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. KcSmiff
    Sep 10, 2013
    5
    Do yourselves a favour and just skip this game, from the few negative votes I've seen here, I must agree with them. If you are expecting a bigger badder sequel to the highly acclaimed Amnesia: The Dark Descent, this isn't it.

    The first half of the game was actually filled with tension, and thinking 'What is going to happen in here; I do not like this room'. But when you see what you're    Do yourselves a favour and just skip this game, from the few negative votes I've seen here, I must agree with them. If you are expecting a bigger badder sequel to the highly acclaimed Amnesia: The Dark Descent, this isn't it.

    The first half of the game was actually filled with tension, and thinking 'What is going to happen in here; I do not like this room'. But when you see what you're trying to hide from without fear of losing sanity by viewing the creature, it just becomes a game of 'Okay it goes this route, so I'll go another'. In all honesty, I think all that fear comes from expecting this game to be like the first, in which later on you'll find it doesn't even come close to.

    Last half of the game got me to a point of 'This isn't even scarey anymore and isn't even trying to be.' I died once not because I was scared and messed up, it was because I couldn't care less if the creature got to me before I had to flip a switch.

    I think this lost a lot of what made Amnesia scarey; insanity as a means to prevent you from just remotely observing a monster added a lot of what made the game scarey.

    Adding lots of places to hide in the first made it a very viable option to jump into a room and close yourself in a closet; waiting for the monster to go away as you whimper and hope it never saw you jump in there. Most encounters you have in this game has absolutely nothing but 'run the opposite direction' and they just poof out of existence. There is no lingering fear or dread of a monster still being around and you only delaying the inevitable.

    You will not get the Amnesia experience with this one unfortunately... It looks really pretty though.    … Expand
  2. xZippy
    Sep 11, 2013
    5
    Wow. I found this game very disappointing. Many of the interesting and intuitive gameplay elements from the previous game have been forcefully stripped away, and only the bare bones of gameplay mechanics exist.

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

    It doesn't even come close to The Dark Descent. I don't want to say this game is downright horrible, but it's not very good either. You get some good scares and interesting moments sprinkled in, but apart from that, it's a pretty dull game with a sloppy, rushed plot. Not worth $20. Wait for it to go on sale or something.    … Expand
  3. Firos
    Sep 10, 2013
    5
    Hmm, I don't know, it just doesn't.....feel like the last one did. I didn't care too much for the way this one came out to be. I just don't feel scared when I am playing this.
  4. Ananas4
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    It has a good, gloomy atmosphere, great voice actors (except the kids) and good soundtrack. But that's about it. It's dumbed down from The Dark Descent and nowhere as scary. It feels more like an walking simulator or a bad custom story for TDD. There are jumpscares here and there and most of scripted scenes are just an enemy or kid running past the hallway and then disappearing. EnemiesIt has a good, gloomy atmosphere, great voice actors (except the kids) and good soundtrack. But that's about it. It's dumbed down from The Dark Descent and nowhere as scary. It feels more like an walking simulator or a bad custom story for TDD. There are jumpscares here and there and most of scripted scenes are just an enemy or kid running past the hallway and then disappearing. Enemies aren't scary at all and it's easy to run away from them. Game is pretty short, it may be worth to try if you like stories but nice it wasn't something like $60.… Expand
  5. Deadspacelover1
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    i've been looking forward to this game for years, and in the first hour it was very fun and creepy, but then it got so linier and was not even worth playing. i seriously just wanted to complete the damn game, and move on in my life. biggest disappointment in years! oh and it only takes 5 hours to complete
  6. Saffa_Kid
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    What the hell happened here? I have been looking forward to this game for AGES, and it was probably one of the most disappointing games I've played this year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

    This game is a rushed piece of cash in, your game is bad! and you should feel bad! I expected something better than this you could have done way better!    … Expand
  7. Dkashola
    Sep 10, 2013
    3
    I like a good story, and apparently The Chinese room does as well, the difference is however is that i like video games also. Before I get into A Machine for Pigs I insist on bringing up Dear Esther, the "non-game, game". As implied, their game "Dear Esther' isn't really a game, because games have game-play and 'Dear Esther' did not. You walked for about 50 minutes on an island while aI like a good story, and apparently The Chinese room does as well, the difference is however is that i like video games also. Before I get into A Machine for Pigs I insist on bringing up Dear Esther, the "non-game, game". As implied, their game "Dear Esther' isn't really a game, because games have game-play and 'Dear Esther' did not. You walked for about 50 minutes on an island while a story was being told to you in randomized bits.

