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. yazazuyo
    Aug 10, 2023
    8
    It really catches me. It's not as good as the first but still a better sequel than Amnesia: Rebirth
  2. korku
    Jul 18, 2023
    0
    ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏
  3. inxs_378
    Dec 8, 2022
    10
    I Love this game, All about it is wonderful, its history, its atmosphere... poetic and beautiful. Thanks to the developers for giving us this piece of art. Excelente job
  4. JuanDeLeon
    Nov 1, 2022
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. What a waste of time.

    Nothing that made Amnesia what it was is present here. No inventory, no sanity or darkness management or even health (!) to worry about. Hell, there aren't even any puzzles; push this thingy over here, flip this switch, and shuffle off to the next section. That's the extent of it. There are monsters, yes, but they are uninspired and are as unfrightening as you could probably get. Not to mention they are very limited in their range and dumb as a box of rocks. The game tries too damn hard. Where it tries to be scary, it is instead dull and occasionally frustrating---if stumbling around in a pitch-black series of rooms that all look the same while an incompetent, near-blind pig man chases you is your idea of scary, then help yourself. All of this might be worthwhile if the "game" actually had a plot worth pursuing, but it doesn't. A reasonably astute person will figure out what's really going on in the first fifteen or so minutes; after that, all that's left is to trudge through the hackneyed succession of notes, letters, and bits of dialogue that serve only to remind you of what you've known all along. None of the visuals are particularly arresting, unless you find dimly-lit Edwardian industrial areas compelling. I would also like to point out that the developers apparently have no idea how a carbide lantern actually works. This is a glaring misstep, considering that it is your main tool through the game. For the record, carbide lamps do not "flicker," as much as the developers would have liked to make it into a strobe to heighten the fear of an approaching enemy. Instead all it did was make me laugh.

    Don't play this game. Play Amnesia or its excellent add-on Justine instead, or anything else, really. Your time is wasted here.    … Expand
  5. 4ya5h1
    Oct 31, 2022
    2
    its so bad and boring and empty, this game is really hard to play, you just walk in dark places and do nothing, no any scary moments, no interesting story or quests, game is empty. only good things about "machine for pigs" is the pigs, until you get to know that they are useless and harmless
  6. MaxieZeus
    Sep 5, 2022
    6
    Excellent story but boring gameplay and easy puzzles. This would have worked better if it was a movie. Still recommend it just for the story.
  7. Antavardo
    Aug 24, 2022
    2
    Queriendo jugar un juego de "Horror" y salí decepcionado, no encuentro la mecánica del juego por ninguna parte, solo es entrar a una zona y llevar un objeto de punto "A" a punto "B" y darle vuelta a alguna válvula y ya, quizá si tuviera una historia mejor presentada con mas momentos de terror, que en todo el juego solo intentaron colar unos pocos mal logrados, definitivamente con esteQueriendo jugar un juego de "Horror" y salí decepcionado, no encuentro la mecánica del juego por ninguna parte, solo es entrar a una zona y llevar un objeto de punto "A" a punto "B" y darle vuelta a alguna válvula y ya, quizá si tuviera una historia mejor presentada con mas momentos de terror, que en todo el juego solo intentaron colar unos pocos mal logrados, definitivamente con este basto a que no le de la oportunidad a ningún otro amnesia.… Expand
  8. Wrathzo
    Mar 27, 2022
    6
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a survival horror video game developed by The Chinese Room and published by Frictional Games. The game features several interlocking storylines. Some take place in the past, some in the present, and some are overtly real while some may be imagined. Set in London on New Year's Eve, 1899, the game's protagonist is Oswald Mandus, a wealthy industrialist andAmnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a survival horror video game developed by The Chinese Room and published by Frictional Games. The game features several interlocking storylines. Some take place in the past, some in the present, and some are overtly real while some may be imagined. Set in London on New Year's Eve, 1899, the game's protagonist is Oswald Mandus, a wealthy industrialist and butcher who is implied to be the great grand-nephew of Daniel, the protagonist of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. At the beginning of the game, he awakens from a fever that has lasted for several months, after returning from a disastrous expedition to explore Aztec ruins in Mexico. He hears the voices of his sons, Edwin and Enoch, calling for him as they lead him through the different areas.… Expand
  9. oscarbjb
    Feb 5, 2022
    7
    amnesia machine for pigs is a very fun game tho not as great as the dark decent mainly not as much is interactable this isnt a big deal since this is a horror game so lets get to that
    the horror also is not as great first the atmosphere is just not as tence plus having unlimited oil and there being no sanity makes the game lose some of its horror plus when you can get killed by the    amnesia machine for pigs is a very fun game tho not as great as the dark decent mainly not as much is interactable this isnt a big deal since this is a horror game so lets get to that
    the horror also is not as great first the atmosphere is just not as tence plus having unlimited oil and there being no sanity makes the game lose some of its horror plus when you can get killed by the monster it just isnt as intense but the story is very great again you explore while getting your memory back since it is a facotry your exploring (when you get to that point) the amnesia consept feels better executed but overal the game just isnt as great as the original one but still recomended    … Expand
  10. JAG7
    Dec 21, 2021
    8
    Scary?? No... creepy and bizarre?? Yes! This game is ages away from Dark Descent in many ways when it comes to horror. Is more like a walking dark experience. The ambience is good but I was expecting the same chills as TDD. The story is nonsensical. It’s not well explained and there’s too many holes. It could have been better developed or tell. The writing is alright but is still bizarre.Scary?? No... creepy and bizarre?? Yes! This game is ages away from Dark Descent in many ways when it comes to horror. Is more like a walking dark experience. The ambience is good but I was expecting the same chills as TDD. The story is nonsensical. It’s not well explained and there’s too many holes. It could have been better developed or tell. The writing is alright but is still bizarre. Also lots of invisible walls in some areas and puzzles. Would had appreciated some kind of little hint. Had to used walkthroughs a couple of times, regretfully. Overall a good and strange experience.… Expand
  11. frederik1478
    Aug 25, 2021
    3
    I could not get behind this game the atmosphere from the first one was gone and it was not scared ,The moving of the Inventory and items makes the game fuel empty like the only things to do is to move as fast as possible to get the ending. I hope that you can find something in this game the I couldn't
  12. FRIST_008
    Jun 14, 2021
    6
    К сожалению обрезанная, покоцанная версия оригинала, которая лишилась не только атмосферы, но и геймплея
  13. Erdbeere
    May 21, 2021
    7
    Its different but its still good I like Amnesia very much. Great series of games
  14. berkerzararsiz
    Apr 29, 2021
    8
    Çoğu oyuncunun hoşuna gitmese de hikaye örgüsüne bayıldığım oyun olmuştur. Korku ve gerilimden daha çok okuduğum mektuplara ve senaryoya odaklandığım için çok sevmiştim oyunu. Oynadığım ilk amnesia oyunu olması da bunda etkili olsa gerek. Çünkü diğer oyuncular serinin diğer oyunları ile kıyaslama yaparken ben oyunu sadece kendisi ile kıyasladım. Atmosfer de hoşuma gitti. 2 puanı daÇoğu oyuncunun hoşuna gitmese de hikaye örgüsüne bayıldığım oyun olmuştur. Korku ve gerilimden daha çok okuduğum mektuplara ve senaryoya odaklandığım için çok sevmiştim oyunu. Oynadığım ilk amnesia oyunu olması da bunda etkili olsa gerek. Çünkü diğer oyuncular serinin diğer oyunları ile kıyaslama yaparken ben oyunu sadece kendisi ile kıyasladım. Atmosfer de hoşuma gitti. 2 puanı da oynanıştan kırdım.… Expand
  15. DJKrimson
    Mar 9, 2021
    4
    Huge disappointment, this game is basically Amnisia: the walking sim. The game is way more linear than TDD, there's one straight path from start to finish and you would never risk to go the wrong way because the correct path are always super obvious. Not that it would matter anyway I guess since you can't ever interact with any "wrong doors", there's actually very few things you canHuge disappointment, this game is basically Amnisia: the walking sim. The game is way more linear than TDD, there's one straight path from start to finish and you would never risk to go the wrong way because the correct path are always super obvious. Not that it would matter anyway I guess since you can't ever interact with any "wrong doors", there's actually very few things you can interact with in this game apart from the notes and the audio storytelling objects.

    They also removed all items, insanity meter, oil meter and basically all puzzle elements.    … Expand
  16. Arbores
    Jan 28, 2021
    8
    Oynanış: 35/40
    Hikaye: 12/30
    Grafikler: 15/20
    Sesler ve Müzikler: 10/10
    Sonuç: 72/100
  17. Antya
    Jan 13, 2021
    10
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is definitely a good game, but it's difficult to categorize this game as an Amnesia game.
    Meetings with our enemies are not so dangerous, there are few puzzles, the lantern is eternal, and the loss of mind was removed (the main character is not afraid of the dark).
    But I still liked the game! This game has a very cool plot, a cool atmosphere, which is helped    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is definitely a good game, but it's difficult to categorize this game as an Amnesia game.
    Meetings with our enemies are not so dangerous, there are few puzzles, the lantern is eternal, and the loss of mind was removed (the main character is not afraid of the dark).
    But I still liked the game!
    This game has a very cool plot, a cool atmosphere, which is helped by a great OST and an interesting concept with pigs.
    There are a lot of different locations that are made incredibly cool!
    The small number of puzzles and the small number of dangerous encounters with pigs makes the game easy, which allows you to fully focus on the plot.
    So my assessment will still be positive.    … Expand
  18. Awanka
    Jan 8, 2021
    7
    Despite the lukewarm reception, I found Machine for Pigs to be almost as good as the original Amnesia. The game shares many similar conceits, as you take control of a character with a dodgy memory who is revealed over time to have a dark past that he shares with the main antagonist, an enemy that periodically speaks to you over the phone or through telepathy to give foreboding warnings orDespite the lukewarm reception, I found Machine for Pigs to be almost as good as the original Amnesia. The game shares many similar conceits, as you take control of a character with a dodgy memory who is revealed over time to have a dark past that he shares with the main antagonist, an enemy that periodically speaks to you over the phone or through telepathy to give foreboding warnings or to mock you. The medieval/victorian occult settings of Dark Descent have been replaced by an ominous steampunk aesthetic, as you wander an enormous structure of pipes and machinery. My biggest worry was that they had toned down the dark part of this game, but it's almost as morbid and horrific in subject matter as the original. The main villian has a fascinatingly twisted psychology that marries a deep sense of nihilism about humanity with a savior complex. Monsters aren't as annoying or unavoidable as the first game. There's no sanity mechanic. Fewer moments of improvisational brilliance than the original. All in all, a strong effort.… Expand
  19. Megamaff
    Jan 7, 2021
    10
    Couldn't get past the hallway where the game tells you how to sprint - far too scary, especially the words - 10/10.
  20. HusoBabush
    Dec 31, 2020
    4
    game is not even worth to play the other amnesia games are better than it and machine for pigs is just like a walking simulator which have little scary sounds and pigs it is better to skip this game
  21. vaurne
    Dec 23, 2020
    7
    This game as failed to have any impact on me after all these years. I very easily would have forgotten it, were it not part of an amazing series. The story falls short, the content and atmosphere could be more consistent, and the gameplay is the worst part.

