stories into all these notes (which are the only kind of items you pick up in the game, that's it) and that I really was confused reading. I maybe a guy who doesn't read much but I do like good stories but reading those notes were a bore and left me confused, felt like maybe my mind isn't smart enough to understand, whatever..I just didn't bother reading those notes.

    Anyway, game is a disappointment. The only greats about this game are the soundtrack which is quite beautiful to listen to acutally, atmosphere and the whole steampunk environment was well designed and the story is not bad. But obviously the developers of the chineseroom concentrated too much making a more dear esther like game than what Dark Descent was.    … Expand
  41. ianboswell
    Sep 12, 2013
    2
    The first word that comes to mind when thinking about Amnesia a Machine for Pigs now for me, having completed the game, is “Pasturized”
    This is both a good and a bad thing. This is an amnesia that anyone can pick up, play, and be spooked by. There won’t be any moments when you have to just stop playing. If you die you just get right back up again in the previous room. If you get attacked    The first word that comes to mind when thinking about Amnesia a Machine for Pigs now for me, having completed the game, is “Pasturized”
    This is both a good and a bad thing. This is an amnesia that anyone can pick up, play, and be spooked by. There won’t be any moments when you have to just stop playing. If you die you just get right back up again in the previous room. If you get attacked you can sprint past whatever’s attacking you. The control is NEVER taken out of your hands except in a few key moments when there’s no visible or audible threat present. Your character’s sanity doesn’t cripple in fear of the dark. You don’t lose control and hear a heart start beating faster when gazing directly at a monster…
    And let’s talk about the monster. He’s short, fat, and comes off as a little non-threatening. When I first saw the Pigman I actually thought of him as a really sympathetic character. And then he became a down-right comical character. And I really don’t think that’s what the creators wanted to go for in the least bit at all.
    This is a game from the makers of Penumbra: One of the most terrifying survival horror experiences I’ve ever played. And a hell-of-a brain teaser to boot. These are the guys who made a game I actualy had to QUIT because of how difficult and unsolvable a puzzle was. And with Amnesia A Machine for Pigs I managed to complete the game on its first run, without having watch any let’s plays, without any prior knowledge to the game or its puzzles, in just under 4 hours.
    I kept asking myself: Is this the best tool engine they could have used? Did their scenario designers have enough trigger mechanics at their disposal? Because a lot of the jump scares and scary portions of A Machine for Pigs are triggered by just opening a door, or turning a vale: In fact almost all of them involve valves, switches, and ladders. There was one moment when the game’s HELP TEXT actually managed to evoke some honest terror in me. When the game instructed me on how to RUN I was like “oh my GOD am I going to have to start RUNNING FROM SOMETHING NOW?” But that was the most true lovecraftian-style horror-invoking moment for me. And it came from just some help text Dialog.

    At the end of the day, Amnesia: A Machine for pigs is good for a few jump scares, but that’s about it. You might get more joy out of it watching people do a lets play in the dark and getting really scared by goofy looking pig men. That’s about it really. One part near the end had my heart racing only because it was a maze with a teleporting monster inside- Pretty damn horrific! But at the same time I also had moments where I felt like I was playing Half Life 2- when the city was being ransacked by an army of pigmen. Normally comparing a game to Half Life 2 would be a compliment, but in this case it just felt really out of place. It’s like I was a small cog in a much bigger story that was going on and I only got to see a few hints of it- mostly due to the game’s low budget- minimal use of character models and it’s attempt at making the user feel disconnected from the world. The over-use of the same animations again and again also bothered me.

    The best kind of Horror in my opinion is the kind of horror that stays with you. Long into the night, after you’ve put down the book or game, your dreams are reminded of it, your subconscious is so drawn to the terrible consequence of it that it just ruminates about it over and over again- so it infects your dreams, your psyche, your soul- and changes you at the core, making you think about the world differently than you did when you first came into it… Perhaps even developing new phobias, new fears, of the dark, of tight spaces, of even silly things like Spiral Patterns or Children’s Literature.
    You know that kind of horror, right? Or perhaps you’ve been reminded of it.
    The key, dear viewer, is that for every Pasturized horror game out there, we need another Penumbra- or an Anna, and in my opinion Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is not a diamond in the rough- It’s a roller-coaster, you scream then you get off and it’s over. It’s just another poster on the wall of high-budgeted out-of-touch mistakes which forgets the message of the original and forgets about the entire concept of true, lingering, fear…    … Expand
  42. Atsure
    Sep 12, 2013
    2
    What made "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" a great, scary game, has disappeared in "A Machine for Pigs".

    - No sanity system. Being in the dark does not matter anymore. There is no urgency to find a bright spot. Looking at monsters has no effect. - The lantern is infinite. No inventory. There is no reason to explore because you can not pick up or interact with anything (except chairs ...).    What made "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" a great, scary game, has disappeared in "A Machine for Pigs".

    - No sanity system. Being in the dark does not matter anymore. There is no urgency to find a bright spot. Looking at monsters has no effect.
    - The lantern is infinite. No inventory. There is no reason to explore because you can not pick up or interact with anything (except chairs ...).
    - It is completely linear. Most doors and drawers are closed and do not open. There is nothing to explore, nothing to collect. You just have to go forward.
    - The puzzles are crap. It comes down to turning cranks and bring an object to the next room.
    - The lack of a voice reading the diary notes.

    And it doesn't add something new. No better animations, full body view, your hand opening the doors, or whatever. Nothing.

    An utter disappointment.    … Expand
  43. JoshuaGreenaway
    Sep 12, 2013
    4
    What should have been the best PC game of the year is highly disappointing. Whilst the plot and Jessica Curry's soundtrack is excellent, this is a backward step from Frictional. In comparison to The Dark Descent, there is no inventory, you cannot interact with any objects except for the puzzle items, making the puzzles pointlessly easy. The game is extraordinarily short, I completed it inWhat should have been the best PC game of the year is highly disappointing. Whilst the plot and Jessica Curry's soundtrack is excellent, this is a backward step from Frictional. In comparison to The Dark Descent, there is no inventory, you cannot interact with any objects except for the puzzle items, making the puzzles pointlessly easy. The game is extraordinarily short, I completed it in 3 hours of play without getting stuck or dying once. (Though am experienced with Amnesia and Penumbra). This could all be forgiven, if it was frightening. It is not. There are hardly any enemies, and where there are they are easily by-passable, and hardly scary at all. The fact that your lamp does not run out and no health status indicator also eliminates any sense of panic. It is clear that the involvement of the Dear Esther staff has affected development. It is more of an experience than a game. And it is a disturbing but average experience. If you haven't got The Dark Descent, then buy that instead. Otherwise buy this when it is very cheap on sale, because otherwise it simply isn't worth your money.… Expand
  44. kn0bbulo
    Sep 12, 2013
    7
    The sequel of the original Dark Descent is definitely not scary. You won't be afraid of opening a door and you'll never be forced to run away trying to hide. The gameplay is far from the mix of exploration and puzzle-solving of the prequel, leaving the player following a scripted and linear path. On the other side, The Chinese Room has created one of the best plot ever seen in the lastThe sequel of the original Dark Descent is definitely not scary. You won't be afraid of opening a door and you'll never be forced to run away trying to hide. The gameplay is far from the mix of exploration and puzzle-solving of the prequel, leaving the player following a scripted and linear path. On the other side, The Chinese Room has created one of the best plot ever seen in the last years, together with marvellous and "breathing" environments. The narration of "A Machine For Pigs" is, by itself, a good reason for buying this game… Expand
  45. max24748
    Sep 12, 2013
    0
    This game was seriously crap. EVERY SINGLE THING on The Dark Descent was epic, this game was just a masterpiece. A little unknown producer made a game that was as mindblowing as Half Life for me, when I played it the first time. It was so detailed and the engine was created so free, you were able to throw anything around and pick up anything. It have been that little details, that aren'tThis game was seriously crap. EVERY SINGLE THING on The Dark Descent was epic, this game was just a masterpiece. A little unknown producer made a game that was as mindblowing as Half Life for me, when I played it the first time. It was so detailed and the engine was created so free, you were able to throw anything around and pick up anything. It have been that little details, that aren't necessary for the whole plot but make a game more interesting and beautiful. I have to say, Amnesia The Dark Descent was one of the best games I've ever played. I was simply fascinated... I was waiting so hard for their next project, because I could clearly see how much better Frictional Games got with releasing ATDD, after Penumbra, they just got better and better. Then I bough this new Amnesia.... And I just couldnt understand how can Chinese Room and Frictional Games feel good with releasing this bunch of shi*! I start the fu***** game, and the first thing I see is an ugly intro, where i see some kind of lightenings that come out of a machine and look like it have been some crappy mod of one single person or if it had been a game from year 2000. I walk around and see that I can't take ANYTHING in this engine, only some chairs. I see that my lamp has infinite power... I see no inventory. No mental and physical condition. My reaction: WHY DIDNT U JUST USE THE SAME ENGINE AS IN DARK DESCENT AND MAKE ANOTHER STORY, THEN WE GOT A GAME THAT IS STILL 1 MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN THIS CRAPPP!!!!!! I mean seriously, we all enjoyed Justine more than this sh**. HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO FEEL AFTER RIOT WHEN WE SEE A PIANO IN A DARK DESCENT GRAPHIC GAME THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WAS DONE IN 1 MIN. THIS PIANO WASNT EVEN 3D. IT WAS JUST A BIG BAR WITH WHITE KEYS DRAWN UGLY INSIDE. I mean i feel kinda kidded by Frictional Games with releasing this. How am i supposed to react when I Dark Descent graphics mixed up with some ugly, mod-like graphics that look like being released in a game from year 2000. I cannot find anyhing good at this game, for me this is clearly 0 points… Expand
  46. Genesis2010
    Sep 12, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It is still a good story but they dilluted everything that make the first my best horror game. It is only exploration you dont need oil or matches, and you dont get crazy, well i give it a 7 because it is a good exploration and the dreed atmasphere and story and soundtrack is good. They should'nt call it amnesia… Expand
  47. Zgroktar
    Sep 12, 2013
    9
    This is one of the most unique games ever created. Bold, daring and ambitious, although it has some debatable setbacks, it's essence is something you do not see in a video game. It is created and crafted with love, which is witnessed in the attention of the slightest details, every little bit of this game tells a story, shows us a full-blooded world. The only thing I wish was dread momentsThis is one of the most unique games ever created. Bold, daring and ambitious, although it has some debatable setbacks, it's essence is something you do not see in a video game. It is created and crafted with love, which is witnessed in the attention of the slightest details, every little bit of this game tells a story, shows us a full-blooded world. The only thing I wish was dread moments which were present in first Amnesia and Penumbra, which this game desperately needed. If that was included with some more polish with basic gameplay mechanics, and maybe some plot-point alterations, this would have been a perfect game.
    Don't take notice of the consistent whining about lack of inventory, sanity system or puzzles; This game offers much more than those trivialities.    … Expand
  48. zamp
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is... for starters so full of horror ambient sounds that my brain just went "This is noise, ignore it."
    Don't get me wrong. The quality of the ambience is top notch but it feels like it was just pasted on there after the gameplay of a level was considered "done".
    Level design is a complete mess. The levels are incredibly hard to navigate through since    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is... for starters so full of horror ambient sounds that my brain just went "This is noise, ignore it."
    Don't get me wrong. The quality of the ambience is top notch but it feels like it was just pasted on there after the gameplay of a level was considered "done".