    Now, to get to the actual game 'A Machine For Pigs', I was worried about how the game would turn out, due to the developers track record so far, but I decided to give it a shot since 'Amnesia: The Dark Descent' is my favorite horror game of all time. Unfortunately, my concerns were validated: they screwed up.

    The developers focus too much on story and not enough on actual game-play; It is as if they are pained to create anything that requires interaction and only have little in the game because Frictional was over their shoulders giving them menacing looks. There is no inventory menu, or sanity gauge, and hell you don't even have to worry about resources.

    In short when criticizing this game, I'm really criticizing The Chinese Room as developers. They seem like a talented group of people, but people who should be making films instead of video games.    … Expand
  8. Vixremento
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    I've been super excited for this game for a long time now...sadly it was just barely a game (at least this time we could interact a little unlike with the Chinese Rooms Dear Esther) and instead felt more like an interactive story with bits of horror if you could even call them that (what the hell happened to having an enjoyable fun experience like one normally does in games withI've been super excited for this game for a long time now...sadly it was just barely a game (at least this time we could interact a little unlike with the Chinese Rooms Dear Esther) and instead felt more like an interactive story with bits of horror if you could even call them that (what the hell happened to having an enjoyable fun experience like one normally does in games with challenging puzzles and mechanics that force you to move carefully, use resources sparingly and to crap in your pants at the slightest shadow flicker in the distance?).

    I would seriously rather recommend that you replay Amnesia: The Dark Descent instead of buying this especially at full price.    … Expand
  9. black_pirate
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    They took out everything that I loved in first Amnesia. I was waiting for this release long time ago.. and now I feel empty, cheated and disappointed. I even enjoyed in Dear Esther, but this...this...what they did with machine for pigs, it is just not a good combination, a wrong move. It is an average game with cool atmosphere...nothing else, and nothing special.
  10. cstrang
    Sep 11, 2013
    4
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs not only proves that The Chinese Room can't make a powerful horror game, but that they also still struggle with the concept of game vs. interactive storybook.

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

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

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

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

    The price upon release in the US is $20, around $16 if you preordered. At a paltry 3 hours of gameplay, in a world that feels sparse, simple, linear, and as threatening as a new-born kitten, I can't possibly recommend it to anyone.    … Expand
  11. Max_Killington
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    By removing insanity mechanic and management of your light source (lamp oil, tinderboxes) and not replacing either with anything equivalent makes this version of Amnesia very dull and boring. There is no more insanity which provided a sense of urgency and no pressure to make progress anymore makes this version of Amnesia nothing more than a boring stroll; the horror element evaporates asBy removing insanity mechanic and management of your light source (lamp oil, tinderboxes) and not replacing either with anything equivalent makes this version of Amnesia very dull and boring. There is no more insanity which provided a sense of urgency and no pressure to make progress anymore makes this version of Amnesia nothing more than a boring stroll; the horror element evaporates as well. The Dark Descent was great Machine for Pigs was very disappointing.… Expand
  12. okamimiyazaki
    Sep 10, 2013
    0
    I'm not sure how Frictional could have been satisfied with releasing this game. Maybe it was The Chinese Room's influence?

    First of all, it removes a lot of the mechanics of The Dark Descent e.g. lantern with limited fuel, tinders, inventory, sanity, picking up most objects, HIDING IN CABINETS... In return, we get nothing. Typically when a company develops another game in a series they    I'm not sure how Frictional could have been satisfied with releasing this game. Maybe it was The Chinese Room's influence?

    First of all, it removes a lot of the mechanics of The Dark Descent e.g. lantern with limited fuel, tinders, inventory, sanity, picking up most objects, HIDING IN CABINETS... In return, we get nothing. Typically when a company develops another game in a series they remove some features but add new ones that are supposed to be better. Not this time, apparently. The limited light fuel in TDD was great because it added another layer of suspense (the fear that you would run out of light and be stuck in the horrifying dark with monsters). Hiding in the cabinets was awesome.... I was expecting all of these old suspenseful features plus, ya know, NEW ones. Not the removal of the good stuff.

    Second, the game is NOT SCARY... When you see the first pig monster, you may think it is going to be frightening. Until you actually see it up close. WTF? Isn't this supposed to be a horror game? Then why did they take what looks like an undead dog with a pig head attached to it and call it a monster? There was so much freaky concept art out there with a lot of potential... The monsters also move slowly and behave predictably. They're not scary, just annoying to maneuver around.

