Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Most average day in Prussia.
But in all seriousness: Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a great game, and even after a whole decade after it`s release, still is a terrifying and beautiful experience nontheless. I highly recommend to play it.

Amnesia is a great horror game because it doesn't overstay it's welcome and is quite short which prevents the game from becoming less scary. This game is great at building up tension and then having horrifying moments. The game has many dark moments which might be too gruesome for some. It's also not frustratingly difficult and it doesn't require a guide most of the time. There were only a few moments where I needed a guide because of some puzzles that are not clear or objects that I missed. The puzzles are also very enjoyable. Overall I give this game a 7.5/10 because it doesn't have lots of interesting gameplay and I am also not a huge fan of horror games, but it has good moments of tension and it has great atmosphere which I love.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent was a great horror experience. I loved the atmosphere of the game. Something about the castle setting just adds to the uneasy feeling you get playing this game. My only issues is that sometimes the puzzles felt a little vague in terms of what you're supposed to do but, to be fair I'm not the smartest person. All in all a good game.

Played 15 years after release I can't say I haven't enjoyed it but after the first half it overstayed its welcome, even being a short game.
The horror side dissolves quickly in a puddle of uninteresting puzzles, tedious rooms and backtracking (in a game where visibility and movement are limited) and the story lacks its final punch, the plot very predictable and the endings lackluster.
Overall, though, it's a playable and somewhat enjoyable game, maybe overhyped by streamers at the time, but the rough edges are more than evident.

Let me start by telling you that I got actual shivers down my spine while playing this game; it's that scary. And no, I'm not being hyperbolic or exaggerating in any way, this happened multiple times throughout my playthrough.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent starts a new story line in the Frictional Games catalogue. This time the player is taken back to the 19th century to my favourite country ever: Prussia. Whilst you can't wear a spiky helmet or grow a flamboyant moustache, you do get your own oil lamp to navigate the wonderful place that is Brann... Bratis... Brums... Brigit... ugh... a castle in eastern Europe. The premise is you can't remember anything, but you do have a note from past yourself reminding you to kill Baron Alexander. Just any Alexander will do, no need to get picky.

The gameplay

Frictional Games stuck to the formula they used in Penumbra Black Plague. You have no means to defend yourself, - so you'll have to sneak around enemies - you can pick most of the objects in the environment, inventory, and puzzles. However, there's a critical addition: darkness management. The castle is very dark in general, and pitch black at places. Fear not, most rooms will have candles and/or torches you can light. You will find tinderboxes and lamp oil for your lamp along the way, but these come in limited quantities, so you'll need to decide which areas to light and when to use your lamp. Of course, staying in the dark all the time is not an option because this has an impact on your mental health. I never went cuckoo myself, but if you do, it is my understanding it makes you more likely to be discovered by monsters or it might even kill you.

Just like with Penumbra, solving different types of puzzles will let you progress through the game and reveal more about the story, which I love and keeps me coming back for more. The puzzles vary from a bit of platforming, to combining objects to construct gadgets, to concocting solutions based on books/notes found around; faithful to the Penumbra formula too.

The atmosphere

The immersion is through the roof in this game. The sound effects and music get a 15/10 from me. I was constantly turning around because I thought I genuinely had something walking right behind me, or in the room adjatent to me. The horrifying screams in the middle of the dark; the cries down at the dungeon; the sound of grinding teeth as your character, Daniel, starts losing his sanity; the intensity of some of the chasing sequences... it all makes it an enjoyable experience, but genuinely terrifying as well. Penumbra never quite got to this level of horror. Visually the game is fantastic too. It may show its age, but it was never a deterrent to the experience.

Final thoughts and score

Well, what can I say? This is a 10/10 game. No ifs or buts. Even at full price. Very few games will give you this kind of experience. Funnily enough, Amnesia: The Bunker gets the closest. A word of warning, if you do have anxiety or heart issues, don't play this game, or do it during daytime. Seriously, I had to stop gaming earlier than usual before I went to bed because I needed to calm down after a session; it's that intense.

Fantastic story and engaging gameplay. Not only fun to play yourself but fantastic to subject others to!