    Level design is a complete mess. The levels are incredibly hard to navigate through since they're not as linear as they should be but instead you have loops upon loops that just take you back to where you were. That mixed with the overly generic look of the levels means that you'll spend half of the time just running around in circles.

    The game is also completely lacking an inventory. Which leads to item based puzzles being extremely easy since you don't have to carry anything around for a while. Nor do you need to mix items together.
    There are some areas where you do mix two items into one but its all done in the world. Anything that's outside of an inventory screen doesn't give you necessary feedback to tell you that A B C and you end up mixing the items with no intention to do so. That in turn doesn't give you any pleasure of figuring it out since there was no figuring out to begin with.

    The game doesn't give you a need to do anything. You just haphazardly try different things until you succeed and open up another area where you just repeat the same process. I felt like a monkey in a spaceship "I've no clue wtf I'm doing but it seems to work!" pulling on random levers just to see what it does.

    All in all it's like a scary ride at a local fare. You have no say to what's going on around you and you just watch scripted scene after another.
    Did the developers forget they were making a game?    … Expand
  49. skwatz
    Sep 11, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was a huge letdown for me. I didnt even finish it. To sum it up this is how I felt playing the game: Its halloween. The premier haunted house in your area is finally open. Youve been waiting a year to come here! Your last experience was very enjoyable and you cant wait to see the new and improved version. You enter, theres build up and more build up. Youre so excited! This attraction is about to get terrifiying any second! And then... theres an equipment malfunction and the power goes out. And for your safety they have to shut the place down and you have to leave. Thats what playing Amnesia:MFP is like. The original has a very special place in my heart. That sound you hear when you encounter a monster still gives me chills.I remember being in the prison and I was being chased by a monster and I was scared for my own life. No other game has done that for me. I love getting my friends to play the original and seeing the look of terror on their faces and having them say, "This is too intense man, I cant play this." This game is far from that. So much wasted potential. The best part is the intro. When nothing happens. The house is at least spooky and I liked exploring it. Once you enter the secret chamber in the cathedral the game goes to There are no surprises, no shock and awe. The environments are very linear and bland. The monsters arent threatening. They are just goofy. Pigs arent scary. The Monster animation is poor. Monsters are too easy to evade because the game alerts you when theyre nearby by making your lamp flash. The whole time I felt like I was playing some walking simulator with random earthquakes. The environment is constantly shaking whenever you complete a lame puzzle or it is used as a cheap scare tactic. Which didnt work at all and was very annoying. All the mechanics that made the first game good are gone. No tinderboxes or lamp oil. No inventory. And the worst part is there is no insanity or health meter. Big mistake. And the story isnt even interesting. I get the meaning behind it. But I dont care. I didnt want to read a novel or ponder about modern society. I wanted to play a scary game. The game made me jump once and that was because I was so bored I wasnt paying attention. The whole time I was hoping; praying the game would get better any second. That time never came. Oh yeah, and the end where all the pig monsters are released into the city was laughable. I felt like I was on a ****ty version of a disney ride. So fake and stupid.… Expand
  50. wesker2012
    Sep 11, 2013
    7
    I'm one of the few who didn't care for the first Amnesia. I played it all the way through but didn't find it scary, creepy, or fun. I just felt empty at the end. This second Amnesia for me is an improvement. It was creepy and fun. Especially the first two hours. It had a really good story build up and flow. I wish it stayed like that the whole way through, but the second half of theI'm one of the few who didn't care for the first Amnesia. I played it all the way through but didn't find it scary, creepy, or fun. I just felt empty at the end. This second Amnesia for me is an improvement. It was creepy and fun. Especially the first two hours. It had a really good story build up and flow. I wish it stayed like that the whole way through, but the second half of the game really began to get bogged down by endless puzzles that just felt like a nuisance. The game really seemed to drag on near the end. Overall, though, I felt it was a decent horror game and it made me get goosebumps, so it succeeded on the creepy factor. The voice acting was well done and the atmosphere was good. The graphics were also pretty good. I liked how the game was more linear this time around. There is still a good amount of exploring to do. Try it out if you are a horror fan or in the mood for a dark tale.… Expand
  51. Subject98
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    Perhaps I'm just not a fan of the work that The Chinese Room does. What was supposed to be an 'interactive horror story' is really nothing more than a walk through dark and empty maps with nothing to do and not much to be scared of. By the last hour I found myself running through the rest of it wondering when it would be over because I was starting to get bored. I generally like the ideaPerhaps I'm just not a fan of the work that The Chinese Room does. What was supposed to be an 'interactive horror story' is really nothing more than a walk through dark and empty maps with nothing to do and not much to be scared of. By the last hour I found myself running through the rest of it wondering when it would be over because I was starting to get bored. I generally like the idea behind this game, the story, the setting, the enemies, it's cool and all but the short length and few enemy encounters, and all the mechanics they took away from the first amnesia really left me scratching my head. It feels incomplete to me, is the best way I can describe it.… Expand
  52. AtomicChief
    Sep 11, 2013
    7
    Just to be clear: if you're looking for a game that will literally scare you enough to stop playing, search elsewhere. This game is drastically different from the first Amnesia, in that it's less about frightening you, and more about storytelling. Which, in my opinion, is actually a positive experience; I was certainly creeped out at certain points in the game, and yes, even a littleJust to be clear: if you're looking for a game that will literally scare you enough to stop playing, search elsewhere. This game is drastically different from the first Amnesia, in that it's less about frightening you, and more about storytelling. Which, in my opinion, is actually a positive experience; I was certainly creeped out at certain points in the game, and yes, even a little scared, but I was never truly terrified of the enemy. Which, also, is not nearly as interesting (or scary) in appearance than the monstrous beings from the Dark Descent. So, in all, this game is more on par with Gone Home and Dear Esther than the original, which focused on pure horror. But for me, this time around it's something I enjoy in a game: great storytelling. 7/10… Expand
  53. Avadon
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    If you're looking for Amnesia with more stuff, you won't find it here. AMFP is a different game, with its own strengths and weaknesses.

    Pros: Very atmospheric, excellent soundtrack and sound in general, good voice acting, some of the puzzles are well thought out and you have to be observant and manipulate the environment correctly to solve them. Also, the story is in my opinion better    If you're looking for Amnesia with more stuff, you won't find it here. AMFP is a different game, with its own strengths and weaknesses.

    Pros: Very atmospheric, excellent soundtrack and sound in general, good voice acting, some of the puzzles are well thought out and you have to be observant and manipulate the environment correctly to solve them. Also, the story is in my opinion better than the first game, although the villain's motivation is grade-school levels of simplistic (people suck, let's kill everyone), but at least it's well presented and comprehensible.

