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. LifeHistory
    Apr 19, 2017
    8
    I love amnesia one of the best horror games I've played and its the origin of its genre. Good game loved everything except the level design which was a bit repetitive, when it had the potential to have fantastic level design. All in all totally a must play for a horror fan.
  2. barrosjared
    Apr 17, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Amnesia the Dark Descent is an amazing masterpiece of survival horror, there was never a moment when I wasn't scared during a play through. Amnesia has amazing gameplay; you can run or hide. The character's name is Daniel who takes an amnesia potion but is left with a note by his old self to murder Alexander. The monsters in this game patrol for a little while and then despawn, it is easier when you figure this out. The one monster, the Karenk, you can't see but is very terrifying. The game doesn't get easier as you have a sanity meter that will go out if you look at a monster for too long, they will eventually spot you.… Expand
  3. 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.
  4. crimsondoor
    Jan 31, 2017
    8
    This is the scariest horror game ever, period. Music and story are also good, although these are not usually talked about in reviews. My complaints are mainly the awkward and sometimes frustrating controls, short length of the game and lack of explanation on certain part of the story. They could have made use of the setting and lengthen the game to tell us more about the main charactersThis is the scariest horror game ever, period. Music and story are also good, although these are not usually talked about in reviews. My complaints are mainly the awkward and sometimes frustrating controls, short length of the game and lack of explanation on certain part of the story. They could have made use of the setting and lengthen the game to tell us more about the main characters and background of Shadow and Orbs.
    However considering that this is an indie game made by 6 people, I think the devs did a very great job. I highly recommend it.    … Expand
  5. 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
  6. SuperkenGaming
    Nov 25, 2016
    7
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent
    More about frustrating you than scaring you.
    Amnesia the Dark Decent is one of the more critically acclaimed survival horror games of all time… And while me found it to be great at being a puzzle game... I didn’t find it great at being a survival horror game… You play as Daniel exploring a dark castle…. The dark plays a huge part in this game as there is a    Amnesia: The Dark Descent
    More about frustrating you than scaring you.
    Amnesia the Dark Decent is one of the more critically acclaimed survival horror games of all time…
    And while me found it to be great at being a puzzle game... I didn’t find it great at being a survival horror game…
    You play as Daniel exploring a dark castle….
    The dark plays a huge part in this game as there is a sanity gauge…
    If you stay in the dark too long it messes with your mind and things get blurry….
    Thankfully you can light candles and torches with tinderboxes found throughout the world and you have a lantern to carry around…
    There’s a catch though…
    Light attracts enemies… and you’re defenseless… so you have to hide in the shadows and not look directly at enemies to survive…
    However to today’s standards set by games like outlast.. Enemy encounters are more of an eye roll than a terror…
    Checkpoints are extremely forgiving making these encounters hardly matter all... so really they kind of just annoy you in the many maze like sections of the game…
    My ultimate complaint of this game is that it isn’t balanced with any bit of awareness in mind…
    Its balanced in a way that the game expects players to be in locations for only a few seconds…
    But this isn’t how things turn out beyond the first hour or so…
    There’s a massive focus on adventure game like puzzles here
    And these puzzles take a great deal of time to complete
    And they never stop.
    Ever
    its puzzle
    after puzzle
    after puzzle
    after puzzle…
    To solve this puzzle you have to find 3 to 6 different items in different areas, combine them… put them in the right spot, and do it again, and again…
    But it’s not even that simple…
    Remember the dark castle part?
    That lantern you’re carrying around… it needs oil too work…
    And oil is far too scarce in this game…
    Leading you to be lost in a dark maze feeling around for an object or an area to progress…
    And it’s an insane nuisance…
    The Dark isn’t Scary.. It’s just annoying...
    This is a puzzle game for crying out loud…
    I need to see things…
    Way too much back tracking for oil to run out as fast as it does or to be as limited as it is.
    The game is basically solve these way too frequent puzzles by feeling around in the dark while we annoy you with levels that feel like mazes and sometimes an enemy to get in your way.
    Amnesia is still a great game!
    It’s just not great at what it sets out to do...
    It gets your brain going, it gets the wheels spinning...
    But it doesn’t get your heart racing…
    If you like to be annoyed while you try to figure out puzzle solutions... this is a great game...
    But if youre looking for something to make sit on the edge of your seat while you desperately cling onto hopes of finding a solution to escape… this isn’t it..
    The pacing is too slow, and the gameplay balance in nonexistent…
    I give Amnesia: the dark decent
    a 7/10    … Expand
  7. 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
  8. Jackies
    Aug 17, 2016
    7
    It is a great horror. One of the scariest I've ever played. It screwed with me so much I had to play it only during the day. But let's be honest here - the puzzles were kinda boring.
  9. MaxMarcunsens
    Aug 17, 2016
    10
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of my favourite horror games ever made. I made a whole series on my YT channel and I was scared as hell. I really like the "soft" jumpscares and tension.
  10. Rodrigo_31
    Aug 16, 2016
    9
    Read this well. This is the most frightening experience you will ever get with any kind of entertainment available. Simply put: it doesn't exists any movie, game, or whatever other thing around that can be scarier as this particular title. Amnesia the dark descent is simple the most scary, frightening, tense and everything phobic experience a human being can get in a lifetime.