Loved this game, as well as the Justine DLC. This is a horror game that does not just rely on jumpscares and makes your skin crawl through its ambience and background soundtracks. The sudden gusts of wind opening doors, the distant screams that echo through the halls and the heavy breathing of the character after running from an enemy truly contributes in delivering a real sense of tension and terror. The story was good and the main character was well written, the voice acting, in addition, was good too. Amnesia The Dark Descent finally fulfilled my cravings for a Gothic adventure, one similar to reading the novel 'Dracula', in me. Therefore, anyone who wants a true 18th/19th century horror experience should get this game without a second thought.

I was very late to the party with Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It's one of the best horror games that you can pick up. If you're a fan of games like Eternal Darkness, Soma, and Clock Tower then this will be for you. This comes with the Justine mod and if you're interested in a challenge then that mod will be for you. The Dark Descent is very cerebral with no way to attack an enemy. This is one of those "Run and Hide" horror games so if that is off putting to you then you should stay away. Otherwise, The Dark Descent has a great atmosphere, smooth controls, and while dated, acceptable graphics for its time. I give the Dark Descent a 4/5.

yeah it was pretty cool and scary, crazy yaoi potential tho

Although it has a few moments where I got lost in one way or another it's an overall great game, especially for it's time.

Great atmosphere. Has some tense moments, but not too scary overall. Recommended.

boring and not scary at all. finished it anyway because i am addicted to achievements.

AUDI A5 Sportback 45 TFSI Quattro 3x S-Line 100.000 KM Automatic
Petrol gas 11/2020 265 PK

Recommended for: You like adventure games? You like horror? Then Amnesia: The Dark Descent should be at the top of your list to play. It's simply an amazing game and one of the best in the genre. It features a great Lovecraftian story, excellent voice acting, and good dialogs.

There are only a few puzzles, and the ones that are in the game are relatively easy. Also, there are enemies which you can't fight, you can only hide or run away from them. Now, there is nothing wrong with difficult puzzles and enemies, but I think in the case of Amnesia they did the right thing by focusing on the story and putting the player in a constant state of anxiety. If you make it more difficult, then your brain is more focused on beating the game than being afraid. That being said, if you want more challenging puzzles and action, then Amnesia is probably not the game for you.

I have to mention that graphically the game is starting to look a bit dated. I personally think it is still playable, but a remastered version with updated graphics would certainly be welcome. There are also mods that try to enhance the graphics a bit, but I have no experience with those.

My experience: When I first played Amnesia back in 2010, I hadn’t played a horror adventure in a long time. (If I remember correctly, the last one was Black Mirror from 2003!) And I was so impressed with Amnesia that it rekindled my love for horror adventure games. One of my best moments in gaming is turning off the lights, putting on my headphones, starting Amnesia: The Dark Descent and experiencing absolute terror.

Technical: I had no technical issues while playing. W10,7800X3D,RX7800XT

Personal rating: 5/5

A true classic; great gameplay, ambience, story.

But ngl I'd like it a lot more if it didn't flashbang you every 2 minutes.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a horror game that keeps you on edge on what creeps in the darkness. It has a rich story and lore on whats going on about in the game. But what truly made me get this game, was a youtuber name "Pewdiepie". I've seen those let's plays long ago. That made me wanna get the game! Now here i'm playing the game and with its custom story it has.

An enjoyable story with lots to explore. Very atmospheric horror and doesn't rely on jump scares. It's on everyone's top horror game list for a reason.