    Cons: Highly annoying blue tint glow makes the game tiring to the eyes, it is stripped of all gameplay elements apart from puzzles and a couple of chases, the new lantern lights about 2 feet ahead of you so it doesn't really do much and makes it hard to even look at a lot of the artwork that the devs clearly put a lot of work in, which is a shame. The game is about 3/4 as long as the first one, it is also not very scary.

    AMFP won't please everyone and is rather short, but it's enjoyable while it lasts, it's very atmospheric, well presented, polished and presents its story well enough. It's not extraordinary, but worth the price in my opinion, and it's waaaaaay better than embarrassing trash like Slender.    … Expand
  54. MustacheYou
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    I understand that atmosphere and everything, and how it has a great "literary" experience. But.. I don't really play a game to read for hours. And a lot of the time you have to sit back and re-read to even understand what the stuff is trying to say to you. And the constant noise... oh my god. Is that ever annoying. I don't understand why they thought putting a million different "scary"I understand that atmosphere and everything, and how it has a great "literary" experience. But.. I don't really play a game to read for hours. And a lot of the time you have to sit back and re-read to even understand what the stuff is trying to say to you. And the constant noise... oh my god. Is that ever annoying. I don't understand why they thought putting a million different "scary" noises would do anything... it only serves to annoy the crap outta me. Otherwise... its not the dark descent. I'm sorry, but I started playing amnesia because it was SCARY and the puzzles were actually challenging. Its none of the above anymore. Yea, atmosphere is nice... but I wasn't expecting to play a dark version of dear Esther... I can't even build my cool forts with boxes to hide from monsters anymore. I'm still going to play it... but i'm not going to be as happy as dark descent made me.… Expand
  55. SR_Gaming
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    Amnesia A Machine for Pigs has an ok story however the story was pretty short as well as enjoyable but there is no custom story mode which is a little bit disappointing the story was not drawing me in and most the time i was hoping for jump scares but... there is only one or two but not like the Dark Decent which was amazing the jump scares where amazing in the original but i would notAmnesia A Machine for Pigs has an ok story however the story was pretty short as well as enjoyable but there is no custom story mode which is a little bit disappointing the story was not drawing me in and most the time i was hoping for jump scares but... there is only one or two but not like the Dark Decent which was amazing the jump scares where amazing in the original but i would not want you to buy it unless you really want to.… Expand
  56. theK2
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    A Machine for Pigs is an enjoyable horror game. It's got some pretty well done environments, excellent sound, and if you hate pigs, creepy enemies. The problem is, its not a good amnesia sequel. The enemies fail to shock the way the misshapen freaks of the the first game did, and many of them poof out of existence once you get past them. This kills the game's tension, and you rarely haveA Machine for Pigs is an enjoyable horror game. It's got some pretty well done environments, excellent sound, and if you hate pigs, creepy enemies. The problem is, its not a good amnesia sequel. The enemies fail to shock the way the misshapen freaks of the the first game did, and many of them poof out of existence once you get past them. This kills the game's tension, and you rarely have to worry about an enemy you've past re-appearing to hunt you. Also, the ever-fueled electric lantern and lack of a sanity system lets you creep around the few enemy encounters in the dark like a Victorian ninja. Machine lacks the jump scares of The Dark Descent, but in its place it has a well developed atmosphere that's sure to disturb. All in all, Machine's a good game, with a twisted (but confusing) story that sadly fails to deliver a satisfying conclusion. Its good, but it's not Dark Descent.… Expand
  57. MikeZillaGames
    Sep 11, 2013
    7
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is the follow up to the absolutely incredible and terrifying Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Developed mostly by Thechineseroom as opposed to Frictional, AMFP is ultimately a good game...but ultimately it is a disappointing follow up, as well.

    The moral here is that sometimes cutting too much fat just ruins the bacon Thechineseroom, makers of the environmental    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is the follow up to the absolutely incredible and terrifying Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Developed mostly by Thechineseroom as opposed to Frictional, AMFP is ultimately a good game...but ultimately it is a disappointing follow up, as well.

    The moral here is that sometimes cutting too much fat just ruins the bacon

    Thechineseroom, makers of the environmental "game" Dear Esther were granted the opportunity to develope AMFP with Frictional's help. While their forte seems to be creating immaculate environments, unfortunately Thechineseroom's narrative theory also drifted into the most recent Amnesia game as well.

    Their approach to narrative seems to be more trying to create a "game based story" rather than a "story based game" and Thechineseroom unfortunately falls a bit flat, failing to acknowledge the one element that makes games a unique medium for storytelling: interactivity.

    Why Thechineseroom feels that good narration requires less interactivity with the environment, I do not know. I feel it's somewhat condescending, though; as if they fear the player will get too distracted to pay attention to the story that they wrote. In Dear Esther, the player was restricting to navigation alone, and in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs much of the interactive nature of The Dark Descent has also been scrapped. There is very little to interact with other than absolutely tedious lever puzzles. This lack of 'stuff' makes the world feel a bit empty, and aside from the occasional written note on a table, there's really not a lot of need to explore the well designed environments.

    In The Dark Descent, there were also lots of segments with voice acted notes, and fully voiced interludes Daniel would hear when his memory started to come back. In AMFP, there is almost none of this. Rarely you will hear the voice of your children, or Mandus himself or one of his antagonistic cohorts...but aside from Mandus himself, every other character serves to further complete Mandus' story. None of the notes you find are voiced, and even the ones written by his children are written in jarring english like they were all written by the same 20-something Victorian gentleman.

    The scares also aren't as potent here. Staring at a pig monster until it goes away isn't as creepy as being forced to look away from the grunt breathing heavily near you in the dark. Still, there are moments that are eerie, disturbing, and tense. Overall, AMFP is still a step above other horror titles out there. It's just a shame it's not as good as it's predecessor.

    The bottom line is that AMFP is still pretty decent, regardless of theThechineseroom's apparent need to restrict player interaction with the environment. Though a lot of what was in the original isn't intact, for better or for worse, the game is still disturbing and fun regardless of the awful puzzles and linear thinking that went into some of the design choices here.

    I still recommend it, wholeheartedly...yet, at the same time I hope that Thechineseroom does not manage to further piggy-back onto Frictional's most promising franchise.    … Expand
  58. Jay212127
    Sep 11, 2013
    7
    Amnesia:A Machine for Pigs, sequel to The Dark Descent. Aside from good voice acting, lack of combat and a few textures that look alike is where the similarities end. If I had blind tested this game I would have called it Bioshock: A Machine for Pigs. The story was good, linear and heavily infused with politics much akin to The Bioshock series (speaking more of rapture, as i never playedAmnesia:A Machine for Pigs, sequel to The Dark Descent. Aside from good voice acting, lack of combat and a few textures that look alike is where the similarities end. If I had blind tested this game I would have called it Bioshock: A Machine for Pigs. The story was good, linear and heavily infused with politics much akin to The Bioshock series (speaking more of rapture, as i never played the new one yet). Going down into the bowels of the machine made me think of discovering the depths of rapture. I enjoyed both games, however I wanted a new amnesia not a new bio shock. The game is not scary, I was more scared in the first half hour of Outlast than the entirety of this game. So if you want a good rapture-esque story this is still a good game, if you want horror check out Outlast which was released a week prior.… Expand
  59. oxblood
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    AMFP takes the Amnesia franchise and throws it to the dogs. The early levels are exciting and well-built, designed to encourage exploration and a no-stone-unturned mentality. You get glimpses of how mind-blowing the sound design will be, one thread that carries through the game. As you descend, the game becomes more linear; there is no backtracking, the majority of alternate doors areAMFP takes the Amnesia franchise and throws it to the dogs. The early levels are exciting and well-built, designed to encourage exploration and a no-stone-unturned mentality. You get glimpses of how mind-blowing the sound design will be, one thread that carries through the game. As you descend, the game becomes more linear; there is no backtracking, the majority of alternate doors are locked, and the puzzles are childishly simple. If you enjoy cheap scares and overplayed horror devices, this is the game for you.
    Pros: Absolutely amazing sound design.
    Cons: Everything else.    … Expand
  60. Danny83
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    I expected so much more from this title but this was just a cash in. This was not scary, but rather boring. The enemies were lame looking and you could just walk right through them if cornered, the graphics were just the same as tdd nothing special, interaction throughout the world has almost been completely taken away, the puzzles were child's play. This game was meant to be a stepI expected so much more from this title but this was just a cash in. This was not scary, but rather boring. The enemies were lame looking and you could just walk right through them if cornered, the graphics were just the same as tdd nothing special, interaction throughout the world has almost been completely taken away, the puzzles were child's play. This game was meant to be a step forward but has turned into another letdown in the gaming industry. disappointing...… Expand
  61. grimpr
    Sep 11, 2013
    8
    Pretty good and slow paced psychological horror with excellent sound & atmosphere, the mechanics are totally different compared to previous Amnesia titles as this is a mainly story & atmosphere driven horror adventure, if you enjoy atmosphere, great sound and good & intelligently written stories dive in, for shock & gore scare fests there are other titles that do better.
  62. Sepultor
    Sep 11, 2013
    2
    A esta porqueria de juego le doy un 2 y porque el sonido no esta nada mal. El resto es todo basura, una autentica porqueria.

