Amnesia: The Dark Descent

 PC
User Score
8.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1612 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,375 out of 1612
  2. Mixed: 170 out of 1612
  3. Negative: 67 out of 1612
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  1. LA_DOTTORE
    Aug 21, 2011
    9
    Amnesia has great gameplay, is very realistic, and frankly, scared the crap outta me, but in this case, that's a good thing! You play Daniel, a guy who for some reason gave himself amnesia and wakes up lying on the floor in an abandoned castle. A very creepy abandoned castle... The game itself has the ability to hide in closets when monsters show up or cry in the dark corner waiting for itAmnesia has great gameplay, is very realistic, and frankly, scared the crap outta me, but in this case, that's a good thing! You play Daniel, a guy who for some reason gave himself amnesia and wakes up lying on the floor in an abandoned castle. A very creepy abandoned castle... The game itself has the ability to hide in closets when monsters show up or cry in the dark corner waiting for it to go away which I thought was very, very fun! There weren't many encounters with creatures, monsters (whatever they are) throughout the game but just enough to keep me cautious at every corner. Overall, an awesome game, my only flaw would be the fact it has almost no replay ability unless you've had amnesia yourself and forgot the plot and where all the monsters show up.… Expand
  2. DrBrogbo
    Aug 30, 2011
    9
    I LOVE scary things. Scary movies, scary books, scary encounters in real-life, and especially scary games. There's just something about being immersed in it and yet knowing it's not real that makes scary games the best of all scary media. That being said, this is the best scary game I've ever played. The sound is extremely well done (including the voice acting), the atmosphere is amazing,I LOVE scary things. Scary movies, scary books, scary encounters in real-life, and especially scary games. There's just something about being immersed in it and yet knowing it's not real that makes scary games the best of all scary media. That being said, this is the best scary game I've ever played. The sound is extremely well done (including the voice acting), the atmosphere is amazing, the monsters are truly terrifying (When you hear that high-pitched string sound get louder and louder as they're catching up to you, good luck not making whimpering sounds), and the puzzles are pretty panic-inducing. My only complaint is that there are a few puzzles that are quirky. One where you may have all you need, but you're pointing at the wrong place on this one wall to use the items. Kinda annoying. Also another one where based off what you've seen in the area so far, you might think you need to complete this certain section, so you're scrambling around trying to find the missing piece, only to find out 20 minutes later "Oh nope, you're done already. Just re-arrange this thing." I don't want to give spoilers away, but it honestly annoyed me. Being annoyed takes you out of the terror setting, so boo-urns to that. To sum up: I love scary things in all forms, and this is the scariest, tensest game I've ever played. On multiple occasions being chased by monsters, my whole body started tingling, and I was pushing the run-button so hard I'm surprised I didn't break it. FANTASTIC game. I've never been so scared for such a prolonged period in my life.… Expand
  3. Tooterfish
    Sep 22, 2012
    9
    This game isn't for everyone. Amnesia is an artfully mastered, ambient experience for anyone craving a taste of quality; like a fine wine upon the mountain of cheap beer being produced by the triple-A production line. Take a break from Call of Duty and enjoy Amnesia: The Dark Descent; witness a lost form of creative craftsmanship which only Frictional Games is still bold enough, willing,This game isn't for everyone. Amnesia is an artfully mastered, ambient experience for anyone craving a taste of quality; like a fine wine upon the mountain of cheap beer being produced by the triple-A production line. Take a break from Call of Duty and enjoy Amnesia: The Dark Descent; witness a lost form of creative craftsmanship which only Frictional Games is still bold enough, willing, and able deliver.… Expand
  4. Quforic
    Oct 1, 2011
    9
    This game scared me so much i nearly shít the bed.
  5. Urrid
    Oct 30, 2011
    9
    This game made by five core developers and it is scary as all hell. I cannot play it for more than an hour or two or else I start to panic and use up precious resources. The gameplay is a mixture of adventure and resource management (light) with some very tense hiding or running for OH GOD WHAT WAS THAT?! Erm, running for dear life. 335 positive user reviews cannot be wrong. Get this ifThis game made by five core developers and it is scary as all hell. I cannot play it for more than an hour or two or else I start to panic and use up precious resources. The gameplay is a mixture of adventure and resource management (light) with some very tense hiding or running for OH GOD WHAT WAS THAT?! Erm, running for dear life. 335 positive user reviews cannot be wrong. Get this if you love horror. One point off for silly voice acting at parts, but that is the only glaring flaw.… Expand
  6. keefbaker
    Oct 13, 2013
    9
    A horror game that is ACTUALLY scary.... I mean REALLY scary... allow yourself to be immersed and then terrified and be stunned that a level that was essentially a platformer became a stress inducing terror.
  7. PlayerReview
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Because I am not human and therefor lack human emotions, I am unable to become physically "scared". But, this game has more presence in that department than any game I have played. More please!
  8. Glasses
    Sep 21, 2012
    9
    Wonderful horror game. I was essentially scared throughout the entire game. The music is great, the atmosphere is spot on, and the story is perfect. My only problem with the game is that I feel as if some its textures aren't polished. One example I experience with faulty textures was when I went through a wall and everything turned black, and then later I took two steps and somehow died.Wonderful horror game. I was essentially scared throughout the entire game. The music is great, the atmosphere is spot on, and the story is perfect. My only problem with the game is that I feel as if some its textures aren't polished. One example I experience with faulty textures was when I went through a wall and everything turned black, and then later I took two steps and somehow died. If that were fixed, this game would receive a ten. You most likely will not experience this at all; maybe it was just my **** graphics card, but regardless, the game is quite possibly the best horror game made. Buy it!!!… Expand
  9. mez
    Dec 18, 2011
    9
    Very scary. The most tense and unpleasant (in a good way!) atmosphere of any game I've ever played. It's not perfect - the story tries to be mysterious but instead feels muddled (and the ending is massively disappointing), the puzzles are quite arbitrary and "computer-gamey" (I need some rope. Why do I need a particular special piece of rope which is miles away? Why not one of the bits IVery scary. The most tense and unpleasant (in a good way!) atmosphere of any game I've ever played. It's not perfect - the story tries to be mysterious but instead feels muddled (and the ending is massively disappointing), the puzzles are quite arbitrary and "computer-gamey" (I need some rope. Why do I need a particular special piece of rope which is miles away? Why not one of the bits I can see hanging on the wall right in front of me?), and the scares really drop off towards the end because the writers make the mistake of being too explicit and going down the ultra-gore route rather than leaving it all to our imagination. BUT... the prison level makes up for it all. I played it in the middle of the night when I was on my own in a big, old house in the middle of nowhere, and it was one of the best gaming experiences of my life. If you like horror games, you must, must play this.… Expand
  10. Aonien
    Feb 13, 2013
    9
    This is a great game. While it did not scare me, because it's not my thing, I was amazed at how well the story was written, how astounding the music was, how developed the characters were and how challenging some of the puzzles were. Looking forward to the sequel.
  11. sias
    Feb 12, 2012
    9
    Finally! A survival horror game - that is a survival horror game! Well done gaming industry as a whole! Was it really that difficult? Anyway, enough of this obnoxiousness. I thoroughly enjoyed Amnesia despite it's clunky controls. Genuinely terrifying with a very well told story that requires player exploration instead of intense cut-scene overkill. The removal of combat that was presentFinally! A survival horror game - that is a survival horror game! Well done gaming industry as a whole! Was it really that difficult? Anyway, enough of this obnoxiousness. I thoroughly enjoyed Amnesia despite it's clunky controls. Genuinely terrifying with a very well told story that requires player exploration instead of intense cut-scene overkill. The removal of combat that was present in the Penumbra series (also made by Frictional) really helps keep the pace and prevents frustrating mouse swinging angst. You survive by running and hiding. The shadows are as much your friends as they are your enemies adding an element of risk to all of your actions. To a certain extent it has the same appeal as a well thought out point-and-click adventure with simplistic gameplay that allows you to get absorbed by the terrifically dark atmosphere instead of having you scrolling through inventory lists and entering attack combos. This game won't be for everyone, and many people will simply be bored by the lack of action and direct story telling. But I don't think this game was ever trying to grab a mainstream audience and all its appeal is rather quite niche. But nonetheless, it is a game that most should at least visit, for it truly is a welcome sleeper indie hit for us horror fans. This game is best played in a dark room with a decent headset. In fact I refuse to play this game during the day! It's also a good idea to have your face pressed up to the screen so you sh*t yourself quicker. True story.… Expand
  12. Virtro
    Jan 19, 2012
    9
    There's nothing more scarier than your mind playing tricks on you. Here in Amnesia you expect the worse to happen, but a low rate. Examples being that these creatures somehow could and will mess with you through out the whole game. Amnesia is a game where the possible becomes the horrifyingly impossible as you journey through darkest places battling your own sanity for light. The graphicsThere's nothing more scarier than your mind playing tricks on you. Here in Amnesia you expect the worse to happen, but a low rate. Examples being that these creatures somehow could and will mess with you through out the whole game. Amnesia is a game where the possible becomes the horrifyingly impossible as you journey through darkest places battling your own sanity for light. The graphics are well devoleped considering that the eriee feelings of darkness and pop-outs really set the mood. And of course lets not forget the monster designs that look specifily spectacular. (No Spoilers Will Be Added On What They Look Like!!!) The sounds, if playing with a turtlebeach headset, will sound more than realistic as the screams and cries make you turn your back in the darkness to look for someone behind you. You won't have to worry about staying awake, as you grow deeper into the game, you'll never want to sleep again fearing your own sanity. (God, I felt like I went into that WAY too much.) The gameplay is rather incredible considering the puzzles you'll rough over, the stradegy of hiding behind certain objects for your own life, and compelling story that just craves for an ending all things considered. This grame reaches not only the gameplay but will even reach your mind as your trying not to scream or cry at the levels and monsters you run from. If you ever need to keep yourself awake, need a good scare to put on for your friends, or playing it just for the thinking you have to get this. You'll love it... if youre not in fetal position in a corner of your bedroom.… Expand
  13. KangaDude873MC
    Jan 27, 2012
    9
    This game is #6 on my top ten favourite games of all-time. In Amnesia: The Dark Descent, you play as Daniel witch if you haven't figured out yet, has amnesia. This game game is CRAZY on scares. The thing that made me jump the most, was in the Storage room and I don't want to spoil it. The monsters? Don't even get me started on those, the first time you play, they are scariest things ever,This game is #6 on my top ten favourite games of all-time. In Amnesia: The Dark Descent, you play as Daniel witch if you haven't figured out yet, has amnesia. This game game is CRAZY on scares. The thing that made me jump the most, was in the Storage room and I don't want to spoil it. The monsters? Don't even get me started on those, the first time you play, they are scariest things ever, but once you play it a few times, it gets less scary. The graphics could be improved and there are some bugs that I have found, but overall, great game.… Expand
  14. potatoes351
    Jun 22, 2012
    9
    Perhaps the best survival horror game to grace my PC ever. Amnesia keeps you hooked from start to finish, if you can even get that far. The shocks are purely atmospheric with little to look at or do other than physics puzzles.There is no combat which makes hiding from the monsters that much scarier. Perhaps one of the best PC games to happen since Half-Life 2, Amnesia:The Dark Descent is aPerhaps the best survival horror game to grace my PC ever. Amnesia keeps you hooked from start to finish, if you can even get that far. The shocks are purely atmospheric with little to look at or do other than physics puzzles.There is no combat which makes hiding from the monsters that much scarier. Perhaps one of the best PC games to happen since Half-Life 2, Amnesia:The Dark Descent is a must buy for any indie, horror or PC gamers.… Expand
  15. t200
    Apr 4, 2013
    9
    This game is definitely one of the high points of the survival-horror genre. However, before playing it, you should know what to expect; if you're expecting something more similar to Dead Space 2 out of this, you will have a bad time. It's not that kind of horror game. Gameplay isn't all that great, maybe 7/10, but the intense atmosphere makes up for it. Amazing sound, good (not too good,This game is definitely one of the high points of the survival-horror genre. However, before playing it, you should know what to expect; if you're expecting something more similar to Dead Space 2 out of this, you will have a bad time. It's not that kind of horror game. Gameplay isn't all that great, maybe 7/10, but the intense atmosphere makes up for it. Amazing sound, good (not too good, but more than enough) graphics...