    It's a visually appealing game, with it's fair share of scary moments as well as scream worthy jumpscares (to be fair, some are    This game as failed to have any impact on me after all these years. I very easily would have forgotten it, were it not part of an amazing series. The story falls short, the content and atmosphere could be more consistent, and the gameplay is the worst part.

    It's a visually appealing game, with it's fair share of scary moments as well as scream worthy jumpscares (to be fair, some are quite cheap).

    I do think it is worth playing due to it being scary, beautiful and easy-going.    … Expand
  22. 2-D
    Dec 13, 2020
    3
    The world and atmosphere is really up to par with the original, even the story gets quite grim and intense by the end however it lacks any sort of character or even genuine horror. Feels more like a walking simulator with occasional cutscenes stringing along an interesting narrative, the gameplay itself is utterly boring.
  23. Sahmurad59
    Nov 26, 2020
    8
    Dat was nice experience, its my first amnesia game, but pigs r so stupid, but atmosphere was great
  24. Kangrin
    Oct 29, 2020
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bastante malo, puzzles que no tienen ningún sentido en un principio, como por ejemplo (spoilers) ir, devolverse, hacer cosas que en un principio ni siquiera te indican, hay uno, en especifico, que por las texturas no se diferencia, hay que buscar una vela que nada que ver, prenderlas y se abre una compuerta en el suelo, no tiene ni pies ni cabeza ni sentido, luego de eso directamente no supe que hacer, lo logré pasar, pero la historia está mal contada, De lo Que peor he jugado en cuanto a terror se refiere… Expand
  25. Septone
    Oct 25, 2020
    8
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs was such an underrated horror game out there; and I know that a lot of people were disappointed at this game saying it wasn't "scary" enough and some of the mechanics were removed from The Dark Descent.

    In my opinion, a great horror game is to have a great storytelling and this one didn't fail me. The game sets around 60 years after the events of The Dark    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs was such an underrated horror game out there; and I know that a lot of people were disappointed at this game saying it wasn't "scary" enough and some of the mechanics were removed from The Dark Descent.

    In my opinion, a great horror game is to have a great storytelling and this one didn't fail me. The game sets around 60 years after the events of The Dark Descent. I was truly immersed to the storytelling as I read almost all of the notes in the game and I really felt emotional as it comes to an end.

    I guess the only problem I got this game is there are no consequences after you've been hit from the Pigmen. You just slowly regenerate your health over time which is weird from a horror game, there should be survival elements to it. And the feeling of after getting killed so many times, you just get over with afterwards like the first game. The atmosphere though is a new addition to the franchise. AND HOLY MOLY, I HAVE TO GIVE TO THE PROPS WHO COMPOSED THE WHOLE SOUNDTRACK, I AM IN AWE AND IN-LOVE WITH IT. It's a great listen, you guys. Trust me.    … Expand
  26. Joellemm
    Oct 2, 2020
    4
    Playing it back-to-back with Amnesia: A Dark Decent Decent doesn't reflect well on A Machine for Pigs. It never outstays its welcome, but spending much of your time running through linear corridors, sometimes being chased by a barnyard animal isn't particularly scary or enjoyable. Intractability with the game's physics is dialled down unnecessarily, puzzles are made so straightforward itPlaying it back-to-back with Amnesia: A Dark Decent Decent doesn't reflect well on A Machine for Pigs. It never outstays its welcome, but spending much of your time running through linear corridors, sometimes being chased by a barnyard animal isn't particularly scary or enjoyable. Intractability with the game's physics is dialled down unnecessarily, puzzles are made so straightforward it would be disingenuous to describe them as puzzles, and the plot always feels like its blowing smoke up its own rear with its overly pretentious writing and obsession with pig metaphors. Also, the minimalistic inventory system in the original Amnesia, and the simple sanity gimmick, added to the tension ever so slightly. You're concern for lighting was persistent as well. It felt far less scripted, and absolutely terrifying for it. The new lantern doesn't need oil, and flashes when enemies are in your proximity, if only to make it really obvious that something scary might happen. Its kind of hard to feel the impact of any horror when there is so much handholding.

    Its still a mildly tense experience, but like Chinese Room's other games, its mostly just a walking simulator with a plot that feels as though its desperately crying out for clarity or just an interesting character to latch onto.    … Expand
  27. doodlerman
    Sep 11, 2020
    4
    This sequel falls short in pretty much every regard. The first game was an immersive survival experience, while this is more of a haunted house walking simulator with puzzles and a few stealth scenarios. Even if you're spotted by an enemy, they're slow, unintimidating, and forget about you almost immediately. There's also no resource management, which tosses another element of terror outThis sequel falls short in pretty much every regard. The first game was an immersive survival experience, while this is more of a haunted house walking simulator with puzzles and a few stealth scenarios. Even if you're spotted by an enemy, they're slow, unintimidating, and forget about you almost immediately. There's also no resource management, which tosses another element of terror out the window: your lantern can never die, you can't go insane, there are no healing items or tinderboxes. It feels underdeveloped, too. You can hardly interact with anything, aside from chairs, doors, and key items. Also, the font on notes is difficult to read. In terms of pacing, this game is already over by the time a game like The Dark Descent really gets started. I bet most people who play this have the whole 'twist' figured out before they even enter the factory. It's just disappointing. Glad I got it for free.… Expand
  28. Spijut
    Sep 6, 2020
    0
    This game is fun as a food poisoning
    If the wankery story won't melt your brain the nonsensical puzzle certanly will
    Dont pay for this crock of **** , for the same price you can purchase some kilos of spice and have an actual goodtime
  29. garygreen
    Sep 4, 2020
    6
    not great game,story is verry bad not written verry well,soundtrack is ok not great, but verry disappointment
  30. Norleft
    Aug 5, 2020
    6
    Un buen juego, eso no se lo quita nadie con una buena historia pero no cumple lo que promete como un juego de terror de su género, si lo comparamos con su anterior lanzamiento de Amnesia, da mucho que desear ya que muchas partes del anterior titulo como recursos (inventario, libertad, no lineal, estado del personaje, "monstruos", la posibilidad de morir, etc) hace que este juego dejeUn buen juego, eso no se lo quita nadie con una buena historia pero no cumple lo que promete como un juego de terror de su género, si lo comparamos con su anterior lanzamiento de Amnesia, da mucho que desear ya que muchas partes del anterior titulo como recursos (inventario, libertad, no lineal, estado del personaje, "monstruos", la posibilidad de morir, etc) hace que este juego deje bastante que desear.

    Después de lo bueno que fue el primer titulo y después transformarlo en esta especie de aventura gráfica sin diálogos... me ha defraudado bastante la verdad aunque se trate de un juego de terror flojo, porque realmente no quería pagar por esto.    … Expand
  31. Nekellor_Met
    Jul 5, 2020
    3
    Свиньи не особо страшные. Я даже не особо помню сюжет, вроде там были трубы какие-то.
  32. Thejodjeremie
    Jun 4, 2020
    8
    A fun spin off of the first amnesia that is also very scary. The gameplay is the same though they removed sanity, lantern fuel and tinker boxes. The story is very interesting and gripping.
  33. Chubac
    May 13, 2020
    6
    Unlike the first one, this isn't scary at all and even the puzzles feels lazy compared to the first one.
  34. Zuber00
    Jan 8, 2020
    5
    A huge disappointment for me. This one isn't as scary as the first in the series and has a bit worse atmosphere overall. Rushed through on first playthrough out of disappointment, which I now regret, as I cannot comment on how good the story was.
  35. tormented0ne1
    Oct 16, 2019
    9
    One of the best horror games ever made.
    Disturbing story.
    Unique sense of loneliness.
    Sick atmosphere.
  36. IBM_PC
    Sep 23, 2019
    10
    Best game of the year 10/10 ************************************************************************************************
  37. allwititnowsuck
    Feb 2, 2019
    4
    They removed annoying sanity system so main character is no longer terrified of his own shadow, other than that it's just a walking simulator with some simple puzzles here and there,tries very hard to be scary but fails on every level,mediocore garbage just like the first game and Penumbra series.
  38. NightGeisha
    Jan 5, 2019
    7
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is, like is predecessor (Amnesia: The Dark Descent), a good example from what a horror game should be.

    The game is immersed in a mysterious story, with a lot of puzzles and scary moments. The game is intense and it is quite likely to have one or several scares especially if you play it with headphones with the volume at maximum. Graphically is nothing    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is, like is predecessor (Amnesia: The Dark Descent), a good example from what a horror game should be.

    The game is immersed in a mysterious story, with a lot of puzzles and scary moments. The game is intense and it is quite likely to have one or several scares especially if you play it with headphones with the volume at maximum.

    Graphically is nothing special, I highlight the "light and dark" effects that are sometimes quite well designed, once again nothing very different or improved compared to its predecessor.

    Overall an excellent experience, but a lot here of its predecessor, anyway deserves my OK because it is a good example of the genre and it kept me interested even though I am not a fan of this genre of games.    … Expand
  39. keredd1010
    Nov 24, 2018
    2
    Wow. What can I say. Disappointment, disappointment, disappointment. That is the word that keeps popping up in my mind. And shame on you critics for having the audacity of rating this game anywhere above a 5. I hope you enjoyed your royalty check. There is no way anyone who plays video games and critiques them for a living can say with an honest heart this game is acceptable in quality.Wow. What can I say. Disappointment, disappointment, disappointment. That is the word that keeps popping up in my mind. And shame on you critics for having the audacity of rating this game anywhere above a 5. I hope you enjoyed your royalty check. There is no way anyone who plays video games and critiques them for a living can say with an honest heart this game is acceptable in quality. Even if the original one did not exist. So many things wrong and excuse me for comparing it with the first one but it just makes it easier to point out what is wrong with it.

    First off the story is a jumbled mess. One of the features of the original one which made it so fun was they was Daniel was telling himself the story of how he got to where he was. I mean, you had an actual voice actor reading it out to you and that helped build intrigue and mystery. It was told in a coherent and orderly fashion that was easy to follow as well. In AMFP (A Machine For Pigs) there is no narration. It is speckled with "recordings" that sorta tell you what is going on along with notes found here and there but no narration. The original actually had notes like this as well but with the narration it was much easier to follow and much more interesting. What anyone worth their weight in the story telling business will tell you is the biggest killer of a story is creating apathy for the characters to the audience. If no one cares what happens then no tension can be built up.

