<PC GAME> Amnesia

[Stark]

Not sure how long ago this came out, but I just noticed.

The guys who made Penumbra - not just the scariest game ever made, the ONLY scary game ever made - Frictional Games, apparently used their profit from the Penumbra series to make a much more polished game called Amnesia.

In this game instead of hunting your father's ghost through a tale of Lovecraftian horror, you are instead a man who erases his own memory and leaves himself a note to kill someone. Set in a German castle, it's got all the effective atmosphere of Penumbra but is even more ambitious.

In Amnesia, there is still no HUD and you are still unarmed. You have a lantern (the game appears to be set in the late 19th century) that requires fuel and you have matches to light candles etc around the castle. You'll need this, because like in Penumbra your guy freaks out when he looks at scary stuff... but now he freaks out in the dark too. Light is valuable, but so is stealth, and so the interplay of juggling risk and safety is much more comlpex than in Penumbra - it is literally impossible to be safe, because you're either hiding in the dark freaking out or standing in the light exposed.

The game literally tells you 'do not play to win' when you start it. It's much more attractive and seems more open than Penumbra, and has the same successful atmosphere. There's a free demo, and the full game only costs $20. Definately recommended.

[CaptHawkeye]

I played the demo and was impressed. The last time a game had me running like a little school girl from a big bad chasing me down the hallway was STALKER. No guns, the game wants to play a character who for once is not a super soldier. I appreciate the design decisions in the game. Though it's too bad the game is linear by nature. I suppose that was necessary for narrative but I think i'd like it more if Creep Castle was an open enviornment. But that's just my taste.

Still, their seems like every reason to get this game. The atmosphere is crazy and the puzzle stuff is well designed. For $20 dollars why not?

[Stark]

While still linear, the full version is a lot larger and more open; the demo is a custom squished part from the start of the game.

I can only hope these guys just churn out more spooky shit, because this is awesome.

[weemadando]

I'll have to go back and try and finish the Penumbra games at some point. But this might take my attention for the moment.

[Stark]

It really benefits from being the same sort of thing, with new ideas, and much more polished. I really didn't find Black Plague that great, and the third Penumbra game was just a bunch of lame puzzles. Amnesia is definately the way to go.

Of course it costs more than 1c, unlike Penumbra Overture.

[weemadando]

I just liked the Penumbra games for the whole: "Oh fucking shit me, what the fuck is that... I'm hiding, but it's getting really close now... It's going to fucking kill me isn't it? Should I try and fight? . . . OAAAHAAHAAAAAAAARGHHHG-guuurgle-AAARRGH! Shouldn't have tried to fight!"

[K. A. Pital]

I've translated "Amnesia" for the Russian localization, so this kinda killed the story for me. Still, the game is fairly impressive. Of course, graphics are a little lacking, and so are some of the puzzles.

[Zixinus]

I actually wanted to buy the game but purchased VVVVVV instead. Still regret it. Still considering buying it anyway.

I was impressed by the demo. They did manage to make the game pretty damn scary and increased tension by adding what is essentially another health bar (sanity bar).

Aside trying out new idea (the water monster in the demo) I also like the fact that this is one of the games where the physics engine is actually relevant rather than just another form of special effects.

I've translated "Amnesia" for the Russian localization, so this kinda killed the story for me. Still, the game is fairly impressive. Of course, graphics are a little lacking, and so are some of the puzzles.

Really? That's awesome. How did you get the job?

[K. A. Pital]

That's awesome. How did you get the job?

I work in professional translation for a long time, but last year I've got a recommendation from a friend to a major company and so I've got to work on major titles.

[Darmalus]

I only just started, but I never noticed how much just not having a weapon ramps up the paranoia factor, but then the last game I played where I didn't have a weapon was Myst.

[Zixinus]

Brought the game... and already finished it.

I guess I didn't play enough to immerse, but rather to "win".

After a while I have become annoyed with the stealth mechanics. I'm more bothered than scared by the brutes (gatherers?). I wish I could just chuck a torch a them and see whether they burn. It actually gets strange after a while that Danial is unable to pick up torches and candles, or make use of the many sharp implements he can find later on.

[Oskuro]

Interesting. Didn't know Amnesia was out already, gotta check it out.

I hope these games get more widespread attention. Whenever I'm watching some online review about a wannabe scary game and how the reviewer rants about how there are no truly scary games out there, I just want to reach through the monitor and slap the guy silly with my Penumbra box.

I also need to hijack my friend's 3D monitor and try these games in a dark room while standing close to the screen. They might be the first First Person games to ever justify the 3d gimmick, as it tends to be horrible for shooters.

[Stark]

Yeah, I bought the game at least as much to support this sort of thing than to play it. It's sad that shit indy games sell for $60 and good ones sell for $20.

[Singular Intellect]

Yeah, I bought the game at least as much to support this sort of thing than to play it. It's sad that shit indy games sell for $60 and good ones sell for $20.

Why are you complaining that shit games cost a lot and good ones don't? Is there a particular reason you're motivated to buy shit games?

[Stark]

What the fuck are you talking about? Shit indy games setting the 'price bar' high just hurts the industry (like charging $60 for Dominions 3), whereas sensibly priced b-grade games have a powerful niche - indeed even z-grade games sell if you price them low enough. Frictional Games would take a decade to make a AAA-grade game with AAA levels of content, so I'm glad they didn't and just made the game cheap.

