forget the jumpscares - immersive atmosphere is this game's biggest strength. frictional rly mastered the balance between a game world that's terrifying yet intriguing - i constantly found myself dreading what was just around each corner of this crumbling gothic castle, but being compelled to venture forward into the darkness anyway. i find the way that, as daniel, u have to piece together yr own increasingly disturbing backstory through found documents and environmental context super unique and effective. from a narrative perspective, the amnesia concept rly works for me. and wow, i'm pleasantly surprised! amnesia: the dark descent has aged unexpectedly gracefully, despite what it's cheap-scare reputation would have u think. Instead, this uncompromising survival horror title has a lantern with limited oil and a whole lot of imagination.įor years i've kinda been writing off this game as a relic of the early let's play era but, of all things, a video essay actually got me interested in it again. Amnesia: The Dark Descent boldly leaves the shotguns and grenades behind. Since the release of, survival horror games have forgotten this. What makes horror stories resonate is the sense of vulnerability. To say the least, I haven't been the same ever since. When death came close, I would exit to the menu, take a deep breath and reassess if I could make it out alive. By the time danger is tangible, virtual death feels like actual death. Part of the game’s genius is its reluctance to put the player in dangerous situations in its beginning while keeping the horror relentless in its delivery and pacing. This simple mechanic makes some of the game’s greatest scares possible, such as fumbling for a door knob or quickly assembling boxes to make a hiding space when an enemy approaches. You can then carefully crack it open or slam it shut. For instance, a door can be grabbed with the click of a mouse. Unlike other games that let you open doors with the press of a button, Amensia lets you interact with every physical object by reaching out and touching it. As you travel down pitch-black hallways, you will wonder if lighting a candle is for strategic purposes (to see monsters) or for your own relief. This leads to the greater tug-of-war throughout the game: player comfort vs. As your sanity meter lowers, the game will find new ways to play audio and visual tricks on you that will make you question your own well-being. Darkness, as well as witnessing disturbing events, eats at your sanity. There is a constant struggle between light and darkness in the game. The game will often make you feel safe after a hellish encounter, only to increase the intensity a moment later. When you aren’t exploring rooms for clues that expand the story, you are hiding from a group of terribly unhandsome, disfigured people or solving elaborate puzzles. It’s in a broader sense of pacing that the game achieves its greatest scares. Of course, that’s the direction you must go. You enter a ballroom and a window breaks, unveiling a gust of wind. The path through (and below) the Gothic castle always feels propelled by strong storytelling and direction. The five person crew behind Amensia has a masterful sense of player agency and purpose. This wouldn’t be so bad if a living nightmare wasn’t following your every step. Now, you must venture into the heart of the castle to kill a man named Alexander. You have purposely erased your memory for reasons unknown. You awaken in an empty castle with a note written by yourself. Instead, this uncompromising survival horror title has a lantern with limited oil and a whole lot of imagination. Since the release of Resident Evil 5, survival horror games have forgotten this.
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