    The other thing that was missing that the original has was it was just too darn easy. No real puzzles that posed any real challenge, It was ridiculously easy to circumvent the monsters, and you had infinite light! One of the greatest aspects of the original one was how you had to collect oil and tinderboxes to light your way and you had to watch how many you had. In this one your lantern lasts forever. Also they completely eliminated the insanity factor which was another huge tension builder of the game. But the half ass puzzles is what really gives away that they really put no real effort into this game at all.

    I would not recommend this game if you really liked the original. It holds nothing of what made the original great and I never got spooked one time from it. I played the original last week to get myself psyched up for the release of this which I had pre-bought and it STILL made me jump and I have played the game through about three times already! I can't express just how bad of a disappointment (there goes that word again) this game is. I'm thinking about asking for my money back. That's how bad it is. Do not waste your time or money on this game.    … Expand
  40. sft
    Nov 18, 2018
    7
    Snout wrong with it

    AMNESIA: A MACHINE FOR PIGS takes a lot of flak for not being Amnesia: The Dark Descent 2. Although I can understand this, given the use of the franchise name, it seems a little unfair to me. PIGS is a pretty good game in its own right and if you disregard the connection with the earlier title it stands quite well on its own. Having played both I can honestly say I    Snout wrong with it

    AMNESIA: A MACHINE FOR PIGS takes a lot of flak for not being Amnesia: The Dark Descent 2. Although I can understand this, given the use of the franchise name, it seems a little unfair to me. PIGS is a pretty good game in its own right and if you disregard the connection with the earlier title it stands quite well on its own. Having played both I can honestly say I enjoyed PIGS just as much as Descent, but for different reasons. There is less of a sense of impending danger here, and less tension (and frustration) too, mainly due to the fact that the mechanic of having to stay in the light has been dropped. Despite this, however, the game is immersive and very atmospheric. I was reminded, a little, of the Myst games (which I loved), mainly due to the Steampunk elements and the nature of the puzzles. Perhaps this explains why I enjoyed the game as much as I did. The writing is rather florid, as seems to be the case with all of The Chinese Room’s games, but it can be more easily excused here, given the Lovecraftian characteristics of the game, than it can in such titles as Dear Esther. The graphics are pretty good, and a lot of work has been put into creating detail within the environments. This may not be the greatest horror adventure game created but it’s a good enough effort for me to recommend it.    … Expand
  41. nickderpderp
    Nov 3, 2018
    8
    Long story short. It's a good horror game. But not the original amnesia. They try to scare you in a different way. I like the effort, I'm shocked that people didn't get that. You want new, unique games, you want new experiences, but when somebody tries to do so you decide that they shouldn't. Go back, stick to what you did good, don't try to be better. Because you are not better, you areLong story short. It's a good horror game. But not the original amnesia. They try to scare you in a different way. I like the effort, I'm shocked that people didn't get that. You want new, unique games, you want new experiences, but when somebody tries to do so you decide that they shouldn't. Go back, stick to what you did good, don't try to be better. Because you are not better, you are like one of us, mediocre, boring, you had only one good idea (amnesia the dark descent), don't you even dare to try again...
    I like it, I liked the dark descent too, but those are 2 different games. I bet it would get better ratings if it was called just A machine for pigs, without amnesia in the title.
    But still, it's not the best horror game in my life. I rate it 8/10, I will remember this experience for long. See ya all in hell    … Expand
  42. Gelaos
    Sep 18, 2018
    7
    Not as strong as it's predecessor, but it still can scare you. However if you played Dark Descent, then this game won't surprise you with anything.
  43. Kumasimc
    Aug 8, 2018
    0
    There are many ways to scare someone, and horror, like comedy, is not only subjective but can be quite brittle. Amnesia: The Dark Descent was a breath of fresh air for horror games, with its flight over fight mechanics and lets-play-friendly jump scares, but despite all the atmosphere, all the screams, all the hiding in broom closets, the actual story was a little dull.
    What The Chinese    There are many ways to scare someone, and horror, like comedy, is not only subjective but can be quite brittle. Amnesia: The Dark Descent was a breath of fresh air for horror games, with its flight over fight mechanics and lets-play-friendly jump scares, but despite all the atmosphere, all the screams, all the hiding in broom closets, the actual story was a little dull.
    What The Chinese Room and Frictional have done is brilliant and should happen more often. Having a new developer take a fresh perspective was the only way another Amnesia was going to be actually exciting.
    First off I am seeing a correlation between the people claiming this game is only 4 hours or so and people saying this game is awful. You can beat it in 4 hours, I’m sure. I think the speed run is like 50 minutes. But you shouldn’t.
    A Machine for Pigs is a different kind of horror. It’s meant to be taken slowly. You are meant to have time to look around. And yes, it is not as instantly scary as its predecessor, but it is much more deeply frightening.
    When you finish the game you’ll have questions. If you talk to people you’ll find theories. If you research the things that inspired the story you’ll find all manner of horror you’ve never known. And then you’ll be thinking about it at work, when you’re walking in a park, as you’re going to sleep. And the horror won’t fully leave. Then you’ll play it again and really feel the scope of what was accomplished.
    Not only have The Chinese Room built a thrilling take on Amnesia, they have built a horror game that is still scary on repeated play-throughs, not because of the monsters, but because of how much more it says after you’ve thought about it.
    I have been playing games since I can remember, almost 3 decades, and I’ve played a lot of beautiful, frightening and amazing games. I can easily, without a doubt, call A Machine for Pigs one of the best games I have ever played. If we let it tell its story I think that many others might agree.    … Expand
  44. Xxdaniels751xX
    Jul 12, 2018
    2
    No estoy seguro de cómo Frictional Games dió luz verde a sacar este juego al mercado por que es horrosamente decepcionante.

    En primer lugar, elimina muchas de las mecánicas que caracterizan a los juegos de AMJESIA a cambio de.....sorpresa... NADA. Normalmente, cuando una empresa desarrolla otro juego en una serie, eliminan algunas funciones pero agregan nuevas que se supone que son    No estoy seguro de cómo Frictional Games dió luz verde a sacar este juego al mercado por que es horrosamente decepcionante.

    En primer lugar, elimina muchas de las mecánicas que caracterizan a los juegos de AMJESIA a cambio de.....sorpresa... NADA. Normalmente, cuando una empresa desarrolla otro juego en una serie, eliminan algunas funciones pero agregan nuevas que se supone que son mejores o por lo menos mejoras aspectos negativos de los titulos anteriores de dicha saga pero en este caso NO.

    Este juego no vale lo que cuesta, no es un Amnesia y lo único que hace que estés en tensión durante el tiempo que le dediques a completarlo es "Coge una cosa que necesitas para poner en un sitio para poner continuar" mientras te mueves por una casi completa oscuridad AUNQUE LLEVES UNA COSA QUE DA LUZ, y digo cosa por que no sirve para nada, no alumbra, no hace su función.

    Si os gustan los juegos de terror este no es vuestro título a si que en resumen mi veredicto es que NO COMPRÉIS ESTE JUEGO.    … Expand
  45. Rem
    Jul 5, 2018
    5
    Hopeful to ride off the success that is Amnesia: The Dark Descent, developer The Chinese Room’s A Machine For Pigs at many points feels genuinely unsettling, but this feeling washes away all too quickly when the game never does much more than that and instead opts to remove the elements that made the first Amnesia a classic without any substantial replacement.

    It’s easy to infer right    Hopeful to ride off the success that is Amnesia: The Dark Descent, developer The Chinese Room’s A Machine For Pigs at many points feels genuinely unsettling, but this feeling washes away all too quickly when the game never does much more than that and instead opts to remove the elements that made the first Amnesia a classic without any substantial replacement.

    It’s easy to infer right from the start that you’ll be playing a character who’s done something awful but doesn’t quite remember it, as is the case for any story featuring a protagonist with amnesia. In this story, you step into the shoes of Mandus, a wealthy industrialist and butcher in search of his two sons. While the mystery isn’t as deep as the first game, it manages to stay interesting for the most part until the huge plot twist that quickly loses its luster as the story progresses. It’s not that the plot twist was bad, it’s more so the resulting events that follow it become too complex for its own good. What I expected to be a small tale about a father in search of his young children turned into a philosophical hogwash about the end and rebirth of mankind that reeks more of pretentious than enthrallment. Yes I get it, mankind is evil (a direct comparison to pigs). It’s overall not a poorly told plot, but one that would have benefited more from a smaller scale story wise. While The Dark Descent’s story eventually became more complex as well, it did so at a much slower and deliberate rate making it much easier to settle in the player’s attention span.

    Despite the lacking story, Amnesia’s bread and butter has always been it’s survival mechanics that compliment it’s breed of horror, which is the explore-hide-solve puzzles brand in an oppressive and downright dreary setting this time being set in Victorian England. A welcoming return to form is the use of light in the form of electric lamp till you realize that it never runs out of battery. Soon after you’ll realize that many of the mechanics that made the original so unique is absent. Yup that means the sanity effect and inventory management, which were staples to the survival horror of the past game have been removed for the sake of streamlining to its detriment. Without said mechanics, the entire game really boils down to a whole lot of walking which erases much of the terror that was enabled by them. Even when it comes to enemy encounters, you can count on your hand the total number of times you run into an actual adversary. The monsters in this game don’t put up much of a fight and sneaking past them requires little effort. Puzzle solving also returns...if you can even call it that. All that’s required of the player is within their vicinity and are as simple as putting an item into a slot and activating something. With all these stripped away elements, A Machine For Pigs offers no challenge and a noticeably less terrifying experience.

    The aspects of this second entry which are commendable for the most part is that it continues the unsettling atmosphere and ambience. Victorian England serves as a good backdrop and the game looks quite nice. My major gripe with the visuals is that the color palette in addition to the game’s lack of true light sources regularly makes the game look rather muddy in darker environments. I will admit the score is of the same quality as the original that the audio alone can incite brief moments of fear.

