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. Mr_Mister
    Jun 14, 2011
    10
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is, in almost every sense of the word, scary. Scary as in the obvious, "OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT THING AND WHY IS IT CHASING ME?!". The horror of Amnesia is something I have never quite seen in other games. Instead of little startles here and there to momentarily freak out the player (games such as Dead Space 1 & 2 express this quality in bundles), Amnesia goes forAmnesia: The Dark Descent is, in almost every sense of the word, scary. Scary as in the obvious, "OH MY GOD WHAT IS THAT THING AND WHY IS IT CHASING ME?!". The horror of Amnesia is something I have never quite seen in other games. Instead of little startles here and there to momentarily freak out the player (games such as Dead Space 1 & 2 express this quality in bundles), Amnesia goes for the masterpiece symphony kind of scary, where the horror is carefully crafted with the players emotions and feelings in constant mind. There is no set place that a monster will be in at a time, rather it patrols the area that you are or could be in. This not only triggers the scared, yet curious emotions in the players brain, it also adds a great deal of immersion into the atmosphere. You see a room you haven't explored yet, one half of your brain is telling you to go in and explore, "You might find something of value in there and progress through the game, and after all that's what it is a GAME". But the other side of your brain is pleading with you, "Don't go in there! There's obviously going to be a monster in there that wants to eat yo-WHAT WAS THAT?!? I heard a moaning noise!!! I am NOT going in there!". In the end curiosity gets the better of you and you decide to explore. And you either find a clue or item to help you progress, or you find a monster that wants to use your face skin as a napkin after enjoying a nice, tasty dinner of your intestines, in which case you want to hide somewhere and hope that the monster passes by without noticing you. In some cases you'll find both a monster and an item. Another use of the word "scary" is used as in such phrases "this game has a different all together play style of any other game I've ever played...it's...it's scary". Amnesia isn't your average first person shooter, as in it takes out the word "shooter" as there are absolutely NO weapons at your disposal (which in turn, makes the game a LOT scarier), and replaces it with "fright fest". It also adds an item that I really enjoy, puzzles! There are a plethora of puzzles scattered throughout Amnesia. They range from collecting bits of a machine and putting them together, to pressing buttons or pulling levers in a certain order. These puzzles create a nice island that is your piss and excrement from the insane scariness everywhere else in the game. Finally, scary can be used such as in the phrase "this game is scary good!". Which this game most certainly is. You can't find a scarier monster film, book, game, or story that tops the Fright-skyscraper that is Amnesia: The Dark Descent! This game is perfect for a group of friends looking for some fun entertainment, or a single person that's just looking for a good time. For $20, and hours upon hours of mind bending, scary fun, you can't go wrong!… Expand
  2. ILFM
    Jun 15, 2011
    10
    Very unique. Yes you can't attack enemies, I understand that, but that's the point. They are coming to kill you, and all you can do is run, escape, get away, that's why the game is so scary. Total 10 from me, game is fun, interesting, and scary as hell.
  3. rtrind
    Jul 7, 2011
    5
    I appreciate games that deviate from the standard shoot everything that moves, and like the early Silent Hill games, this game delivers it. I have only two gripes with the game that ruin it for me. First, the light mechanic looks like an after-thought. Why can't I take an obvious light source on the table? It's not like this is glued to it. Second, the jump mechanic was awful to me, makingI appreciate games that deviate from the standard shoot everything that moves, and like the early Silent Hill games, this game delivers it. I have only two gripes with the game that ruin it for me. First, the light mechanic looks like an after-thought. Why can't I take an obvious light source on the table? It's not like this is glued to it. Second, the jump mechanic was awful to me, making an entire flooded section be so difficult to pass that I literally turned the game off and never picked it up again.… Expand
  4. Raptor007
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    This game scares me like no other. You can't fight back, so your best bet is to avoid the monsters whenever possible, and run like hell when you can't. It's an eerie on-edge feeling punctuated with adrenaline-rush moments. The story is quite captivating; sometimes I wish the game weren't quite so good at scaring me so I could get through the story more quickly.