    Last, it runs like crap. I can run nearly any game maxed out on my rig with no issues but Machine was giving me limitless problems (screen tearing, stuttering, etc). When I turned the graphics down, it got worse and ended up looking like the original Doom.

    The only positive things I have to say about Machine for Pigs are that the plot is somewhat interesting and that they (mostly) removed that blinding white light that kept flashing across the screen in The Dark Descent (which was hard on the eyes in the dark).

    Music is also nice. Kudos to the composer.

    Overall, not worthy of being called an Amnesia game.    … Expand
  13. EldritchW
    Sep 10, 2013
    0
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I can't believe how far Frictional has fallen.
    Amnesia:MfP is literally Dear Ester 2.0 2deep4u story jump-scares.

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

    The monsters themselves are so common their presence stops being scary at all (not that their modles are scary anyway), This was less of a problem in the original,
    also negated by the insanity mechanic.
    Chineese Room seem to have no concept of horror, and also seem to have just lazily mashed together FEAR (telephone calls? dead children spazing around?), Dear Ester (no inventory press W to win),
    and other horror concepts.

    The very first section is ALL jump scares, and its not like their uncommon. They happen almost every time you turn a corner, after the first it is no longer scary.

    Next, what is probably the worst part. The scripted events. There is a part where you get knocked down, you look up and see your children. What happenes next is the cheesiest, moment in the game.
    They reach into their chests and pull out their harts and hold them up, only its not even dramatic, there is no build up, it happens so fast and casually I almost laughed.

    Its like this game is shouting at you "ARE YOU SCARED YET HUH? WOW THIS SETTING IS SPOOKY!, ARNT LITTLE DEAD KIDS SPOOKEY?" "HEY LOOK ANOTHER JUMSCARE, BOY THAT WAS CREEPY WASNT IT?"
    "DUN DUN DUNN.... THEY PULLED THEIR LITTLE HEARTS OUT!" "INST THAT JUST 2SPOOKEY4U!!"

    Which brings me to the writing. Honestly the writing is worse than a B list horror film. It probably uses every trope in the book to mash together some sense of naritive.
    Compare that to the writing of Penumbra or Amnesia, which aren't perfect, but are actually interesting. They are much more original and nested in a lovecraftian genre,
    I can't even think of one time in either games I thought "hmm.. wow that looks just like the Shining" (I mean dead twin brothers? really?). In Penumbra and Amnesia the lovecraftian story, and accompnying themes drive the game, in MfP the Game drives the story, which is seemingly derived from the cess filled machine pits anyway.

    Seriously, creatures from beyond make for a more interesting narrative than "Ohmygosh it was my fault all alongs XD!!!!!1!"

    One last thing. The game last me 2 hours, start to finish. The puzzles were so simplistic, and mostly considered of: get item X to location Y.
    The puzzels in Penumbra and Amnesia actually require you to figure things out by searching for notes, and trying to make sense of them. Often they were also meaningful,
    and added to the story. Not once did
    I rely on any of the notes or mementos in MfP.

    So, if you want a 2 hour walking simulator, go ahead and buy this game. Don't worry! its not even scary.
    If you want an actual horror game with an actual story, that at least tries to be original, buy/play Penumbra or Amnesia:TDD (although at this point I
    no longer wish to support Frictional for allowing this turd to slip the bowls of The Chineese Room and onto their brand)

    PS: Remember this game was slated for Halloween 2012, its almost a year late....I guess you can polish a turd all you like....    … Expand
  14. 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.
  15. kbrixx
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    Sad....very sad.I had such high hopes for this game.isn't as crazy scary as the original,not even close.good news is i only spent 15 bux for this game.so theres that.
  16. Muuvinki
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    After hour of playing i can definitely say that this is far from amnesia dark descent, horror element is almost completely gone from this game. They also have removed sanity and health meter.
    Enemies are stupid looking and not frightening one bit, i sure would like to know what happened to this game and how it became like this. I cannot recommend you to waste your money on this s***.
  17. Lanopo
    Sep 10, 2013
    4
    Very disappointing, the removed several features without adding a single one! Yes! They are is no new gameplay mechanics! In-fact, there is no gameplay at all. This is what happens when you give creative control of a sequel to a beloved horror game to the 'Dear Esther team'; what where Frictional thinking! The horror relies on jump scares, shaking the screen, and making loud noises,Very disappointing, the removed several features without adding a single one! Yes! They are is no new gameplay mechanics! In-fact, there is no gameplay at all. This is what happens when you give creative control of a sequel to a beloved horror game to the 'Dear Esther team'; what where Frictional thinking! The horror relies on jump scares, shaking the screen, and making loud noises, something The Dark Decent never had to resort to. Very disappointed. The only thing notable in this 'game' is the story and atmosphere; Oh liked picking literally anything up in TTD? The only thing you can interact with in AMFP is chairs and drawers.