    For what it is, A Machine For Pigs is a barebones Amnesia experience lacking the components that made it a hallmark survival horror game. Make no mistake, the game can be scary and shows the potential of it in its set up, but it never quite lives up to its predecessor while not making much of a name for itself. It’s not a particularly long game (4 hours in total), but even in such a short span it managed to engrave disappointment long before the credits rolled.    … Expand
  46. KARF4GEN
    May 10, 2018
    6
    Довольно интересный ужастик, но без геймплея.
    По факту больше похоже на интерактивный фильм, кроме довольно простых загадок и пеших прогулок делать вам больше ничего не придется.
    По сравнению с Amnesia: The Dark Descent скучновато именно из-за скудности геймплея. В итоге постановка сюжета и геймдизайн лучше инди хорроров навроде Slendera или Daylight, но слабее оригинала. Отпечаток    Довольно интересный ужастик, но без геймплея.
    По факту больше похоже на интерактивный фильм, кроме довольно простых загадок и пеших прогулок делать вам больше ничего не придется.
    По сравнению с Amnesia: The Dark Descent скучновато именно из-за скудности геймплея.
    В итоге постановка сюжета и геймдизайн лучше инди хорроров навроде Slendera или Daylight, но слабее оригинала.
    Отпечаток другой студии Chinese Room дает о себе знать.
    Для интересного путешествия подойдет, для тех кто ищет напряженной игры - нет.    … Expand
  47. damaso7
    Jan 10, 2018
    0
    Juego facilón, falto de atmósfera, y del suspense de la saga, e historia muy mal contada
  48. kourtin
    Sep 17, 2017
    10
    Definetly one of the bests stories you will find in a videogame combined with a outstanding soundtrack made by the same authors from Dear Esther and Everybody's gone to the rapture. This game looses the game mechanics from the previous game but still has its basics and focalizes in exploring and understanding the madness Mandus is living instead of jumpscares and terror made directly byDefinetly one of the bests stories you will find in a videogame combined with a outstanding soundtrack made by the same authors from Dear Esther and Everybody's gone to the rapture. This game looses the game mechanics from the previous game but still has its basics and focalizes in exploring and understanding the madness Mandus is living instead of jumpscares and terror made directly by monsters. Instead in this game you will find an exquisite atmosphere filled with art.… Expand
  49. Gracz-org
    Aug 8, 2017
    7
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs jest grą zdecydowanie mniej straszną od swojej poprzedniczki, nie oznacza to jednak, że jest produkcją słabą… Po prostu spodziewałem się gry o wiele bardziej rozbudowanej oraz przede wszystkim dłuższej - 3,5 godziny poświęcone na jej przejście to zdecydowanie za krótko, zwłaszcza gdy tak jak ja czekało się na ten tytuł od bardzo dawna… Warto również zwrócićAmnesia: A Machine for Pigs jest grą zdecydowanie mniej straszną od swojej poprzedniczki, nie oznacza to jednak, że jest produkcją słabą… Po prostu spodziewałem się gry o wiele bardziej rozbudowanej oraz przede wszystkim dłuższej - 3,5 godziny poświęcone na jej przejście to zdecydowanie za krótko, zwłaszcza gdy tak jak ja czekało się na ten tytuł od bardzo dawna… Warto również zwrócić uwagę na niski stopień integracji gracza z otoczeniem oraz mało przekonywujących przeciwników. Rozumiem, że twórcy poszli w trochę innym kierunku i próbują „straszyć” nas w odmienny sposób, ale… no właśnie - zabrakło tego „czegoś”, co wyróżniało m.in. wcześniejszą Amnesie. Grze nie można jednak odmówić niezłego klimatu oraz dobrej konstrukcji i wystroju etapów - jest to jednak zdecydowanie za mało, by przyciągnąć nowych graczy do serii, a szkoda - ponieważ liczyłem na produkt o wiele bardziej interesujący…

    Plusy:
    + klimat grozy
    + koncepcja etapów
    + niezłe udźwiękowienie
    + interesująca, aczkolwiek zawiła fabuła…

    Minusy:
    – mało przekonywujący przeciwnicy
    – zbyt proste zagadki logiczne
    – długość gry (3,5h to zdecydowanie za krótko)
    – nie straszy już tak jak wcześniejsza Amnesia

    Pełna recenzja dostępna jest na blogu Gracz.org    … Expand
  50. Idontwhattotype
    Apr 20, 2017
    8
    The game was perfect. Graphics were perfect. But this game has a lack of sound effects,
    The only thing that ruined my intrest and chance to be scared lowered because in the "the dark descent" it's scary and it has good confusing puzzles,BUT THIS GAME? Ohohho. It's less scarier and it has easy routes to go through. Like the monster goes to for example To the left,up the stairs and your    The game was perfect. Graphics were perfect. But this game has a lack of sound effects,
    The only thing that ruined my intrest and chance to be scared lowered because in the "the dark descent" it's scary and it has good confusing puzzles,BUT THIS GAME? Ohohho. It's less scarier and it has easy routes to go through. Like the monster goes to for example To the left,up the stairs and your under the stairs and you run through the door he broke through.
    Like that's a cheap tactic.    … Expand
  51. Detraxxx
    Feb 16, 2017
    6
    The sequel to one of the most iconic games of horror genre: The Dark Descent is quite a disappointment. The developers did not come with anything innovative and game gets boring after few hours, which is unacceptable for a survival horror. There are some scary moments, but significantly less compared to The Dark Descent. However, the game still has a gloomy atmosphere and good soundtrack.The sequel to one of the most iconic games of horror genre: The Dark Descent is quite a disappointment. The developers did not come with anything innovative and game gets boring after few hours, which is unacceptable for a survival horror. There are some scary moments, but significantly less compared to The Dark Descent. However, the game still has a gloomy atmosphere and good soundtrack. When we add those few jump scares, the result is s slightly above-average survival horror. 6,5/10… Expand
  52. shahdan
    Jan 14, 2017
    10
    Machine for Pigs is a masterpiece in presenting a bold presentation of storytelling, design and social commentary. It really does take us to the maw of the machine (a metaphor for the world) and truly dissects what it means to be a human; a pig. I haven't seen such a wonderful philosophical commentary in a long time, and that too from a video game. It really sets a new benchmark inMachine for Pigs is a masterpiece in presenting a bold presentation of storytelling, design and social commentary. It really does take us to the maw of the machine (a metaphor for the world) and truly dissects what it means to be a human; a pig. I haven't seen such a wonderful philosophical commentary in a long time, and that too from a video game. It really sets a new benchmark in narratives.

    Mandus, another man plagued by the secrets of the orb sets on a quest to rescue his own children. It really is just a struggle to make it to the heart of the machine. Really, the ending left me in tears. The design of the game is very different from Dark Descent (DD) and I welcome it. I really dislike copy-pasted material, and this game delivers.

    Elements such a light and sanity factors have been removed, and rightly so. This isn't Daniel's story, but a new one altogether. The way people are whining about the game not having enough gameplay is really laughable. The sanity factor hardly introduced any earth-shattering depth to the gameplay. Once your head was muddled enough, Daniel simply dropped for a span of few seconds and sprang back up again. What does it add to the gameplay, again when the repercussions are so negligible?

    The monsters here are dumb as a pile of rocks, but DD had the same problem. Let's not pretend that DD had Alien Isolation's level of masterful AI and this is just a low-blow for gamers' high-end sensibilities. The AI leaves a lot to be desired in both games. Perhaps, this is what the developers should work on next.

    But, since the games are more of a "puzzle / narrative" heavy outings, then I don't see anything wrong with it. I enjoyed the puzzles here. They were a departure from DD and managed to fit the game's own theme and design, which is the way it should be. I cannot see why MFP should have emulated DD's tonality in any manner. It would have ended up being a poor experience.

    As an overall experience, it falls short of some areas compared to DD, but is better in others; story and design are just no contest for me. MFP is just vastly superior on these two fronts. DD had a very poorly written, childish story that was held together by superbly written dialogues. There was no commentary on humanity there. Here there is one, and boy is it superbly done.

    Last but not least, I love it how a bunch of gamers, with no experience in gameplay design, pretend to be such experts in what a "gameplay" should be. Heck, you manipulate things in this game, solve puzzles and run and hide ... how is this not gameplay? But, leave to the moronic crowd to decide things. Their comments are always hilarious to read. It's because of people like these why games' developers and publishers don't ever venture too far off from the tried and banal formulas.

    I applaud the Chinese Roon and Frictional Games for this magnificent game and Daniel Pinchbeck for this wonderful narrative that is one of a kind. Keep up the good work, fellas. You certainly have me as a dedicated fan.    … Expand
  53. MerodeTalks
    Dec 12, 2016
    5
    It's hard to look at this game without comparing it to the first installment or even Dear Esther. The game is different from the first Amnesia and this is the main reason fans are upset. Bearing that kind of logo you would expect somewhat similar experience. If this is the case with you dismiss your hopes or you will be disappointed. There are times you are almost fooled into thinking thatIt's hard to look at this game without comparing it to the first installment or even Dear Esther. The game is different from the first Amnesia and this is the main reason fans are upset. Bearing that kind of logo you would expect somewhat similar experience. If this is the case with you dismiss your hopes or you will be disappointed. There are times you are almost fooled into thinking that the game just got on the right track but the feeling soon disappears.

    Major changes are:
    -removal of inventory and with it tinderboxes
    -infinite lamp
    -closets are gone
    -sanity and health is gone

    The game feels and plays way different than the Dark Descent. You don't hide anymore in closets or rooms most of the latter are closed. When you perchance stumble into monsters, and that doesn't happen often, your best chance is to run and they quickly despawn.

    The worst part is made of a few very bad design choices. I'll give you just a few:

    1) The game is MUCH louder. Ambients are still in there but Chinese Room has also put into the game a lot of loud sounds and music. Even though it perfectly fits into the game's setting it spoils anxiety and feeling of being in danger. Why? Well, you wouldn't be able to hear monsters coming for you during these moments. Developers realized that too and therefore you are safe then. After you realize it, you can relax anytime you hear music.

    2) In the Dark Descent you expected monsters around every corner. If you met one you hid in a closet, room or shady place and preyed for it to go away. In Machine for Pigs you don't hide, you either sneak past monster like in Splinter Cell or run as fast as you can and that's by desig. I won't put spoilers in here but there's one major monster that is always aware of where you are and you have to run around the room like an idiot pressing switches to progress. It isn't scary. And don't mistake it for that runaway part in Dark Descent it's much different.

    3) Chinese Room uses cheap tricks on us. Don't be surprised if you enter the room at the end of corridor and then turn around just to find out that the path has completely changed. You'll find yourself turning around to find out that the doors you've just used simply disappeared and there's just bare wall behind you. And please keep in mind, the main character of AAMFP is much more sane than Daniel from the first game. In the Dark Descent the gameplay was also fluid and there were no jumps between certain places. Well, in Machine there are stupid situation in which you get "magically teleported" into places and sometimes you don't even know how you got into some place.

    4) The story is unclear and when you think about it it is absolutely rubbish. Also, there's no explanation for the hero's amnesia. The first game felt more realistic and by that more scary. Things absolutely unreal can't be scary by design.