  5. k5r02
    Mar 16, 2013
    10
    This is a great, terrifying game. To make sure you get the full effect, play it in a dark room and don't watch anyone playing it on youtube until you have. Try to do it all on your own. If you're unsure about a puzzle, try to think of the simplest way to solve it and avoid backtracking, usually the solution is very close to the problem. If you get lost, (which can happen, especially in theThis is a great, terrifying game. To make sure you get the full effect, play it in a dark room and don't watch anyone playing it on youtube until you have. Try to do it all on your own. If you're unsure about a puzzle, try to think of the simplest way to solve it and avoid backtracking, usually the solution is very close to the problem. If you get lost, (which can happen, especially in the prison) try drawing a basic map. There are maps online, but they mark where things happen and contain spoilers, which take away from the effect. If you want to quit at the beginning because you don't think it's scary, keep playing; there will be times later on when you will be running for your life, and other times when you refuse to move because there's a monster a few feet away and it hasn't noticed you yet but who knows when it will... Basically, if you want to enjoy it, just take it seriously. Get into it, and see if you can play through the whole game without dying. And one last note, don't quit because you're too scared at certain parts. Man up and keep playing.… Expand
  6. kailip
    Nov 2, 2013
    10
    Best horror game I've ever played. The atmosphere, the suspense, the feeling of being absolutely helpless, the balancing between light and dark and the storytelling worked wonders for me.
  7. duckypwns
    Dec 11, 2011
    5
    This game is not as great as everyone says. It's not scary or "immersive". People love to throw that word around, but the thing is, you can "immerse" yourself in ANY game - The question is why did you choose to do it with Amnesia, as opposed to any of the other games in the world? And honestly, I couldn't tell you. You spend a large portion of the game walking around in an open room,This game is not as great as everyone says. It's not scary or "immersive". People love to throw that word around, but the thing is, you can "immerse" yourself in ANY game - The question is why did you choose to do it with Amnesia, as opposed to any of the other games in the world? And honestly, I couldn't tell you. You spend a large portion of the game walking around in an open room, nothing to fight, nothing significant to do. When you first encounter an enemy, you can't fight it. Your character is apparently afraid of them, so I guess you have to be too, even though they're not actually scary. And I mean what's the worst thing that can happen? You would die and have to reload the game? That is the worst possible case scenario. It's not like something is going to come out of the screen and torture you if you do badly or something. I know I'm mostly talking about the philosophy behind the game, and not the gameplay itself, but that's because there's really not much to talk about as far as gameplay. You just walk around doing insignificant little things, like finding matches so that you can light torches, so that you don't have to watch the annoying screen effects when your character starts to go crazy because of the darkness. This game simply has no appeal to me. If you aren't into horror related games, don't buy in to the hype. It's just a very generic, typical horror game. Nothing more, nothing less.… Expand
  8. Joben
    Dec 21, 2012
    4
    Atmospheric and creepy for a while...then it gets boring. There's something that really breaks immersion for me. You can't fight at all. You can't even shove things away when you get close. You can't pick up any sort of weapon despite passing dozens of reasonable objects like shovels and knives. This leads to a problem. All the monsters have to be lame enough that you can just walk awayAtmospheric and creepy for a while...then it gets boring. There's something that really breaks immersion for me. You can't fight at all. You can't even shove things away when you get close. You can't pick up any sort of weapon despite passing dozens of reasonable objects like shovels and knives. This leads to a problem. All the monsters have to be lame enough that you can just walk away from them. The sense of danger just goes out the window once you figure out the game mechanics. A "Horror" game isn't scary once you realize you are literally no danger whatsoever for 90% of the play time. It's not terrifying, it's a fun-house ride. Complete with blinking lights and people making "OOOoooooo" noises from around corners.

