Games in which you felt more immersed than in Amnesia

[Gunslingerjh]

Penumbra and almost every game of Jonas Kyratzes. His games really suck you in and leave you thinking afterwards..
His masterpiece imo is "The Museum of Broken Memories"

[Googolplex]

Penumbra was more immersive for me than Amnesia. Mostly because you could read Philip's thoughts on everything you could 'look' at, and I never cared about the diary notes left around in Amnesia. They were about desert excursions prior to the game and just some distant backstory to me whereas Penumbra's notes outlined the fate of poor souls trapped in the facility.

Hey, absolutely correct.

I really don't understand this statement. It seems like such a flagrantly ridiculous comparison. But based on what I just read in that thread you linked (assuming you are "Minecrawler") I have to say I don't really think that we have the same definition of "immersion."

Immersion for me means not only to feel like I would be the main character. Immersion also could mean how much a game engage me and that I also think about the game when I'm not playing it. There are other games that enthrall me for a longer time than Amnesia did. Even NFS Porsche was so immersing for me, I felt like to be a real part of the Porsche test driver team with my own garage of cars in a fantastic career mode unlikely to other racing games. This is only one example and that doesn't mean I felt not immersed in Amnesia, but I think there are some games not primary made for immersion, but also know how to immerse the player - and longer.

[Gharren]

Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl

Yeah, totally forgot that.

[Googolplex]

I already got the STALKER trilogy. But first playing Call of Cthulhu.

[Bridge]

Amnesia is one of my favorite games of all time, but even a racing game could have better immersion.

I really don't understand this statement. It seems like such a flagrantly ridiculous comparison. But based on what I just read in that thread you linked (assuming you are "Minecrawler") I have to say I don't really think that we have the same definition of "immersion."

It seems that you think that immersion is solely the game's burden. But I think you have to use your imagination in tandem, otherwise no game is immersive. Little things like hints phrased in the second-person instead of first-person do not bother me.

As far as my personal fav, no game has come close to the level of immersion I found in Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

Exactly. It's the reason books, which are just words on paper, can be so immersive.

[pinkribbonscars]

Half Life 2
Stalker series
The Last Of Us

[MyRedNeptune]

Amnesia is one of my favorite games of all time, but even a racing game could have better immersion.

I really don't understand this statement. It seems like such a flagrantly ridiculous comparison. But based on what I just read in that thread you linked (assuming you are "Minecrawler") I have to say I don't really think that we have the same definition of "immersion."

It seems that you think that immersion is solely the game's burden. But I think you have to use your imagination in tandem, otherwise no game is immersive. Little things like hints phrased in the second-person instead of first-person do not bother me.

As far as my personal fav, no game has come close to the level of immersion I found in Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

Exactly. It's the reason books, which are just words on paper, can be so immersive.

I second (third? ) this. A lot of people are used to thinking of games as tools of entertainment and naturally feel inclined to play hard to get when approaching them, like they would with a product in a store. It is a false assumption that it's the game's job to woo you. When it comes to art, it's a two-way street.

Googolplex: I suspect that you were in a very critical state of mind playing Amnesia after Penumbra. It is often evidenced by the way you think in your posts. I can see how it wouldn't be quite as immersive that way.

[AmbrozZomburg]

SIMS! sims...





.......PENUMBRA XDDD!!!!!!!!

[Googolplex]

Today I started playing Call of Cthulhu, and I have to say it's a really oppressive game and scary. The immersion is not as good as in Amnesia (surely Amnesia is one of the very special games I like), but CoC has also a very good atmosphere and story. It's the first time I try to play a horror-adventure-ego-shooter-mix.

@MyRedNeptune
Yes, I think that's the reason. When you play Penumbra first, you become inspired in horror and you will get much of expectations to all following games. Penumbra does a better job in immersion as previous mentioned the examination of objects where you can read the player thoughts was very important and I missed it in Amnesia. An other reason are the mementos, where the player reads "You must" instead of "I must".

The problem is who said "You" to the player? An other person? The computer? The game? You never should think it's a game - this is the contrary of immersion. When you are immersed, you don't think it's a game. To write his own mementos would cause a much better feeling of immersion. This is only one reason. A further reason is that in Amnesia is less to explore compared to Penumbra. It's made more easy, less challenging puzzles, less physics stuff, too empty environments etc. The complete cell area has only two puzzles: the hole under the bed and the acid lock. In Penumbra was much much more. An other reason is that horror in Penumbra feels more earnestly, not "forced" like the screen-colorizing effects and sounds. Penumbra was more deep and danger and the dogs never feels like computer game enemies you have to play with.

There are a lot of things Amnesia feels more like a game and that's breaking the immersion in my opinion.

[ReadingNotAllowed]

Bioshock

Amnesia The Dark Descent

System Shock 2