    Overall the game isn't all that bad. Unfortunately I feel cheated by that "Amnesia" logo slapped onto the game. IT IS NOT AMNESIA. To sum up, I won't ever buy any Chinese Room games.    … Expand
  54. SuperkenGaming
    Nov 28, 2016
    8
    Amnesia: A machine for pigs
    A great improvement over the dark decent, but still not scary...
    Nearly everything I didn’t like about Amnesia the Dark Decent was fixed with a machine for pigs… This is actually sort of a different genre.. Gone are the constant puzzles…tinderboxes, lamp oil, inventory, and health management... Instead of Survival horror, this is more of an adventure horror    Amnesia: A machine for pigs
    A great improvement over the dark decent, but still not scary...
    Nearly everything I didn’t like about Amnesia the Dark Decent was fixed with a machine for pigs…
    This is actually sort of a different genre..
    Gone are the constant puzzles…tinderboxes, lamp oil, inventory, and health management...
    Instead of Survival horror, this is more of an adventure horror game with light puzzle elements...
    In a machine For Pigs you play as Oswald, a father of 2 sons, that wakes up to an empty house….
    You get a phone call from a mysterious man telling you to take care of a flood and return you’ll get your children..
    So this is basically a rescue mission….
    Amnesia a machine for pigs is beautiful during its opening hours, and the game does a great job at making everything feel connected… rather than just a bunch of different levels…
    This game is still about finding switches and missing items to proceed, but there are far less obstacles thrown at you and back tracking is nearly nonexistent compared to the dark descent..
    Which makes for a much more enjoyable experience…
    Much like the dark decent you do carry a lantern around, but this one does not run out of fuel... you can use it at all times…
    But much like Dark Decent... light attracts enemies…
    Here in a machine for pigs, you slowly piece together an experiment being done with pigs..
    This experiment resulted in these pig monster creatures running around the areas you’re trying to get through...
    The game will cue you when one is near though by flickering lights...
    Which takes away all element of surprise…
    So in turn I actually when through the entire 3 hr. and 40 minute campaign without dying once..
    They pose no threat... it’s as simple as turn off your light when it flickers, and wait for the pig monster to pass…
    You don’t have to worry about him sneaking up behind you at all…
    Which is the issue the original amnesia had…
    enemies are just these things to get your way every once in a while…
    And a jump scare maybe happened twice…
    So this was again just another adventure game set in a dark place…
    The first half of a machine for pigs is a near masterpiece..
    And I really enjoyed the story…
    But the 2nd half... and especial the final 3rd felt cliché
    It’s what you get in every other horror game or zombie game... a sewer…
    And there was a perfect place about 3 hours in to end this story that I felt the game made a mistake of not doing so… really making the final half hour or so stretch feel like a grind towards the credits…
    Again, Amnesia a Machine for Pigs isn’t much of a horror game, but it’s a great adventure game, and I was pleased with the improvements made over the dark descent…
    I give amnesia, a machine for pigs
    an 8/10    … Expand
  55. Sn0r
    Oct 5, 2016
    10
    Its far from being as scary as the dark descent, and the story only vaguely connects to the predecessor.
    The graphic and setting is beautiful. The game length is on point, perfectly fitted for a horror game.
    The story just got me and I understand if you expect a more scary game or don't get hooked to the story you will be bored by this game. For me the ending is probably the best ending    Its far from being as scary as the dark descent, and the story only vaguely connects to the predecessor.
    The graphic and setting is beautiful. The game length is on point, perfectly fitted for a horror game.
    The story just got me and I understand if you expect a more scary game or don't get hooked to the story you will be bored by this game.
    For me the ending is probably the best ending of a video game ever and that is what makes a game like perfect. You play for a few days, and what really sticks to your head, is the ending.    … Expand
  56. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    8
    If you're looking for more of what made the first Amnesia so good, you'll probably be let down. This one takes things in a very different direction and dials back the scares and puzzles in favour of sheer atmosphere. It still can be unsettling in parts if you let yourself get sucked into it, and has excellent writing and sound design that really make it memorable. More a very creepyIf you're looking for more of what made the first Amnesia so good, you'll probably be let down. This one takes things in a very different direction and dials back the scares and puzzles in favour of sheer atmosphere. It still can be unsettling in parts if you let yourself get sucked into it, and has excellent writing and sound design that really make it memorable. More a very creepy playable horror story and less an outright horror game, you'll enjoy it if you like more emphasis on environmental horror than the threat of monsters. Experimental and worth experiencing, but not for everyone.… Expand
  57. Moses_Bushido
    Nov 9, 2015
    8
    When people talk about this game being "dumbed down", they mean that the mechanics are more simple, more straightforward. The lantern never runs out of oil, there's no sanity meter and your health regenerates. Basically, that means you'll spend less time hunting for oil and matches, and more time trying to advance the story. I liked the sanity meter in the first game, but I kind of preferWhen people talk about this game being "dumbed down", they mean that the mechanics are more simple, more straightforward. The lantern never runs out of oil, there's no sanity meter and your health regenerates. Basically, that means you'll spend less time hunting for oil and matches, and more time trying to advance the story. I liked the sanity meter in the first game, but I kind of prefer not having it after playing "Machine". I'd rather feel scared rather than play around a mechanic that tells me, "you are scared now."

    This game isn't like the first, but that doesn't mean it's bad. The emphasis is on the story, and it's a fantastic story. It's the kind of thing you have to play through more than once to take in all the subtle references, parallelisms and metaphors. It's the kind of thing you will spend days thinking about after you've played it, maybe weeks.

    The simple truth is, this game got mixed reviews because of two reasons:

    1) It's an "Amnesia" game that strayed from the "Amnesia" formula
    2) It's a story-heavy game, which means less emphasis on gameplay

    Many gamers (in fact, most gamers, I'd say) care more about the gameplay than they do the story, and I think that's creating a narrow view of how games can be utilized. It can work if the "Interactive Story" has more emphasis on the "Story", but it's not for everyone. Purists will say, "if you want a story, watch a f-----ng movie!" I would say, "it wouldn't be as scary." I wouldn't have been as horrified by the revelations I uncovered regarding the main character- the guy who represented me in this imaginary world. The monsters attacking wouldn't have felt as terrifying, because it wouldn't have felt like they were after "Me" in a film context.

    This story could not have worked as a TV show or a movie. It's co-developed by The Chinese Room, the studio behind "Dear Esther", another story-focused game with simple mechanics. People hated that game too, but only those who could not appreciate it as an interactive story, as something not quite the same as a standard video game.

    The Indie game development scene is thriving right now, and with that comes the emergence of a new kind of game. This is why "Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs" will stand out in the years to come as a prototypical example of how story-based games should be.    … Expand
  58. gloriouspotato
    Oct 4, 2015
    7
    A Machine for Pigs offers a different type of horror that I'm guessing doesn't really resonate with most Dark Descent fans. If you're coming to this game looking for entertaining scares that look good on Youtube, you'll probably be disappointed. The game is thematically darker than its predecessor, but doesn't carry that same sense of panic and terror that the original had. The game doesA Machine for Pigs offers a different type of horror that I'm guessing doesn't really resonate with most Dark Descent fans. If you're coming to this game looking for entertaining scares that look good on Youtube, you'll probably be disappointed. The game is thematically darker than its predecessor, but doesn't carry that same sense of panic and terror that the original had. The game does become somewhat stale because of it, but to call the game an absolute failure is a bit of an exaggeration.

    The game's strong points are the story and the sound design. Voice acting, soundtrack and sound effects are all excellent, unmatched even against multimillion dollar 'AAA' games, producing a satisfyingly dark atmosphere; an atmosphere that often smoothly transitions to a more mournful or sadder tone.

    The story is intriguing and understandable, so long as you're patient and attentive. Don't rush the game without pondering the metaphors, meaning and references behind some of the notes, otherwise you might find yourself in the dark with what's happening. There are instances where notes can become overly descriptive and elaborate, but for the most part the writing is reasonable, and does carry a certain poetic flair that makes A Machine for Pigs feel somewhat more polished and sophisticated in a sense. There is a predictable plot twist, but I'm fairly sure this was intended to be the Chinese Room's attempt at dramatic irony, which probably could've worked out better. The final monologue though certainly does seal the deal with the story, offering an ending scene that is melancholy, dark and very conclusive in a most gratifying way.

    The brunt of the criticism for this game is directed towards the lack of traditional gameplay mechanics, which I partially agree with. There's nothing inherently wrong with having no inventory or resource management, you just have to make up for it with something else. The story and 'puzzles' if you can call them that, weren't enough to reel me in completely though. Among the more story oriented segments should've been more stealth based sections and more engaging puzzles to really top off the suspense the game continuously builds, and also to introduce some more variation.

    In the inevitable comparison between Dark Descent and Machine for Pigs, this one comes second place. However it does remain an interesting experiment with what games could be and has a lot of potential.

    Overall rating - 6.7/10    … Expand
  59. orgymu5ik
    Sep 23, 2015
    1
    The only reason a give a 1 to this game is because the name is Amnesia.

    it's not a good game. In fact is one of the worse games I ever played.

    Not recomended.
  60. FormerHuman
    Sep 14, 2015
    8
    Having finally got around to finishing A Machine For Pigs, I can see now why people are complaining, but I would have to disagree on the majority of complaints, which are largely based around the gameplay. The Chinese Room have proven that they are interested in doing things a little differently, and this title has a good deal of influence I think from Dear Esther, at least as much as itHaving finally got around to finishing A Machine For Pigs, I can see now why people are complaining, but I would have to disagree on the majority of complaints, which are largely based around the gameplay. The Chinese Room have proven that they are interested in doing things a little differently, and this title has a good deal of influence I think from Dear Esther, at least as much as it does the original Amnesia from Frictional Games. The game is primarily a linear narrative journey, with puzzles, and some survival aspects (although these are simplified and less important than in Amnesia or something like Alien: Isolation). Essentially you are being taken through the story in a similar fashion to Dear Esther, but with more complexity. Once this is understood, then the quality of the design of the game and the games themes and nuances start to really become apparent - there is definitely the sense that the developers want you to soak it in as much as possible, and that Pigs' story is more significant than the gameplay necessarily is. Inevitably this has divided people quite severely (the metacritic user reviews display this about as directly as you'd expect, with a 5.8 average).

    As for the narrative itself, most immediately the word 'nightmarish' comes to mind. The environments are oppressive, the themes nihilistic and monstrous, bleak and truly horrific and the written exposition often bizarrely creative and unsettling. The narrative intensity and strangeness ratchets up in the last third, but the survival aspects of the game take a dive simultaneously towards the games' climax.

    It's somewhat difficult to recommend the title to survival horror fans, but more broadly minded fans of horror in general (perhaps those particularly invested in horror literature and more abstract cinema) will find a lot to enjoy here. It is not Resident Evil, however, and nor is it really that similar an experience to The Dark Descent, so if that is what you are looking for, you may be disappointed.    … Expand
  61. jelikey
    Aug 18, 2015
    6
    this game's puzzle is interesting in my own way. but game play has no guns, no sword, so a little boring in latter part. mood is good. but storyline is too hard to enjoy.
  62. Klewer
    Jun 17, 2015
    7
    The strongest aspect of this game is the story, and the atmosphere that creates in the location setting. Voice acting, music and sounds make this a haunting and atmospheric experience.