    There's quite a lot of difference between Amnesia and most horror games, the main one I see being monster density. Monsters aren't very common. This is partially justified by your lack of self defense, but the real beauty in this is that you never really stop being scared of them. So instead of a lot of shootable monsters, you get a few very dangerous and terrifying ones.

    Now, "A few monsters" isn't really enough to keep the scares going. Amnesia solves this problem in an ingenious way. With the creepy ambience, the constant tiny creaks from the foundation, and even the illusory footsteps Daniel hears when low on sanity, you genuinely never feel completely safe. Aside from the tendency to encounter monsters while backtracking after grabbing an important item, it's pretty danm hard to predict where one will show up.

    Anyway, the point of the game is to make the player feel as scared as possible. So, don't play to win, play it just for the sake of being scared.    … Expand
  16. Saurus
    May 16, 2012
    9
    Have you ever imagined playing a game in which you are afraid to check what is beyond the next corner, behind the next door ? I have, and boy was I with mixed feelings while playing this game. Amnesia: The dark descent is a game in which you do not have your guns with which you can shoot monsters between the eyes, nor blades with which to cut them to shreds for trying to kill you ... nope.Have you ever imagined playing a game in which you are afraid to check what is beyond the next corner, behind the next door ? I have, and boy was I with mixed feelings while playing this game. Amnesia: The dark descent is a game in which you do not have your guns with which you can shoot monsters between the eyes, nor blades with which to cut them to shreds for trying to kill you ... nope. The dark atmosphere, blood spills from paintings, screams that you hear in the begining of the game that echo in your mind until you finally lose the courage to continue on and just Save+Quit is what you will expirience in this game. Darkness is all around, making you lose your sanity and the only thing that could probably help you out is a little candle or a oil lamp - that is what keeps you from losing your mind in the game - light ! I will not spoil the story and start telling what you will see and thus spoiling all the "fun" you will expirience. The only thing I can tell you is this - must buy for all horror fans ! And even if you ARE an extreme horror fan - do NOT get overconfident - this game will crush you if you take it lightly ... think I am joking ? Play it at night on a widescreen monitor with all the lights turned off, doors tightly shut, headphones strapped tightly to your ears and dare finish the game in one go ... I dare you ! The story and game is said to be 4-5 hours ... well it took me 5 times starting the game with 2 hours of game time ... I couldn't afford any more of it, else you can't sleep at all !

    For those that are "graphics obsessed" I can say that the game may not be in CryEngine 2, but the atmosphere from the sounds and everything else will make you stop paying attention to how pretty that rocking chair in the room is and make you ask yourself non-stop "Oh my God, what is that behind the corner ?!?!?!?!?!"    … Expand
  17. Le_Moose
    Jun 17, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very few horror games today embrace the most terrifying form of horror there is: subtlety. That knowledge that something is there hunting you down and is constantly getting closer to you that brings us to the masterpiece that is Amnesia: The Dark Descent. I can honestly say I have walked away from my computer at times screaming with shock and terror from what has come from this game. It truly brought back horror into my heart. While the game still produces fear in me, I still question some of it's elements that make it the horror game it is. There is no way to defend yourself from the creatures hunting you. And while this aspect is what defines the horror in it (meaning all you can do is run and hide with what dignity you have left), I daresay I would be one of those hero's in the story to pick up a rock or stick to defend myself in dark dungeons and labyrinths. I cannot count these as cons to the game because the creatures are truly unearthly. The very chill they send through your spine is the stuff of nightmares and I doubt even I with the logical sense to defend myself could stand in front of one and not panic. This game redefines horror showing us all how it's done. Not for the squeamish or faint-hearted but then again, even the most fearless of gamers have walked away from this game shaking!… Expand
  18. Muan142
    Jul 14, 2012
    9
    This is an amazing horror game. I'd even call it brilliant. I learned things about myself by playing this. I probably don't have to tell you that Amnesia succeeds in being scary - it succeeds hard. I often had to remind myself that it was just a game and I wouldn't really die if the monster got me or I wouldn't be able to move forward. Video games have a unique ability to evoke fear in anThis is an amazing horror game. I'd even call it brilliant. I learned things about myself by playing this. I probably don't have to tell you that Amnesia succeeds in being scary - it succeeds hard. I often had to remind myself that it was just a game and I wouldn't really die if the monster got me or I wouldn't be able to move forward. Video games have a unique ability to evoke fear in an audience and I feel this game absolutely takes advantage of that. Through its visuals, sounds, mechanics, and storyline, Amnesia succeeds in creating a very focused experience of helplessness, curiosity, and fear. I don't give it a ten because I feel there are three things I still have room to complain about. For one thing, despite not seeming like it at all, the whole game is highly scripted, so once you've played it the whole way through you have very little reason to go black and play it again. It's also best to play it alone so you can't have fun watching other people play it without cheapening the experience for them. Second, the storyline is a bit underwhelming towards the end. It only feels this way in the very last room of the game, and its not too pronounced, but I felt they could have done better. The multiple endings are still good though. Lastly, (*spoiler*) and this might tie in with the storyline thing, but through the whole game, I was under the impression that there was only one monster chasing you through the castle. He seems to be in a lot of places at once, but I thought he was part of the whole "shadow" thing and maybe he could teleport. However, a little over halfway through the game another monster comes in and kills the first and starts hunting you instead. Then the first monster shows up again and it becomes apparent that there's a whole bunch of these things all over the place and they're actually the big bad's henchmen, which I felt just made them a whole lot less significant, mysterious, and scary. That really cheapened it for me and I still prefer to think of it the other way. However, no one else I've read has mentioned that so maybe it's a personal thing.… Expand
  19. sherbz
    Dec 6, 2016
    9
    If I was to liken Amnesia to a film, it would almost certainly be Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If you have never watched it then you probably wont know what I'm going on about. But despite its title, there is virtually no gore in it at all. No chainsaw massacres, no nothing really. But one thing it does do, and does well, is it is disturbing without being shocking. It is a series of wellIf I was to liken Amnesia to a film, it would almost certainly be Texas Chainsaw Massacre. If you have never watched it then you probably wont know what I'm going on about. But despite its title, there is virtually no gore in it at all. No chainsaw massacres, no nothing really. But one thing it does do, and does well, is it is disturbing without being shocking. It is a series of well placed shots, well paced story, and inventive camera and sound play. In short, this is what Amnesia is. If you turned the sound off you would probably think what the hell the fuss is about. But the developers really know their genre. And better than that, they don't really go in for jump scares. Amnesia is about a sense of building danger and suspense as you discover more about the protagonist you play. This is well played out through scripted notes and flash backs. The other game of this kind - Outlast - is very similar. I would say Amnesia has more character. Outlast is top dog for jump scares and its graphics are also better. But I think over all Amnesia is executed better (although they are both good titles IMO). Along with Alien Isolation, these are without doubt the best 3 survival horror titles in the market today. I would put this on a par with Alien isolation, and Outlas5t a close(ish) second.… Expand
  20. mrkzy
    Sep 20, 2012
    9
    Creepiest game i have ever played in my live. I am sill having nightmares because of this game.. And the custom stories make this game much more than just the main story.. Actually the main story wasnt so great so -1 for that.
  21. CanaMavrickTwo
    Sep 29, 2012
    9
    I have to say that this is the scariest game I played, a lot scarier then Slender. If you are about to play this, have headphones on and play in the dark. So many moments I'm just going through a dark and creepy hallway and suddenly a monster comes around the corner and is going towards you fast, forcing you to hide, it just scares the crap out of me. And watching your sanity go down MIGHTI have to say that this is the scariest game I played, a lot scarier then Slender. If you are about to play this, have headphones on and play in the dark. So many moments I'm just going through a dark and creepy hallway and suddenly a monster comes around the corner and is going towards you fast, forcing you to hide, it just scares the crap out of me. And watching your sanity go down MIGHT make your real sanity go down. Other then the scares, the game play and story is pretty good. A lot off the puzzles are just so hard and genius that it takes me 10-20 minutes to figure them out. If you have at least a mid range PC, you should get this.… Expand
  22. AJTAFFINDER
    Mar 9, 2013
    9
    Amnesia unlike most horror games brought an entirely new entity to Horror Games. Being complete vulnerable to enemy attacks, with the only defence of running and hiding in an eery castle complex in 1839 makes this a lot more fun! With only a lantern and a limited supply of oil, Frictional Games surely know how to keep on scaring people! 9/10
  23. Conan
    Oct 26, 2012
    9
    This game really does deserve the title of "World's Scariest Game". After playing the game for about ten to twenty minutes, I was wondering "Is this it?" and to be honest I wanted to backhand them for making a crapy game and calling it scary. I couldn't have been more wrong, the game absolutely scared me. I have never played a game that instilled fear into me like this: fear radiatedThis game really does deserve the title of "World's Scariest Game". After playing the game for about ten to twenty minutes, I was wondering "Is this it?" and to be honest I wanted to backhand them for making a crapy game and calling it scary. I couldn't have been more wrong, the game absolutely scared me. I have never played a game that instilled fear into me like this: fear radiated through my body, the rush of adrenaline, heart pounding, jumping at every groan, splash of water and almost any other sound.