Самая страшная игра, без шуток, не понимаю тенденцию разрабов которые дают в хорроры оружие и т.п. игрок должен чувствовать себя угнетенным и беспомощным в течении всего хоррора, тот же сх только атмосферный но страха там нет, тут иначе (кончено ощущается это больше на хардкоре когда риск просрать прогресс + гнетущая атмосфера) максимум что может сделать игрок это сидеть в углах и молится чтобы монстр не посмотрел в его сторону, с одной стороны это полный идиотизм, где ты не играешь в игру а ждешь таймингов чтобы монстр просто задиспавнился, а с другой, смотря в пол и слыша стоны и крики монстра ты невольно сжимаешь все что сжимается, за озвучку стонов Даниэля от ютубера Happywolf отдельный респект, но к сожалению кроме хорошего хоррора игре показать нечего, ни графики, ни физики, сюжет....ну интересно но мало ответов, атмосфера слегка проседает но вполне держится, музыка неплохо, но ничего особенного что хочется слушать на репите, саун дизайн да, хорош, какие-то тараканы бегают что-то падает, что-то вдалеке стонет, монстры кричат, загадки - полный 0, ничего особенного слишком просто и без изыска, нет это не значит что нужны загадки уровня харда сх2, но и какое-то замешательство они должны провоцировать, аддон к игре......что это....я вообще ничего почти не понял, какая-то женщина садистка Жустина, почемууу…? чтооо…? много вопросов к чему и почему
Итог: игра стоит каждого цента, сделана неплохо, но не ждите чего-то прорывного в плане графики или геймплея