    If you really try to get immersed in it, I guess it could be a pretty creepy experience. But it's not a all that great as a GAME. Which is a pity, because it's been quite a while since we had a horror game that was both fun to play and actually scary. We might have to go all the way back to System Shock 2 in 1999. Although i suppose F.E.A.R. or Call of Cthulhu Dark Corners of the Earth might be honorable mentions.    … Expand
  9. Grizmondus
    Sep 15, 2011
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It certainly is a creepy game, that can get the best of you at times. The level design, in some places anyway, is pretty solid, and you actually feel like you're in a massive castle. And then the horror elements come in. At first, they are genuinely scary. Monsters are intimidating in every way, be it by the growls they let loose to let you know of their presence, the tell-tale footsteps and grinding noises, and the possible rage they get into when they spot your sorry behind. They've definitely roused their fair share of scares from a number of players. But I'm not really one of them.

    For starters, the AI in this game is almost non-existent, following a seemingly on-rails methodology. This is ALWAYS the case in the game. Yes, there is pretty much one monster that doesn't follow this system, but it's for the only genuinely scary part of the game which doesn't last. When a monster appears, simply hide somewhere, wait for it to go out of sight, and it'll disappear from the level outright. The trend never dissipates, which is disappointing in the very least. This definitely makes the monsters more of an obtrusion than an actual enemy that could pose a threat to you. Even sadder is the fact that Penumbra did a better job in this regard.

    Music is pretty good, though. Mikko Tarmia is the composer, and he knew what he was doing with the game's soundtrack. Rather than give a sense of total isolation like Penumbra did, this one makes you feel like the walls are closing in. Graphics are mixed. There are solid effects here, like the SSAO lighting and higher-than-average polygon count, considering the low budget at work. Monster designs are a plus, so Frictional did a good job here. However, you can't help but feel like it is outdated. Hardly to the fault of the developers though, who may have earned enough cashola to warrant an improved engine.

    Physics is sort of important here. You can interact with pretty much anything in the game world, but other than opening doors, flipping levers & switches, and picking up items or notes, you don't do much of anything that makes you want to interact with the game world. While they did add the ability to fully rotate some objects, there isn't really a reason to. It could have been used to better effect, like say, to investigate an object that might have a nook or cranny containing a key or some other thing. Story is alright. There's little to involve you in the game, and there's no narrative. Every bit of the story comes from the notes and mementos you come across in the game. Plus, you might find yourself wanting some kind of landmark to come around to break the monotony you happen upon. You only come across one character that kind of interacts with you, but it's kind of creepy and you would have to have a suspension of disbelief to cope with it.

    You can play custom stories, even with things you make yourself, because the developers added features to elongate the game's replay factor. At least they accomplished that.

    It's a disappointing title, considering that Penumbra (sans 'Requiem') was a solid series of horror adventure games. This one is convoluted, gets predictable quite fast, and could have been improved in so many ways (don't make the enemies so pointless, for starters, as they are only there to give you the chills or scares for a few moments). Hopefully, though, they've learned their lesson and they try something better next time.    … Expand
  10. kidd_sadam
    Oct 1, 2011
    10
    One of the best game ever. I enjoy it sooo mutch. The atmosphere is strongest and gameplay si great. This game is an 'must have' for all lovers of horror.
  11. CuRiOuS
    Nov 11, 2010
    9
    Haunting. Harrowing and a bona fide cult hit. Do you remember that scene from the original Resident Evil when you walk into a mansion room and see the first zombie chomping a corpse - and he looks up and goes for you! Or recall the first time you see Pyramid Head in Silent Hill - both classic scary gaming moments. Both put to shame by Amnesia. Yes, it is that good. And yes play it with theHaunting. Harrowing and a bona fide cult hit. Do you remember that scene from the original Resident Evil when you walk into a mansion room and see the first zombie chomping a corpse - and he looks up and goes for you! Or recall the first time you see Pyramid Head in Silent Hill - both classic scary gaming moments. Both put to shame by Amnesia. Yes, it is that good. And yes play it with the light off with spare boxer shorts on hand. Survival horror just got re-invented. Combat takes a back seat, intelligence takes the wheel. - CuRiOuS… Expand
  12. tonino
    Dec 2, 2010
    9
    Amnesia: The Dark Descent has a great merit, this is one of the most original horror games ever made in the last decade. I'm not talking about monster or level design only, but if you like horror, you could love this game because instead of killing your foes with pistols or other weapons, here you can only hide in the dark, because you are an ordinary man, not so brave and strong to faceAmnesia: The Dark Descent has a great merit, this is one of the most original horror games ever made in the last decade. I'm not talking about monster or level design only, but if you like horror, you could love this game because instead of killing your foes with pistols or other weapons, here you can only hide in the dark, because you are an ordinary man, not so brave and strong to face the nightmare which is looking for you.