    It is the    Read this well. This is the most frightening experience you will ever get with any kind of entertainment available. Simply put: it doesn't exists any movie, game, or whatever other thing around that can be scarier as this particular title. Amnesia the dark descent is simple the most scary, frightening, tense and everything phobic experience a human being can get in a lifetime.

    It is the macabre in such a level you never saw, it is insanely heavy, and will make your mind to have hallucinations you don't have the b@lls for the game... I thought I had, I am a horror fan and no movie ever scared me... Poltergeist, mehh, The ring, mehhh, The conjuring, mehhh, The exorcist, mehhh, all mehhh, I hardly find anything scary on movies... While Silent Hill 1 and 2 are both my top games of all time, and the scary parts count for that, it is not only because of that... Amnesia focuses on deliver fear, and it does better than silent hill, better than anything else.

    Amnesia is and will probably be for a long time the scarier and fearsome entertainment experience can provide by any means...    … Expand
  11. 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
  12. sft
    Apr 24, 2016
    8
    Into the light

    I’m not normally a fan of games that present you with deadly enemies and then give you no option to defend yourself, but ATDD uses this device cautiously and to good effect. Evading the enemies is fairly stressful (as it should be) but is never frustrating or annoying. ATDD is all about atmosphere, which it has by the bucketload, and story, which it has in some depth.    Into the light

    I’m not normally a fan of games that present you with deadly enemies and then give you no option to defend yourself, but ATDD uses this device cautiously and to good effect. Evading the enemies is fairly stressful (as it should be) but is never frustrating or annoying. ATDD is all about atmosphere, which it has by the bucketload, and story, which it has in some depth. Much of what has to be done in the game, by way of solving puzzles, will be familiar to anyone who has played adventure games before but here again ATDD gets the formula just right. This is the first survival horror game I’ve played that has no combat (I’ve played plenty that do) and I was pleasantly surprised at how well it performs in both the survival and the horror aspects. Graphically it’s pretty good but not outstanding. There are some nice touches of interactivity: you have to pull and push at doors and drawers in order to open and close them. And the sound design is also very atmospheric. It’s a fairly short game but it packs quite a lot into 10–15 hours of gameplay and is recommended if you like the horror genre.    … Expand
  13. 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.
  14. 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
  15. 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
  16. Shadowsniper
    Jun 28, 2015
    10
    It fantastic! This how you do a survival horror game! The story is complex, the visual are great, the puzzle are interesting and the levels are well designed!
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. DDilettante
    Jan 17, 2015
    8
    "Hey there, so I like to play games that scare me."
    Oh cool, well you've picked the right ga-
    "Like, pants-****ingly scary. I don't want to be able to sleep." Y-yeah, sure. Like I was saying, this game would be perfect for y- "And I also like the odd puzzle or two to complete in the story" Okay, well you're in luck, because this has that t- "While I'm simultaneously ****ing my    "Hey there, so I like to play games that scare me."
    Oh cool, well you've picked the right ga-

    "Like, pants-****ingly scary. I don't want to be able to sleep."
    Y-yeah, sure. Like I was saying, this game would be perfect for y-

    "And I also like the odd puzzle or two to complete in the story"
    Okay, well you're in luck, because this has that t-

    "While I'm simultaneously ****ing my pants"
    You have issues.

    So yes, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is quite a scary game. The scariest, in fact, that I have come across. You play as Daniel in this Survival Horror game, who wakes up in a castle with no memory of how he got there (bing! title!).