    The Chinese Room; stop making games, please, go make art-house films. Everyone will look back and scoff once technology advances and your 'art games' look like Banjo Kazooie.    … Expand
  18. Sithiuss
    Sep 10, 2013
    2
    Honestly this game was one of the biggest disappointments of the year. Not only was the game incredibly easy
    the entire way through, but hardly scary at all. Not only was the fear factor lacking but I felt the story was incredibly predictable and dry as well. The writing shined in the notes in comparison to the former game but failed to add up to anything meaningful. They took out the    Honestly this game was one of the biggest disappointments of the year. Not only was the game incredibly easy
    the entire way through, but hardly scary at all. Not only was the fear factor lacking but I felt the story was incredibly predictable and dry as well. The writing shined in the notes in comparison to the former game but failed to add up to anything meaningful. They took out the survival elements of the game entirely (No fuel, no lighting of candles/lanterns, no sanity mechanic) 90% of the time you can simply run straight past the monsters with no penalty.The monsters weren't scary, the game-play failed hard, and a few minor plot twists along the way which were easily foreseen 2/10 biggest letdown of the year.    … Expand
  19. blake0812
    Sep 10, 2013
    0
    This game is bad. Now, before you discard this review as some troll post, let me tell you: I am a big Amnesia fan, since it first popped up on Steam I bought it and was hooked. When I first heard of the sequel coming, I was ecstatic, I was so excited came out my ass! I remember looking at the trailers for it, looking at the website, and everyday or so checking to see if there wasThis game is bad. Now, before you discard this review as some troll post, let me tell you: I am a big Amnesia fan, since it first popped up on Steam I bought it and was hooked. When I first heard of the sequel coming, I was ecstatic, I was so excited came out my ass! I remember looking at the trailers for it, looking at the website, and everyday or so checking to see if there was something different.

    Needless to say, this game is such a disappointment I can't even explain how let down I am. I'm so disappointed I feel offended. Let me try to sum up the ****tiness:
    -NO INVENTORY
    This was a big plow for me, because in the first it became a big factor in whether you live or die.
    -3 Hours long
    Now, this is debatable. Anyone can speedrun a game, but I didn't, and finished it in 3 hours, no less. The first game I finished in 6 hours, which then felt good. It was an indie game, but I got more out of it than I expected.
    -The lantern is infinite
    This too is debatable, but there were some things they could have made better with it, such as having to recharge the lantern if it went out. The use of a universal powered lantern is beyond me, this game takes place in 1899, they didn't even have electricity back then yet. Just barely.
    -A year too late
    The game was set to come out last year for Halloween, which would have made sense, it's a horror game and Halloween is associated with that. Makes sense and it works. But then, UH OH, WE HAVE TO DELAY IT. Some people will feel as though it was due to them added MORE content, which most ways is a good thing. I agree that more content is better. But what did they add? NOTHING. The only thing that was different was controller support, which would have taken at least a month to add. The rest of the gameplay is gone, it feels as though the game wasn't even finished yet.
    -The Chinese Room
    Let's talk about these people for a minute. Are you familiar with Dear Ester, a popular mod for HL1? If you've played it, you know what I'm talking about. It's a good mod, it was made by the Chinese Room, and they've been recognized as a great studio since then. More like a piece of dog I've played this game and felt that their presence was too much in this game, it felt WAY too much like Dear Ester rather than a survival horror game. You'd think that a respected indie studio wouldn't have been so lazy with it, it plays like Dear Ester too, with narrations out the ass, and the linearity that plagued this game.
    -It runs like dog ****
    This game uses the same exact engine that the first Amnesia game used, so you'd think that it'd run great if you ran the first one flawlessly, right? And it isn't my specs either, I'm using:
    An ATI Radeon 6870 1GB
    Phenom II x4 @3.01GHz
    4GB Ram
    all of this running at 1440x900 resolution.

    There is no excuse, you are a well respected studio. Do us a favor and never make a game again, Chinese Room.