Sorry I can think about things other than my own benefit.

[Singular Intellect]

What the fuck are you talking about?

You said it's sad that shitty games cost a lot, and good ones don't. Unless you want to buy shit games, it's a win win situation for you.

Shit indy games setting the 'price bar' high just hurts the industry (like charging $60 for Dominions 3), whereas sensibly priced b-grade games have a powerful niche - indeed even z-grade games sell if you price them low enough. Frictional Games would take a decade to make a AAA-grade game with AAA levels of content, so I'm glad they didn't and just made the game cheap.

Sorry I can think about things other than my own benefit.

Computer games are purely luxury purchases; I fail to see why you'd care about price unless it actually does benefit you.

[Stark]

You're a fucking moron. Indy developers over-pricing games means they make less money, which mean there are less interesting games made. I just explained this, but you're too stupid/self-obsessed to bother reading.

This ain't advanced stuff. I guess I'm just not a massively selfish cockface who can look more than one step ahead?

[Singular Intellect]

You're a fucking moron. Indy developers over-pricing games means they make less money,

Why should anyone care about their profits other than themselves?

which mean there are less interesting games made. I just explained this, but you're too stupid/self-obsessed to bother reading.

See above.

This ain't advanced stuff. I guess I'm just not a massively selfish cockface who can look more than one step ahead?

'Less interesting games made' sounds very much like self interest to me. Seriously, who gives a shit what price any particular luxury item is? It's a luxury, if you think it's overpriced, too fucking bad. You can live just fine without it.

[Stark]

Oh man, did you REALLY come into this thread to bang on about 'luxury' because someone is voting with their wallet to support sensibly-priced, timely and well-run indy games?

WAH IT'S WRONG TO TALK ABOUT OVERPRICING

[Singular Intellect]

Oh man, did you REALLY come into this thread to bang on about 'luxury' because someone is voting with their wallet to support sensibly-priced, timely and well-run indy games?

WAH IT'S WRONG TO TALK ABOUT OVERPRICING

No, I just think it's pretty pathetic to whine about the price of computer games when the price of computer games will always to be driven to the amounts people continue to be willing to pay for them as a luxury item.

You want to bargain with your purchasing power, all the more power to you. Just don't whine about how they're 'overpriced' when luxury items can be priced to whatever the fuck the seller wants.

On topic, I did just buy this game, having played the demo and quite enjoyed it. I look forward to getting further into the game at this point.

[Oskuro]

I think the problem Stark is complaining about is how price setting tendencies can affect the market even when buyers don't respond accordingly. Take a look at the major sulk publishers are having about second-hand games, this behaviour should tell them that consumers are not willing to pay their prices, yet publishers cover their ears and simply try to sabotage the alternatives instead of lowering their price tags.

As for indie games, I get the feeling that some indie developers, or the publishers they might hook up with, kind of hope to be on the same league as the big developers, and set similar prices out of a sense of inertia, despite buyers not responding, since an expensive price tag makes the game look important, while a cheaper price tag registers as "crappy game" for some audiences.

But, these are just feelings, maybe the analysts behind these decisions have crunched their numbers and it pays to overprice certain games.

[Stark]

The obvious counter to the 'profile' pricing argument is of course the explosion of shit/casual games (where it's now one of the biggest sectors in all gaming). People are far more likely to buy a few low-priced games - even if they're shit - than they are to buy one or more full-price games. People are even more likely to spend money on 'microtransactions' than they are to buy a game, as you can see by the proliferation and profit of 'free to play' games that charge for premium content.

If Amnesia cost $60, it'd be a piece of shit. At $20, its an instant classic. But blah blah luxury blah blah etc.

Good thing there's no entire branch of economics that examines pricing issues I guess; Singular Intellect better go tell them to stop.

[Vympel]

I just watched the preview for this game, that was scary enough as it is. I don't know if I want to pay to have the shit scared out of me, even if it is a good game ... can't decide.

[SilverWingedSeraph]

Holy shit. Oh fuck. Goddamn.

I'm playing this alone, in my room, in the dark, and I'm freaking out. The last time a game scared me so much was when I was 14 or 15 and playing Silent Hill 2 in the middle of the night. The lack of weapons, the atmosphere, the sounds... it's all so fucking spooky. I'm loving it, and yet at the same time I need to take a break every half an hour to catch my breath and calm down a little. It's very immersive, and very creepy.

[Zixinus]

Yeah, the game relies very heavily on atmosphere-building. Too bad that there isn't a lot of variety in the forms of enemies.

In fact, I would wish there were a few more monsters and the ones existing would be more capable. For example, a monster that would chase you but is temporarily repelled by light might be fun (especially while there are other monsters in the area that are not repelled by light). Bringing back the zombie dogs could be fun, especially if you make them rely on another mechanic than just not being seen to avoid them.

The current monsters mostly rely on stumbling into the player and hitting the player to death before the player runs away. Otherwise, they're little treat, especially if you look away (as you drop in sanity as you look at them and that makes you brake out in sweat that in turn makes the monsters easier to find you) or simply not be on the same level as the monster.
There were many times where I wished I could just throw a fucking torch at the damn thing and see whether it could burn. Or push a crate on its head and see whether it likes that.

That, and more precise indication of sanity levels.