    The only way to survive is hide or run depending by the situation, and in some case this is extremely useful to the atmosphere of loneliness and on desire to get outside the castle given to you by the light crannies that force you to think outside is all quiet and clear from the enemy.

    This is not the only feature that make this game a great title, let's talk about environment interaction, in this game opening doors or furniture is great, because you must use your mouse like your hand, so to open a drawer you have to press click on it, pulling and then release the mouse button. It works perfectly and it's very realistic.

    I must remark I usually don't like horror games especially because you have to do weird things on level mechanics to go on, for example in Resident Evil, in a police station you must burn a painting to get a jewel, position it in a fountain (a fountain in a police station??) to open a secret compartment where is located a shotgun... WTF? Does the police-men work like this in Resident Evil universe? I hate senseless enigmas, and fortunately, this game is far away from this.

    In facts, level design is absolutely logical and the things you need to do to go on are like repair a machine with some missing spare, to take it you have (logically) to looking for it in a spares depository. And because you have to do logical things this doesn't mean it's easy, moving inside the areas is not so secure.

    Great part of the game-play is based on light and dark, your character can hide in the dark from dangerous creatures which can see you if you are moving or if you are near a lights source. But that's not all, seeing supernatural creatures, events and live high tension moments debilitate your mental sanity and stability, because you have a body health indicator and a mental health indicator too. Obiously, the first obiously can go down if you are shoot by a creature or if you do something can hurt yourself.

    I don't want to talk about the story to avoid unveal something, but I can say it's great and particulary adapt to the game universe, rich in turnovers but without excess, rich of details but without loose the main story line, so very well orchestrated, in facts, sometimes if you expect something dangerous happens by activating a door nothing happens, and when you think to by safe is right when a creature come near you. I can beg to say there is some conjunction with Roman Polanski's "The Ninth Gate" mood.

    A must for people looking for game-play and originality in a game.

    Closing comments
    - Great atmosphere and game-play
    - Awesome sounds
    - An horror different from the horror mass
    - It doesn't require a super computer
    - The graphic flawlessly immerse you in Amnesia universe although it's not incredible    … Expand
  13. TheangryOne
    Apr 14, 2011
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Move over Penumbra; Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the new king of scary now. Take everything you've seen in scary movies and games, like mutated monsters, mysterious noises, and an unseen hunter stalking you at every turn; now imagine facing them all with absolutely no way to defend yourself. That's right. You have NOTHING but your "legs" and your wits to survive.