    Unlike horror games such as F.E.A.R, where you can defend yourself against monsters; here, you have no means of fighting back. It's a frightening game of hide-and-seek. And the fear trickles in. It doesn't reveal everything straight away, so the anticipation of running into a monster really eats away at you.

    It's not just your health that you have to keep track of, but your sanity. If you remain in the dark too long, or look at something that doesn't make any rational sense, your sanity starts to deplete. This makes your screen blurry, and your controls less responsive, making for a harder experience. Thankfully, you've got a lantern and can find oil and tinderboxes along the way to keep you in the light.

    The story is actually compelling, the Gothic art-style is perhaps outdated now, but fits the game perfectly. You may quit due to fear and frustration from the few puzzles you come across, but this is definitely worth pushing through to reach the end, where there are some rather confronting torture chambers.    … Expand
  21. Klewer
    Jan 13, 2015
    8
    A true modern horror classic. Those extremely tense moments and challenging puzzles take you back to a time when survival horror was key and patience was a must. Fantastic story and atmosphere make this a must for horror fans.
  22. 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.
  23. Slevin310
    Jan 1, 2015
    10
    I go back to this game constantly... I've played it so many times and I never get bored of it. I've used this game as an argument in the debate over games being art. I point at this game with a resounding yes. For this game is a masterpiece of not only horror but gaming in general. Games are windows to a new world, they allow us an experience things that would be impossible in real life.I go back to this game constantly... I've played it so many times and I never get bored of it. I've used this game as an argument in the debate over games being art. I point at this game with a resounding yes. For this game is a masterpiece of not only horror but gaming in general. Games are windows to a new world, they allow us an experience things that would be impossible in real life. They are creations of imagination... characters, worlds, environments and lore. Movies are great but they could never immerse us as much as a game could. We control the progression of the story, we control the main character and we go through the emotions.

    It's here you will find what games can truly be. It's here Amnesia The Dark Decent stands alone. The story is compelling, it's so gripping that it plays off your emotions. It wraps you even further within it's clutches giving you immersion you haven't felt before. It's a game, yet many people swear that they feel like there's something at risk when they play this. They actually feel like they're in danger. But the greatest aspect of this game is within it's level design. You will find the game constantly sends mixed signals, you'll feel exactly what the game wants you to. Allowing yourself to be taken in will grant a gaming experience the likes of which have never been known.

    For example the area with the water monster is one of the most intense moments in a horror game. You're being chased by sound rather than sight. You hear the creature splashing towards yet you cannot see him. The water monster does not have a character model... some say that's lying design but it's actually genius. One of man's worst fears in this world is the fear of the unknown. Our minds are capable of many things, one thing in peticular is our amazing able to imagine. Your mind doesn't see anything in the water so it will fill that empty space with whatever the nearest surroundings are. And what it ends up doing is running our imagination wild, as it fill that empty space with your worst fear. The water monster is no longer a monster in a game... it's personal.

    Getting past this area means you've gone through one of the scariest moments in the game... so what do you get for it? An achievement? Achievement points? A high score? A character in the game saying "good job!" Do you get an epic mount? No... you get the greatest award this game could offer you after such an experience.... you get a relaxing room. The room right after the water monster is a well light room with a hole in the ceiling, allowing the player to see the light of day for the first time in the game, you get beautiful somber music playing gently in the background, the calming sound of running water coming from the fountain. This is the game saying "good job, relax a bit you're going to need it" it rewards you with an emotion rather than some meaningless item or achievement. It gives you a much needed breather.

    As for the design of monsters (grunts) they are in their own right a brilliant idea. They may look like creepy disturbing monsters but they are also emotions. The main character isn't being chased by monsters, he's being chased by guilt. Guilt from the people he's tortured for this own safety against the darkness. Their twisted disfigured bodies are a representation of a tortured victim. That's why you can't attack them... you can't kill your own guilty memories... not even by purposely giving yourself amnesia. They as well as the main character, cannot leave that place until something is done. The main character is being chased by something far more sinister than monsters, something he must purge. The story is about a man who had purposely lost his mind to regain strength, in the vain hope he would rid himself of this feeling of dread as death approaches him. With every piece of the puzzle he unlocks, with every step of progress he makes it takes a toll on his his own conscience. The more he remembers the more his walls of sanity begin to crack, as he's being chased by his own demons he ventures further down into the darkness in hope he'll see light.