    Only draw backs are the slight tweak to the mechanics from the first, such as no inventory and electric lamp draw from the atmosphere. The length is also quite short ranging from quick at 3 to long at 5.    The strongest aspect of this game is the story, and the atmosphere that creates in the location setting. Voice acting, music and sounds make this a haunting and atmospheric experience.

    Only draw backs are the slight tweak to the mechanics from the first, such as no inventory and electric lamp draw from the atmosphere. The length is also quite short ranging from quick at 3 to long at 5.

    Still for fans of the first and horror games not just counting on jump scares worth a look.    … Expand
  63. ave
    Jun 9, 2015
    5
    The sad thing concerning Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, is that your appreciation of the game might be entirely based on your previous experience of Amnesia: The Dark Descent (or lack of)

    I expected the second Amnesia to be a "same but different" kind of survival mystery / horror game. And it was not. No real pressure is put on the player in this game (except at the end). No oil or    The sad thing concerning Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs, is that your appreciation of the game might be entirely based on your previous experience of Amnesia: The Dark Descent (or lack of)

    I expected the second Amnesia to be a "same but different" kind of survival mystery / horror game. And it was not. No real pressure is put on the player in this game (except at the end). No oil or sanity management. No terrifying enemies. It seems that many things has been toned down to lift up the story.

    So. Is the story good ? Well, it's decent. It's disturbing at best. There is so much foreshadowing that you can figure out the whole thing (but that's good planting nonetheless). Most of it is told though notes, voice recordings, memory recalls, voice over and telephone... Unfortunately, I did'nt relate to the character and the thin gameplay wasn't helping.

    Except the sheer size of the "machine", there is to few intriguing level design. The puzzle are not always related to the plot. All in all, I found myself cruising through the level and reaching the end. Hopefully, the game was short enough to let me enjoy another one.    … Expand
  64. Andjelico95
    May 30, 2015
    1
    Bad story, bad gameplay, not scary at all, hoping for the end. This is not what you call a good game, it's Horrible! You will realize that the game is not scary at all, and you will begin to run through everything or just give up. Good graphics, but everything else sucks.

    I was disappointed, very disappointed.
  65. slappycider
    Jan 28, 2015
    7
    Wow. It's definitely far from it's predessecor in atmosphere and story, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed this 10 times more than I enjoyed The Dark Descent. The story in this game is phenomenal. It keeps you guessing until the very end.

    The scares are intense and far between, leaving you on the edge of your seat and right when you let your guard down, you're being chased down an    Wow. It's definitely far from it's predessecor in atmosphere and story, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed this 10 times more than I enjoyed The Dark Descent. The story in this game is phenomenal. It keeps you guessing until the very end.

    The scares are intense and far between, leaving you on the edge of your seat and right when you let your guard down, you're being chased down an alleyway.

    The music... oh man, the music. Just haunting... Scary ass discordant opera music.

    The gameplay itself is a little bit formulaic and dumbed down. No more sanity, no more oil... it's simplified. And as I did enjoy playing through this game, it did feel way too simple.

    Overall, it's a scary ass game with a cool story and a killer atmosphere with a final half hour that will leave you speechless.    … Expand
  66. JimCorbett
    Nov 20, 2014
    4
    Utterly disappointing. I was a big fan of the original Amnesia so I was still looking forward to this title despite all the bad reviews surrounding it. It turns out they were all justified. A Machine for Pigs strips out everything that was great about The Dark Descent. The good story, the paranoia, the need to explore, the awesome setting. Everything. You're thrust into a steampunk worldUtterly disappointing. I was a big fan of the original Amnesia so I was still looking forward to this title despite all the bad reviews surrounding it. It turns out they were all justified. A Machine for Pigs strips out everything that was great about The Dark Descent. The good story, the paranoia, the need to explore, the awesome setting. Everything. You're thrust into a steampunk world that is utterly uninteresting. The most fun I had in the game was in the first two levels where you're in a mansion. The rest levels are nowhere near as interesting as that one. The story is basic and you can basically guess the ending from the very start. There is no paranoia and the oil in your lamp never depletes so there is absolutely no reason to search through the environment. There's no reason to open drawers or search cabinets for items. This results in a straightforward game that took me less than 3 hours to finish. Three hours.… Expand
  67. Andjelico
    Nov 6, 2014
    0
    Horrible game. Boring story, just walking around, not scary at all. Great graphics, but that is not the important part. I hoped that i was near the end when i played this game, so i runned through everything that is "scary*.

    I was very disappointed.
  68. Squidsie
    Nov 3, 2014
    8
    I'd like to preface this by saying I didn't go into playing this game expecting the same gameplay and mechanics as The Dark Descent. I figured it would be more about telling a story than interacting with a creepy environment. Don't get me wrong, the environment in A Machine for Pigs is definitely creepy, and there are puzzles, but I just think where The Dark Descent did well with gameplay,I'd like to preface this by saying I didn't go into playing this game expecting the same gameplay and mechanics as The Dark Descent. I figured it would be more about telling a story than interacting with a creepy environment. Don't get me wrong, the environment in A Machine for Pigs is definitely creepy, and there are puzzles, but I just think where The Dark Descent did well with gameplay, this addition to the series did very well with telling a gruesome story. I do recommend you give it a playthrough.… Expand
  69. AlejoSierra
    Nov 3, 2014
    9
    It has no the same horror of the first game, bot it still good, the story is macabre and disturbing, is the story of a guy than deep into a depression, and the enemies are so disturbing
  70. Dune_Jumper
    Sep 25, 2014
    6
    They took out the inventory and sanity meter, you don't have to worry about oil, and you can hardy interact with ANYTHING.
    They removed everything that made Amnesia, Amnesia. Now it's virtually Dear Esther with Amnesia slapped in the title.
    What do you know, The Chinese Room has made another flop. Working with them was a HUGE mistake and I hope Frictional Games doesn't do it again.
  71. Zulgot
    Sep 15, 2014
    10
    Do you want a trully unique horror experience? Then grab this game, because the horror in there is not based on simple jump-scares, but rather on terrifying story! The story presented in this game is a true masterpiece, bautifuly voice-acted with awesome soundtrack. Atmosphere is dark and disturbing. Just play it in night with a candle and you will see :)
  72. ns0l
    Aug 11, 2014
    5
    Why a pigs machine, it's not supposed to be an ordinary puzzle game. It is okay but I'm afraid the developers have already shown everything they have in The Dark Descent.
  73. GodOne
    Jul 20, 2014
    6
    Te first Amesia took the atmosphere of the first Alone in the dark with a modern gameplay, it was a good mix of action and story. This one is really boring, excluding the first part with nice earthquakes effect really scary thanks to the really good sound effects. After that the game become BORING with 4 or 5 monsters in the whole game resembling BEbop from ninja turtles grunting at you.Te first Amesia took the atmosphere of the first Alone in the dark with a modern gameplay, it was a good mix of action and story. This one is really boring, excluding the first part with nice earthquakes effect really scary thanks to the really good sound effects. After that the game become BORING with 4 or 5 monsters in the whole game resembling BEbop from ninja turtles grunting at you. The graphic is really bad also for a 10 year old game, i can accept lowpoly model but not so many lowres textures.
    There is no exploration part, you can walk around only to find few notes or sometimes a mechanic part for a stupid puzzle.
    The only good news is the sounds and musics create most of the scary atmosphere in the game.
    Next time could be better if The CHinese Room doesn't break the balls and makes his own crappy games.    … Expand
  74. mattia_76
    Jul 18, 2014
    4
    Is this a game? Seems most an interactive movie. It takes almost half of the game to encounter an enemy and even thereafter action doesn't grow much. Puzzles are mostly boring and very basic, they won't challenge you. Positive points are the atmosphere and the the way the story is slowly enveiled, slowly letting you in.
  75. Gloompelt
    Jul 8, 2014
    10
    This game deserves around a 7 in rating, but I'm giving it a 10 because everyone else is flailing about, giving it a 0 when even it doesn't deserve it. You wanna talk about a game that deserves a 0? Superman 64 deserves a 0. ET deserves a 0. Hyde deserves a friggen 0. So, you wanna give an adequate game with working physics, low-glitch count, wonderful story, and phenomenal music a 0?This game deserves around a 7 in rating, but I'm giving it a 10 because everyone else is flailing about, giving it a 0 when even it doesn't deserve it. You wanna talk about a game that deserves a 0? Superman 64 deserves a 0. ET deserves a 0. Hyde deserves a friggen 0. So, you wanna give an adequate game with working physics, low-glitch count, wonderful story, and phenomenal music a 0? Fine. I'll give this game a 10, just to counter your ridiculous belief on how a game "should" be.… Expand
  76. ArcticChod
    Jun 23, 2014
    8
    It was enjoyable, but it was missing a lot of the constant, changing scares that The Dark Descent had. It starts out VERY slow, with some very basic scares that barely tend to scare you. This game excels in creepy atmosphere, however. And the monsters do come around before the middle of the game, at least. Which is good. I thought this game was excellent but certainly wasn't the best thatIt was enjoyable, but it was missing a lot of the constant, changing scares that The Dark Descent had. It starts out VERY slow, with some very basic scares that barely tend to scare you. This game excels in creepy atmosphere, however. And the monsters do come around before the middle of the game, at least. Which is good. I thought this game was excellent but certainly wasn't the best that Frictional normally puts out, like Penumbra (which is still my scariest game personally) and The Dark Descent. I'd still recommend a buy.… Expand
  77. theecakee
    Jun 22, 2014
    3
    Quite a let down in comparison to The Dark Descent. The story is at least more interesting but thats about it. They removed a lot of the mechanics that made Amensia good. Its like if Nintendo took away the powerups from Mario, and you just ran through the whole level with powerups but just avoid the enemies. Thats pretty much Machine for Pigs, all the insanity and resource management isQuite a let down in comparison to The Dark Descent. The story is at least more interesting but thats about it. They removed a lot of the mechanics that made Amensia good. Its like if Nintendo took away the powerups from Mario, and you just ran through the whole level with powerups but just avoid the enemies. Thats pretty much Machine for Pigs, all the insanity and resource management is gone.

    I'd avoid this game.    … Expand
  78. Noxious
    Apr 9, 2014
    4
    I only want to say a few things about this:

    1) My vocabulary was increased whilst playing this game. Thanks Frictional, I learned a bunch of new words, yay me! 2) And all you need to know, is I have never played a single player game and wanted it to end so badly and for so long - only to have it drag on for hours as I began my sprint to the finish far too soon. Just not even CLOSE    I only want to say a few things about this:

    1) My vocabulary was increased whilst playing this game. Thanks Frictional, I learned a bunch of new words, yay me!