    Very well done, fictional games. You'll be getting my therapy bill soon.    … Expand
  14. paperchampion
    Jun 19, 2011
    8
    Amnesia is a one-of-a-kind experience. It's been said countless times before, but this really is the scariest game out there, assuming you go into it with the proper mindset (that is, you play the game to have a unique and immersive experience rather than to just brag that you beat it or weren't scared by it). The atmosphere is (almost) flawless. The castle is as dark and menacing as it isAmnesia is a one-of-a-kind experience. It's been said countless times before, but this really is the scariest game out there, assuming you go into it with the proper mindset (that is, you play the game to have a unique and immersive experience rather than to just brag that you beat it or weren't scared by it). The atmosphere is (almost) flawless. The castle is as dark and menacing as it is beautiful (and yes, Amnesia is quite the looker), but it's the little things that really make it scary. The creaking footsteps on the floor above, the small dust trails that seem to appear out of nowhere in dark corners. Oh yeah, and the big monster that stalks you, waiting for a chance to sink his monstrous claws into your flesh.
    Actually, that brings up my first complaint about the game: the monster. There are actually 3 monsters in Amnesia, but one was only present in two very short sections and I honestly never saw the third (I guess I assumed it was the same as the first one you encounter). So a vast majority of the encounters you have with an enemy of any sort are with one type of monster who loses his scare factor once you've seen his face (which is actually rather laughable once you see it in a steady frame) up close and personal for about the third time. He still got your heart pounding every time he turned abruptly in your direction, but the pure terror that filled you when you first glimpsed his hazy outline in the beginning would be something much less powerful. The reason the monster was terrifying in the first place was because it was an unknown. After a while, though, it became familiar. The other monster you see acts exactly the same way, enough that you might just mistake it for the other monster like I did. I think that is Amnesia's biggest flaw, it allowed the enemies to become a familiar element. If there were more varied enemies who acted differently, the game could have been really sadistically frightening. But as it stands it is only simply terrifying.
    Back to the positive, the game did do a great job of making the player feel helpless, even if the enemies did lose their original scare power. The player has no weapons and no means of defending himself. Some may argue that this is a negative point, but I think it is one of Amnesia's strongest. Even if they player was given a weapon that would just subdue the monster temporarily or slow it down, this would give the player a means to feel secure, to feel that not situation is too hopeless. But that's not scary. Scary is being able to do nothing but run and hide and hope that you won't be mercilessly torn to ribbons. Added to that is your dependency on light, which is largely what forces you into the above situation in the first place. You can't stay in the dark forever to avoid the monsters, but you can't stay in the light without being detected. It's the tension between these two that really make the player feel helpless.
    Putting aside the terror aspects of Amnesia (I know, right?), the story is surprisingly well-written for a horror game. Although nothing mind-blowing or particularly oscar worthy, it is written well, and voiced magnificently (seriously, if you appreciate good voice acting, this is a shining example for video games). The way it is revealed steadily throughout the game is also very effective and will allow you to readily forgive the amnesia cliche. In fact, I just have to be frank and say that the presentation is absolutely perfect. The puzzle elements are also very good here. There's nothing too challenging that you'll have to resort to googling solutions (unless you're just not good at logic puzzles), but they're also stimulating enough to give the biggest puzzle buffs satisfaction.
    All in all, Amnesia has it's flaws like any other game. Some elements are overdone, such as the painfully annoying beetles/roaches/whatever that crawl all over you when your sanity begins to dip. But unlike many games, Amnesia doesn't offer just a fun way to pass the time (in fact, fun isn't exactly a word I would use to describe it). The Dark Descent is very dark in both the literal and figurative meanings of the word, but it is also unimaginably magnetic. It will shake you and give you a miniature stroke and you will inexplicably beg for more. It will give you an unforgettable experience unlike any other.    … Expand
  15. Rime
    Jun 26, 2011
    10
    I actually crapped myself while playing this alone, in the dark, in the middle of the night, with my headphones on, after smoking marijuana. Advise to anyone intending to play this game under these circumstances: do NOT smoke any marijuana.
  16. MrWeezee
    Jul 30, 2011
    7
    Personally, I don't find that Amnesia: The Dark Descent is that scary anymore. Not as scary as Penumbra. But nothing else in the horror genre can top this. Hands down.
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. mAs7eRa
    Jul 12, 2012
    10
    Amazing game! Yeah some people may say, it's all about the sounds and the visual, but think about a horror movie, what makes it scary? The sounds and the visual effects, and this is what amnesia offers, a fantastic horror atmosphere! It is surely a great game, made by a thriller writer! In my opinion other games from diff. genres should take a note of this game's atmosphere! After all, inAmazing game! Yeah some people may say, it's all about the sounds and the visual, but think about a horror movie, what makes it scary? The sounds and the visual effects, and this is what amnesia offers, a fantastic horror atmosphere! It is surely a great game, made by a thriller writer! In my opinion other games from diff. genres should take a note of this game's atmosphere! After all, in my opinion, one of the most important things for a game is to have a great atmosphere and story. To suck you in the virtual world and to engender emotions! To enjoy it, put HEADPHONES and play it ALONE with all lights OFF =]… Expand
  20. Spiralyguy
    Jan 3, 2013
    10
    I have never been more scared. That's all you need to know. Love the setting, the audio is absolutely phenomenal, the pacing is precise. What's not to like about this game?
  21. Jestzer
    Jan 13, 2018
    7