    Chinese Room? More like a Chinese Sweatshop.    … Expand
  20. medip
    Sep 10, 2013
    2
    This was honestly the farthest thing away from what i was expecting from the second entry into the Amnesia franchise. Even though it was developed by the chinese room, surely i would imagine that at some point the people at Frictional at least had a brief look or perusal of what their most successful title was being turned into!
    They have simply taken out mechanics such as inventory and    This was honestly the farthest thing away from what i was expecting from the second entry into the Amnesia franchise. Even though it was developed by the chinese room, surely i would imagine that at some point the people at Frictional at least had a brief look or perusal of what their most successful title was being turned into!
    They have simply taken out mechanics such as inventory and sanity, and replaced them with.... it seems, they replaced them with nothing. Not to mention the total lack of an ability to manipulate any of the in-game environment, unless it is essential to some puzzle or progression.
    Besides all of this, the main problem with this "game" is that there is absolutely zero pacing with which to build tension and immerse the player in a world which feels lost and hopeless. The pig monsters are not only lackluster in design and implementation, but the fact that they have no hope of catching you if you simply run away completely takes away any unnerving effect that they may have had (if they did to begin with).
    There are so many comparisons which could be made, but i honestly just cannot be bothered wasting anymore time typing about a game that i have dreamed about for the last 13 months which has been torn asunder by a pretentious, mediocre studio which attained their 15 minutes of fame from an ambient environmental walk-through...
    Frictional honestly need to acknowledge that something went wrong here, or i will hold them just as accountable as i hold Blizzard for the piece of trash they call Diablo 3.    … Expand
  21. vare345p
    Sep 10, 2013
    8
    Puzles are kind of easy and guided but the atmosphere, the storytelling, the voice-acting, the enhanced level desing... It is just great.

    Don't be dumbass complaining because there's no oil or tinderboxes, cause you didn't clearly play the game; Now when you are in full darkness you can't see anything, not even turning your gamma up a bit. So, if you face a monster you have 2 options:    Puzles are kind of easy and guided but the atmosphere, the storytelling, the voice-acting, the enhanced level desing... It is just great.

    Don't be dumbass complaining because there's no oil or tinderboxes, cause you didn't clearly play the game; Now when you are in full darkness you can't see anything, not even turning your gamma up a bit. So, if you face a monster you have 2 options: Turning on the lamp and let him see you or turning it off and don't see anything. This makes a lot of tension.

    In any case, it is not like the first Amnesia, they changed a lot of stuff here and there, and if you are an Amnesia fan I think you'll enjoy it. Will you like it more than the first one? I don't know, but I think is totally worth the price.

    Edited: I have already beaten the game and I must say that I liked The Dark Descent more than this one.
    A machine for pigs tried to be different, simplifying gameplay and trying to be more straight-forward.
    The game is, indeed, more linear. You don't need to look for tinderboxes, oil or laudanum so making more rooms would have been pretty much an aesthetic thing.
    Setting is great and I like the new artistic design, and the sound is still great.
    It lasts about 4-5 hours, but I hope there will be mod support.
    If you are an amnesia fan you will probably like it, but just don't wait another TDD, because you won't find it.    … Expand
  22. BeeRadIsRad
    Sep 10, 2013
    8
    I am enjoying this game fairly well. So far, a nice dark atmosphere with chilling random events in the background. (Typical Amnesia) I only have three problems with this game that don't quite put it at the same level as "The Dark Descent" The game has many locked doors which takes away the adventure aspect. You can't pick up small objects and randomly throw them. There also is not anI am enjoying this game fairly well. So far, a nice dark atmosphere with chilling random events in the background. (Typical Amnesia) I only have three problems with this game that don't quite put it at the same level as "The Dark Descent" The game has many locked doors which takes away the adventure aspect. You can't pick up small objects and randomly throw them. There also is not an insanity meter. Even in these negatives, the story line is phenomenal so far. It makes me want to dive deeper and deeper. So far, in the first hour of game play, this is a really enjoyable sequel to "The Dark Descent"… Expand
  23. SophosTheWise
    Sep 10, 2013
    10
    Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is definitely not the same game as The Dark Descent. It's quite different. It's got fewer jump scares and it's not as splatter-horror-y as some fans might have wished. But boy, that overwhelming, thick sense of dread that comes with every step down into the unholy machine. Not to mention the brillant soundtrack by Jessica Curry (do yourselves a favour and buyAmnesia: A Machine for Pigs is definitely not the same game as The Dark Descent. It's quite different. It's got fewer jump scares and it's not as splatter-horror-y as some fans might have wished. But boy, that overwhelming, thick sense of dread that comes with every step down into the unholy machine. Not to mention the brillant soundtrack by Jessica Curry (do yourselves a favour and buy it) and the brillant writing by Dan Pinchbeck. I guess it takes a bit of effort to actually get involved into the story (similar to Dear Esther) but you'll probably get one of the most literary experiences in video games to date.… Expand
  24. Joso2304
    Sep 13, 2013
    5
    I played through this game in 2 hours. There was no need to explorer because there were NOTHING to gain from exploring. No oil, no health, no sanity, no freaking nothing. Dissapointed. But it was able to scare me sometimes and set a good atmosphere. But it was a big let down from the Amnesia Series. I think this game actually don't belong in the Amnesia series because; 1. He didn't haveI played through this game in 2 hours. There was no need to explorer because there were NOTHING to gain from exploring. No oil, no health, no sanity, no freaking nothing. Dissapointed. But it was able to scare me sometimes and set a good atmosphere. But it was a big let down from the Amnesia Series. I think this game actually don't belong in the Amnesia series because; 1. He didn't have (the same type) Amnesia as in the first game. 2. It doesn't have anything to do with Amneisa. It shouldn't have been an Amneisia game. It would have been better if it was just an indie game called Machine for pigs.… Expand
  25. Avadon
    Sep 11, 2013
    6
    If you're looking for Amnesia with more stuff, you won't find it here. AMFP is a different game, with its own strengths and weaknesses.