    Okay, the downside, the graphics weren't the best, but the detail and architecture really did create the perfect mood for the game. Excellent use of sound all throughout the game; I did turn my volume down to zero to see what the game was like without the sound and to be honest, it was really calm, so well done on the sound effect. The plot was average, it was fitting of the mood though and it didn't need an awesome plot to be scary. I really liked the idea of being harmless, although I did try to pick up a chair and wave it around madly trying to fight off that horrible zombie thing. One thing that disappointed me, was the I could jump up onto a desk or a pile of rocks and the zombie couldn't get to me, it kind of ruined the mood when it was walking into a desk trying to move forward. The camera wobble was a bit annoying, although it did fit into the game, but overall I didn't like it.

    In summation, it is a very good game and I enjoyed the scare I got from it; although I wouldn't advise this game for children or anyone who gets nightmares. Apart from that I advise you to play it.    … Expand
  24. InterestGuy
    Nov 27, 2012
    9
    I love this game... The atmosphere is incredible, and the fact that you can't kill the monsters and you actually have to run or hide, is amazing. I really like it. Also, hearing weird noises gives an incredible feeling. I actually congratulates the creators of this game because it's fun to play this game and freak out.
  25. fukery3
    Dec 6, 2012
    9
    This game feels like an Edgar Allen Poe piece. Its extremely dark and thoughtful in feel... And I was disappointed it finally ended. With so many things done right, its hard to believe such a small group created this creative masterpiece.
  26. FrostyReviews
    Jan 13, 2013
    9
    This has to be one of the most atmospheric games I have ever endured to play in my life. You've got a squid-looking guy walking around, making your swallow your tongue, and watching your heart drop through your intestines. It is amazingly scary. People think this game is "trash", and it's "not scary", play it once. We'll see if your mind changes. The game itself is horrifying, but I wishThis has to be one of the most atmospheric games I have ever endured to play in my life. You've got a squid-looking guy walking around, making your swallow your tongue, and watching your heart drop through your intestines. It is amazingly scary. People think this game is "trash", and it's "not scary", play it once. We'll see if your mind changes. The game itself is horrifying, but I wish there was more to it. There needs to be something there that just sparks your mind and makes the game better than it already its, on this one though I am going to have to score it good overall. Not recommended for players that get easily scared though. This is one of the most highly recommended games I have for you.… Expand
  27. strav
    Feb 13, 2013
    9
    Behold immersion through sensory deprivation! As paradoxical as the previous sentence may seems, I'd suggest that's exactly what Amnesia succeeded to achieve. The game's premise is that you are alone, chased by a living nightmare from which you can only hide from. Being completely vulnerable, you constantly keep you ears open for some unknown sound, being in the dark, relying on the frailBehold immersion through sensory deprivation! As paradoxical as the previous sentence may seems, I'd suggest that's exactly what Amnesia succeeded to achieve. The game's premise is that you are alone, chased by a living nightmare from which you can only hide from. Being completely vulnerable, you constantly keep you ears open for some unknown sound, being in the dark, relying on the frail light of your lantern, you keep scrutinizing for somewhere to hide or for some way to escape through and being on the verge of sanity, your heart keeps pounding, your breathing gets heavier: the immersion begins. Soon, you learn that your only way out of this nightmare is only forward, deeper where all the horrors come from. All this, makes Amnesia a game you'll never forget (no freakin pun intended) if only for the atmosphere it creates. Aside from keeping your head cool, progressing in Amnesia requires you to solve puzzles and obstacles, most of which are logical and well integrated. In all, this makes it one of the best game-play experience I've had in some years.

    Technically, the graphics are very decent (not even considering that it's an indie production) but where the game shines most is perhaps in it's sound effects which are greatly responsible for the realistic feeling of this game.

    I'm not aware of much games in the style of Amnesia but in the end, if you liked it, I strongly suggest you try Miasmata.    … Expand
  28. AidanM
    May 18, 2013
    9
    There are two common comments that need to be struck down here. One, this is not some boring point and click escape game. The people who say it is just an escape game were too scared to actually get to the good parts of the game and never really passed the "tutorial stage". Also, for those comparing it to Dead Space, how could you possibly think this game would be like Dead Space? It isThere are two common comments that need to be struck down here. One, this is not some boring point and click escape game. The people who say it is just an escape game were too scared to actually get to the good parts of the game and never really passed the "tutorial stage". Also, for those comparing it to Dead Space, how could you possibly think this game would be like Dead Space? It is not an action or shooter game, the way you survive is by using your wits and hiding. It is very fun, you will be scared half the time, and the other half you will be running from the thing that was previously scaring you. The suspense in this game is amazing.… Expand
  29. shprea
    Jun 25, 2013
    9
    Horror games have never really scared me. Typically, they all followed the same patter: suspense followed by jump scare. After a while, they just didn't seem too scary anymore. Thinking that I would be able to handle it, I started playing Amnesia. Boy was I wrong.

    Simply put, Amnesia: the Dark Descent is the scariest game I've ever played. Everything from the chilling atmosphere to    Horror games have never really scared me. Typically, they all followed the same patter: suspense followed by jump scare. After a while, they just didn't seem too scary anymore. Thinking that I would be able to handle it, I started playing Amnesia. Boy was I wrong.

    Simply put, Amnesia: the Dark Descent is the scariest game I've ever played. Everything from the chilling atmosphere to amazing sound design helped to make this one of the freakiest experiences I've ever had in a game.

    Nothing is quite as scary as hearing a noise, hiding in a closet for dear life only then to be assaulted by a hideous monster. It's a feeling of terror that I haven't had with any other game, one that makes the hair rise on the back of my neck

    The only issue with this game are the graphics, which aren't bad. They're just somewhat outdated.

    If you like being terrorized, be sure to pick this one up.    … Expand
  30. TheWhiteRose000
    May 15, 2014
    9
    Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
    Although if your into games that scare the everliving crap out of you then this is definitely a game you want.
  31. Brosman
    May 22, 2013
    9
    Is Amnesia the best horror game ever made? Sadly that answer is no. But it is da*n good and worth a spot in the top 5. The games atmosphere not only sets up the best experience for this game, but uses lighting, sound, and suspense in some of the best ways possible in a horror game. You cant kill what is hunting you and you'll be having insane amounts of fun while also being terrified outIs Amnesia the best horror game ever made? Sadly that answer is no. But it is da*n good and worth a spot in the top 5. The games atmosphere not only sets up the best experience for this game, but uses lighting, sound, and suspense in some of the best ways possible in a horror game. You cant kill what is hunting you and you'll be having insane amounts of fun while also being terrified out of your mind. Again, not the scariest game ever made but it is one of the best horror games.… Expand
  32. Herska
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    More an experience than a video game. And a really amazing experience at that. The cult classic really delivers with its atmosphere and feel, which suck you in in minutes.

    The vast amount of custom stories ensures hours of entertainment beyond the main story. As a downside it can sometimes be difficult to get your room lighting right for playing. Amnesia is a game that can be    More an experience than a video game. And a really amazing experience at that. The cult classic really delivers with its atmosphere and feel, which suck you in in minutes.

    The vast amount of custom stories ensures hours of entertainment beyond the main story.

    As a downside it can sometimes be difficult to get your room lighting right for playing.

    Amnesia is a game that can be pulled from the shelf many times and it has the same chilling charm every time.    … Expand
  33. Rem
    Mar 8, 2018
    9
    Back in 2010 Frictional Games popularized the first person horror experience with its release of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The indie scene became a bastion for horror during the lull of scary triple-A titles last generation. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of the main games to thank (or blame) for the resurgence in creepy, atmospheric games. Arguably one of the scariest first personBack in 2010 Frictional Games popularized the first person horror experience with its release of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The indie scene became a bastion for horror during the lull of scary triple-A titles last generation. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of the main games to thank (or blame) for the resurgence in creepy, atmospheric games. Arguably one of the scariest first person horror games, Amnesia finds strength in keeping you at unease despite a few stumbles.