    Like many horror games, it starts off great, creating a great, scary atmosphere, with interesting gameplay and story, but by the end, you're exhausted. The puzzles become frustrating and uninteresting, and the scariness is quickly lost when you realize death is completely inconsequential, similar to Bioshock. Its narrative isn't the strongest, but the story is strong enough to keep youLike many horror games, it starts off great, creating a great, scary atmosphere, with interesting gameplay and story, but by the end, you're exhausted. The puzzles become frustrating and uninteresting, and the scariness is quickly lost when you realize death is completely inconsequential, similar to Bioshock. Its narrative isn't the strongest, but the story is strong enough to keep you interested. However, what your character physically does in the ending of the game is ridiculous and anticlimactic. While a lot of this game is fun, it ultimately left me with a sour taste in my mouth.… Expand
  22. Jakentosh
    Apr 19, 2019
    10
    This is probably one of the best horror game out there. Its different from any other horror game. The story is amazing aswell.
  23. Nameless2131
    Feb 6, 2020
    8
    10/10 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
  24. Necrotaur
    Jun 13, 2012
    5
    Amnesia is one of the most overrated games out there. It *does* have decent puzzles and a fairly interesting story, but I would not call it 'scary', unless maybe you're someone that can't go to sleep after reading a Goosebumps book. I give it credit for being different, in that you're not some sort of macho space marine killing ghost alien bugs, but I don't really want to play the oppositeAmnesia is one of the most overrated games out there. It *does* have decent puzzles and a fairly interesting story, but I would not call it 'scary', unless maybe you're someone that can't go to sleep after reading a Goosebumps book. I give it credit for being different, in that you're not some sort of macho space marine killing ghost alien bugs, but I don't really want to play the opposite end of the spectrum either, where my character is such a pant-wetting wimp that crouching in a dark corner of a room causes him to go insane. The monster AI is simplistic and exploitable, and as others have said, once you know what's going on they are easy to avoid. Meh overall.… Expand
  25. freddog99
    Nov 30, 2013
    3
    You'll wish you had amnesia so you could forget you ever bought this game. Either that or bring coffee, lots and lots of coffee. It is so boring you will be snoozing with out a huge dose of stimulant. If you look poking around in the dark or shadows clicking away endlessly at "who-knows what", then you could like that game. There's no mystery here, just things that are not easy to findYou'll wish you had amnesia so you could forget you ever bought this game. Either that or bring coffee, lots and lots of coffee. It is so boring you will be snoozing with out a huge dose of stimulant. If you look poking around in the dark or shadows clicking away endlessly at "who-knows what", then you could like that game. There's no mystery here, just things that are not easy to find nor necessarily logical. Good luck finding those hours you'll lose wasted on this game.… Expand
  26. DogeWowIsBack
    Apr 22, 2019
    1
    Game lacks environment to the point of being boring, repetive and tedious. The fact you realise it about severeal minutes after starting the game doesn't really help. The plot of the game is pretty minimalistic, you are in some sort of old generic castle and you have to find the way out, which you never did. You also lost your memory because writting an actual plot is probably next toGame lacks environment to the point of being boring, repetive and tedious. The fact you realise it about severeal minutes after starting the game doesn't really help. The plot of the game is pretty minimalistic, you are in some sort of old generic castle and you have to find the way out, which you never did. You also lost your memory because writting an actual plot is probably next to impossible for the creators. During the game you remember bits of your memory, find some old journals, revealing some really small bits of the plot. I'm gonna be as honest as i can, the plot isn't unique, interesting or even original, it's slow paced, very dry and despite what many biased people like to say, it's cliché.
    The game doesn't allow you to fight whatsoever, despite the fact you will pass dozens of object that could easily be used as weapons such as shovels and knives. The game also allows you to light candles but you can't carry, which leads to a question, why? There's no real reason for players not to, 99,9% of times lighting them is a waste of time, they're reasonable source of light and it would actually make sense to use them as an alternative source of light over a garbage lamp oil, that runs out of oil as quickly as strawman fanboys of this game out of arguments why i should think this game is scary.
    There's also sanity system which is pretty weird, step in a shadows/bit darker room for a second and our protagonist is about to have heart attack, but when we stay next to a monster that got stuck on an object he'll be just fine! What kind of fear of the darkness is this? As for the monsters they're not scary in the slightest, if anything they're hilariously ugly, their models look outdated. Not to mention their AI, it's so bad it's actually embarassing, monsters will either, get stuck on any object on their way, or completly forget about you once you get out of their sight, they become predictable so fast, they're not challenging. Horror games should encourage exploration, but this game does not, it's straight foward it forces you to go into directions it wants you to, either that would be with monsters, puzzles or simply blocked paths. The puzzles are simple, predictable and easy.    … Expand
  27. Neologism
    Nov 17, 2012
    3
    I was about to purchase this game based on reputation @Metacritic alone and boy, am I glad they offer a demo on Steam. I didn't even finish the demo because it is hardly scary. Granted, the audio may be superb but this feature is completely diminished by the fact that the graphics and level design appear to be based on something that was contrived in the very early 2000s. One could compareI was about to purchase this game based on reputation @Metacritic alone and boy, am I glad they offer a demo on Steam. I didn't even finish the demo because it is hardly scary. Granted, the audio may be superb but this feature is completely diminished by the fact that the graphics and level design appear to be based on something that was contrived in the very early 2000s. One could compare its quality to be part way between Thief II and Thief: Deadly Shadows. This is an absolute deal-breaker for me and I wonder, how this can be received with such a high degree of professional appraisal (Metascore of 85).