    Given the level of immersion, this game has been considered the scariest game of all time. It's not due to fandom or some contrived belief that this game is better than the others... it's given this title simply because the people who play cannot help but get so wrapped up in the story that they feel as if it's their own dark decent they must venture into. The danger feels real... the fear feels real and for the player the only escape is to move forward or hit that ESC button.

    There aren't enough 10's in the world to express how amazing this game is. It's truly a masterpiece.    … Expand
  24. MrCommonSense
    Dec 17, 2014
    8
    This game... It is one of the only games to ever fill me with a sense of dread, And I LOVED it! Every single second! The ambiance, The sounds and lighting all work together to leave you wanting to stop but you just can't! The ONLY reason I didn't give a 10 is because the game IS rather linear and the graphics are pretty dated but that is to be expected of an indie publisher. BUY IT NOW!
  25. lovethegames97
    Dec 3, 2014
    10
    After playing it for 22 hours I must warn you. Some of the challenges strain you, and will stress you out when you are being chased while trying to solve a puzzle. That is the beauty of the game, it pushes your mind, races your hear, and crushes you when you get cocky. 10/10
  26. alanmacd
    Nov 18, 2014
    5
    I wanted to like this game. I saw the "reaction" trailers which made it look deliriously scary. I read about how it was the "most frightening game ever made." I sat down with great anticipation and...ugh. Slow. Monotonous. Poor graphics. Little investment in the storyline. I couldn't finish it.
  27. 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
  28. Pulse-A-tron
    Oct 27, 2014
    10
    vewy scawy it scawes panties of of me. me **** meself when me paways it, me is scawed of getin dewem of big mouze monistowr chacing me threw place in me homes. me lyke ze game cuse me is scawed in game ze gave me, me is vewy good revivng gamez cuse me ony 4 and me englash is god top ze lane and yu is jally of me englash skalls. tank yu for rading me revieu of vawy god game cuse me vawy godvewy scawy it scawes panties of of me. me **** meself when me paways it, me is scawed of getin dewem of big mouze monistowr chacing me threw place in me homes. me lyke ze game cuse me is scawed in game ze gave me, me is vewy good revivng gamez cuse me ony 4 and me englash is god top ze lane and yu is jally of me englash skalls. tank yu for rading me revieu of vawy god game cuse me vawy god reviving. tank yu agan for laking my vawy god reviu. tank yu vewy mach, ma lave ya vawy mach. godbuy… Expand
  29. Budget_Security
    Oct 16, 2014
    6
    Refined old-fashioned horror for the discerning gentleman. This is the quintessential 'haunted castle' experience. Scary enough, but in a restrained way, without as much depravity as some other horror games. Pacing is deliberately slow and focuses more on the suspense and what you hear around the corner. No other game manages to make me feel so helpless - you can't fight, you can only hideRefined old-fashioned horror for the discerning gentleman. This is the quintessential 'haunted castle' experience. Scary enough, but in a restrained way, without as much depravity as some other horror games. Pacing is deliberately slow and focuses more on the suspense and what you hear around the corner. No other game manages to make me feel so helpless - you can't fight, you can only hide or run. The controls are refreshingly simple and work very well. The graphics and level design are a bit mediocre, and gameplay may lack a bit of variety, which prevents it from being truly great. Still, I can easily recommend this. The mod scene is one of the best around, with some great single-player custom stories that compete with the base game for quality.… Expand
  30. horrorreviews
    Oct 13, 2014
    10
    The best horror game ever made without a doubt. This game was not only one of the scariest games ive ever played, but is also a fantastic survival experience. The sounds and music are brilliant and contributed greatly to building the tension and kept me tense throughout the entire game( amnesia even won awards for it's audio and technical excellence at the 2011 independent gamesThe best horror game ever made without a doubt. This game was not only one of the scariest games ive ever played, but is also a fantastic survival experience. The sounds and music are brilliant and contributed greatly to building the tension and kept me tense throughout the entire game( amnesia even won awards for it's audio and technical excellence at the 2011 independent games festival). The atmosphere is as pure as it gets, from the dimly lit hallways to the dark underground cells, every little noise will have you jumping by the end, especially with the game's fantastic attention to detail on many levels. There are also custom stories that can keep the games appeal alive even after it's complete ( some of which are amazing and i would have payed money for). Terrifying, unique and one of the most immersive experiences you'll ever have Amnesia the Dark Descent is a must play for anyone even remotely interested in horror… Expand
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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.
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  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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