AMFP Member Review Thread

[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.