    Sure, there are games that look like crap an are extremely popular, such as Minecraft. But, in very stark contrast to Amnesia, the Minecraft experience does not thrive on ambience and immersion.

    Considering the fact, that the vast majority of human cognitive perception is based on visual stimuli, I am having a very hard time understanding why anyone with a trained I could give this horror-flick a 100% on a professional review without constant fear of having you credibility on the line...YES, I am looking at you Gamecritics & Gamernode! wtf?    … Expand
  28. kuehnau
    Apr 5, 2014
    0
    I decided to submit a new review of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The first time I played through the game, I couldn't even make it through a half hour of the game I thought it was so awful. After having a friend tell me it gets better after about an hour in, I gave it another shot and I eventually beat the game.

    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a 'survival horror' exploration game. I use the    I decided to submit a new review of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. The first time I played through the game, I couldn't even make it through a half hour of the game I thought it was so awful. After having a friend tell me it gets better after about an hour in, I gave it another shot and I eventually beat the game.

    Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a 'survival horror' exploration game. I use the term survival horror loosely because besides walking around or running there is very little survival elements to the game. As much as I try to understand it, I can't figure out what makes this game so popular or how people can become so terrified of it, I never found the game remotely scary in the least.

    As you begin the game, you will find yourself in a castle of sorts, you've lost your memory and you need to find out where you are and a way out of the castle. During the entire game you'll never leave the castle and almost at all times, all of the game environments looks similar. A dark, spooky castle, you can tell rooms have actually be reused. After awhile it becomes very tedious.

    As you progress through the game, you'll remember bits of your memory or find old journals, revealing more of the story. I'll be frank, the story is not unique, it's not witty, the writing is very dry, slow paced and clichéd. I never once found myself interested or engrossed in the story.