    Players awake in a castle in the 1800s, their memory wiped due to the titular malady. Amnesia begins a slow, steady burn toward the first frightening monster reveal – a tortured beast that cannot be killed directly. You play as Daniel, a man with the sole task of killing the baron of the castle, the reason why comes together as you venture further into the castles depths. Amnesia’s story is told primarily through notes and diaries scattered about with a sprinkle of environmental cues. It’s a dark, extremely twisted tale that continuously peaks your curiosity as you continue to uncover the more morbid details. It’s backed by solid voice acting and the story displays a Lovecraftian vibe for those into that sort of mythos. The only major gripe I have for the story is that the endings fall well short of expectations. It’s anti-climactic and fairly unsatisfying to say the least because of the lack of payoff.

    Amnesia’s lasting legacy is due to its oppressive atmosphere and truly effective horror elements. The influence of Lovecraft is etched into every corner and the fact that it’s so consistently dark and foreboding speaks to the commitment of the developers. Gameplay centers around Daniel traversing through the castle as he attempts to reach his supposed target. Only thing is, he must maintain his sanity, solve environmental puzzles, and conserve his resources all while being pursued by grotesque monstrosities known as the Gatherers. Forget about fighting them as this game places an emphasis on Daniel not being a willing combatant, he must either flee or hide. The focus on flight over fight only amplifies the omnipresent sense of dread. Not being able to battle the abominations stalking you might be infuriating in other games, but Frictional handles it with unsettling elegance. This is due to the various setpieces and how wonderfully setup they are. Dead ends paired with chase sequences kept my adrenaline booming without even seeing my pursuer once. One major gripe I have regarding such encounters is that the enemies become predictable and easy to exploit, often diminishing what would otherwise be terrifying moments, but these moments are rare. Daniel’s sanity meter must also be balanced as he will begin to suffer hallucinations and attract the attention should he spend too much time in the darkness. Advancing through the game is the only method to regain your wits, which creates a feedback loop that pulls you ever forward rather than encouraging the meticulous scavenging behavior that is a hallmark of so many other horror games. His use of resources such as lamp oil and tinder boxes become more valuable than bullets in other games. It’s this balancing act that never becomes too forgiving or punishing that makes Amnesia a fantastic survival horror game. The various puzzles you encounter never ask of you to solve a riddle, instead forcing you to think outside the box about your surroundings. They aren’t brain tickling, but are solid enough to stop you in your tracks and think throughout the game’s well paced 7 to 8 hours.

    Visually, Amnesia has very average looking components, but it’s supremely effective use of light and darkness coupled with its commitment to its aesthetic of a foreboding 19th Century European castle propels it’s lauded atmosphere even further. The sound design follows this same excellent quality from the ambient noises to environmental reactions. It keeps you on edge throughout and its accompanying music serve the setpieces very well. Much of Amnesia’s horror is a result of its pitch perfect audio design and I couldn’t be more glad for that.

    This indie project is an expertly crafted tale of horror and discovery that uses its interactive nature to enthrall players as deeply as any tale in videogames. Amnesia is barely a game in the traditional sense, leaving the nearly two decades of horror gaming tradition since Alone in the Dark by the wayside and forging its own twisted path. It’s ending and predictability of encounters marr some of its more stellar moments, but many games as of today still try to recapture its same horror brilliance since.    … Expand
  34. yourfavcomedion
    May 11, 2013
    9
    Very good peace of work. I love it very fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun game. It is not like dead space at all; you can't kill your enemies and that's what's so fun about it. It tells you at first just have fun and kind of "go" into the world of Amnesia. GENIUS! It is the perfect way to get into the game. And when I bought this I bought it at night, so I played till like what? 11:30Very good peace of work. I love it very fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun game. It is not like dead space at all; you can't kill your enemies and that's what's so fun about it. It tells you at first just have fun and kind of "go" into the world of Amnesia. GENIUS! It is the perfect way to get into the game. And when I bought this I bought it at night, so I played till like what? 11:30 maybe, and I couldn't go to sleep later. So got up and played again. VERY addicting game. The only reason is why I am only giving it 9/10 is because the sanity drains like crazy. I put my lantern down for 2 seconds and it starts wigging out and 10 seconds later my dude's about to pass out or die or something.… Expand
  35. Cmf97351
    Jul 17, 2013
    9
    Not as scary as I anticipated, but the music and sound really adds a lot to Amnesia. Brilliant storyline and quite fun gameplay, Amnesia will keep you entertained for hours on end no doubt!
  36. mijxero
    Aug 9, 2013
    9
    The best horror game I have played since Silent Hill 2. This game has truly mastered what makes a game scary, the atmosphere and complete helplessness of your character really hammers it in. The story is also very interesting until the ending where I think it fell flat.
  37. diwolf
    Aug 12, 2013
    9
    I did like the game very much. The storyline, puzzles and atmosphere was very well done. Graphics could have been improved, though. What I liked most is playing some of the mods. There are some fantastic free mods out there!
  38. Squeze
    Aug 20, 2013
    9
    Do you want a really scare game? Here you have one.
    Buy a new pair of pants too.
    Incredible game, you can't kill your foes, you can just run, hide, and dont stare at them or you will die of fear! Some puzzle are tricky, story is awesomely strange and interesting at the same time. The environment is so dark and you almost feel you are inside this creepy castle! Can't wait for the next    Do you want a really scare game? Here you have one.
    Buy a new pair of pants too.
    Incredible game, you can't kill your foes, you can just run, hide, and dont stare at them or you will die of fear!
    Some puzzle are tricky, story is awesomely strange and interesting at the same time.
    The environment is so dark and you almost feel you are inside this creepy castle!
    Can't wait for the next chapter!!
    Surely in the top 5 of the games I played!    … Expand
  39. DanielPorter
    Sep 7, 2013
    9
    One of the best horror games I have played so far. Even when your nowhere near the enemy, the feeling of being hunted is always there. Love the mechanics of the game, and what makes it even better is the puzzle solving aspect to the game. I am only part way through the game but I feel that this game definitely deserves an 9/10.
  40. DeusXCom
    Jul 31, 2014
    9
    Hype doesn't lie here. Truly one of the scariest gaming experience you can get. Work with fear, dread, light, building up tension and atmosphere works amazingly well in this game. One of the best gaming horrors of the last decade. 9/10
  41. orgymu5ik
    Sep 23, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It's maybe the best horror game i played. And I might say i play a lot of survival horror game.

    The only reason I dont give a 10 is that de par of agrippa is boring and the big fail in this game is the final. The game deserved a better final.

    I hope they make the second part.    … Expand
  42. Trunks252
    Jan 6, 2014
    9
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The king of all survival horror. There's really not much more to rant about, so here's a pro/con list.

    PROS -Fantastic Atmosphere/Story -Great Pacing/Game-Play/Puzzles -Great UI/Screen effects -Fantastic Environments (with a good variety) -Godly sound design, maybe the best I've ever seen in a game -Several of the most memorable sequences in gaming    Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The king of all survival horror. There's really not much more to rant about, so here's a pro/con list.

    PROS
    -Fantastic Atmosphere/Story
    -Great Pacing/Game-Play/Puzzles
    -Great UI/Screen effects
    -Fantastic Environments (with a good variety)
    -Godly sound design, maybe the best I've ever seen in a game
    -Several of the most memorable sequences in gaming history
    -Disturbing, chilling, frightening, and downright scary

    CONS
    -Very few enemy designs, which means encounters get stale toward the end
    -Light engine is questionable; there is no global illumination (or a faked alternative) when lighting candles or torches, which typically produces a cone of light with no interaction with the environment. I say this because lighting a torch should make a whole room visible. Instead, it just lights a section of it while leaving the rest totally pitch black
    -Fairly intensive compared to the average PC game, probably because of the physics engine    … Expand
  43. Zuber00
    Jan 8, 2020
    9
    It's so great that the horror elements alone make it a masterpiece worth playing.
  44. Myak
    Feb 15, 2014
    9
    Terrifying yet captivating. Would be itching to play a session, and in a few seconds suddenly find the desire to hit save and run to the desktop to hide!

    A must play.
  45. AstiX
    Jun 17, 2020
    9
    Scares you properly. Makes you think and read to come up with solutions to puzzles. Scares you some more. Compels you to uncover the mystery. Frightens you.

    Good stuff.
  46. VulturePoison
    Apr 18, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is absolutely terrifying. This is one of the scariest games I have ever played.

    I was immediately scared by the atmosphere and the sound. When the door opened by itself at the start, I immediately quit the game. Later I went back to it. I encountered my first monster shortly after that. I was about to jump out and try to attack it, but then I remembered. You have run, hide or die. That is just one of the amazing things about this game.

    The story was amazing. I loved the way I had to piece the story together throughout the game. About Alexander and Brennenburg. About Daniel and the orb. It all fit together perfectly into a masterpiece: Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

    You are put into this castle. As Daniel, who has no recollection of his past. You are just a normal person. No guns, swords or any sort of weapon. The sanity effect, the lantern, the laudanum, the tinderboxes, the puzzles, just everything. It all works.

    A horror game is supposed to horrify you. And that's exactly what Frictional Games did with this masterpiece.

    I highly recommend Amnesia: The Dark Descent to anyone who is considering to buy this game.    … Expand
  47. kirstu
    Nov 14, 2014
    9
    Holy **** what is that in the water?! Storytelling, mood and the total fear of the unknown elevate this game to a definite place in history. Admittedly, I truely enjoyed this game solely because of the fact that it followed the recipe of the psychological horror story (in a Silent Hill sort of way) The main connection between this IP and the Silent Hill series is the continualHoly **** what is that in the water?! Storytelling, mood and the total fear of the unknown elevate this game to a definite place in history. Admittedly, I truely enjoyed this game solely because of the fact that it followed the recipe of the psychological horror story (in a Silent Hill sort of way) The main connection between this IP and the Silent Hill series is the continual psyschological anguish that follows the player all the way through the experience.

