AMFP Member Review Thread

[Kreekakon]

Yes. I've noticed the dramatically low scores do seem to correspond with the shortest play times. (3-4 hours)

If you sprinted your way through AMFP, or any horror game for that matter, then in some ways it's your own fault if you didn't enjoy it. This ain't Call of Duty.

I can tell you for a fact that the game on average really does take about that long even if you didn't sprint through everything. You could only get more unless you slowed it WAYY down.

I tried searching every nook, and cranny, and playthrough clocked in at about three hours, and 45 minutes.

[Ossie]

I recall one reviewer saying that it took him 7 hours ...

[Mr. 3vil]

I'm a new member, but I've played all the games TheChineseRoom have made including the Conscientious Objector Doom mod, Korsakovia and original Dear Esther. I also own all of FrictionalGames titles released thus far. So I'd like to give my thoughts on the game itself because there are a ton of great ideas and I'm sure a lot of people have agreed that the story is good.

The problem with the game is that it is essentially, a mystery horror game, not a "survival" horror game anymore. And I'm given this impression that Oswald Mandus is overweight and shouldn't be able to run too long. It would have been more interesting if he gets tired from running too much and the monsters would run faster when this "stamina" runs out. The game essentially removed what I'd consider the "health" survival aspect of TDD and replaced it with nothing. Like any survival game, even games like Blood and Doom, health is a key factor that helps induce fear of death. In some ways, the sanity meter was an additional factor to the health because when it got too low, Daniel would drop to the floor and alert the monsters while he lays helpless and we watch as the character dies by a grunt or brute. It's creepy because we know he's going to die and we can do nothing about it. This is what I thought was needed in A Machine for Pigs, something like "health" that makes the player fear death and the surroundings around them, to make them always on edge whether their character is safe or not.

Some things that really killed the immersion for me was actually the voices of the children and the slow pause that happens when they're there. Removing them would have made the entire opening even more creepy as I had a bunch of situations where I just wanted to walk and the silence was sort of creepy only to be halted by kids that clearly sound like scripted kids trying to be scary. Honestly, no kids would go "daaaaaaaaaaaaddy" in an eerie way unless it's Halloween. I guess it's tough to expect kids to be good voice actors. I'd argue that it makes the story less believable and in some ways, I'm sure people figured out they were ghosts or dead. Which really spoils the story because you're there to rescue your "children" so to speak (where I clearly have none because I'm not a father).

This goes into a larger problem with the game actually, the objective in TDD compared to A Machine for Pigs. TDD was essentially to survive and the only way to really do that was to kill Alexander. In some ways we forget that we're not Daniel as we immerse ourselves into Daniel's position until the end when we figure out his past self was insane. I'd say rescuing children, isn't a bad objective, it's just that I'm reminded they're not just children, but my own children (which I don't have any). Saving children is quite a noble cause, the writing could have made do with them being missing orphanage children and Oswald Mandus being a donator to the orphanage instead because honestly, he lives in a pretty rich house anyways.

As for the technical issues, screen tearing and game stuttering FPS problems for me. The blue fog tint which I'm sure the fans agree is terrible should be removed for a better and darker experience. I know how to remove them and people are removing them, but it should have just been off right from the start. And for those that say turn down the gamma, I already did and the blue still sticks out and rather makes the game less scary, it's really something that shouldn't have been added into the game.

My final thoughts are that this game could have been even better than what it is now. I'd love to see a modified version of A Machine for Pigs where there could have been a stamina bar and running out of stamina entirely would increase the monsters pursuing speed, where as walking required stealth abilities. With the TDD engine being updated, I'm sure some people could port the game and see how it runs with sanity effects and different AI.

[bluel0bster]

Yes. I've noticed the dramatically low scores do seem to correspond with the shortest play times. (3-4 hours)

It took me 3-4 hours and I give/gave it a 9.5/10. I feel like I explored everything as well, and pretty sure I got all the notes.

[JarrodTheBobo]

For everyone saying we rated the game low due to the fact that we either 1: finished the game to quick or 2: Didn't appreciate the story, well...