    Graficos de ps2 Jugabildiad basada en mantener durante 4 horas la W para avanzar y girar el raton en algunas curvas o esquinas. Historia que esta medio bien y que luego se va a tomar por culo. En fin una mierda de juego 56.000 VECES PEOR que la primera parte    A esta porqueria de juego le doy un 2 y porque el sonido no esta nada mal. El resto es todo basura, una autentica porqueria.

    Graficos de ps2
    Jugabildiad basada en mantener durante 4 horas la W para avanzar y girar el raton en algunas curvas o esquinas.
    Historia que esta medio bien y que luego se va a tomar por culo.

    En fin una mierda de juego 56.000 VECES PEOR que la primera parte que s una obra maestra y otras 56.000 veces peor que OUTLAST.

    BUY AMNESIA THE DARK DESCENT & OUTLAST.    … Expand
  63. Saffa_Kid
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    What the hell happened here? I have been looking forward to this game for AGES, and it was probably one of the most disappointing games I've played this year.

    This game had the potential to be the scariest game this year, what were the developers thinking?!? There are no new features in this game, it actually downgraded from the previous game Amnesia: the dark decent. Did they add 1st    What the hell happened here? I have been looking forward to this game for AGES, and it was probably one of the most disappointing games I've played this year.

    This game had the potential to be the scariest game this year, what were the developers thinking?!? There are no new features in this game, it actually downgraded from the previous game Amnesia: the dark decent. Did they add 1st person full body awareness? NOPE. Did they add 1st person interactive animations with doors and objects? NOPE. What about jumpscares? NOPE, lets just make the entire place shake every 30 seconds, that'll scare the shiet out of them. Why don't we add some terrifying creatures? NAH BRO LETS ADD A PIG MAN that doesnt even look terrifying.

    This game isn't even a survival horror game anymore, no more tinderboxes, which is understandable because of the time of plot being in the 1800's where electricity started to develop. Yeah ofcourse you get a latern, but it will stay lit for an infinite amount of time! WOW what a good idea, the lantern will start flickering whenever enemies are nearby, meaning that you will never be surprised by monsters being in the area. What a way to go. It should be mentioned that you don't even have to use the lantern, because areas are so lit up even if the brightness is on its lowest.

    And also, you don't see other people in the game, it's as if they all just dissapeared! you'd expect with a better budget that they would add some additional characters that can acompany you in your journey. You hear people talking and screaming, but they are placed in cages with a big cloth over them so you cant even see them.

    You can't interact with each object individually, it's like they are glued to everything, where as in the previous game you can pick up any loose object and toss it around, in this game that is very limited to only "quest items". That being said, there is no inventory system, that got completely removed as well. The sanity system also got removed as well as the health system. You can't even open most doors or drawers anymore because they have locks on them that prevent them from being open. When you pick up documents and diaries, there are no more voice overs to read it for you. So basically they removed EVERYTHING that made Amnesia Amnesia!

    TO SUM IT UP:
    -No more health system or Sanity system
    -Rooms and areas are so lit up the lantern is useless
    -No jumpscares
    -Very limited objects to be interacted with
    -All doors and drawers are conveniently locked, that shouldn't be.
    -Same old things from the previous game, no added 1st person animations
    -Terrible character development, you dont even care about the guy you play as.

    This game is a rushed piece of cash in, your game is bad! and you should feel bad! I expected something better than this you could have done way better!    … Expand
  64. PenisMan69
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    Amnesia: A Loading Screen for $20 combines an interesting (if not creative) and overall well-written horror story with gameplay that does not do it justice, and is disappointing compared to the original amnesia. With no sanity meter, you're free to look at the enemies, and when you do you'll notice that they aren't scary.

    I'd give it a 5 (roughly an 8 for the story and a 2 for the    Amnesia: A Loading Screen for $20 combines an interesting (if not creative) and overall well-written horror story with gameplay that does not do it justice, and is disappointing compared to the original amnesia. With no sanity meter, you're free to look at the enemies, and when you do you'll notice that they aren't scary.

    I'd give it a 5 (roughly an 8 for the story and a 2 for the incorporation of gameplay.)

    Also, there are very long loading screens every 15-20 minutes.    … Expand
  65. ShocklineHD
    Sep 11, 2013
    0
    The most frightening part of this game was the story line.

    Thanks to(EldritchW) It literally removes all valid gameplay from previous titles, There is no more resource management, no more insanity. At least 50% of the game in Penumbra was storing stuff in your inventory, using them for puzzels, this was slightly less focused on in Amnesia, and taken out completly in MfP There is    The most frightening part of this game was the story line.

    Thanks to(EldritchW)

    It literally removes all valid gameplay from previous titles, There is no more resource management,
    no more insanity.
    At least 50% of the game in Penumbra was storing stuff in your inventory, using them for puzzels, this was slightly less focused on in Amnesia,
    and taken out completly in MfP
    There is no advantage to just staring at the monsters from
    your corner in the dark and look at them move around.

    Not scary at all what happend in all those months working on this game?
    I barely scared once and after about 20 minutes of playing there was nothing left that could let me freak out!

    If you want to laugh this is the best game for it!

    Shame on you, chinese room and co.    … Expand
  66. hasherr
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    This game definitely knows how to build tension. Music, lighting, atmosphere everything works together perfectly. Due lack of free time i played this hour yesterday and hour just now, and both times it left me with disturbed mind and sick aftertaste.
  67. ryoushi19
    Sep 11, 2013
    7
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent, in my opinion, was the defining game of the entire horror genre. With that said, I and most others expected great things from its sequel, A Machine for Pigs. Unfortunately, A Machine for Pigs didn't quite deliver what I and many other fans of Dark Descent expected.

    Let's start with where the game went wrong. Firstly, the inventory system seen in Dark    Amnesia: The Dark Descent, in my opinion, was the defining game of the entire horror genre. With that said, I and most others expected great things from its sequel, A Machine for Pigs. Unfortunately, A Machine for Pigs didn't quite deliver what I and many other fans of Dark Descent expected.

    Let's start with where the game went wrong. Firstly, the inventory system seen in Dark Descent has been removed. Items are still used in a similar fashion, but have to be picked up as objects lying in the ground. This usually means that all the items needed to solve a puzzle must be very close together, as picking up objects lying on the ground and carrying them around long distances doesn't exactly make for great gameplay. The end result is that many of the puzzles are much simpler than those you would see in Dark Descent. The sanity system has also been removed. In Dark Descent, it was easy to get lost in the elaborate dungeons in the game, so the sanity system was really used to pressure players to keep moving and find their way to the end. Machine for pigs instead seem to opt for simpler, easier to navigate dungeons. Personally, I think many of the fans of Dark Descent, including myself, preferred the winding dungeons to the almost guided, linear pattern of Machine for Pigs. Gone also is the ability to mod the game. The final flaw I'd like to point out is that the game was, all in all, quite short. (It only took me about 6 hours to beat)

    So, on to the positives of the game. Firstly, the most important one the game is still quite scary. There are still scenes that will startle you, scenes that will bother you, and scenes that will keep you afraid for a bit. The tone seen in Dark Descent is still present. Maybe not quite as refined, but still present. The music for the game is masterfully done, and in my opinion is the highest note of the game. It's some of the most haunting music I've heard in any game so far, and is probably the one thing in the game that actually trumps Dark Descent. The story is still very well built, and overall the game still winds up being a fun, enjoyable game.

    So, to summarize, A Machine for Pigs is not as much a successor to Dark Descent as many fans had hoped, but that doesn't mean it's not fun. To people considering buying it, if you haven't played Dark Descent, I'd highly recommend purchasing it first, as it's honestly just a superior game. However, if Machine of Pigs is on a good Steam Sale, and you're looking for something scary to play, I'd still recommend giving it a go.    … Expand
  68. xPocketRavex
    Sep 11, 2013
    3
    Sorry about the low score but if you read you will know why

    Well what can I say, I was worried about this game and thought it would be Amnesia exactly the same as the first one, now i wish it was. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a game that has been streamed down as much as possible to give them a wider audience the puzzles are no longer puzzles, no sanity bar, regenerating health and    Sorry about the low score but if you read you will know why

    Well what can I say, I was worried about this game and thought it would be Amnesia exactly the same as the first one, now i wish it was. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a game that has been streamed down as much as possible to give them a wider audience the puzzles are no longer puzzles, no sanity bar, regenerating health and no inventory.

    The game lacks fear and suspense, you can now run around the enemies as long as they don't hit you 3 times your fine, you always know were your going as the game is so linear, so run forward and eventually a gate close on the enemies. everything is scripted, so no more random encounters which you had in the first game, which is sad. and the story is uninteresting you just wish it would end. fortunately the game is around 4 hours long and even less is you don't read anything

    I don't have a lot of good to say about this game as even the graphics are poor, very low polly textured static meshes. you like picking up glasses or any object you can see and smashing them against the wall, well its been taken out.

    overall i'm hoping this was just a spin off and this was just something just to keep us going until Amnesia 2 (if there will be) .