Hello everybody my name is Markiplier
and welcome to Five Nights at Freddies, an indie horror game that you guys suggested in mass, and I saw that Yamimash played it and he said that it was really really good; so I’m very eager to see what is up - and that is a terrifying animatronic bear reads off script family pizzeria looking for security guard to work the night shift. Oh, 12:00 A.M, the first night. If I didn’t want to stay the first night, why would I stay any more than five? Why would I say anymore than two - hello. Okay...Hello? Hello - oh, ah I can’t move. That’s a creepy skull...There’s creepy things on the wall - Oh, hello. Phone Guy begins dialogue “Hello, hello hello,” Hi! “Uh, I wanted to record a message for you, to help you get settled in on your first night.” Eugh.. “Um, I actually worked in that office before you, and I’m finishing up my last week now as a matter of fact. So, I know it can be a bit overwhelming..” Euuagh..! “But I’m here to tell you, there’s nothing to worry about,” Agh.. “You’ll do fine! So, let’s just focus on getting you through your first week..” Okay! Sounds go- “Ah, let’s see..First there’s an introductory greeting from the company that I’m supposed to read - i-it’s kind of a legal thing, you know, ahm - ‘Welcome to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza-” Okay “‘..A magical place for kids and grownups alike-” Mark wheezes indistinctly in the background Heheha.. “..Where fantasy and fun come to life,” Eugha..! “”Freddy Fazbear entertainment is not responsible for damage to property or person, upon discovering that damage or death has occured, a missing person report will be filed within ninety days or as soon as property and premises had been thoroughly cleaned and bleached, and the carpet’s have been replaced,’ blah blah blah - now that might sound bad, I know, but-” Yeah! “-There’s really nothing to worry about! Uh, the animatronic characters here do get a bit quirky at night, but do I blame them? No, if I was forced to sing those same stupid songs for twenty years, and I never got a bath, I’d probably be a bit irritable at night too. So just remember, these characters hold a special place in the hearts of children, and you need show them a little respect, Right?” Okay! “-Okay-” Ha-okay! “So just be aware, the characters fo tend to wander a bit-” Nehaheugh- “They’re one some kinda of free-roaming mode-” hehauhuhugh! “Uhh.. Something about their servos locking up if they get turned off for two long,” Oohoohoo- “Uh, they used to be allowed to walk around during the day, too, but then there was the bite of eighty-seven.” The bite..?! “Yeah..” What bite?! “It’s amazing that the human body can live without the frontal lobe,” Why?! “Now concerning your safety, the only real risk to you as the night watch here, if any, is the fact that these characters - if they happen to see you after hours, they probably won’t recognize you as a person-” Oh..Oh! “They’ll most likely see you as a metal endoskeleton without it’s costume on. Now, since that’s against the rules here at Freddy Fazbear’s pizza, they’ll probably try tooo.. Forcefully stuff you inside a Freddy Fazbear suit.” Oh, I get it… “Uhm, now that wouldn’t be so bad if the suits themselves weren’t filled with cross-beams, wires, and animatronic devices-” Augh? “”Especially around the facial area,” uh-huh.. “Now you can imagine how having your head forcefully pressed inside one of those can cause a bit of discomfort-” Yeah! “-or death. “Uh, the only parts of you that would get to see the light of day would be your eyeballs and teeth that pop out of the front of the mask-” Euah! Oh! Why? What happened? “Now, they didn’t tell you these things when you signed up, but hey! First day should be a breeze, I’ll chat with you tomorrow, uh.. Check those cameras and remember to close the doors, but only if absolutely necessary.” That’s not good! “incomprehensible because of the power. Now, goodnight!” Phone guy’s dialogue ends. Goodnight? Oooh no! Oh that’s bad! I understand what I need to do. I need to watch the cams so that they don’t come after m- startled gibberish - Ho hi! There you aaaaaare, pretty bunny thiing… You’re still there? Alright, you stay there. I don’t know if it’s good that you’re staring at me - Oh my god, I thought it was weird that it couldn’t move, but this is totally different brief pause than any horror game I’ve ever played. So, what you gotta do incase you’re not getting it, is you gotta watch pause to take a breath the cameras to make sure they don’t come by, while you gotta watch power. Is he still there..? Hi, you’re still there - wait a minute, what? Did you move? Ok-ie, you didn’t move. You don’t move neither. You don’t move nothin’! Don’t see ya movin’, I don’t wanna see anything.. Hohoh, my god! This Is terrifying! Why do I leave the doors open, why isn’t there enough power? -Hi, okay you moved again. Hi, what’re you doing there? Might be gettin’ a little close to mee.. Uh oh, oh, oh no.. Oh no, no! No, no no no, noo no no no eughh! Close it, ngahh! Hagh, don’t look at me! Okay, you’re over there, alright.. It’s okay! Why can’t I even have enough power for lights? takes a breath stay right there, you douchebag! You stay right - aff, there! another audible breath ..God damn it! That is like- this is like the most terrifying game I’ve ever played! Ugh, they’re gonna pop out at me! Oh, god he’s gone - hi, okay you’re just gonna alternate between the two places, it’s totally fine, your other friends.. They ain’t movin’.. softly They ain’t move much.. I see where I am, you’re not near me! So that’s good.. Just gonna pauses briefly periodically check -How much longer do I need - I need less ‘til six A.M, am I gonna have enough power? And if I run out of power am I able to get by? Oh god… You stay right there! Why am I still using some power? Oooh, god.. Seriously I’m gibberish - This is like, this is like… Bad! You’re still there, kay - this is the first night! They said it should be easy the first night so I’m only assuming one of em’ is gonna be wandering around and its just the creepy bunny guy. Happy fun time at Freddies Fun Land.. Havin’ such a wonderful time.. Still there? Okay, you’re still there! I’m gonna name you Bunny pause Baaalliday- oh, god where’d he go?! He’s here! Hooh! Where’d he go? Hi again, okay.. You stay right thaff - there! And I don’t have to deal with you! ..Probably shouldn’t do that, I need to conserve power! God dammit that was like.. Half the damn thing, the doors were down! ..Still there? softly hookay, okay, ookay.. Heheuhahahaha..faint tune begins playing I hear that! ...I hear that! Oh god! Where’s the other one? Where is he? Eagh! Euugh! Whereishe? Where’d he go? Where’d he go, where’d he go? Where are both of them? Bothofem’- Hi, you’re really close to meee.. Oh god, it’s not six A.M. yet? Hi, okay, so I think I just need to keep the left door closed.. Mark makes faint noises of panic that gradually grow in volume uhh, hehauhaha! Uhh, uhuh - Not okay, not okay! Is he behind that door? No? Where’d he go? Where’d he -AH! Oh, hi, hi! Hi, hi, hi, hi, okay, okay, I don’t have much power left. What’re you gonna do? Is the other one still there? Ngh! ambient noise rings out ..Hi! Ooh, you moved again! Where, where, where where… Heehuhahaha! AAHH! Fuckin’ fuck! I tried to push it! Hohoh, my god! Oogh.. Ohh.. Oh, game over indeed. Oh, are those my eyeballs? Oohh.. Oh, hi… Okay, so that was five nights at Freddy’s. I couldn’t even survive two. God, dammit! Haah.. Oh, god! Oh, I tried to hit the door! I tried so bad! Ough.. Okay, okay. Thank you all so much for watching, check out the other scary games that I’ve played and if you want to play this for yourself you can check it out in the description below. If you really want me to play it again and try to beat it, let me know in the comments below! Thanks again, everybody, and as always, I will see you in the next video. Buh-bye!

game puzzle, memeningkan otak

very fun but scary game my only problem is most of the time youre just waliking

I have no idea how I got this 19 hours from, I have no memory of beating the game seeing how my latest play through I can't remember a single solution yet I have achievements for all the ending.

