So, a few days ago I got the new sequel to Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
Now, I was very, very pleased with this game. The graphics were amazing, the story was morbid, suspensful and the overall gameplay itself was riveting and filled with that same kind of dreadful terror that Frictional Games has managed to conjure up in all of there games since the very first Penumbra game.
Now, a lot of people were displeased with this game, complaining that it wasn't as scary. I have to disagree with these people, for I think that AMFP wasn't focused on the horror like the first Amnesia was. Amnesia: The Dark Descent was the first installment in the Amnesia series, and Frictional Games had a good story line, but it focused a lot on the feeling of terror. I think AMFP was focused on the feeling of dread, suspense, just that overwhelming feeling of fear that lingers for a lot longer than sudden terror does.
The story line is about a man named Mandus who's returned from an expedition to Mexico, only to wake up in bed with a terrible fever, no memories or knowledge of how long he's been out. He does find that his children are gone, and something's not quite right. Feverishly beckoned by the voices of his children, he sets out on a quest to find them. A mysterious voice over the phone frequently contacts him, warning of a saboteur who's been busy destroying the machine that Mandus had built.
Now, later during the game we come to realize that Mandus himself was the saboteur all along, trying to undo the mistakes he had done. It turns out that he had seen the future of the coming century (1900) and had sacrificed his children to save them from the coming wrath.
I won't reveal too much about the machine, since it's just a little too much to just ramble on and on about, but I did find some /very/ interesting connections to the first game. Mandus created the machine using two of the orbs that had previously ruined Daniel's life from the previous game. But there's no shadow in this game, no, instead the monster that has created the entire destruction is Mandus himself.
Also, Brennenburg is noted once or twice in a letter, and they mention Mandus's uncle's experiments with vitae, hinting that Alexander might have been his uncle, or something along the lines. They also mention something along the lines of an "egg" which makes me think about the orb as well.
The gaming company TheChineseRoom collaborated with FG on this game, and I don't think a better match could have been made in heaven.
Dear Esther by thechineseroom had captivating graphics, riveting voice acting and gorgeous music. All of that returned in AMFP, with Jessica Curry as the writer of the soundtrack.
In the first game, the soundtrack had been composed by Mikko Tarmia, but I don't think I could ever choose between the two on who did a better job. Then again, it's a little more difficult to compare the two of these games.
The Dark Descent had some morbidity in it as we saw with Daniel's ritual of "Paint the man, cut the lines." but AMFP totally ups the level, involving massive dosages of morbidity throughout the entire game. From the brutal descriptions that we see in the notes to the scenery itself, AMFP certainly has gotten a handle on macabre.
The entire game had a very occultish feel to it, which I think introduced a different sort of horror that is barely scene in games these days, if not at all. (Especially in the church level where it was explained where whole congregations were kidnapped to feed the machine.)
However, there is one thing that I want to touch on AMFP. The monsters. From what I gathered, there were 4 in total (types). There was the Wretch, the most commonly seen one throughout the game. A grotesque, piggish creature, it's appearance wasn't as intimidating as the previous games mosnters, but the noises it made certainly made up for it. You knew you were in trouble once you heard a piercing squeal ring out from behind you. There was a larger version of the Wretch, and then there was a sort of mutated electricity beast which only appeared twice. We even saw the kaernk again, but this time with only very limited interaction (except for when the catwalk on one of the levels breaks and you are chased by it.) I thought the monsters were a little lacking, but in their own way, absolutely perfect for the game. But the wretches, somehow, I felt the game let us get a deeper connection with them. In The Dark Descent we knew our monsters origins, but that was it. In AMFP, we see their behaviours, how eerily human they are, yet how twisted they are at the same time.
Another thing I've heard people complaining about was the lack of character appearances. In The Dark Descent, we get a good feel for our character's appearances (official art of Daniel having been released as well as pictures of Alexander lining the halls of Brennenburg.) However, this all changes in Machine for Pigs, where the appearances of all characters are kept to extreme minimums. (However we do see Mandus's children a few times, even though they're a bit.. unrecognizable.)
The entire game, if I were to rate it, I would give it a 4.5. It's something I'll definitely be re-playing in the future, and I'd highly recommend purchasing it if you're looking for a new experience in the horror genre.
I know all I've been doing is writing reviews of things lately and rambling on and on, but to be honest there's just not really a lot happening in terms of life. Except for a few things.
Besides getting my finger bitten by a strange teapot, I've been dreadfully idle. School has taken a grip on me and is dragging me down into it's murky depths. No time for much of anything anymore, but I have still found time to draw thankfully.
Drawing however has seem a little unsatisfying lately- I feel as though all of my characters are boring, too mainstream or just.. Shallow in general. I always have a clear vision of what I want to draw, how it will be drawn, etc. But I can never find a character to incorporate in that drawing.
So I've decided on a mass clean-out of all of my OC'S, removing the old and bringing in the new! 'v' However, there are some old ones that will still be staying. (Quinn, Nuntior, Tora, Octavius, etc.) Some of them are actually recent.. I suppose.
I've found myself of instead of being productive, just rotting away and watching evangelion.. then re-watching evangelion.. Then double re-watching evangelion.. then crying away my life. So, you know, the usual thing. i'm impatient for 4.0 to come out (2015.. come soon..)
But my entire year has not been uneventful. That's right, I got out of my little cave and saw the world. I went to seattle to visit a friend there who lives on Bainbridge. We went to a ton of places, and met up with some of her friends. It was quite the trip to remember.
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