Zero Punctuation: Amnesia: The Dark Descent

[Illessa]

Of course, perhaps it's the sadistic PnP GM in me, but when I run horror RPGs as my players find out just because you have weapons does not mean they are going to be effective. I've sort of been waiting to see if some game designer was going to ever develop a game with a combat engine, but where none of the weapons were effective, just for lulz to address this issue ("OMG! What do you mean LAW Rockets just bounce off" - quote from Knights Of The Dinner Table).

To be fair Amnesia kind of does this. There's nothing stopping you from using the clicky-draggy physics to throw rocks at enemies or grab a hammer and wail on them penumbra-style, it's just a futile effort that will get you instantly killed, hence the game doesn't bother to suggest it.

And FWIW you start out in a derelict castle in the arse-end of nowhere, mid-19th century Prussia with no possessions.

I must admit I was surprised I've enjoyed this so much in some ways. I'll join you in detesting the chase in Dark Corners of the Earth (god that pissed me off so badly, though I found the investigation beforehand relatively fun - very evocative of the books and PnP game), and I generally have little patence for stealth games. But being mind-numbingly terrified of moving on kind of counteracts my impatience, monsters don't come in hordes, so dying that many times is unlikely unless you get stuck on the water monster or something, and the game doesn't make DCotE's terrible mistake of demanding you follow the optimum route, blocking the way behind you at every opportunity (despite not knowing where those opportunities are), and execute it near-perfectly in order to succeed, so you can actually be somewhat inventive and tactical in your evasion.

 

[Nequilius]

Finished it... but didn't find it scary at all. The only thing that startled me was the scene Yahtzee mentioned. I mean, you see all the monsters a mile away.

 

[Therumancer]

Hmmm, well to be entirely honest I am not too fond of survival horror games without a decent combat mechanic.

Cool, well then you should be happy that you have every other survival horror game ever made. For those of us that want to try something different however, there's this game.

Sort of true.

Though I will point out that adding combat is actually the aspect that defined survival horror, along with hording the resources for it and picking your battles carefully.

I guess what sort of bugs me about this innovation is that it's a step backwards, there are tons of "Adventure Games" that used a similar mentality, this includes the real time elements of monsters moving around in differant locations and having to avoid them and so on. Sierra produced a few of these if I recall, not to mention tons of other companies during the whole golden age of adventure games.

Yahtzee enjoys Adventure games though, so I'm not surprised he liked this a lot. As far as I go, I've enjoyed a lot of them, but my overall opinion is mixed.

If my comments seemed fairly negative, I guess a lot of it comes down to feeling that with the mainstream coming into gaming, that the industry is actually regressing. We've seen a return of interactive movies ("Heavy Rain", which is similar to things like "The Daedalus Encounter", "Gadget", and other similar products of yesteryear), and of course games like this which despite the new technology seem like something someone would have made 15 years ago.

Retro doesn't bother me really, I after all defend turn based RPGs and such, however I guess I find this alarming for the simple reason that I'm concerned it represents a trend.

Consider that the Silent Hill remake used a similar idea, removing the combat elements from the game. While this makes a game more approchable to casuals (I am not sure if I believe it had anything to do with immersion for reasons I mentioned about realistic reactions), I don't think it nessicarly makes it a better game overall.

Perhaps we will see a compromise like the original "Alone In The Dark" where you could say trick a group of Cannibals, or walk in with a shotgun and kill them all if so inclined.

 

[xdiesp]

4 days until the destruction of Halo: Reach.

 

[SatanicAngel]

I simply wanted to say that your Amnesia Dark Descent review was good! Inspiring words from a twat. Funny but you did actually point out it's a decent game I was worried you were just going to bash it in which case I'd be one of those annoying Mario Fanboys. Any ways nice not talking to you. Bye.

 

[rddj623]

Sounds pretty fun, I think I'll have to check it out at some point when I have funding again.

 

[Porecomesis]

I'm stick of horror elements overall. Not horror games, mind you- I'm perfectly fine with 'Silent Hill 2' and 'Amnesia: The Dark Descent' being here- just as a shoved-in thing.

Mainly, I'm sick of horror elements in FPSes. I just want to have fun blowing things up, so why do FPSes feel it necessary to shove horror down our throats? This wouldn't be such a problem if it didn't apply to almost every FPS that has a fantastical setting, like 'Gears of War', 'Painkiller' and even 'Metroid Prime' at times.

Nice review. I do agree with atmospheric imagination-provoking horror being the best. Sadly, we're not going to get it in this competitive day and age, where producers don't want to make anything that's too easy to make, as you noted with your Extra Punctuation article 'Space, Flying and Space Flying'. Just because I don't like horror at all, doesn't mean I don't know what makes good horror.

Consider that the Silent Hill remake used a similar idea, removing the combat elements from the game. While this makes a game more approchable to casuals (I am not sure if I believe it had anything to do with immersion for reasons I mentioned about realistic reactions), I don't think it nessicarly makes it a better game overall.

Survival horror isn't centered around combat, although it's by not entirely discouraged; it's purely about survival by any means possible. The combat in 'Silent Hill 2' was crappy as hell, but desperately mashing the X Button to get the most powerful attack with your stick really got across the feeling of desperation and weakness that survival horror is meant to be known for. Getting rid of combat entirely just heightens the feeling of weakness and desperation.

 

[Belbe]

Hmm a game that scares Yahtzee...guess I better keep right away from that one lol.

 

[SextusMaximus]

LOVED this review. Really getting back into what I believe is your good old sense of humour!

Completely agree with you on this, and I laughed out loud at a number of points - something I have done with this series for a while.

Really well done! Looking forward to more

 

[Russian_Assassin]

"OH PISS AND BLIMEY THERE'S JAM COMING OUT OF THE WALLS!"

Probably his best quote this year xD

 

[oli704]

instead of letting him chase you around, try taking a chair and do some closequater combat, or atleast throw it at him

 

[mik1]

Can we please get the Slim Jim ads removed from this website.

 

[Coloneljesus]

Hmmm....I usually don't play horrorgames, but this one really got my attention. Is it a good idea to play it? I don't know. The only horrorgame I played was F.E.A.R.2 (it wasnt scary at all).
Hmmm...first I think I finish Nightmare House 2 and probably get Condemned, before I play this and probably die because of an heartattack.

I also played FEAR 2 myself. It's partially creepy (yes, creepy. not scary.) but mostly it's just a shooter.
Amnesia is, i think, a whole different game. You don't kill stuff and the fear and atmo is built up very differently.

 

[Vohn_exel]

Haha, that was great And stop making me want to buy games, I'm still working on Minecraft!

 

[Typhron]

Can we please get the Slim Jim ads removed from this website.

As soon as nerds start paying up more. >:| *cane wave*

 

[ethaninja]

Oh Yahtzee, you're so right about the three horror types

 

[Mrheadshotheory]

cause half of the time they shovel all this hype into these half done games and expected you to think it the best thing ever

 

[Mrheadshotheory]

That was the best line of the year also the another one whereb you come from im srry for messin up your chairs