    I don't like giving out scores but how much the game is worth so i give it a 5 Gbp (Pounds) meaning bear minimal effort has been taken to make this game and if it does sell well its because it has the name Amnesia in the title.    … Expand
  69. BigDrako
    Sep 11, 2013
    2
    Amnesia: A machine for pigs is a disgrace to the original Amnesia. Why the hell did they have to join forces with The Chinese Room? Dear Esther was a tech demo, not a game and they forced their way into this game basically ruining it. There are no mechanics: the game is just a scary tour. And the worst part is its not scary, not even close to The Dark Descent. The story is boring, youAmnesia: A machine for pigs is a disgrace to the original Amnesia. Why the hell did they have to join forces with The Chinese Room? Dear Esther was a tech demo, not a game and they forced their way into this game basically ruining it. There are no mechanics: the game is just a scary tour. And the worst part is its not scary, not even close to The Dark Descent. The story is boring, you don't feel like you are in the main character shoes, you just push WASD and avoid 2 or 3 ridiculous monsters, face the same water monster as in the first game, sprinting for like 5 seconds in a straight line, and just running through the game like its was a chore after half of it. Amnesia: The Dark Descent scared the crap out of me, challenged me with esploration, resources management and enigmas. I actually had to read the notes. Amnesia: A machine for pigs most amusing moment was grabbing pigs and throwing them. I cannot bother to read the notes and I am not scared or even interested in whats going on. This is a failure and I hope the guys at Frictional Games understand they will not be able to sell again many copies riding the hype that came with the name and the youtube abuse of the game. I hope they take the full brunt of our disappointment and change path if they intend to go for a third Amnesia. Don't dumb down your game, don't strip it of the mechanics that made it good. We are gamers and we want to play, if we wanted to watch a horror movie we would've gone to the damn movie theatre!… Expand
  70. LST
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    I get the feeling that if we were to lose the prefix 'Amnesia' in the title of this game I'd have been reading different reviews altogether. Understandably people were expecting something different (or should I say, 'more of the same') from a franchise that revolutionised the horror genre by landing the player defenceless in a heavily interactive and high-pressure environment.

    Here,    I get the feeling that if we were to lose the prefix 'Amnesia' in the title of this game I'd have been reading different reviews altogether. Understandably people were expecting something different (or should I say, 'more of the same') from a franchise that revolutionised the horror genre by landing the player defenceless in a heavily interactive and high-pressure environment.

    Here, there is no oil. No wardrobes to hide in. No boxes to barricade doors...We're a long way away from the hostile darkness of Castle Brennenberg.

    Instead we are born into the most grotesque horror story conceived (since Silent Hill 2...) jam-packed with imagery that is sure to linger in your mind... And that's a great achievement. I'd best describe the story as 'A darkly satirical science fiction obsessed with the Uncanny'. Play it. It's a strain of dread I've never before experienced in a horror game. It's what makes A Machine for Pigs unique. And terrifying.

    People should acknowledge that 'Amnesia' was trying something different this time. It misses in areas where The Dark Descent scores. It scores where The Dark Descent misses. And it scores high.    … Expand
  71. signhere
    Sep 11, 2013
    9
    Yes, I played the original. Yes this is just as good. Where gameplay has been simplified, improved story telling has taken its place. Where jump scares have decreased, improved atmosphere and dread has taken its place.

    It is not another Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

    It is instead Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.

    And thank you, The Chinese Room and Frictional, for that.
  72. Phenominaljard
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    This game... This psychological horror game fails to thrill on the levels it desired, and then some. When a master chef creates a recipe for something incredible he usually writes it down and never forgets it. He will continue to refer to that recipe over and over again and improve on that recipe until he makes something unbelievable. Replace master chef with Frictional Games and youThis game... This psychological horror game fails to thrill on the levels it desired, and then some. When a master chef creates a recipe for something incredible he usually writes it down and never forgets it. He will continue to refer to that recipe over and over again and improve on that recipe until he makes something unbelievable. Replace master chef with Frictional Games and you have what the Amnesia games SHOULD have been. Instead they subtract what made the original so amazing. A lot of reviews are bashing the game for being unlike the original and I am not doing that. Instead I will look at it as a stand alone game: A boring, easy, over simplified five hours of meandering through an atmospheric world, sometimes avoiding creatures that don't necessarily go "bump in the night". Don't get me wrong, the monsters will scare you from time to time and they will require you to take a deep breath here and there, but overall, even on a psychological level, this game just isn't horror. It is more like a very disturbing story created by very good writers, not scarers. The lack of mechanics in the game were supposed to create a more "story-driven" experience instead just ruined the experience altogether. No lantern oil, no tinderboxes, no sanity, no inventory, no object gathering, no exploration. What's left? Walking through straight corridors hitting buttons, picking up phones, and pulling levers. It doesn't take strategy, it doesn't take skill, and it certainly isn't worth comparing to the original. However, there is one redeeming quality, the story. This disturbing, putrid, vile, horror story manages to almost completely accomplish its task of engulfing the player into the world, and it ALMOST scares the of the average player. Unfortunately, for most, it will not do so, and thus Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs receives a 6 out of 10. Thank you for reading!… Expand
  73. SuperSly
    Sep 11, 2013
    8
    I hardly understand the bad critics on that game. I personally loved the game, one of the best 20$ I spend on a game.

    I think you will love the game if you like the genre. That new episode is not as scary as dark descend or the outcast, but he have much and much better story telling, it target Cleary an adult audience. Finally to give you a good example about what kind of bad review    I hardly understand the bad critics on that game. I personally loved the game, one of the best 20$ I spend on a game.

    I think you will love the game if you like the genre. That new episode is not as scary as dark descend or the outcast, but he have much and much better story telling, it target Cleary an adult audience.

    Finally to give you a good example about what kind of bad review the game received..
    "Very short, you have to read to understand the story, invisible archenemy, stupid monsters..."

    I really like the part "you have to read to understand the story". OK so if you don't want to read, this game is not for you. You probably better suited playing COD    … Expand
  74. NotoriousPyro
    Sep 11, 2013
    0
    When I heard there was going to be a sequel I was over the moon, until I read it was being produced by The Chinese Room... I thought, under the eye of Frictional it surely can't go wrong... Boy was I wrong.

    This game is wrong on so many levels, no tinderboxes, lamp fuel, no real monster chases or hiding, no inventory, even the story is badly written compared to Amnesia: The Dark    When I heard there was going to be a sequel I was over the moon, until I read it was being produced by The Chinese Room... I thought, under the eye of Frictional it surely can't go wrong... Boy was I wrong.

    This game is wrong on so many levels, no tinderboxes, lamp fuel, no real monster chases or hiding, no inventory, even the story is badly written compared to Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

    I have been a very long time fan of Frictional, but I will not play another game developed by anyone but them from now on.

    Save your money and buy Outlast and Amnesia: The Dark Descent instead.    … Expand
  75. ProfessorCoke
    Sep 11, 2013
    0
    This game is not even worth checking out, its not even close to the first amnesia, all the jump scares are cheap, and the monsters AI is stupid, wish I could get my money back, 0/10 would play again.
  76. Declow
    Sep 11, 2013
    1
    This is Dear Esther 2. Not amnesia. Most of the gameplay elements from the first game has been removed. They try to make you scared by making you lantern blink but this just spoils the moment of surprise
  77. interpulse
    Sep 11, 2013
    0
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a regressed, disgraceful, version of The Dark Descent and should be avoided by anyone expecting the same quality and experience of the previous title.

    Most of the game's functionality has been stripped and removed completely, such as: - Inventory and Item management - Sanity (Replaced with scripted 'Insanity' effects during events that last only a few    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a regressed, disgraceful, version of The Dark Descent and should be avoided by anyone expecting the same quality and experience of the previous title.

    Most of the game's functionality has been stripped and removed completely, such as:
    - Inventory and Item management

    - Sanity (Replaced with scripted 'Insanity' effects during events that last only a few seconds)
    -- No Sanity potion

    - Item pick-ups such:
    -- Oil (Your lantern can stay on indefinitely)
    -- Tinderboxes (Light as many candles as you want)
    -- Laudanum (Health regenerates quickly now, no need for potions)
    -- Puzzle pieces (You have to carry the items by holding them and walking)

    - Most objects in the game are static and non-interactable. The only items that are interactable are puzzle-related pieces.

    The puzzles in the game are non-challenging and provoke no intellectual problem-solving. Anytime there is a "puzzle" you receive a flurry of journals indicating what exactly you must do with very little effort on the developer's behalf to deceive the message. No challenge whatsoever.

    No voice-overs for the journals or documents.

    The lighting in the game is practically useless. I understand by keeping the game dark it creates fear and suspense in the player, but this is ridiculous. A typical light, such as a desk light, will illuminate an area of about three feat in diameter. There is no ambient lighting or bounce lighting. You could light 20 desk lights (which probably have at least a 40watt bulb) and still have a majority of a room pitch black.

    The post-process effects are awful. They coat the screen in a thick green or blue colored filter that washes out all other colors and tints everything green or blue, even your lantern spotlight.

