Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is an intensely scary first-person game.

Players take on the role of Daniel, who wakes up in a dark castle with no memory of his past. The aim of the game is to explore the castle, solve challenging logic puzzles and avoid monsters in order to discover what events led to Daniel waking up this frightening environment.

What makes this game so terrifying is the fact that players are constantly stalked by monsters but are unable to defend themselves against attacks. The only option available is to run and hide. This creates an awesome sense of helplessness and panic and invokes fear like no other game has achieved before. Finding a hiding place, barricading doors with obstacles or simply cowering in the shadows are all ways in which players can avoid attacks from these menacing enemies. However, the monsters can easily break down barricades and hiding in the shadows also comes with a significant risk. Being in the dark for too long will reduce Daniel’s sanity and cause him to experience seriously unnerving hallucinations. This certainly adds to the fear factor. Light restores sanity but resources are very limited and light alerts monsters to Daniel’s whereabouts. Sanity is also restored once a puzzle or task has been completed.

Another great aspect of Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the fascinating storyline. From the start, players know very little about Daniel’s past. However, as the game progresses he will find various notes and journal entries and have sudden flashbacks that will help to unravel the mystery. Eventually, players will uncover the horrifying truth of Daniel’s backstory.

The graphics of this game are outstanding and very atmospheric. The images of blood and gore are truly disturbing, making this game unsuitable for children. The sound effects are also very impressive and really add to the tension of the game. From the scratches, footsteps, moans and screams that can be heard whilst exploring the passageways, kitchens, sewers and torture chambers of the castle to the eerie audio cues that kick in when danger approaches, the sound effects are second to none.

Pros

• Excellent storyline
• Terrifying gameplay
• Impressive graphics and sound effects

Cons

• Not suitable for children