    Of course, the IP differs greatly from the Silent Hill series. First thing, of course is that it is not in the third person, but the first. Also, a person cannot actually defend themself against the horrors of the gameworld which in a (at the time of release) really fresh way introduces a new game mechanic. The inablility to defend, attack or in any way fight the monstrosities that one faces introduce a truely different experience never encountered in gaming.

    For these accomplishments this game always remain a true benchmark in all future horror game experiences. Bravo.    … Expand
  48. SpiderPlayer
    Jun 22, 2014
    9
    A great horror game, has several interesting things like sanity, which also hindering the game makes the player has a greater connection with the setting, the game is also the puzzles, and the puzzles are beautifully drawn, inventory serves to hold the items that most of them, you will use the puzzles, it also has an interesting history.
  49. bumblebee
    Jan 9, 2015
    9
    This game is brilliant, its scary, hard and you wont want to stop playing. I rate this nine because of the ending was kind of disappointing. There were 3 endings and 2 were ok but the other one was a bit meh. I recommend this game for Penumbra fans. The games atmosphere always make you worried or scared and the chases are terrifying. I really recommend this game to horror game lovers.
  50. Berlinrain
    Oct 11, 2014
    9
    From the first loading screen to the conclusion of the story, this game is absolutely terrifying. A stressful, and at times a downright unpleasant experience. Which is surely what we want from a survival horror? This is without a doubt the best horror game I've ever played, with a lovely story that has the richness and depth of a novel. I would have liked to have some replay value in it,From the first loading screen to the conclusion of the story, this game is absolutely terrifying. A stressful, and at times a downright unpleasant experience. Which is surely what we want from a survival horror? This is without a doubt the best horror game I've ever played, with a lovely story that has the richness and depth of a novel. I would have liked to have some replay value in it, but, I suppose you can't expect that from an interactive story. That's the only reason this doesn't get a perfect 10.… Expand
  51. PSz
    Aug 17, 2019
    9
    The best horror game of the decade. I can safely say that as 2019 is coming to an end. The only game that could beat it was Silent Hills but #Fuc Konami happened if you know what I mean.
    Modern classic still unsurpassed after 9 years.
  52. Joellemm
    Sep 20, 2020
    9
    There is a new Amnesia being released soon so I wanted to relive the original experience, I had fittingly, mostly forgotten (/repressed). I have played a lot of horror games since Amnesia's first outing, but I'd never got close to feeling the sort of nerve-wreaking terror it offers. Its brilliant, and this time, I also made greater effort to understand the plot, rather than just runningThere is a new Amnesia being released soon so I wanted to relive the original experience, I had fittingly, mostly forgotten (/repressed). I have played a lot of horror games since Amnesia's first outing, but I'd never got close to feeling the sort of nerve-wreaking terror it offers. Its brilliant, and this time, I also made greater effort to understand the plot, rather than just running from place to place, holding the underside of my pants.

    To my surprise, the game exceeds what of it I had recalled. Its survival horror through and through. Brennenburg Castle is dark, labyrinthian and imposing. The enemies are horrific. Both aspects of the game are far better established and relevant to the plot than most other horror games. Like Silent Hill 2, a classic in the genre, you're inability to unpick what it what all means adds to the impact of every moment, whether its reality or the fantastical nightmares of a desperate and vulnerable playable character is always impossible to know. The literal descent, brilliant pacing and brooding sound design adds greater intensity to the atmosphere. The intensity, as it should, aims to tests the player's willingness to continue through the game's path and seek potential answers that might explain whatever evil that lurks within. The player's ability to manipulate even the smallest aspects of the environment, the way you literally have push and pull doors open, realised through a solid physics engine, ensures constant immersion throughout.

    Its easily the scariest game I've ever played. Its not a perfect game, greater enemy variety and more interesting puzzles would have been nice, but as a pure horror game, there aren't much better.    … Expand
  53. ScribJelly
    Jan 17, 2015
    9
    This is my favorite horror game. The atmosphere is just perfect, with good use of lighting and sound cues. The enemies are genuinely terrifying, and trying to find a hiding place before it finds you really gets the heart racing. The story is well thought out and delivered in a good mix of dialogue, flashbacks and notes. The game allows for user made custom stories, some of which areThis is my favorite horror game. The atmosphere is just perfect, with good use of lighting and sound cues. The enemies are genuinely terrifying, and trying to find a hiding place before it finds you really gets the heart racing. The story is well thought out and delivered in a good mix of dialogue, flashbacks and notes. The game allows for user made custom stories, some of which are brilliant and definitely worth checking out, such as The Attic, and Black Forest Castle.

    The game has a few flaws, hence why I am not giving it a 10. The monster AI is very predictable, and you can learn after a few encounters that they are easy to deal with. After a few minutes of hiding they will "despawn" and be removed from the level. Furthermore a sound cue will play when the monster spawns, and will stop playing when it despawns. This detracts from the feeling of anticipation, as you know there is no monster after you as you traverse the level if the sound is not playing, making the atmospheric sounds seem much more benign. The other flaw is the surplus of resources. There is so much lantern fuel and tinderboxes in the world, you never feel the need to conserve resources, which defeats the purpose of having them in the game.    … Expand
  54. tsakiym
    May 21, 2015
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it.................................… Expand
  55. Overvulture
    Nov 9, 2015
    9
    Everything that needs be said about this game has already been said. It is a fantastically frightening experience for those that get immersed in horror games and even after countless imitators, it still stands out as the best example of its particular style. Cracks may begin to show in the mechanics if you play it like a regular game, and it requires a certain commitment of mind and focusEverything that needs be said about this game has already been said. It is a fantastically frightening experience for those that get immersed in horror games and even after countless imitators, it still stands out as the best example of its particular style. Cracks may begin to show in the mechanics if you play it like a regular game, and it requires a certain commitment of mind and focus to have the intended effect, but for those into this kind of thing, it will always be one of the scariest games ever made.… Expand
  56. Nerosoma889
    Feb 10, 2016
    9
    Incredible horror game with great mechanics and physics (quite odd). The atmosphere of the dark castle really helps this game, especially late on as you die repeatedly, the monsters begin to become somewhat annoying rather than scary because you've seen their ugly faces over and over again. Plus, the narration is kinda cool, but the protagonist is quite dull at times.
  57. Mellow_Online4
    Jun 25, 2016
    9
    We're currently going through an age where the horror genre is dying out as they're getting repetitive, at least for horror games that occupy the Steam market and Steam Greenlight. However, when people thought that there was no hope, Amnesia: The Dark Descent decided to come on in and show everybody how a horror game should be done.

    In Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the main thing that    We're currently going through an age where the horror genre is dying out as they're getting repetitive, at least for horror games that occupy the Steam market and Steam Greenlight. However, when people thought that there was no hope, Amnesia: The Dark Descent decided to come on in and show everybody how a horror game should be done.

    In Amnesia: The Dark Descent, the main thing that makes it a truly great horror experience is the fact that it makes you defenceless as you have nothing to defend yourself against the horrors that may lie inside the castle. All you have is your trusty oil lantern, which keeps on running out of oil and forces you to find more. Your only way of truly escaping these monsters is to hide from them by using the darkness and the hiding places to your advantage. However, if you spend too long in the darkness, it can affect your sanity, so you can't spend too long in the darkness. This is a great way to experience true horror, making you feel defenceless against the monsters that litter the castle, that are rigorously trying to hunt you down. It's rare you feel this sort of way in horror games nowadays, which is why it's so refreshing to see it being taken into effect in this game. There are also some puzzles that are thrown at the player, none of these puzzles are difficult per say as long as you've been paying attention to the notes and hints that have been left around for you, however some of these puzzles feel a bit tedious and unnecessary to add in.

    The story of Amnesia is that you play as Daniel who has woken in the castle with no recollection of anything at all, you as the player must tread through the castle, picking up notes, piecing back together Daniel's memory, avoiding the enemies around the castle and foiling a maniacal scheme that is set to be carried out. I always like the sort of games that throw this sort of plot at the player because it makes you feel immersed in the role as the main character knows as much as the player does and he learns along with the player. However besides the set up of it, the rest of the plot doesn't feel that special and, I'm not going to reveal spoilers here or anything, but by the time I reached the end of the game, I felt like I had more questions than answers and for the last 20 minutes, due to the story, I felt like I wasn't really playing the game I thought I was going to be playing when I first started it up, if you know what I mean.

    This is an indie development company and I was amazed by the graphics when the game started. They went into lots of detail when designing the game. The lighting work that is done on the windows of the castle is great, the walls look really god and detailed, even the monster look quite good. The only complaint I have is that some of the creatures that scatter across the ground at times look like they were made of an ugly blob, but that's just nit-picking.

    The sound in this game is brilliant. The noises that occupy the castle sound terrifyingly real, especially with headphones, it really helps you immerse yourself in the world that this game is creating.

    I really enjoyed my time with Amnesia: The Dark Descent as it took risks that other horror games dare not take and did it with a terrific pay off

    Pros
    + Terrifying
    + Good gameplay elements
    + Good graphics
    + Great sounds
    + Pretty good story

    Cons
    - Tedious puzzles
    - Got a bit sci-fi near the end    … Expand
  58. Ishi123
    Oct 29, 2016
    9
    A breath of fresh air for the horror genre at the time, Amnesia: The Dark Descent shows the so-called "survival horror" games how it's done. Playing this game legitimately had my breathing pick up, my heart race, and my hands sweat, and I was playing in a fairly lit room. This game does so many things right, from the sound design to the monster encounters to the puzzles and theA breath of fresh air for the horror genre at the time, Amnesia: The Dark Descent shows the so-called "survival horror" games how it's done. Playing this game legitimately had my breathing pick up, my heart race, and my hands sweat, and I was playing in a fairly lit room. This game does so many things right, from the sound design to the monster encounters to the puzzles and the environments.