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

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

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

    AMFP won't please everyone and is rather short, but it's enjoyable while it lasts, it's very atmospheric, well presented, polished and presents its story well enough. It's not extraordinary, but worth the price in my opinion, and it's waaaaaay better than embarrassing trash like Slender.    … Expand
  26. mysteryone
    Sep 15, 2013
    5
    I love Amnesia,
    but I must say, I'm disappointed with this game...
    they took off what was the best in "the dark descent" the puzzles are too easy to solve, because you have almost no interactivity with objects. no inventory, and worse, no insanity bar... in "the dark descent", you really feel the pressure, you don't want to be in the dark, because your character start to shake and    I love Amnesia,
    but I must say, I'm disappointed with this game...

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

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

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

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

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

    if a give them 5, is because they did a good work with the ambient, sounds and 3D, and I like the telephone calls.
    I hope the story will make me love this game.    … Expand
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. scissor
    Sep 13, 2013
    5
    Overall,a machine for pigs(AMFP) is not better than the dark descent(TDD).Apparently AMFP has lower tension and lower stressful.
    I think AMFP is mainly focus on plot of a play it lost lots of fun and challenge for lack of many puzzles and inventory systems especially the lantern oil system.
    Still like the horror game who made by FrictionalGames ,like Penumbra and Amnesia-TDD. AMFP was    Overall,a machine for pigs(AMFP) is not better than the dark descent(TDD).Apparently AMFP has lower tension and lower stressful.
    I think AMFP is mainly focus on plot of a play it lost lots of fun and challenge for lack of many puzzles and inventory systems especially the lantern oil system.
    Still like the horror game who made by FrictionalGames ,like Penumbra and Amnesia-TDD.
    AMFP was mainly developed by Chineseroom ,and the AMFP's game style is very familiar with their games->Dear Esther.Sometimes i thought i was playing DearEsther instead of Amnesia series.
    And the most important thing is that they remove the Customstory! The customstory is the "Continuation of life" in this game,don't know why the Chineseroom remove it.    … Expand
  30. SH3RIFFO
    Sep 13, 2013
    5
    Before I pre-ordered it, I was mind blown by the teasers and the description of the game. It said to expect classic 'Amnesia game-play.' And how it is a complete fresh game, but it stays to its origins. This was all nonsense. There was absolutely no 'Amnesia' in it. As a sequel to the masterpiece of the Dark Decent, this was preposterous. Horrible sequel. I was honestly disappointing. ItBefore I pre-ordered it, I was mind blown by the teasers and the description of the game. It said to expect classic 'Amnesia game-play.' And how it is a complete fresh game, but it stays to its origins. This was all nonsense. There was absolutely no 'Amnesia' in it. As a sequel to the masterpiece of the Dark Decent, this was preposterous. Horrible sequel. I was honestly disappointing. It lacked interaction, scares, puzzles, and mostly the horrifying feeling of being haunted you had when playing the first Amnesia.

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

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

    This is my review. Thanks for reading. Play the game for yourself and judge only then.    … Expand
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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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