The story was very shallow, and you could tell what was going on from the beginning. It was obvious the children were dead. Even when the game made it BLATANTLY OBVIOUS, we still have Mandus dragging on the fact that he needs to save them. The impact of finding his dead children was non-existent. There was no despair, or any sort of sadness for me at least, when we found out their fate 100%.

Further more, Ah checked every room, and every nook and cranny, and found every note. Ah read each and every one, and the lack of voice acting in them is VERY lazy. The ENTIRE story (besides Mandus talking to himself) was told exclusively in the notes. The least they could have done was allow us the privilege of hearing the world behind the note.

Ah could not get immersed into this game at all. The lack of scares, the lackluster monsters, the removed hiding mechanics, the removed puzzle mechanics (no inventory means no complex puzzles (seriously, had no problems with solving any of these puzzles)), and the overall just dumbed down, and overly short experience has just left me incredibly disappointed. TDD has been one of my top favorite horror games that Ah've ever had the pleasure to play, and Ah've been waiting and waiting for AMFP to come out, because ah though it would be a huge immersive game, that would improve upon everything that made TDD good. What Ah got, however, was a huge disappointment that removed everything that made TDD amazing as it was.

Frictional, please don't work with The Chinese Room again. AMFP proves that all they can do is make pretentious walking simulators with no enjoyable, or redeeming aspects what so ever.

Once again, it's not because "I rushed through" or "I didn't appreciate the story". The story was just, very, very bad, and the game, just way too short. WAY too short, especially for the price tag of $20.

And like Ah said.

Ah'd like my money back.

[Arnold]

I am a big fan of the Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It was a great game, it had a good story, pacing, gameplay, atmosphere and probably the most important factor - immense horror. Together they combined in almost perfect narrative. I played it numerous times along with Justine and explored several custom stories.

Of course I was sold on the prospect of playing new Amnesia: a Machine for Pigs. It had a neat idea, concept art, trailer + the whole Victorian Dickensian horror speaking in favor of this game. So, I pre-ordered it, launched it and...

I was severely disappointed. I am not going to insult anyone, just explain why I did not like it.

*Spoilers ahead*

1. Story. Yes, many people stated that the story in this game is a highlight and that it is driving the AAMFP, but I disagree. Immediately from the start it is very straight-forward and obvious, almost brutally blatant about what's going on (re-using TDD amnesiac protagonist redeemer formula on top of that). At first I was curious, because I expected those clues to be some kind of red herrings on a way for major twist to happen like in TDD. But it never happened. Children were indeed dead, Oswald indeed went mad in Mexico, whole motivation was indeed to clean the world from human filth after he went mad and his children died, Oswald was indeed a saboteur who wanted to redeem himself. Those key points were revealed very early in the game, making it simply uninteresting.

2. Lack of horror. To put it simply, while game was undeniably creepy and scary at some points it failed to live up to expectations of TDD. Usually, I divide horror in 3 basic categories - suspense (fear of the unknown - creepy images, uncanny valley, music etc.), terror (physical fear of death - monster behind you) and mental horror (fear of suffering, extreme cruelty, atrocities etc.). Remember TDD. It had all three in a right combination and pacing. This time it was far from it.

I must admit, mansion part was a great success in building of the suspense. Hidden rooms, blood, creepy bathroom photos, notes... However, after you enter the factory itself it goes downhill. Like with the story, you are desperately awaiting for something grandiose only to experience nothing.

Horror atmosphere works only if it is reinforced, but it was not. Story revelations (haha Mandus is crazy, how about that?) destroyed fear of the unknown while pigmen (and gameplay) posed no physical threat. Atrocities had their effect: I am speaking about the most horryfying and tragic moment of the game - pigmen cells, but overall they were greatly downplayed as we never see what's done to humans, both meat and pigmen, only told in spades.

AAMFP had perfect moments to overcome listed shortcomings and redeem itself, finally releasing the suspense and showing us the grandiose we expected - I speak about the holding cells and conveyer meat line. Just show us what happens to people there - cages, orphans, hooks and so much more. Never happened.

