Just... wow

[Cyclometh]

I'd barely heard of Frictional Games before two days ago. I like horror games, but most (all) so-called "survival horror" games are really just an FPS with a lot of monsters bashing in doors and bad inventory management. I've always craved that rare game that can freak you out. I've been seeking that kind of gameplay since, hell- anyone remember The Seventh Guest? I'm an old-school horror fan. I like the Cthulhu Mythos enough that I produced a live version of The King In Yellow. I've never seen a video game that could even remotely approach the hallmarks of true Lovecraftian horror - helplessness and sheer terror in the face of absolute impossibility.

So I see Amnesia on Steam and think "what the hell, it's only 20 bucks" and snag a copy of it after reading the reviews, especially the bits that tease me with its Lovecraftian overtones, which is my absolute favorite horror genre. I figure it should be fun, maybe even a little freaky if done right.

Done right? You could say that.

I just shut down the game a bit ago, and my hands were shaking and there was a sheen of sweat on my forehead. I've never had a more terrifying experience in a video game. I knew I was hooked the first time I heard the noise in the next room and hid in the closet- I realized I was shaking in real life, I was so immersed in the story and the gameplay. I found myself thinking "So that's what it'd be like to meet up with a Shoggoth."

I had to laugh at myself- I'm a forty year old man quaking in my boots, my hands shaking- over a VIDEO GAME. Unbelievable, and the team behind this game should be incredibly proud of what they've created. I have no idea how much longer the story goes, and I don't even care. I've gotten well more than the twenty dollars I spent on it, and I can't wait to see what you folks come up with next.