Fatal Frame 2: The Crimson Butterfly did an excellent job at making me sit on the edge of my seat. This is a game that combined a greatly disturbing story and scary moments into a game that will be burned in my mind for quite some time. There was one problem with the game. It was that enemy encounters weren't as scary as I had hoped they'd be. There was plenty of "ammo" (film) for your weapon (camera) lying around, and I never felt as though I couldn't fight my way past all the enemies when I came across them.....
Then there's Amnesia.
Amnesia delivers...This is a game that defines survival horror. There are no weapons. No way to fight. Yet there are enemies. Think about that for a moment. You know those moments where you'd find a hungry creature at the worst time in some games, when your only option is to run? How tense was it?
Imagine this...Armed with only a lantern, you're wandering around a castle, searching for someone, when you spot an enemy. Quickly you put away your torch, but it's too late, he's spotted you. He charges. Now you're running, as fast as you can, looking for somewhere to hide. You hear the creatures footsteps behind you getting louder and louder as you run. You hear your own heart pounding in your chest. You run from light to shadow, shadow to light, blinded by the shift in brightness...
You find a cupboard in a room to the side, quickly open it, dive in and slam the door shut.... Then you wait. In the darkness, waiting, you hear the creature zone in. You can hear its breathing. You wonder if it will think to check your hiding spot, you pray it doesn't. Then nothing. No sound at all, just darkness.
This is Amnesia. I have yet to finish this game. On occasion I get to a point where I have to turn it off and get back into reality. Now for the review.
Gameplay
Stellar. Simply put, many many other games should take a cue from this game. To open a door you click with left mouse button, and pull it back, as you would for a regular door. This has a two pronged affect. It makes you feel more like you're in the game and it allows you to open the door just a crack, to see if something is in there that you don't want seeing you. No longer is there just a "Push to open" button. This provides another level of danger as well...what if you're running from something, and all the doors are "Pull to open"...that adds another sense of urgency. Flipping switches, turning handles, opening drawers, cupboards, etc. All able to be done at your own speed you choose based on your mouse movements.
Leaning in games has never been more necessary than in Amnesia. Peeking around a corner adds to the sense of fear, you want to stay hidden, but know what's around there.
Gameplay gets a 9
Story
I won't give too much away, but your name is Daniel. Daniel wakes up in a castle with Amnesia, but finds a note he had written to himself. You find out that you gave yourself amnesia with a potion, and you must kill a man in the castle. That's all I'm giving you. There are two story lines going on at once, one you experience and one that you read about in journal entries, diary pages, etc.
So far the story seems pretty solid, but I've yet to play through the whole game yet. Giving it an 8.5 for now.
Graphics
The lighting in the game is pulled off very well. The physics of objects and such feel very realistic. One complaint however, is that the game is lacking in good texture resolution. At times, mild pixelation of textures takes away from the atmosphere. Other than that though, very good.
Graphics 8.5
Story: 8.5
Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 8.5
Total Score:
So what're you waiting for? Go get it...or are you too scared?
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