I must be crazy, but the prison didn't scare me *that* much

**blackakari** · 01-19-2011, 03:57 AM

I think the prison has gotten too much hype for its own good. While I do agree that the prison was a scary experience, it was nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. And YES I DID play as recommended, gamma correct, lights off, and headphones on.
Reasons:
*It was too short. I did both blocks within 30 minutes, with really rushing through it, but I did move at a faster pace. I did explore most of the area (found all 3 journals) but once I found the exit I said screw it and left.
*Never really felt lost- Frictional could have used the darkness of the prison to add to the scare factor, but it was kind of ruined with pre-lit torches, and cracks in the ceiling. I didn't feel like I was suffocating in the blackness, it felt like a normal level.
*Monsters: never really gave me that HOLY **** feeling they were supposed to. I only encountered three the whole level, and only one scared me, the other two I never saw because of the music warning me. And that thing they threw in at the end doesn't even count as a monster, it wasn't even close to scary.

That being said, it was still a very scary area and was really tense and suspenseful. The storage room remains the scariest area so far for me, however. That one door will haunt me for the rest of my life Undecided

Now I'll try not to poop my pants in the cistern.

**Spooder Wekd** · 01-19-2011, 04:05 AM

well good for you Mr.BrassBalls...

**blackakari** · 01-19-2011, 04:07 AM

(01-19-2011, 04:05 AM)Spooder Wekd Wrote: well good for you Mr.BrassBalls...

Oh noooooooooo
This game has scared me ****less. I really am a coward. I'm just saying it wasn't the scariest part for me so far.

**xiphirx** · 01-19-2011, 04:54 AM

I sort of feel the same way... I watched a few LP's of people in the prison and they seemed to take forever... When I played through it, I finished it in about 40 minutes. I think Frictional should have guarded the key items a bit more, or hid them perhaps.

**Xss** · 01-19-2011, 05:58 AM

I kinda feel the same way: while Amnesia was probably one of the scariest games I've ever played, I didn't get that scared, but in my case it's simply because I no longer can immerse myself at 100% in a game (which is a shame, I probably ruined half of the game myself while playing it). As for the prison, I already started picking up the mechanics of the game (aka "a monster will appear everytime you complete an objective), so I was able to prepare myself in advance. Ie in the kitchen, one of the first things I did was to build myself a little hiding spot, in case a monster would appear...Which finally happened...And since the monsters don't search very well rooms, nothing happened to me. Not that I had a couple of shivers, and I admit it was probably the scariest level of the whole game.

**ving** · 01-19-2011, 06:45 AM

(01-19-2011, 04:54 AM)xiphirx Wrote: I think Frictional should have guarded the key items a bit more, or hid them perhaps.

as i said in another thread, if those important items didnt glow it would make it that much harded... also a few decoy item would be good too.

as for the prisions, well i found that just a scarey as the storage rooms... or rather the storage was a single burst where i just froze to the spot and couldnt push any keys, but the prision was less severe but more prolonged... it actually took me a while to blunder my way around the prision section. Smile

**mattwestwick** · 01-19-2011, 07:47 PM

The idea behind this level is that if you get lost and disorientated that's when you panic.

However if you know where you or going or luckily go the right way then it's not bad.
It's in the commentary that the layout is actually quite simple and that the low light levels and lack of landmarks are supposed to confuse the player.

**Xss** · 01-19-2011, 10:58 PM

Complete off-topic: hoooly cow! The audio commentaries on Amnesia, I completely forgot about it: I'll have to check them out! Smile

**Spooder Wekd** · 01-20-2011, 02:15 AM

(01-19-2011, 04:07 AM)blackakari Wrote:
(01-19-2011, 04:05 AM)Spooder Wekd Wrote: well good for you Mr.BrassBalls...

Oh noooooooooo
This game has scared me ****less. I really am a coward. I'm just saying it wasn't the scariest part for me so far.

I was just messin wit ya pal

**Sel** · 01-20-2011, 02:54 AM

The great thing about the mansion/castle/cistern/church is that there's nothing inherently scary about them, they're just eerie thanks to the ambient noises, lighting, etc. This effect is great, and the prison loses it because the horror produced from a prison is more or less expected.

This is worded absolutely fucking terribly, but I figure I'm making my point fairly clear?