    The game's central focus is the balance of light and dark. Your player character has nyctophobia, a fear of the dark, and in the darkness your sanity will drain, encouraging you to stay in the light, whether it be by the light coming from windows, lighting a torch with one of your limited tinderboxes for a reprieve in a particularly dark room, or lighting your lantern to help shine your way. However, the darkness is often your friend, despite its detrimental side-effects. The horrifying monsters that lurks the halls of the 19th century castle of Brennenburg will spot you easily in light, but you are able to hide in the darkness, creating a dichotomy between staying hidden in the dark at the cost of sanity, or taking a risk for light in order to keep your mind together. Looking at the monsters will drain your sanity as well, and staring too long will lead to you being spotted, creating further tension as you often cannot keep your eye on the monstrosities to make sure they aren't moving closer, forcing you to rely on sound for most encounters.

    Speaking of, the sound design is impeccable. You can hear every detail in the environment, from the howling wind coming in through a broken window, to a door shutting itself in the distance. When you hear the sickening groan of a monster entering your area, it makes for a very tense situation, forcing you to be careful and juggle light and dark in order to survive. Perhaps you'll try to locate where the monster is and maneuver around it, or maybe you'll pick up a nearby rock and throw it to distract the horrifying creature. Either way, fighting is not an option. If these creatures see you, running is your only recourse, as they are relentless and you are defenseless.

    One thing I would complain about the game, however, is that the monster encounters can be somewhat predictable. They almost always spawn in after an important task has been completed, and it can become somewhat easy to tell when they'll appear based on objectives. This doesn't make the encounters any less harrowing, in most cases, and sometimes you'll be forced into a single room with no way out, praying that the monster just on the other side doesn't decide to investigate the room you are hiding in. Another complaint is that it's very easy to tell when a monster is around and when it leaves, as the musical cues will always tell you. A specific track will play when a monster is in the area, and this track will end when the monster leaves, meaning that you'll always know when you should take things carefully and when you're completely safe. The soundtrack will also change to a screaming and howling track when a monster sees you, meaning that you'll always know what to do at any given time when it comes to monster encounters. This is good game design, sure, but it comes at the cost of some of the atmosphere. The game's horror factor would've been amplified without these cues, forcing the player to rely entirely on environmental cues in order to know when a monster may be lurking about, and to listen out for the groan a monster will make when it spots you to know when to run, though you could easily just turn off the music for this exact effect (though I'm not quite brave enough to try it myself).

    All in all, Amnesia is a master-class of survival horror, bringing new life to a dying genre of games that is filled to the brim with lame jumpscares and scare chords, unable to capture the subtleties and nuances that makes a true survival horror game.    … Expand
  59. Captain_Faramir
    Apr 1, 2017
    9
    9.5 - Outstanding survival horror. Awesome puzzles, cool environments and enemies. Inventory and sanity system is also great, and movement and controls are very well done and fitting for the survival-horror genre.
  60. kourtin
    Sep 17, 2017
    9
    One of the best horror experiences ever created. With a dark and deept story you can only understand if you spend your time exploring every area of this game filled with monsters, allucinations, dark fog and an entity that has cursed the castle.
  61. brendo214
    May 22, 2019
    9
    I don't normally like Horror games, but Amnesia: The Dark Descent really did it for me.
  62. Aledanix
    Jun 30, 2018
    9
    In my opinion, one of the best horror videogames out there, if not the best. I think that almost nobody can play this game staying calm, it's an unique psycological adventure that you cannot miss if you're an horror fan ;-)
  63. DJKrimson
    Nov 17, 2020
    9
    Best survival horror I've played. It really succeeds in building up that tension with a haunting and eerie athmosphere. Very good and interesting story.
  64. 4ya5h1
    Jan 19, 2022
    9
    the game is awesome i really enjyed it: atmosphere, plot, ost, graphic is good. there was a few scarry moments, few hard quests, i really liked it
  65. Mugicman7773
    Jun 26, 2019
    9
    This was a great horror game. very easy to run. pretty spooky and had some great puzzles. it had good sounds, neat music and a very interesting ending. wish its predecessor was as good as it was. one of the things that i liked was how the game did not drag on for like 20+ hours its usually around 8 no matter what ending you go for.
  66. rwncop
    Nov 11, 2020
    9
    The Dark Decent is currently one of the best horror games I've ever played. Throughout the entire game I was terrified but I had this motivation to keep pushing on. That motivation was from how interesting and fun the game is.

    The gameplay stands out a lot in the horror genre. You could say it's a simple walking simulator, but as it gets more in depth it really shows off how unique it    The Dark Decent is currently one of the best horror games I've ever played. Throughout the entire game I was terrified but I had this motivation to keep pushing on. That motivation was from how interesting and fun the game is.

    The gameplay stands out a lot in the horror genre. You could say it's a simple walking simulator, but as it gets more in depth it really shows off how unique it is. One of the mechanics is sanity, if you don't keep your sanity high enough you may start experiencing problems with the mind, causing hallucinations and an inability to see. As you can tell, it can get really scary if your sanity isn't high enough. Light plays a major factor here as well. You need to make sure to manage light, if you don't your sanity will fall and dangerous consequences may stop your path. The enemies are also an interesting factor, sometimes you're just relying on sound, with the option of seeing them. Each type of enemy has its own sound, so you'll be able to tell if you can hide or outrun it. There was one sound that I never saw the enemy that matched it, it sound a lot heavier and I'm glad I never poked my head around the corner.

    I didn't quite understand the full story after I finished it, but from what I played I could gather the basics. The story is presented through collectable notes and voices inside your head, so if you are not paying attention you'll miss the plot. It was interesting enough to keep me playing till the end. It's probably something I'm going to read and watch a lot about.

    There were a few technical problems, like audio randomly being in my left ear only or me falling out the map. However, it doesn't really make the experience worse but kind of adds to it. When I feel out the map I thought it was a feature and crapped myself in the process.

    To conclude, Amnesia: The Dark Decent is an amazing and unique horror game that has left an impact in the horror genre, possibly inspiring many more games I haven't played yet. It's a master of visual and audio immersion, which in combination creates one of the best horror games of all time.    … Expand
  67. omegaone
    Dec 30, 2019
    9
    Only the light will help you overcome your obstacles.

    Want to escape a dark room, what do you do? Turn on your lamp so you can see the rocks blocking the door of the room you're in, so you can escape the frustration of being trapped. But you better hope you have oil in your lamp or a tinderbox handy. Sometimes you can make it away from the invisible monsters without your lamp, but    Only the light will help you overcome your obstacles.

    Want to escape a dark room, what do you do? Turn on your lamp so you can see the rocks blocking the door of the room you're in, so you can escape the frustration of being trapped. But you better hope you have oil in your lamp or a tinderbox handy.

    Sometimes you can make it away from the invisible monsters without your lamp, but just barely.    … Expand
  68. Swedgamer
    Oct 21, 2020
    9
    Really good. It's easy to say "it's just a walking simulator", but it's a really scary one if it is.
  69. lorem
    Mar 30, 2020
    9
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is not another survival horror game where you have to hide from a monster and look for a way out. It is, in fact, the "survival horror game", one of the games that laid the foundations of this genre, having a macabre atmosphere and a very well written story.
  70. Wrathzo
    Mar 21, 2022
    9
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror adventure video game by Frictional Games, released in 2010 for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems, in 2016 for the PlayStation 4 platform and in 2018 for the Xbox One. The game features a protagonist named Daniel exploring a dark and foreboding castle called Brennenburg, while trying to maintain his sanity by avoidingAmnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror adventure video game by Frictional Games, released in 2010 for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems, in 2016 for the PlayStation 4 platform and in 2018 for the Xbox One. The game features a protagonist named Daniel exploring a dark and foreboding castle called Brennenburg, while trying to maintain his sanity by avoiding monsters and unsettling events. The game was critically well-received, earning two awards from the Independent Games Festival and numerous positive reviews.… Expand
  71. Nekellor_Met
    Jul 5, 2020
    9
    Редкий случай когда записки читать было очень интересно. А момент с монстрам под водой так вообще заставил паниковать в реале.
  72. FRIST_008
    Jun 14, 2021
    9
    Один из лучших представителей жанра, заслуживающий внимания каждого любителя хорроров
  73. CarlosNeto
    Oct 21, 2020
    9
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is nothing short of amazing. In a time where most horror games settle for cheap jump scares and underdeveloped convoluted stories. Instead Amnesia: The Dark Descent takes its time to build tension through sounds and its setting building its atmosphere of unease and dread while utilising its monsters in effective ways to frighten its players without it ever seemingAmnesia: The Dark Descent is nothing short of amazing. In a time where most horror games settle for cheap jump scares and underdeveloped convoluted stories. Instead Amnesia: The Dark Descent takes its time to build tension through sounds and its setting building its atmosphere of unease and dread while utilising its monsters in effective ways to frighten its players without it ever seeming like a cheap predictable move. The gameplay while simple is entertaining and not hard to understand. Puzzles are designed in a way to challenge you without ever seeming impossible as long as you pay attention. Additionally, the plot present in this game is not only intriguing and scary but it is also shown during the journey through letters leading to both the player and character Daniel to understand what brought them into the situation they find themselves in together. Lastly, the release of the same development tool kit used to make the game allowed for players to have fun creating their own disturbing stories. The only problem I had with it at points was that sometimes the story could end up feeling extremely confusing as you tried to piece it together which led to a bit of frustatrion and a sense of "Wtf is going on?" but at the end of the day it led to a good pay off once it made sense.

    In conclusion, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is nothing less than a horror classic that revolutionised its genre and was the inspiration of many games that followed it.    … Expand
  74. Khrebto13
    Oct 27, 2020
    9
    Amnesia es uno de mis juegos de terror favoritos, la historia es muy buena y aunque el creador dijo que no logró llegar a su objetivo con la historia, en mi opinión las escenas de recuerdos con audio me parecen simplemente perfectas. Me siento realmente dentro del castillo de Brennenburg y sumergido dentro de la historia. Lo recomiendo mucho para todos los que disfruten de los juegos de terror!
  75. kimi1775
    Nov 9, 2020
    9
    ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎ ‏‏‎
  76. vaurne
    Dec 23, 2020
    9
    You can not ask for a more consistent, atmospheric, horrifying game experience. On top of that, a breath-taking storyline in an incredibly well-made world, complete with the interactive gameplay that allows for alternate endings!