    The AI pigs aren't scary. Not in the slightest.

    The level design is built with linearity in mind. In The Dark Descent there were times where you would have to backtrack to a certain areas to ultimately be able to progress; that has been removed.    … Expand
  78. Immun
    Sep 11, 2013
    0
    Where are the mechanics ?
    Everything that made the first Amnesia brilliant was removed. You are left with almost no mechanics.
    You can open doors, pick up notes ...and that's about it.
    It's a dull experience with little to no mechanics, awful puzzles and overcomplicated story telling.
  79. Dhelio
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    "Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs" (AAMFP from now on) takes off several years after the original "Amnesia: the Dark Descent". You play as Oswald Mandus, a feverish english gentleman on a quest to find his children. Story wise, the game is really good. It offers many considerations, and it really gets the player after the first half of the game. The atmosphere is absolutely fantastic, a true"Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs" (AAMFP from now on) takes off several years after the original "Amnesia: the Dark Descent". You play as Oswald Mandus, a feverish english gentleman on a quest to find his children. Story wise, the game is really good. It offers many considerations, and it really gets the player after the first half of the game. The atmosphere is absolutely fantastic, a true lighthouse for the horror genre to follow. Unfortunately, these are the only real good things about AAMFP. After the first of the four hours needed to complete the game, the player will know exactly what to expect from the game. The monsters are plain and not frightening at all, nor will they bother the player too much, since they're easy to outrun or hide from, and their relative uninterest for the player, which is unforgivable in an horror game. Level design is lacking, with too many sideways to avoid monsters and foreseeable dangers, which in turn make the game even easier than it is. Monster encounters are few and forgettable. The necessity to hunt for oil and light has been removed giving the player an electric lamp, which light will defeat anyone fears. Puzzles are far too easy, and the inventory is gone in the name of a more immediate gameplay.

    In the end, AAMFP feels more like a story, told in front of a fireplace in a rainy and cold night, rather than a travel in the depths of human fears. The storytelling is superb, with a writing among the best I've ever read, the visuals are stunning and inspiring, but the gameplay lacks many elements that made Amnesia and Penumbra famous. AAMFP is a good game in its own right, but can't stand the confront with "The Dark Descent".    … Expand
  80. DigitalAcuity
    Sep 11, 2013
    3
    I've been looking forward to this for a long time, but I have to say it's my biggest gaming disappointment of the year. This game is not really worthy of the name Amnesia at all as its just so different and in my opinion not in a good way.

    They have removed several gameplay mechanics of the original and replaced them with, well nothing actually. You can't manipulate the environment at    I've been looking forward to this for a long time, but I have to say it's my biggest gaming disappointment of the year. This game is not really worthy of the name Amnesia at all as its just so different and in my opinion not in a good way.

    They have removed several gameplay mechanics of the original and replaced them with, well nothing actually. You can't manipulate the environment at all unless its puzzle related, of which you just bring an item to a certain place or pull levers to progress. In-fact, there isn't much gameplay at all now. Its a very linear short experience, around four hours at best.

    The horror aspect basically now relies on jump scares, shaking the screen, and loud noises, something the original never had to resort to. In fact once you realise how terrible the monsters AI is after the first few encounters and how bad they are at actually catching you it isn't even scary anymore, plus your warned whenever a monster is nearby by your flashlight flickering. There's also only about 5 places in the entire game where you can actually even be chased.

    The only good points I can say about it, is the storyline isn't that bad, it has a good soundtrack, sound assets and the atmosphere in general is good up until that point you cease being scared for the above reasons anyway.

    All in all though a huge disappointment.    … Expand
  81. Vixremento
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    I've been super excited for this game for a long time now...sadly it was just barely a game (at least this time we could interact a little unlike with the Chinese Rooms Dear Esther) and instead felt more like an interactive story with bits of horror if you could even call them that (what the hell happened to having an enjoyable fun experience like one normally does in games withI've been super excited for this game for a long time now...sadly it was just barely a game (at least this time we could interact a little unlike with the Chinese Rooms Dear Esther) and instead felt more like an interactive story with bits of horror if you could even call them that (what the hell happened to having an enjoyable fun experience like one normally does in games with challenging puzzles and mechanics that force you to move carefully, use resources sparingly and to crap in your pants at the slightest shadow flicker in the distance?).

    I would seriously rather recommend that you replay Amnesia: The Dark Descent instead of buying this especially at full price.    … Expand
  82. Jessimation
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    I really don't understan why people are downrating this game, it's very well done, it takes the in depth environment of dear esther and the scares of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and makes a brilliant game
  83. playercz
    Sep 11, 2013
    2
    TDD= The Dark Descent
    AAMFP= A Machine for Pigs
    Okay, so, I was waiting for the game right when it was announced, I think it was a year ago, it sounded great, Frictionl games thechineseroom would work perfectly right RIGHT?! I will start now. Music The music is decent, its not a masterpiece, but fits the "atmosphere". Voice acting: Voice acting alone was "okay" but it takes    TDD= The Dark Descent
    AAMFP= A Machine for Pigs

    Okay, so, I was waiting for the game right when it was announced, I think it was a year ago, it sounded great, Frictionl games thechineseroom would work perfectly right RIGHT?!

    I will start now.

    Music The music is decent, its not a masterpiece, but fits the "atmosphere".

    Voice acting: Voice acting alone was "okay" but it takes away the main thing that the first amnesia had the feeling of being alone.

    Graphics: The first Amnesia had good graphics for an indie game in 2010- mediocre when compared with AA titles, but in the Machine for pigs the graphics are not even mediocre, theres a lot of recycled textures from TDD, that dont even fit in the industrial-like era of AAMFP.

    Gameplay: Okay guys, this is the worst part..
    I loved TDD for all the interactive enviroment, the inventory system, a light source the Lantern that always didnt have enough oil, but in AAMFP....YOU DONT HAVE AN INVETORY! No you dont, you just have a an upgraded version of the lantern with UNLIMITED "battery", you cant interact with the enviroment, only with chairs and some drawers, not even all the doors!

    The monster: This is a little spoiler so if you still want to play the game skip this paragraph.
    In TDD you were chased by a horrific human-like creatures, but in this game youre. chased. by. a. PIG!
    Yes, a PIG. It isnt even scary and everytime you meet it in the game it just squeels the all time same sound effect and runs away..

    Oh yeah, the story, I will summarize it in one sentence: You have to go turn on a scary machine.

    Verdict:

    Dont buy it, it isnt wort it, if you like a chllenging horror, go for The ol´silent hill games, but not this, its not even a little bit like the first Amnesia.

    2/10 For music.
    I am not even angry anymore, Im sad you fu**ed up thechineseroom.    … Expand
  84. MickEllix
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    loved the story pacing and acting, took me a while to get into the game but once i did i couldn't stop playing. if you are getting this just for scary bits then you will probably be disappointed but if you play a game for story and atmosphere you will love it
  85. asdgqw23
    Sep 11, 2013
    1
    Dear Esther 2 aka Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. What an waste of potential. If this would be made same way as the original, but with its own layout, it would be a big hit. Unfortunately thechineseroom have no visions of pleasing loyal fans of original Amnesia and Penumbras. It seems that they didn't even want to make spiritual successor to original one. Frictional Games has put itself inDear Esther 2 aka Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. What an waste of potential. If this would be made same way as the original, but with its own layout, it would be a big hit. Unfortunately thechineseroom have no visions of pleasing loyal fans of original Amnesia and Penumbras. It seems that they didn't even want to make spiritual successor to original one. Frictional Games has put itself in place similar to as when down syndrome child gives you painting, you are just not allowed to say, that it's piece of This game should not have anything to do with Amnesia brand. One point for partially improved visuals.… Expand
  86. manchester18
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game gets a C+... but it should have been an A.

    Mechanically, musically & atmospherically 'a machine for pigs' is perfect. But what wins the game its C+ is its confused, unorganized writing & story. From what I understand, the crew at frictional sacked their old writer (or writers) from 'the dark descent' for dan pinchbeck the guy who wrote for the indie adventure game 'dear esther.' and, as someone who has played 'dear esther,' I can tell you... the writing in that game is not very good.

    as I was playing 'a machine for pigs' I developed several questions, none of which were satisfactorily answered. pretty much all of them had to do with the basic parts of the plot, such as:

    - why are there secret rooms in my house? are these to spy on my own wife? my children? why?
    - why did I begin the game in my bed, which was surrounded by a cage?
    - who let me out of the cage? and aren't I mandus, the boss?
    - for that matter, why did I build 'the machine'? what is its purpose? is it to collect the vitae and become immortal (like alexander of brennenburg in 'the dark descent')? to bring my sons back to life?
    - I do not understand the character of Mandus, his saboteur alter-ego, or the evil mandus which is personified by the machine. none are really explored or have their motives explained. and this is very important because if you're going to have these 'different manduses' having conversations with each other, they need to be distinguishable.
    - what happened to my sons? my wife? I seem to understand that they died but why is this not more clear to me?
    - for that matter, why am I an amnesiac in 'a machine for pigs'? was amnesia a necessary plot element to keep?
    - what the hell happened in mexico? how did it affect me? this is not clear.
    - and who is the professor? why do I speak to him on the tapes?

