Amnesia: The Dark Descent (Game Review)

I've been meaning to introduce a couple of good Movies and give some movie reviews, but there's quite a few of them and they sorta.... piled on top of each other like a cheese burger and I don't know where to start. So in the mean while, I'll write a review about a Game I just played instead =)

So among those HORROR fans out there.... including fans of Ghost and Horror Movies, this is a must-try game that, in my own personal opinion, tops the charts of all-time horror games out there.

Introducing to everyone:

If YOU haven't played THIS, you haven't played **** of Horror Games.

You know, the best thing about Games are.... YOU're in control of your character's fate. Unlike watching movies where you could call the actor a 'wuss' or actress a 'pansy'... In games, you get to choose what you wanna do with your character other than running headlong into a wall because of fear and "konking" your lights out.

If you've played Resident Evil, Good~ If you've watched Ju-On, Even better~ If you loved F.E.A.R, Bravo~ You're ready for Amnesia~!!

Amnesia is my personal favourite First Person Shoot--..... No, First Person Explorer (you'll find out why soon).... game that I've played so far... Topping my experience with Doom 3, F.E.A.R, Resident Evil, and many more. Although in true honesty, Amnesia can't be compared side by side with these games because of one main thing. Amnesia is NOT an Action Shooter game.

Similar to F.E.A.R, this game gives you the Best of spine-chilling, neck-aching experience. But in F.E.A.R, you tend to realize that after playing an hour or so into the game, their scare tactics wear off, and fail to give you that bone-stretching jump out of your chair. Because the game soon turns into more guns blazing and laser targeted missiles flying rather than horror, and even if the horror were there, you just knew when it was coming.

Amnesia, on the other hand, is more of a puzzle solving, (although the puzzles aren't mostly hard, so you have to keep your eyes peeled to LOOK OUT for hidden levers, doors, and stuff, because it's really DARK.... and sometimes it's just hard to see), exploring, adventure game, where you're a guy whose lost his memory, who roams about this castle finding clues to what you should do.

However, Amnesia wins!! in terms of horror~!! Why? Throughout the whole course of the game, you have your ONE and ONLY best weapon~ Your Rusty and Trusty Oil Lamp~!!

Pardon the non-halal picture. Obviously the game designer hadn't considered that problem =)

Yes~!! instead of being able to shoot down the ever-so-horrific bogeyman roaming the corners of dark hallways, you are given no weapons to confront your worse horrors, hence First Person Explorer =.=" So the only alternative you have, is to RUN and HIDE in a dark corner, or cabinet, face the wall, and pray to God that your nightmare walks away without finding you...

I like it because it induces a real-life feeling where you're hopeless and helpless.... instead of being the all-time superhero who's invincible against the tens and thousands of zombie hordes that come rushing to you... In THIS game, survival is prime! So, HIDE~!!

But wait!! You can't hide too long in the dark!! Because poor Daniel (the character you play) is afraid of the dark!! And he'll start whimpering, and hearing non-existent sounds and footsteps and think he's going crazy if you keep on depriving him of his light source. He also goes insane if you keep staring at the monsters that are looking for him....

The Bogeyman... Don't LOOK at him~!! Because he's scary and drives you insane

During most of the game play... you'd best be prepared and on the edge, just waiting for something..... or nothing.... to happen =) Many times you slowly open doors and the room goes "RooAAAAAHHHH!!!" and you go "WAAAAaaaaaAAH!!!" sending you butt-first into your closest darkest closet, only to realize that it was just the wind....

The game actually works wonders in keeping you just Anticipating.... and anticipating.... while everything is dark and gloomy... keeping yourself poised. And each time, JUST when it looks bright and sunny and everything seems like it's gonna be safe, the game just HAS to spoil everything and make you paranoid of everything again ^^

Oh, and did I mention I love the physics of the game, where you can pick up objects and throw them around, and in places where you think it's too dark (like the picture above) you could find some unlit candles or light source lying around and lighting them with tinderboxes (matches, modern terms). BUT! Keep in mind that you only have oh-so-many tinderboxes that you can pick up.... so use them sparingly.... and don't light up every room you pass by like your mother-in-law is coming for the dinner banquet. Ah~ and did I say that, your Lamp has limited oil too??

Having said so much, I still think.... reading won't do much good in terms of introducing such a fabulous game to you guys. So here's a good youtube trailer of the game I found:

Here's the direct youtube link just in case some people can't see the embedded vid and are actually interested in seeing it... : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEHPwAvrc_U&

One of the best horror games of all times, seriously. Once again, I introduce to all of you: Amnesia - The Dark Descent.

p/s: To play this game properly, you'll need medium high end specs on your computer... but the best thing of all, the game is only 900MBs =) 10 times smaller than any of those ass-whooping games out there ^^