    This is simply the best horror game that has ever been made, and it will doubtfully ever be bested. But it is worth saying that some people may find it's    You can not ask for a more consistent, atmospheric, horrifying game experience. On top of that, a breath-taking storyline in an incredibly well-made world, complete with the interactive gameplay that allows for alternate endings!

    This is simply the best horror game that has ever been made, and it will doubtfully ever be bested.

    But it is worth saying that some people may find it's puzzles complicated, it's survival aspect too demanding, and the "questline" confusing. It's not a game that necessarily holds your hand, and it may be overwhelming.    … Expand
  77. Erdbeere
    May 21, 2021
    9
    Love it so much. So much great atmosphere i can not stop playing it, so exciting
  78. MetaCritik123
    Aug 5, 2021
    9
    I really like amnesia due to its atmosphere after all, the game has amazing sounds and music. that you seem to be in this ancient castle, but if the storyline in this game would be longer and there would be more scary moments, I would put 10, but I would put 9/10.
  79. gabfbz2331
    Mar 12, 2022
    9
    incredibly scary stressful atmospheric dark story aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
  80. ShaggyPlayer
    Mar 15, 2022
    9
    Best horror have I ever played. Maybe not best game but it is really scary. Can' t stop playing.
  81. Tampasco
    Dec 18, 2022
    9
    Definição de terror em forma de videojogo, criou varias conceitos e me inspirou a jogar ainda mais jogos desse gênero.
    Nota Final: 9,4
  82. I_am_Nekellor
    Jul 21, 2022
    9
    9/10. Опыта в хоррорах у меня мал, но я, вряд-ли, еще долго буду считать ее лучшим хоррором. Из моей памяти все не выходит тот момент, когда в паническом ужасе, бежишь от чего-то под водой, в последний момент открываешь дверь и слышишь этот один саунтрек, который подарил мне нериальное блаженство и спокойствие.9/10. Опыта в хоррорах у меня мал, но я, вряд-ли, еще долго буду считать ее лучшим хоррором. Из моей памяти все не выходит тот момент, когда в паническом ужасе, бежишь от чего-то под водой, в последний момент открываешь дверь и слышишь этот один саунтрек, который подарил мне нериальное блаженство и спокойствие.
  83. AmadouIraklidis
    May 29, 2023
    9
    A defining horror game, Amnesia really did a great job of raising the bar and making their game equal parts skin crawling, intriguing and terrifying. The story was compelling, and the gameplay terrifying.
  84. MaxieZeus
    Sep 5, 2022
    9
    This is the game that defined a genre for the better or worse. It is still one of the most haunting games to date.
  85. Nonsense88
    Mar 23, 2011
    8
    The lack of weapons makes this game incredibly scary when having to deal with enemies, because all you can do is run or hide. Easily one of the sceariest games I've played, and the puzzles are cool, but I think there's too much of it.
  86. Chupwn
    Sep 10, 2010
    8
    I would've liked to spend $60 and had a game with graphics worthy of 2010. It's a scary game, with simple controls and inventory (a plus in my book), but certain things just kept taking me out of the experience. A spider web you can walk through and stays fully intact for example. I hid in a cupboard, and it wasn't dark inside the cupboard, despite there being no light source. I give itI would've liked to spend $60 and had a game with graphics worthy of 2010. It's a scary game, with simple controls and inventory (a plus in my book), but certain things just kept taking me out of the experience. A spider web you can walk through and stays fully intact for example. I hid in a cupboard, and it wasn't dark inside the cupboard, despite there being no light source. I give it 8/10 for the concept though. In terms of fear factor, I put this below Dead Space.… Expand
  87. Solipse
    Nov 1, 2010
    8
    A lot about the game-play is said already in the reviews. It's one of a disturbing game ! Frictional guys really invested themselves in making a very original gameplay. I just love the visual effects slightly distorting the first person view.
    But what I'd like to add about this game, and it's an important thing is the intercompatibility between windows, mac and linux. The penumbra games    A lot about the game-play is said already in the reviews. It's one of a disturbing game ! Frictional guys really invested themselves in making a very original gameplay. I just love the visual effects slightly distorting the first person view.
    But what I'd like to add about this game, and it's an important thing is the intercompatibility between windows, mac and linux. The penumbra games were restricted to a specific os from a purchase. So I'm happy they followed 2dboy in doing this way. However there was very annoying bugs in the first version and the linux patch were published much later than the windows one...

    Also about the story I'd like to say the end was quite frustrating. Some ends kick you to the credits only with a small comment. It's more like a game over... So I feel like it's a shame and it would have deserved more.    … Expand
  88. Number1
    Nov 19, 2010
    8
    Sorry for the wall of text, but it's not possible to make it look better.

    A crossing, I stop for a second. Which way to go? As I turn around both left and right to see where they lead I stop at the left way. What was that? Did I just see something moving over there, or was it just my imagination? I stand completely still, afraid of moving. After ten seconds I notice I wasn't breathing.    Sorry for the wall of text, but it's not possible to make it look better.

    A crossing, I stop for a second. Which way to go? As I turn around both left and right to see where they lead I stop at the left way. What was that? Did I just see something moving over there, or was it just my imagination? I stand completely still, afraid of moving. After ten seconds I notice I wasn't breathing. After twenty seconds I pulled a deep sigh, it probably was nothing. I turn around to remember where I came from and there's someone there. Something there. It's running towards me, and I can't react. I've never been so scared or surprised in my whole life.

    Do you remember Penumbra? The survival-horror game from Swedish developer Frictional Games? If you do, you already know the basics of their new game Amnesia: the Dark Descent.

    Amnesia starts out as your character, Daniel, walk along a pair of corridors in a castle that seems desolated, mumbling to himself. After not long you find a note that you apparently wrote for yourself, and that's all you know from the beginning, and the more you continue on, the more you get to know about the story. As you carry on you'll see flashbacks, and find notes from your diary, from which you can finally understand what you are doing in that medieval castle, and what you're going to do. All this while trying to stay away from the shadows that are hunting you, to kill you.

    Something that Frictional Games gets right, that most other developers of horror games do not, is just that, horror. They understand that we're not mostly afraid of what we know, but what we don't know. Every time you round a corner in Amnesia you'll think that something will happen, every time you open a new door, only because you don't know anything about it. And since you do not know about what horrors await, you will imagine your biggest fear there, not far ahead. It never does, even thought every sound you hear tells you it is. The sound of footsteps, a woman crying for help and mercy, whispers that you do not understand. You can't help but think: does this mean something is coming? Is this just created to make your imagination go wild? Is it in-game, or only in your brain? You can never know for sure, without asking whoever you got over to hold your hand if they had heard it too.

    Another thing adding to the horror is the horrible look of enemies, and the fact that you got nothing at all to defend you with. Sure, you can pick up a chair and throw it, but they are mostly faster than you, you can't run away that often. You have to hide, run around a corner and hide behind a pair of barrels. It's your only way to survive, this time there's no rocket-launcher with auto-aim to help you.

    Even though all this Amnesia do have some flaws. At certain points in the game you could easily have continued, but you're not allowed to. You can't move those rocks, and you can't use anything to break a locked door, it's very annoying and sometimes even breaks the atmosphere. Sometimes you have no idea what you're doing, and that also annoys me. Sometimes, though, it's none of these thing stopping you from moving forward, you're simply to afraid to continue, sitting in a corner behind a crate, hiding, from whatever your imagination came up with.
    Sometimes I had to quit playing, because I was close to throw up. I won't say much, but there was some rooms that should show how torture and experiments worked at that time, and since torture is my big fear... Well, you can guess what sort of horrible scenes my imagination thought up. Those images are still terrorizing my mind.

    This is a first-class survival horror game that will make your mind go crazy. Not in a bad way, since you'll always want to go back and continue the story, but in a good way.
    It's an amazing experience, and even if I hate my mind for coming up with those images I'm also glad it did.
    For 14.99$ this is the best horror game you will ever find, just make sure you have three hands; One for the mouse, one for moving around and one for pressing escape to pause the game, while yelling curses that you just made up. Honestly, that will happen.    … Expand
  89. JonesR
    Jun 10, 2011
    8
    This game will definitely send chills down your spine. Roughly 9 hours of gameplay that gets kind of repetitious towards the end. Great story up until the anticlimactic ending. Recommend playing at night in an unlit room. Probably worth waiting until it goes into the $5 bucket due to it's lack of replayability.
  90. yiNXs
    Jan 11, 2011
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is definitely a good horror game. Instead of putting you up against big monsters while carrying armament that would make Rambo bow in respect, the only defense you have is your legs and the shadow. I loved that. The atmosphere is great, the graphics are decent, the story is ok, though a bit cliche. I'm not completely satisfied though. Considering most reviews and stories about the game I was expecting to be scared beyond belief. I've even played it midnight with all the lights turned off to add to the atmosphere, but even while there were definitely a few gasp and chilling moments and even a loud "oh f*ck" twice, most of the scaring stuff gets a bit predictable and many great scare possibilities/moments were unused, too often I was playing too long before I finally met true danger again, so the scares/sounds lost their effect as I think too many of them ended up being empty. Still, all in all a great game that I'll probably play again, the atmosphere and projected feeling alone makes it worth it, they handled that perfect.… Expand
  91. ave
    Apr 13, 2015
    8
    Have you ever experienced real fear in games? I mean something that scares you to the bones? If not, please be my guest, dive into Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

    As you wake up in a strange place, equipped with only a lamp, you wander into (seaminly) abandonned rooms and corridors, finding clues along the way of a dark experiment... I've played Amnesia: The Dark Descent twice, this first    Have you ever experienced real fear in games? I mean something that scares you to the bones? If not, please be my guest, dive into Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

    As you wake up in a strange place, equipped with only a lamp, you wander into (seaminly) abandonned rooms and corridors, finding clues along the way of a dark experiment...