3. Gameplay. Gameplay in Amnesia has always been a tool which helped story and horror to shine, forming great narrative, imersion and fun in general. However, bad gameplay as a bad tool, contributed a lot to the poor quality of both the story and horror and severely reduced any fun or immersion in AAMFP. This was talked to death, mainly in relation to physical terror (inventory, limited resources, strong enemies, fear of darkness, need to hide) which is absent from the game entirely, unmovable objects which ruin fun and immersion and so on.

4. No challenges, level design and pacing. I've read the developer's blog a lot of times and I understand his point about "games should not be too frustrating", but this time it went too far. "Puzzles" and accompanying instructions + no physical threats reduce this game to the linear visual novella which I hope is not what was intended from the beginning.

5. Other things. Just some minor, subjective and annoying problems:

- Again we have weapons on the shelf which protagonist never takes. I know that he should not take it, but it is more of immersion problem;

- Overuse of "my journal", especially on the ladders where articles can't be read;

- "Daddy, daddy, papa, daddyyyyy";

- Plotholes in general, too many to list, but here is one for example - electric pig. Why it exists and where does it come from? I remember same developer blog to criticize random enemies from Bioshock Infinite which have no connection to the story;

- Lantern always blips when enemy is nearby;

- Locked doors everywhere, no exploration;

- Shortness;

- Moment with children taking their hearts out of a sudden was so random and awkward that it made me laugh. Maybe animations are at fault, I don't know.

Like I said in my personal review, some pages behind, this is an elitist game that just some are able to grasp.

This is the most ignorant statement in the whole thread.

[MonoxideDGK]

After playing for quite some time now I am beginning to turn my original 'negative' thoughts of AMFP around into something positive. I have grasped the fact that indeed it is a different game although set in the same 'universe'. Once I made the adjustment and come to the realization that it is NOT TDD, I find myself enjoying myself slowly pacing through the world. Instead of going through the rest of the game with a chip on my shoulder about what is not in the game, I am finding myself enjoying what has been put in front of me and grasping the developers vision for a more story based and atmospheric game...

In saying that I am still very disappointed that it is such a big change compared to the first Amnesia, as leading up to the build up and release of AMFP I started playing through alot more CS's and FCM's in preparation for AAMFP so I am still faced with a huge let down. Yes, the game could have been better and I still feel they left out some of the main things that made the original so great so I am, at the end of the day, upset and I feel they went about the marketing of this game very wrong.

Take away the Amnesia from the start of the title and go into it knowing it is a 'totally different game' and you will enjoy it. Going into the game with the expectations of the first in mind and chances are you will be disappointed because you will expect what you came to love from the first, and when you realize it is not there, it will leave a sour taste in your mouth, leaving you unsatisfied.

Keep an open mind people...

[SurvivalHorror]

Does anybody else feel the decision to choose pigs as a main theme and adversary in the game entirely baffling? They were digging their own grave with this choice IMO. I actually laughed at the pigs because of the awkwardness and randomness similar to what Arnold mentioned with respect to the children.

[Amnэsiac]

I found the game pretty average. As I like others think good writing and atmosphere was hampered by linear design, minimalistic interactivity and gameplay mechanics, which to me was killing the immersion. But I'm not disappointed I bought it.

[Lewk]

I haven't thought much to form a review yet, but I'll say this now:

The game wasn't very psychological in any way. The sound design and ambience was really quite fantastic, and that contributed to the general horror of the game, but I didn't consider any of it to being inside Mandus' head because I think that makes it scarier anyway. All the remembers seemed to have only relevance in telling a story, which was typically the purpose of them in TDD, but in AMFP it didn't seem like Mandus was remembering any of them authentically, rather a blatant display of the story inappropriately inserted.

I know I said didn't have much to say of it at the moment, but I might add to this depending on whether or not what I'm thinking will be said later on in the thread.

EDIT: Sorry, I did forget to take note of the fact that many of the noises clearly are inside Oswald's head and are indicative of some mental instability, for sure.