    I'd also like to add:

    - there were too many notes. 'a machine for pigs' must have had 4x the notes of 'the dark descent' in a much shorter game. and all of them were filled with extraneous nonsense, couldn't keep on topic.... and somehow still failed to explain to me even the basic parts of the game (see above).

    thinking about it now, this game really pisses me off. why? because this should have been even better than amnesia. I understand the vision they had: the vitae alexander strove so hard to collect in 'the dark descent' (which he used to become immortal) is being collected in this game now on an industrial scale. but, like alexander found that animals were a lackluster source of vitae, so, too, in 'a machine for pigs' mandus finds it necessary to extract the vitae from humans. here then come implications of a conspiracy, in which murderers are hired to bring in dead bodies. in which graves are robbed of the recently deceased. and in which imbeciles are brought in from overcrowded mental hospitals. then, the machine is unleashed over all of london in an orgy of horror. but, when this happens its constructor, seeing his own wickedness, decides to the destroy the machine. but this whole vision is exectued poorly. the writer and the producer are at fault here. everyone else did their job.    … Expand
  87. Sboriky
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is completely different from his great predecessor and from the Penumbra series. The gameplay has been greatly simplified, the interaction with the environment has been reduced and the scary atmosphere is less intense than in The Dark Descent.

    Personally I don't like the vision which has The Chinese Room of a game as a "walking adventure"... And unfortunately    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is completely different from his great predecessor and from the Penumbra series. The gameplay has been greatly simplified, the interaction with the environment has been reduced and the scary atmosphere is less intense than in The Dark Descent.

    Personally I don't like the vision which has The Chinese Room of a game as a "walking adventure"... And unfortunately that's what A Machine for Pigs really is.

    The game is way too easy for being a survival horror game, and the enemies AI is worse than what we have seen in The Dark Descent. The gameplay has not been improved during this three years of development, resulting in a slow and boring gaming experience.

    However, the soundtrack composed by Jessica Curry is simply great and it blends perfectly with the story which is quite engaging, even though I have found it way too complicated and pretentious.    … Expand
  88. BrosefStalin
    Sep 11, 2013
    8
    Being a huge fan of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, I couldn't help myself from playing this game. At first glance I had been a little worried about the changes The Chinese Room had to include, but I had expected it. After finishing the game I can certainly say its a very different experience compared to The Dark Descent. Although there are some things I had missed from The Dark Descent, ABeing a huge fan of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, I couldn't help myself from playing this game. At first glance I had been a little worried about the changes The Chinese Room had to include, but I had expected it. After finishing the game I can certainly say its a very different experience compared to The Dark Descent. Although there are some things I had missed from The Dark Descent, A Machine for Pigs had some things new to throw on the table that weren't quite there in the first game.

    A Machine for Pigs offers a lot less jump scares and instead, has an incredibly chilling environment. Through reading notes and exploring the machine, players can sink deeper into the atmosphere of the game. In my opinion, I feel that this wasn't as well done in the first game and I am glad The Chinese Room could improve on it.

    I read through other reviews and I see people complaining about no inventory system, or no health bar. I believe this argument is folly, considering these things had little to offer in the first game. A person would use their inventory to either use an item or drink a potion, both of which took about 5-10 seconds. As for the health bar, there is no use in having one. Each enemy encounter is spread out and you are guaranteed to go down in about 2 hits.

    Even though I felt less moments of terror and fear as The Dark Descent, I felt much more disturbed or uncomfortable. Although Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is much less 'shock and terror' it brings about fantastic writing and design to make the game horrifying in a much different way. This may rub some people the wrong way as they may not have expected these changes, which I understand may be why this game is getting so much flak. A Machine for Pigs is a must play for anyone who can appreciate good design and good horror.    … Expand
  89. HannibalSmith92
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    AMFP is not what i expected it to be. You dont have an oil lamp (runing out of oil) like in "The Dark Descent". Your lamp in Machine for Pigs wont go out.
    Another thing which is very dsappointing for me is that you cant open all doors. This makes the game very linear. You always find your way.
    In TDD you could open all doors and explore the whole world which makes the game more scarry    AMFP is not what i expected it to be. You dont have an oil lamp (runing out of oil) like in "The Dark Descent". Your lamp in Machine for Pigs wont go out.
    Another thing which is very dsappointing for me is that you cant open all doors. This makes the game very linear. You always find your way.
    In TDD you could open all doors and explore the whole world which makes the game more scarry too because you never knew what happens next. But now you just have "one way" and you can guess whats coming next. Thats why i'm totaly disappointed from "A Machine for pigs"
    The Graphic is the same like in the first game i think, but thats ok.

    My advise to you: Invest your money in buying "The Dark Descent". You have much more horror there and, whats important too, you can play Custom Stories. A Machine for pigs doesnt support custom stories and i think its not worth the money.    … Expand
  90. Sweaer
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    i can easily say, that this is one of the best experiences in gaming, i was sneaking around inside a factory, and i thought the beast was far away, until i see it walking towards me, i desperatly try to hide but when i turn around i see it has caught my scent. at this moment i am running away, and im hearing loud pig-squeels behind me, and just as im about to give up, i notice a smalli can easily say, that this is one of the best experiences in gaming, i was sneaking around inside a factory, and i thought the beast was far away, until i see it walking towards me, i desperatly try to hide but when i turn around i see it has caught my scent. at this moment i am running away, and im hearing loud pig-squeels behind me, and just as im about to give up, i notice a small hatch which i can jump through. and i did, and just as i started breathing again, i can see that the pig-monster has already followed me down, so i start to run! as i panic and run through darkness i cant even see if its a dead end im heading towards, or if another monster decided to chase me aswell, then i see a dor so i open the door, and i see the monster running towards me, i can barely move from the fear im experiencing but i managed to slam the door in its face, quickly barricading the door with whatever i can find, after a while, i hear the squeals sounds further and further away, and i then realized that im safe... FOR NOW. i´d easily give this game a 10/10, for the atmospherical environments and the rewarding feeling when you have managed to survive an encounter, if you haven´t played this game alredy, then play it now! PROS: great scary atmosphere, thrilling environment, dark, immersive and deep storyline and a great ton of fun experience. CONS: minor bugs, simplified game mechanics, and as i´ve noticed they seem to have removed the insanity system which im really dissappointed about. SUMMARY: the cons are so easy to look around when you notice what a great experience frictional/chinese has made for you, one of the best horror games i have ever played (i did play the original amnesia).… Expand
  91. cstrang
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs not only proves that The Chinese Room can't make a powerful horror game, but that they also still struggle with the concept of game vs. interactive storybook.

    The gameplay gripes here are many: A Machine for Pigs takes away everything from the original Amnesia that made it such a tense playthrough. Gone is the inventory, limited amount of lantern fuel (I use    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs not only proves that The Chinese Room can't make a powerful horror game, but that they also still struggle with the concept of game vs. interactive storybook.

    The gameplay gripes here are many: A Machine for Pigs takes away everything from the original Amnesia that made it such a tense playthrough. Gone is the inventory, limited amount of lantern fuel (I use that terminology because the lantern in A Machine for Pigs is electric), coherent health system, and sanity meter. This means that not only are the "puzzles" one encounters simplified to the point were they entail player is simply dragging an item a few meters, but there is also absolutely no urgency to solve them. "Exploration" is largely linear to begin with, so the game itself devolves into a 3 hours (Yes, the game is about 3 hours in length) exercise of following the path, flipping a switch to solve a "puzzle", following the path, dragging a thing to another thing, flipping a switch, following the path, repeat.

    The monster encounters are few and far between and the AI appears to have the mental capacity of a 2 year old, making them not only completely trickable but also totally non-threatening. It won't be long in the game before you figure out that there isn't much to be afraid of in this "survival horror" game, which is certainly A Machine for Pigs greatest downfall.

    The story is decently done, though you will be able to predict one of the larger twists in the game before you even place your hands on the keyboard/controller to move your character, and you'll probably still be fuming over that the appreciate the rest the story has to offer since it is so short. Audio is probably A Machine for Pigs' greatest strength The voice-acting is well-done (though slightly sparse for a game that would be best described as story-driven), the music is haunting, and the sound effects try to build a tense atmosphere that is ultimately defeated by the fact that you will realize there is nothing there to hurt you.

    The price upon release in the US is $20, around $16 if you preordered. At a paltry 3 hours of gameplay, in a world that feels sparse, simple, linear, and as threatening as a new-born kitten, I can't possibly recommend it to anyone.    … Expand
  92. davidov_b
    Sep 11, 2013
    1
    I've been waiting for this game for a looong time, and its built up a lot of hype. And this game just falls flat on its face. I'm just gonna keep this short:

    There's no pacing, it's extremely linear, mechanics such as sanity, lamp oil and tinderboxes have been completely removed from the game, the pig monsters are much more dull and easy to escape, the puzzles haven't evolved a bit    I've been waiting for this game for a looong time, and its built up a lot of hype. And this game just falls flat on its face. I'm just gonna keep this short:

    There's no pacing, it's extremely linear, mechanics such as sanity, lamp oil and tinderboxes have been completely removed from the game, the pig monsters are much more dull and easy to escape, the puzzles haven't evolved a bit since the previous game, no inventory, and above all it's poorly optimized.