    I've played Amnesia: The Dark Descent twice, this first I went very far in the story - almost to the end - and retried a second time, decided to be more wary of my ressources. Unfortunately, the game was more difficult and I was blocked pretty early in the story. Too bad because I really wanted to solve that mystery completely.

    Nevertheless, Amnesia: The Dark Descent in a very good game, and a brilliant exemple of how to build tension with level design solely. Play it if you love challenge because this game is unforgiving. Any mistake can cost you health, sanity, or simply your chances of reaching the end. And that's the essence of survival horror, isn't it ?    … Expand
  92. RsinX
    Jun 26, 2011
    8
    It's not just me, my 3 year old daughter really likes it too! She wants to play it often. It's actually her favorite PC game. She gets so scared when she hears and sees a monster coming, but she likes it! So far nearly everything about Amnesia is great! The story is quite good and certain parts in the game (interactions / pictures on wall / graphics / sounds) are really gory & sick! TheIt's not just me, my 3 year old daughter really likes it too! She wants to play it often. It's actually her favorite PC game. She gets so scared when she hears and sees a monster coming, but she likes it! So far nearly everything about Amnesia is great! The story is quite good and certain parts in the game (interactions / pictures on wall / graphics / sounds) are really gory & sick! The environments and sounds are well made and can get really creepy. The interaction is very cool... the ability to gradually swing open doors, slide drawers, lift levers/lids, and rotate cranks/valves by moving your mouse in a relative way is fun feature! I like the interactive puzzles a lot and it fits this game well. IMO Graphics are good, but could have been a little better. Overall, Amnesia is a really creepy and immersive game, yet it's fun in a peculiar way. If you enjoy slower-paced first person horror games with fun puzzles, do NOT pass up Amnesia! A thing about this Amnesia - you won't forget it!… Expand
  93. JadeyJoestar
    Mar 22, 2011
    8
    This game is not one of those all "hype" and no "show", it will drain your guts dry as it is one of the scariest horror game there is. You play as Daniel, a Londoner who just experienced a terrible "amnesia" and woke up on the floor of a big mansion, armed with nothing at all but cinder boxes and a lantern to lit the darkness where the fiend of the mansion may hide and stalk your back.This game is not one of those all "hype" and no "show", it will drain your guts dry as it is one of the scariest horror game there is. You play as Daniel, a Londoner who just experienced a terrible "amnesia" and woke up on the floor of a big mansion, armed with nothing at all but cinder boxes and a lantern to lit the darkness where the fiend of the mansion may hide and stalk your back. Reminded me of how a survival horror game should be, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is really the ultimate interactive horror software that horror mongers should enjoy, with a good and deep story telling keeping you tense on the edge of the seat on most of the playtime. The sanity feature really gives an identity to the game, as no game before this has it. Will you prowl in the dark hiding from the "residents" of the mansion stealthily and go nuts, or lit everything that can be with the risk of being seen but stay sane? Definitely a must buy for the true fans of the amazing genre survival horror that is.… Expand
  94. Swords
    Mar 25, 2011
    8
    Good graphics, nice atmosphere. the riddles are okay and you have a lot horror situations.
    Its an independent game, so dont think you get big graphics or horror splatter elements, but the atmosphere is still cool. Try it!
  95. Levardos
    Mar 26, 2011
    8
    A really great and scary game. The logical stuff we need to solve isn't too hard, which in my opinion is good since players won't be stuck in the game often, not knowing what to do. Although it happened for me once or twice. The atmosphere is fantastic, and knowing that we aren't able to fight monsters, knowing that the only way is to hide makes it even more amazing. The storyline is goodA really great and scary game. The logical stuff we need to solve isn't too hard, which in my opinion is good since players won't be stuck in the game often, not knowing what to do. Although it happened for me once or twice. The atmosphere is fantastic, and knowing that we aren't able to fight monsters, knowing that the only way is to hide makes it even more amazing. The storyline is good too, with few possible endings. This game is must have for horror fans. The only flaw would be that it's too short, or maybe it only seems so beacause I enjoyed it greatly and would want more of it. The music and sounds are really fitting. I'm giving it a solid 8. It's a really great game but as I've mentioned, it seems short and doesn't have anything that would make me want to come back to it after beating it. I also am not able to say what this game is missing, but it just seems that few things could have been done better. But I would still recommend it to everyone, it's worth your money. Summary.

    Pros:
    -Fantastic atmoshpere.
    -Game that makes your heart beat faster often.
    -We aren't able to fight monsters, we need to hide from them.
    -Nerve wrecking by how scary it can be, and I think it's a great plus for a survival horror game.

    Cons:
    Too short.    … Expand
  96. thequillguy
    Apr 26, 2011
    8
    Amnesia is not a game you play to win; it is a game to win to stay alive. The tutorial screen says this is the attitude with which you should approach this game. Itâ
  97. Axelskull
    May 21, 2011
    8
    The game is quite well done but the graphics are quite outdated and the way you interact is very easily made.The atmosphere is amazing but it can get quite repetitive for the sake of length.
  98. melchaios
    May 4, 2013
    8
    An amazing game that truly shows what a true survival horror is all about, and it offers something that no previous survival has offered to date, an utterly useless protagonist. Even in the best examples of the genre, the tension gets watered down by an unusually strong protagonist with nerves of steel and armed to the teeth.......... it's hard to get scared when you're controlling theAn amazing game that truly shows what a true survival horror is all about, and it offers something that no previous survival has offered to date, an utterly useless protagonist. Even in the best examples of the genre, the tension gets watered down by an unusually strong protagonist with nerves of steel and armed to the teeth.......... it's hard to get scared when you're controlling the equivalent to bruce willis, even in silent hill where you're suposed to control an average joe, he suddenly gets the ability to wield any concievable firearm out of the blue. Amnesia finally does things right, he puts you in the shoes of a normal, frightened, vulnerable and harmless man, caught in supernatural circumstances that he can't fully understand. He shivers, pants, and tries to give comfort to himself every now and then, while crouching helpless in a corner....... just what any of us would do in such case scenario.

    The only complain I have for the game is the enemy variety, both brutes and grunts move and act the same, it would've been interesting to see additional enemies with diferent reactions to how you move and interact with the enviroment; a perfect example of this is the invisible thing at the beggining of the game. In any case this is a one of a kind experience, a true return of survival horrors and something that shouldn't be missed.    … Expand
  99. drachehexe
    Jun 2, 2013
    8
    Amnesia: the Dark Descent is an enjoyable game. While it doesn't offer anything new to the horror genre it doesn't take anything away either. What it does do is offer an excellent gaming experience though a rather short, and easy one. Clocking in my finish of the main game (as there are two side stories) in just over 9 hours Amnesia is short, and the difficulty of the puzzles isAmnesia: the Dark Descent is an enjoyable game. While it doesn't offer anything new to the horror genre it doesn't take anything away either. What it does do is offer an excellent gaming experience though a rather short, and easy one. Clocking in my finish of the main game (as there are two side stories) in just over 9 hours Amnesia is short, and the difficulty of the puzzles is beginner. There was only one moment I stuck on for more than a few minutes and I was never lost and never wondering what I should do next. And while this game doesn't add anything new...puzzles, story, etc has pretty much all been done before, and in some cases better...what is does it does very well. The game looks great graphically, it's old castle setting is perfect. Atmosphere and level design is spot on in most places, and the games pacing works and flows naturally. Gameplay is also smooth and I didn't encounter any bugs and the interface is simple, clean, and effective. But what about scares? There's enough to go around but the game isn't filled to the brim with jump scares or lots of creature encounters. Amnesia uses the "less is more" concept almost perfectly though some things could have used just a little bit more. Creature design is excellent, truly nightmare spawning creatures born of evil. This is where I think the game could have used a bit more. Being a game of non-combat, you don't fight anything here, once you learn the "trick" of surviving creatures lose much of their threatening presence save for a couple of instance or where you make a mental mistake because otherwise the creatures become nothing more than a visual presence in the game. There are notable exceptions, but they they could have had a few more in my opinion. What Amnesia does best though is starting you off in a dark foreboding fashion and building on that foreboding as you progress in the game. Each area is generally darker and creepier than the last, and in some cases more beautiful. All in all this game presents a very solid entry level adventure/horror game. Experienced gamers won't find any challenge but everyone will find a grand old castle filled with mystery, scares, horrific creatures, and a boat load of fun.… Expand
  100. JudgmentJay
    Jun 14, 2011
    8
    An amazingly atmospheric and immersive game. While it's definitely the scariest game I've ever played, I can't help but feel that it could have been a bit scarier. More non-despawning monsters would have accomplished this nicely I think. The story is subtle and non-intrusive, but satisfyingly rich if you look for it. The only gripes I have are the lackluster endings and the outdated graphics.
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Awards & Rankings

14
#14 Best PC Game of 2010
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
17
#17 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. XGN
    Apr 19, 2011
    90
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the scariest game in years. You'll get an extremely creepy vibe from the castle and all of the mysterious things that are happening there. The voice overs and the ending of the game aren't great, but this shouldn't bother anyone seeing how you'll be extremely scared when you play this on your own in a dark room.
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  2. Absolute Games
    Jan 31, 2011
    83
    Amnesia offers an experience so rich that we're willing to forgive its weak ending, imperfections of the engine, and low-bugdet production values.
    Read full review
  3. Thunderbolt
    Jan 29, 2011
    90
    At times it's a struggle to play purely because of how scary it can be, and it's not often you can say that about a video game. Just remember: lights off, headphones on, and try not to go insane.
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