Atmosphere and setting: Penumbra and Amnesia

[OO Agent]

I just finished the game, and i would just like to say thank you and congratulations to Frictional for making another astounding and scary-as-hell experience.

I was curious to see what people thought in the change of setting. Penumbra is more modern in its setting, objects, and atmosphere. You have an infinite light source (glow stick) and flashlight. Less enemies, slightly brighter setting. Communicating with players with faceless voices over the radio, also with Clerence in Black Plague (who i liked, seems like not many did).

Whereas a game like Amnesia: castle, very limited light sources and oil, unknown sounds in the distance and nearby, footsteps, fleshy-growing tissue, frequent and sometimes random monster encounters. Your only means of communication with the player are through memories and flashbacks (both games have notes/journals). Also with the addition of the Sanity status, which obscures your vision.

Amnesia without a doubt takes the cake for most tense and suspenseful atmosphere of all time IMO. There is NO game that has ever frightened me so much or made hesitate to carry onward, and i've played quite a few horror games.

Would people like to see a future game more along the lines of Penumbras setting, with scares and atmosphere building similar to Amnesia and the inclusion of a type Sanity status? I would. I loved the setting of both Penumbra and Amnesia. But theres something I find almost nostalgic about Penumbra's setting.

So what's next for Frictional Games? Do you think they should stick to older, castle environments, or a more modern setting? Maybe even a game based on outdoor environments?

[grzywacz]

I don't really care for horror or specific setting per se, but I'd like to see a game with great immersion (something FG is really pro at) and lots of puzzles.

Actually, probably doable with fan-made extensions, I'd really love to play Yahtzee's Trillby series ported to Amnesia engine...

[CD Set]

That's kind of the dilemma I'm faced with when I compare Penumbra to Amnesia.

I really liked Penumbra's setting. The way you decend through the cave system, the blood-stained corridors of the Shelter... yet I can't say it was nearly as tense as Amnesia.

The thing with Amnesia is that it excels in atmosphere and tension, but at the same time I didn't like the setting as much (personal preference I guess, but a castle in the 19th century just isn't as appealing to me). So, some sort of combination between modern setting and gothic scariness would be ideal (albeit pretty difficult to implement, I think).

[Zanderat]

I think each game is stand alone. Both work great for the story being told. And please no Yahtzee puzzles......