Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 967 Ratings

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

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

    Yes, you've read correctly.

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

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

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

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

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

    What could go wrong? Well, everything.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Replay Value: Moderate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    A slightly snotty warning: If you have no idea who Ambrose Bierce was, or his contemporaries, maybe go buy the new GTA, instead.
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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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