    I tried my best to become engrossed in the game, I played in a dark room, I used a 3D surround sound headset, but more times then not, I often found things that actually pulled me out of the game. To begin with, there are common sense things in the game that the developers ignored. For example, you can light candles in a room, but you can't actually carry them. Why can't you carry the candles? The only reason I can think of is because it breaks the core mechanics of the game and the need for light. And that isn't a good reason. Developers should have enough hindsight to know what players are thinking or what they may try to do in a game and work with that. They could have easily figured candles into the game's equation, they simply refused to.

    During my time with the game, I experienced issues with the sound, which is a really great way to break immersion. For example; there may be water dripping and if I face it, I will hear it, if I turn away from it, the sound is suddenly gone, it doesn't even fade away. This is NOT an issue with my hardware as this isn't something I encounter on a day to day basis, this is explicitly a problem with the game and it's sound engine.

    While a survival horror game would surely encourage exploration, this game does not. It's fairly straight forward and basically forces you into the direction it wants you to go, either with monsters, puzzles or blocked off paths. The lack of different environments makes the game stagnate almost immediately.

    Speaking of Monsters, the monsters are terribly designed, in most cases you either won't see them due to darkness, or they are simply invisible. When you finally do get a chance to see some of the monsters in the game, they are lack luster at best with terrible, outdated character models. Their AI is terrible and the easiest way to avoid them is simply run off a distance into a dark corner and look at the floor. After playing the game for a bit, you can actually begin to predict monster attacks to the point where you can actually avoid a majority of monsters. As a matter of fact, in the last part of the game you can literally just run past all of them.

    The puzzles presented in the game are simple, easy and predictable. I actually found myself rolling my eyes at some of the puzzles in the game.

    This game is not new, it's not fresh and it's not unique. From a technical standpoint it's way below average and for a game that would most likely rely heavily on writing, it has a terrible story line.     … Expand
  29. Overrwatcher
    Sep 3, 2011
    8
    Even though I'm only 12, I rarely get scared from games. All the blood and gore to try to scare means nothing. Amnesia, however, is one hell of a scary game. Instead of going the mainsteam Blood and Gore path, it focuses on making an atmosphere that chills your spine. The sounds play a MASSIVE part of the game, so use good headphones/speakers. Once I finished the Water part, my heart wasEven though I'm only 12, I rarely get scared from games. All the blood and gore to try to scare means nothing. Amnesia, however, is one hell of a scary game. Instead of going the mainsteam Blood and Gore path, it focuses on making an atmosphere that chills your spine. The sounds play a MASSIVE part of the game, so use good headphones/speakers. Once I finished the Water part, my heart was beating. FAST. Pick it up in a sale for sure.… Expand
  30. StriderKiwi
    Sep 4, 2013
    3
    VERY OVERRATED GAME. I'll get the good out of the way, it looks nice enough, good sound design, and downright great physics which it takes advantage of in puzzles (some that are good, others that are not). The story was boring and not exactly told to you in best of ways. Your character is silent because pffft hiring a voice actor would cost money, you can't fight the monsters only runVERY OVERRATED GAME. I'll get the good out of the way, it looks nice enough, good sound design, and downright great physics which it takes advantage of in puzzles (some that are good, others that are not). The story was boring and not exactly told to you in best of ways. Your character is silent because pffft hiring a voice actor would cost money, you can't fight the monsters only run because fending for yourself is overrated real gamers/people run from their problems. Some enemies can't actually be seen because they felt like being lazy and then the big scary monster looks downright awful and not frightening in the slightest. I laughed my ass of the first time I got a look at him. Finally, it's not scary. Yeah I realize some might disagree and yeah what scares one person may not scare another but I really didn't find this game scary. It really reminds me of Slender Man, another overrated "horror" game: both are only frightening to people who either scare easily or haven't seen many horror movies or played many horror videogames. As someone who has played and seen many horror movies and videogames, Amnesia was nothing spectacular in my opinion.… 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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