    Did I also mention it's made by the team behind 'Dear Esther'? There's no need too, because it feels EXACTLY like it. This isn't horror. This is just a quick (really quick; as in 5 hours quick) stroll.

    This game has devolved more than it has evolved.    … Expand
  93. YesThisIsDog
    Sep 11, 2013
    7
    I have not finished the whole game yet but so far it's really good and I'm scared constantly.
    The atmosphere and game-play is awesome, but what is lacking is the moveable objects that were in TDD, it's not a big thing but it's the small things. The inventory system is also a disappointment and items such as tinderboxes, sanity potions etc. I was hoping for more items in this game, and the    I have not finished the whole game yet but so far it's really good and I'm scared constantly.
    The atmosphere and game-play is awesome, but what is lacking is the moveable objects that were in TDD, it's not a big thing but it's the small things. The inventory system is also a disappointment and items such as tinderboxes, sanity potions etc. I was hoping for more items in this game, and the puzzles where you must put stuff together etc just like in TDD. That is why I'm giving it 7/10.    … Expand
  94. linkenski
    Sep 11, 2013
    7
    A great story couldn't help this game from leaving me unimpressed.

    I'll make my review short. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs does many things right, especially in terms of atmosphere and the story it tells is intriguing. However, this is almost where it stops, because, as for the gameplay a lot of the core mechanics from The Dark Descent are gone, such include the Sanity meter, inventory,    A great story couldn't help this game from leaving me unimpressed.

    I'll make my review short. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs does many things right, especially in terms of atmosphere and the story it tells is intriguing. However, this is almost where it stops, because, as for the gameplay a lot of the core mechanics from The Dark Descent are gone, such include the Sanity meter, inventory, lamp-oil, tinderboxes and health. Now don't get this wrong, you can still die, but you life regenerates instead of you having to use Laudanum like you should in The Dark Descent.

    But to my surprise, halfway into the game I had stopped thinking about this as an issue because the story is very compelling if a little hard to grasp at times. You can definitely feel that this game was idealized by The Chinese Room.

    Don't worry though, there will be puzzles, and there will be suspense leading to scares like in The Dark Descent, but unfortunately the latter seems only about half as effective this time around and this is mostly because of the lack of the inventory menu. Most puzzles are ready to be solved as you find them and even though there is more than one main type of enemy that can kill you, the graphical design for any of them just isn't disturbing enough. When you get a good look at the monsters you're not afraid anymore.

    The question you have to ask yourself before you consider playing this Amnesia however is whether you liked The Dark Descent because of the scares or the gameplay or whether it was because you liked the story it told.

    In my own opinion there isn't much to like in Machine for Pigs if you simply don't care for storytelling in games. It's a very streamlined Amnesia and the experience suffers from it for those who expected this to be a true sequel that was gonna be bigger and badder than the original. But if you do like good storytelling you should definitely play this.

    7/10    … Expand
  95. Aiwaz
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    I am a huge fan of Frictional Games titles and i loved the out of Amnesia, but this "game" its not exactly the kind of thing you would expect from the guys who brought you the Penumbra Series and Amnesia the Dark Descent and i believe (thanks to Chinese Room) this episode could be a pure example of pure "Pretentious Indie bull****" why you can guess why by thinking who made this game,I am a huge fan of Frictional Games titles and i loved the out of Amnesia, but this "game" its not exactly the kind of thing you would expect from the guys who brought you the Penumbra Series and Amnesia the Dark Descent and i believe (thanks to Chinese Room) this episode could be a pure example of pure "Pretentious Indie bull****" why you can guess why by thinking who made this game, like Dear Esther there's no gameplay element in this "game", and you are driven through this linear journey by just solving stupid and easy puzzles and reading scrap of story here and there.
    I am mostly disappointed because they managed to dumb down an already simple but solid gameplay, and everything up by creating a game so linear without any interesting elements which Dark Descent brought us.
    I am utterly disappointed and i hope FG won't make another game with The Chinese room again    … Expand
  96. xZippy
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    Wow. I found this game very disappointing. Many of the interesting and intuitive gameplay elements from the previous game have been forcefully stripped away, and only the bare bones of gameplay mechanics exist.

    It doesn't even come close to The Dark Descent. I don't want to say this game is downright horrible, but it's not very good either. You get some good scares and interesting    Wow. I found this game very disappointing. Many of the interesting and intuitive gameplay elements from the previous game have been forcefully stripped away, and only the bare bones of gameplay mechanics exist.

    It doesn't even come close to The Dark Descent. I don't want to say this game is downright horrible, but it's not very good either. You get some good scares and interesting moments sprinkled in, but apart from that, it's a pretty dull game with a sloppy, rushed plot. Not worth $20. Wait for it to go on sale or something.    … Expand
  97. kaosdarkness
    Sep 11, 2013
    1
    El nuevo amnesia no me pareció para nada bueno. Le quitaron demasiadas cosas y no agregaron completamente nada. Donde está el medidor de cordura, mi estado de salud, etc etc etc etc. donde está esa oscuridad infinita que me hace desear no avanzar. Ya no existe. ¿Por que trabajaron con los desarrolladores de Dear Ester?!!! por que?!! Los enemigos son demasiado estúpidos. El juego recurre aEl nuevo amnesia no me pareció para nada bueno. Le quitaron demasiadas cosas y no agregaron completamente nada. Donde está el medidor de cordura, mi estado de salud, etc etc etc etc. donde está esa oscuridad infinita que me hace desear no avanzar. Ya no existe. ¿Por que trabajaron con los desarrolladores de Dear Ester?!!! por que?!! Los enemigos son demasiado estúpidos. El juego recurre a pobres movimientos de pantalla para asustar. El primer amnesia es una obra maestra, pero este deja mucho que desear. Outlast es mas amnesia, no puedo creerlo. Estoy muy decepcionado.… Expand
  98. eternalsnows
    Sep 11, 2013
    10
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a masterpiece. A masterpiece of storytelling, a masterpiece of atmosphere, and a masterpiece of thematic depth and cohesion.

    What it is not, though, is a masterpiece of game design, simply because it's not a "game." No mechanical skill or special mental acuity are required to succeed. There are no choices to be made that affect the story or its conclusion.    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a masterpiece. A masterpiece of storytelling, a masterpiece of atmosphere, and a masterpiece of thematic depth and cohesion.

    What it is not, though, is a masterpiece of game design, simply because it's not a "game." No mechanical skill or special mental acuity are required to succeed. There are no choices to be made that affect the story or its conclusion. This is very much a spiritual successor to Dear Esther (it was designed by the same studio), with only superficial similarities to Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

    At its core, The Dark Descent was an old school adventure game, something which I actually didn't like about it. It was incredibly atmospheric, scary, and downright disturbing, but to me the puzzles served as a frequently annoying distraction from exploring the grim and compelling world laid before me.

    A Machine for Pigs almost entirely forgoes these game elements and transitions completely to the interactive fiction genre. And what a work of interactive fiction it is. Dear Esther was an extraordinarily well-crafted and moving experience, but AMfP improves on it in every way. The writing is masterful, weaving together themes of guilt, original sin, the duality of man, religion, and socio-political philosophy. The visuals are superb and nearly flawless, although I did find myself frustrated by the lack of reflecting mirrors and more naturalistic fog effects. Minor complaints to be sure, but ever so slightly immersion-breaking nonetheless.

    I must also shower composer Jessica Curry with the highest praise. Her work in Dear Esther was breathtaking and here we find her again practicing at the pinnacle of her art. Music is absolutely integral to the success of AMfP. Not only does Curry manage to underscore the emotional significance of each section perfectly, but every cue is also a brilliantly original composition in its own right. Search out Mors Praematura online to hear exactly what I'm talking about. At the risk of sounding overly effusive I'd have to say that this is soundtrack of the year (or decade!) material.

    In closing, I think Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a spectacular creative achievement and deserves to be experienced by almost everyone. Yes, it is unusual and is most definitely not a game, nor is it anything like Amnesia: The Dark Descent. As long as you are aware of these facts going in and are able to re-calibrate your expectations early on I guarantee that you're in for a deep, thought-provoking and one of a kind experience.    … Expand
  99. Zigeina
    Sep 11, 2013
    2
    Very short, you have to read to understand the story, invisible archenemy, stupid monsters...
    Honestly, there is no exploration benefits nor places where you can hide from the monsters, because you dont need it. The game takes only 3 hours to play through and there are only a few scary moments...
    It is a great game, no doubt. But it is not Amnesia
  100. thekillergreece
    Sep 10, 2013
    0
    The worst sequel I have ever played. It hugely lacks of horror, inventory like Amnesia,inventory...They hadnt changed the graphics, just made it even worst and physics are still worst...Dont buy this game, get Outlast, heck the Amnesia fanboys reviewers..
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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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