    2) And all you need to know, is I have never played a single player game and wanted it to end so badly and for so long - only to have it drag on for hours as I began my sprint to the finish far too soon.

    Just not even CLOSE to A Dark Descent.    … Expand
  79. enliba
    Mar 14, 2014
    0
    This game was very disappointing. I didn't even finish the game because it was so boring. Amnesia the dark descent was a great sucess, but this game was just a whole disappointing.
  80. TheGamingKing
    Feb 16, 2014
    10
    On of the best games I have played, Other reviews are saying that they played the first 30 minutes and quit, to fully get the game you have to play through it, it gets so much scarier. In my eyes you have to fully play a game to review it
  81. molarity69
    Feb 16, 2014
    1
    Pure Disappointment...
    Where are the puzzles where you had to collect things and combine them?
    They really took away all the fun of the game by letting you interact only with a handful of items... Amnesia The Dark Descent was all about smashing pots and throwing chairs all over the place to overcome your fear about the truly terrifying monsters and moving every little stone until you    Pure Disappointment...
    Where are the puzzles where you had to collect things and combine them?
    They really took away all the fun of the game by letting you interact only with a handful of items...
    Amnesia The Dark Descent was all about smashing pots and throwing chairs all over the place to overcome your fear about the truly terrifying monsters and moving every little stone until you find the solution to the puzzle!
    It was fun searching for tinder or oil and opening all drawers and cupboards in your way too!
    Machine For Pigs has really fancy graphics, with lots of moments that make you chill through the combination of beautiful scenery and music, but that's all about it...
    Waste of money... As a big fan of Frictional Games' series I am sad cause i expected much more from this game after waiting for a long time! I hope they won't disappoint us on their next try or sequel...    … Expand
  82. Benshes
    Feb 2, 2014
    10
    A lot of people told me that this game is no Amnesia anymore, and they were right. It's much better! This game fascinates me in so many different ways. Soundtrack, atmosphere and gameplay are just amazing and it had the most powerful story I've ever encountered! Everybody should give it a try and I promise that you'll have the time of your life.
  83. Krizuwe
    Jan 22, 2014
    7
    Es un juego muy absorbente que te mantiene en constante tensión y enganchado a la trama. Sus puntos fuertes son, sobretodo los sobresaltos, la ambientación (bestial) y la trama (bastante mejor que la primera entrega). Sus puntos débiles serían: no es de terror (al menos no da la sensación total que yo buscaba), que no estuviera doblado en español (sepa o no ingles, me gusta enterarme bienEs un juego muy absorbente que te mantiene en constante tensión y enganchado a la trama. Sus puntos fuertes son, sobretodo los sobresaltos, la ambientación (bestial) y la trama (bastante mejor que la primera entrega). Sus puntos débiles serían: no es de terror (al menos no da la sensación total que yo buscaba), que no estuviera doblado en español (sepa o no ingles, me gusta enterarme bien de la trama con mi lenguaje materno) y por último que a pesar de ser corto en algunos tramos el juego se vuelve absurdo en el sentido de que no sabes a veces porque estas haciendo esto y aquello. En conclusión, Amnesia 2 es un gran juego de tensión y sobresaltos, pero que no llega a satisfacer lo suficiente, igualmente lo recomiendo mas que el primer amnesia.… Expand
  84. demonluv
    Jan 18, 2014
    3
    What a sorry excuse for a sequel. First off, this game completely removed all of the gameplay features we saw in the first entry such as puzzles, inventory, sanity meter, health meter, lantern oil etc. The enemies are not a threat at all, they are easy to avoid, cause little damage when encountered, and even if you die you just revive instantly right where you left off essentially leavingWhat a sorry excuse for a sequel. First off, this game completely removed all of the gameplay features we saw in the first entry such as puzzles, inventory, sanity meter, health meter, lantern oil etc. The enemies are not a threat at all, they are easy to avoid, cause little damage when encountered, and even if you die you just revive instantly right where you left off essentially leaving this game with no challenge what-so-ever. The game is painfully short, you can beat it start to finish in a 3 hour sitting.

    Now that we've established this game is devoid of any threat, challenge or gameplay, is the story at least worth it? Nope. The plot is convoluted, poorly paced, and told through a series of badly written notes that utilize a borderline incomprehensible and pretentious dialogue. While Amnesia neatly closed the book of it's story, A Machine for Pigs will leave you scratching your head with more questions than answers and feeling like you just read a series of snobby poetry excerpts rather than a cohesive story.

    I feel ripped off and angry that I supported such a weak effort, I barely ever write reviews but feel I need to warn people of making the same mistake. Avoid like the plague. Replay the first one, or play Outlast if you're looking for a horror fix.    … Expand
  85. deadspacer47
    Jan 12, 2014
    4
    short game,stupid few puzzles,only about 8 monsters that you gonna see,no sanity,no tinderboxes,no INVENTROY,only one place in the game that scared me and the game is not f**kin SCARY.
    and i can not call it Amnesia either.
    all i have to do now is continue playing the awesome first amnesia and hope for the game to come back to its roots.
  86. saintivan
    Jan 6, 2014
    5
    I had read mixed reviews on this game, so took the chance being that I enjoyed their last two games. You win some, you lose some; this was a loss. From practically the first moment of the game when I heard the horrible British accents with the ghostly echo effect, I suspected the game was going to be crap. At first I couldn't believe it: could it be THIS bad? So, I wonder about thisI had read mixed reviews on this game, so took the chance being that I enjoyed their last two games. You win some, you lose some; this was a loss. From practically the first moment of the game when I heard the horrible British accents with the ghostly echo effect, I suspected the game was going to be crap. At first I couldn't believe it: could it be THIS bad? So, I wonder about this tediously boring house with nothing but doors and more doors and still more doors, leading nearly nowhere to practically nothing. Finally made it out of the house...it will get good now, right? Nope. More of the same. Eventually I just gave up, realizing that if there actually was anything good to happen later on in the game, I was longer was willing to put in more bleh time to get there. The game had a couple of good things going: the atmospheric sounds were good, and there was a decent plot going with the mysterious caller, as well as a somewhat interesting log you read as you went along. All in all, a very poor showing; the next time they make a game like this with so many negative reviews, I will pay much closer attention to them.… Expand
  87. aion
    Jan 1, 2014
    10
    Fantastic game, with very powerful and memorable moments. The critique that the gameplay is not very challenging is fair, you should really approach this game as an interactive movie and take the time to soak in all the little details and get immersed. If you want to sink in a man's personal purgatory you won't be disappointed.

    The core message is critiqued of being too soon revealed    Fantastic game, with very powerful and memorable moments. The critique that the gameplay is not very challenging is fair, you should really approach this game as an interactive movie and take the time to soak in all the little details and get immersed. If you want to sink in a man's personal purgatory you won't be disappointed.

    The core message is critiqued of being too soon revealed and too simple, that is a fair critique too. There are reveals, but not really any big twists. The beauty of the story is the elaboration and exploration of what you initially suspect, and by the time you see you already know.

    I can't recommend it enough, really. It is a brilliant work.    … Expand
  88. Trunks252
    Dec 30, 2013
    6
    Without going into long detail, i'll just say a few things. This game barely feels like an Amnesia game. I was disappointed with the enemies, of which there is a hilariously low number of encounters with. The game is short. I beat it in 4 hours.

    However, the story, gameplay (besides enemies), and environments were very good. I would recommend this at a discounted price. It was    Without going into long detail, i'll just say a few things. This game barely feels like an Amnesia game. I was disappointed with the enemies, of which there is a hilariously low number of encounters with. The game is short. I beat it in 4 hours.

    However, the story, gameplay (besides enemies), and environments were very good. I would recommend this at a discounted price. It was definitely not worth $16.

    To conclude, don't expect the true sequel to Amnesia: TDD. Instead, think of it as an experiment with questionable results.    … Expand
  89. SweetRollsAhoy
    Dec 29, 2013
    6
    This biggest mistake was putting "Amnesia" in the title. Though it did begin as just a custom story for Amnesia: The Dark Decent, it does not uphold to the standard The Dark Decent put in place. I feel I put unfair expectations on A Machine for Pigs simply because of "Amnesia". With that it mind, it does have it's own charm.

    With the removal of the inventory menu and a few other    This biggest mistake was putting "Amnesia" in the title. Though it did begin as just a custom story for Amnesia: The Dark Decent, it does not uphold to the standard The Dark Decent put in place. I feel I put unfair expectations on A Machine for Pigs simply because of "Amnesia". With that it mind, it does have it's own charm.

    With the removal of the inventory menu and a few other mechanics, AMFP focuses very much more on story than it's predecessor. Where it failed to scare me, it's interesting story and world had me absorbed throughout the entire game. Enough to where I played it all nonstop in one sitting. It is short and, as far as I know, lacks the custom story option on the main menu that DD had, but I feel that it's setting and story excuses that. I would recommend this game to someone who was too scared to play the first Amnesia game, but still wants to try. And to those who were Dark Decent fans, please approach this game with an open mind you would have with a stand alone game or custom story.    … Expand
  90. PhoenixTheVoid
    Dec 22, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is surely different from Amnesia: TDD, mainly because it wasn't created in collaboration as the first one had been. In this series, the game takes on a different focus, where the story is more important than the actual puzzle. Its not as interactive taking out many of the key component seen in The Dark Decent. However, without these components the player is more focused on the story rather than trying to find more oil, and I assume that is what the creators of the game was going for. This game differs being that its more of a Edgar Allen Poe kind of fear, which is far more profound rather than skin chilling scary. I can't say the main story line of Machine for Pigs was as scary, but I did enjoy the poetic beauty of the game and the environment. The game definitely leaves you thinking, although the puzzles aren't as challenging, the connection for the character and player are more synchronized. I would definitely like to see another Amnesia, but with more of a combination between Dark Decent and Machine for Pigs.… Expand
  91. Sankarri
    Dec 15, 2013
    3
    All the main elements of the game had been taken away, such as sanity meter, darkness, scarcity of oil and tinderboxes. Pigs in the game were clumsy and were more than easy to avoid. After a one year of hype and excitement the game was a huge disappointment for many of my friends (only 1½ to 2 hours of gameplay). Good things about the game was that the puzzles were easy and obvious soAll the main elements of the game had been taken away, such as sanity meter, darkness, scarcity of oil and tinderboxes. Pigs in the game were clumsy and were more than easy to avoid. After a one year of hype and excitement the game was a huge disappointment for many of my friends (only 1½ to 2 hours of gameplay). Good things about the game was that the puzzles were easy and obvious so complete so that the player couldn't get stuck easily, voice acting was good and the graphics were better than the previous game.… Expand
  92. MatRicX
    Dec 5, 2013
    2
    Play the first amnesia and hell even the penumbra games were better than this. 2-4 hours is unacceptable for the "game play" provided.

    The game wasn't scary, the AI is stupid. I ended up running past most of the AI because they are virtually harmless and it became a game of cat and mouse. The puzzles were mind numbingly easy to the point where you see fuses right beside the empty fuse    Play the first amnesia and hell even the penumbra games were better than this. 2-4 hours is unacceptable for the "game play" provided.

    The game wasn't scary, the AI is stupid. I ended up running past most of the AI because they are virtually harmless and it became a game of cat and mouse. The puzzles were mind numbingly easy to the point where you see fuses right beside the empty fuse box.

    Don't waste your money, hell even get outlast which was wayyyy bettter compared to this.    … Expand
  93. Galloway
    Nov 29, 2013
    10
    Absolutely brilliant game which is completely underrated.

    First off players need to set their expectations. This is more of a physiological thriller and dark mystery with tons of symbolism and history rolled up into it. It's not going to give you the sense of terror and helplessness that the Dark Descent gave you, but it's still a fantastic game, and extremely well thought out. The    Absolutely brilliant game which is completely underrated.

    First off players need to set their expectations. This is more of a physiological thriller and dark mystery with tons of symbolism and history rolled up into it. It's not going to give you the sense of terror and helplessness that the Dark Descent gave you, but it's still a fantastic game, and extremely well thought out. The atmosphere and soundtrack are stunning, and the dreadful, melancholy sense of "wtf are these people doing?" prevails throughout the game.

    Yes the monsters are easy and so are the puzzles, but the story here was so good I personally appreciated that as I did not want to waste time and wanted to advance the story line. Speaking of which it has a few twists and turns along the way which was a welcome surprise.

    I think the problem alot of the negative reviews are having is they had a different expectation of the game, as if it were to be the Dark Descent part 2. This game reminds me alot of when the movie Sixth Sense came out, then was followed up by another brilliant movie Unbreakable. Two completely different movies but some fans wanted to see another Sixth Sense. Vanilla and chocolate, both great flavors and we can enjoy both.

    Finally if you were a fan of Dear Esther, you will absolutely love this game. What I liked about this and Dear Esther were the emotional responses they drew, and the physiological metaphors embedded throughout the story.

    Not sure how many caught it but that subliminal pig head that barely flashed on the screen for a second, as you went into one of the lifts, was freakin awesome.

    I hope that Frictional continues with the Amnesia franchise, as these games have to be some of the most well-written ever. A Machine for Pigs is a solid contribution to the series.    … Expand
  94. PaperBro
    Nov 29, 2013
    0
    I was so excited to play a sequel to Amnesia: TDD However, within the first thirty minutes of the game I realized it was complete crap. The overuse of jumpscares and the overall boring atmosphere quickly bored me. The game is so tedious, no inventory system no anything really. All it was was a walking game with a million spooky sounds. The game was so uninteresting that an hour in I got soI was so excited to play a sequel to Amnesia: TDD However, within the first thirty minutes of the game I realized it was complete crap. The overuse of jumpscares and the overall boring atmosphere quickly bored me. The game is so tedious, no inventory system no anything really. All it was was a walking game with a million spooky sounds. The game was so uninteresting that an hour in I got so bored that I uninstalled the game and hope I can erase it from my memory. It was a complete waste of my time. I don't see how the developers could be proud of this. I think I'll go back to the original Amnesia and play all the fun custom stories.

    Bottom line, I would not recommend this to anyone even if the game was completely free. Its one of those games that shouldn't exist.    … Expand
  95. cryptid85
    Nov 28, 2013
    10
    Different, yes, but still a damn fine game. Easily more disturbing than the first game, and the gameplay operates well. And holy f*ck, the manpigs...

    It's easy to become immersed in this game, and I admit I don't mind the lack of oil, tinderboxes and sanity being gone. Overall, it is excellent. I love it.
  96. Archwn
    Nov 27, 2013
    3
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As several other reviewers have already discussed, this game is not its predecessor and should not be viewed along the same lines. First a comparison and a redundant spoiler warning.

    ADD was a "gamer's game;" it had an inventory, puzzles requiring metagame logic and the sanity/stealth feature which required the use of darkness as a strategic tool with benefits and risks associated with it. Frictional made the decisions to implement these game features based upon ADD's spiritual predecessors, the Penumbra games.

    In producing AAMP, Frictional and TheChineseRoom made several conscious decisions to reduce the degree to which you could interact with the environment. The purpose of these changes was to to streamline the gameplay experience and to reduce breaches in immersion. In this regard, as other reviews have also rightly pointed out, the game should be compared more to something along the lines of Dear Esther, or TCR's less well known work, Korsakovia. While I was personally disappointed in the change of pace, having enjoyed ADD's strategic use of darkness and the level of ingenuity we saw develop in the protagonist through his usage of inventory items in creative ways, I am not reviewing AAMP as if it had tried and failed to be ADD.

    I will say that the graphics were attractive and eerie; as always, Jessica Curry's score and soundscape were absolutely brilliant. Dan Pinchbeck's writing, however, was cliche and stale, although still head and shoulders above most of the writing to which we are subjected by out beloved gaming industry.

    The reason I'm giving this game a 3/10 is quite simple: the game is extremely inconsistent. In attempts to frighten, it throws the threat of monsters, social anarchy, your own insanity, the death of your family and even the supernatural at you, yet even an hour+ into the game (two to three if you are fully immersed and cautious), nothing has happened to you. More particularly, nothing could have happened to you. The number of times in the game in which you could actually encounter a monster rather than an audio or visual jump scare are extremely slim. All of the actual monster encounters are extremely predictable (the game actually develops the habit of clearly warning you when enemies are present). Once the player realizes this (which does not take long), the immersion is gone and the game becomes an exercise in tedium.

    Furthermore, despite the emphasis on plot and immersion versus "actual" interactive gameplay, the plot is predictable and ham-handedly portrayed and the game ends in two events which could only really be considered boss fights. Without going into details, they are prescripted survival events in which you have to directly dodge enemies without being able to hide and maneuver around them to accomplished objectives. This necessity of direct intervention completely flies in the face of the entire image which the game is attempting to uphold.

    Finally, I cannot help but consider the poorly-handled release of this game. It came out a year late and ultimately did not live up to a year of anticipation.

    Though I remain an avid supporter of both Frictional and TheChineseRoom, they dropped the ball on this one. I look forward to future productions from both of them and hope that they can learn from the mistakes made in the production of this game.    … Expand
  97. Pistolz4Pandaz
    Nov 19, 2013
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Overall this game had a pretty good atmosphere, but there were aspects that I felt it was missing that I enjoyed from the first Amnesia. There is no sanity meter, and there is no inventory. This means that there is no way to light up various areas other than the use of your lamp. It also means that there is no need to explore, as there is no running out of important tools, and there is very little that you have to look for. The Dark Descent definitely hit the nail on the head in terms of scare and suspense, and I think that MFP came up a little bit lacking, as there is none of the "How many tinderboxes do I have? Will I be able to make it through this area in the dark, while my sanity slowly goes down?". The game still has its moments, but there are fewer enemies on the map, and once you come to this realization, the game becomes less frightening. The ending of the games gives players something to think about as it has some insight into how our world may actually be, but I'll let you play it to find that out.

    Overall a good experience, but it was lacking some of the aspects that made Amnesia: The Dark Descent so good.    … Expand
  98. Outlander999
    Nov 16, 2013
    7
    Despite that this sequel denies some mechanics of the predecessor, it shows a scary atmosphere with an interesting story. It's not a "perfect sequel", but will satisfy you. VIRTUALINN.IT
  99. arrayofemotions
    Nov 12, 2013
    9
    Yes, most of the gameplay mechanics of the Dark Descent are gone. That means there is no more inventory, no more health, no more sanity meter. Your lantern is now electric so you can use it pretty much non-stop. All this serves to bring Amnesia away from being a game about creeping through shadows trying to hide from a monster while feebly attempting to not go insane, to a game where youYes, most of the gameplay mechanics of the Dark Descent are gone. That means there is no more inventory, no more health, no more sanity meter. Your lantern is now electric so you can use it pretty much non-stop. All this serves to bring Amnesia away from being a game about creeping through shadows trying to hide from a monster while feebly attempting to not go insane, to a game where you can freely explore every room and every corner without much hinderance or fear. It is a departure from The Dark Descent, but it works.

    The horror in A Dark Descent came from the monster that was chasing you, always hurrying you along. It was very action driven. In A Machine For Pigs, the horror is much more passive. It's in the setting, the atmosphere and the story the game tells, much more than it is in the game's mechanics. And that is where The Chinese Room fits in so well. They are masters at crafting a setting that will utterly disturb you. The visuals are superb, the design of the machine is morbid, the writing in the notes and voice-overs of a quality that surpasses that of The Dark Descent... And the audio is nothing short of amazing, with a haunting soundtrack and ambient sounds that make the setting really come to life.

    The game is quite short. You can finish it in 4 to 5 hours. It starts a bit slow, the beginning has a few jump-scares and a setting that is reminiscent of A Dark Descent. But once you leave the starting area and get to explore said machine from the title, the game really comes into its own. I felt The Dark Descent overstayed its welcome a bit, the latter part of the game became more tedious and it ended on a low note. Not so with A Machine For Pigs. It gets increasingly more intense as you progress and continues to build up to a final, horrifying climax.

    Ultimately I think A Machine For Pigs is better than The Dark Descent. Sure it is less nerve wrecking to play, but the horror is more subtle, refined and much more unsettling. And it will stay with you once you've finished it.    … Expand
  100. PeCCe
    Nov 8, 2013
    7
    I hesitated a little while giving this game a 10. I had eagerly waited for this game for about 1.6 years and I had no experience on what chineseroom was master at. The first part of Amnesia-series, 'Amnesia: The Dark Descent', was frictionalgame's way into the world of Amnesia. Chineseroom's way is more of a storytelling one. It's not gameplay, but the aesthetics they had created. TheI hesitated a little while giving this game a 10. I had eagerly waited for this game for about 1.6 years and I had no experience on what chineseroom was master at. The first part of Amnesia-series, 'Amnesia: The Dark Descent', was frictionalgame's way into the world of Amnesia. Chineseroom's way is more of a storytelling one. It's not gameplay, but the aesthetics they had created. The background story is incredible, but due to the missing feeling the first Amnesia-game was famous of, this game is a bit different. It's not as challenging, scary, disturbing or brutal as the first part. Therefore a rating of 7 should do well, because though it's a good game for my personal experience, it doesn't honor the first part of the Amnesia-series.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 59 Critic Reviews

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