Maybe it was my amnesia afterall.

-----

Joke aside, this is a good horror game considering what kind of tech limitation was back then.

One of the best horror games I've ever played.

Not for the faint of heart.

I went into Amnesia: The Dark Descent almost completely blind. The only exposure I had was a few clips from PewDiePie back in the day, but even those were just vague memories. Growing up, I played Outlast and back then there was a bit of a debate about which game was scarier. Since I liked Outlast quite a bit, I was looking forward to playing this one as well. Now that I’ve played both, I can see the inspiration Outlast took from Amnesia. However, I still think these games are so fundamentally different that I wouldn’t bother comparing them any further.

All you need to know is that I had high expectations for Amnesia. People described it as terrifying and groundbreaking. Given that it was developed by a small studio in 2006, I can completely understand why it was considered revolutionary at the time. Even now, I still appreciate a lot of the elements it introduced to the horror genre.

There’s just one problem: this game is not scary at all. I never truly felt shocked or surprised by an enemy. And to me, that’s a major issue when judging a psychological horror game.

That brings me to my second problem with the game: the puzzles, or whatever you want to call them. I generally love puzzle-based games, with Resident Evil, Zelda, and Professor Layton being some of my favorites. So, no, I don’t hate puzzles. What I do hate, however, are poorly structured puzzles that force me to guess what to do.

Not every puzzle in Amnesia was like this, but most of them were. There were moments where items wouldn’t work simply because I clicked two centimeters away from the intended spot. The vehicle-turning mechanic was frustratingly unresponsive at times. The worst part? The game didn’t always stop you from progressing if you missed a key item. Maybe this is just not my type of puzzle game.

Not everything was horrible of course. I liked the atmosphere and still appreciate the graphics even 15 years later. The item and health system was great as well. I have mixed feelings about the story. I liked some parts of it but thought the ending was kind of anticlimactic.

In the end, while I can appreciate Amnesia: The Dark Descent for what it did for the horror genre back in the day, it just didn’t work for me. The atmosphere was great, but the lack of actual scares and the frustrating puzzle mechanics made it more of a chore than an enjoyable experience. I honestly think I would have had a much better time watching a playthrough rather than playing it myself.

Classic horror game, very scary. I can see how it's a huge inspiration for games like Outlast

I can appreciate Descent being the first of its kind, but its many successors far outshine it in gameplay and story. I instead recommend playing these successors (Alien Isolation, SOMA, The Bunker). If you wish to go back to the roots of the genre with this game, I can't stop you, but in my experience, it isn't worth it.

2.5/5

A classic!

While it doesn't hold up great, its still a great introductory survival horror game that is quite accessible on modern hardware and can serve well as an entry point into the genre.

I would highly recommend this game as an icon of what started this style of horror (especially indie horror). The story is also pretty good.

Very good and still keeps up to this day, like to introduce it to anyone new to the horror gaming experience :)

amazing game, first amnesia I've ever played and definitely made it into my top 5 for horror games

Что ж, смею заявить игра не зря считается заслуженной классикой. Даже в 2025 может быть интересной и страшной. Определённо советую поиграть, если ещё не пробовали. Особенно сейчас, во время весенней распродажи

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a horror classic. This game is SCARY! The build-up is insane. The themes and story telling are riveting. I will admit this game is confusing at times. That goes for the story and the game play. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to branching pathways so many times. I was always afraid of missing something. You will feel lost. But just keep playing. Everything will come together. The puzzles can be very difficult and spread out. Which can be annoying. But honestly in retrospect, it just makes the game feel more open and up scaled. This game paved the way for future games. THIS GAME IS A MUST PLAY!

The low time is because I beat this game on Nintendo switch but I bought the frictional games collection on steam.

Be warned emence glaze

This has to be one of the best games I've ever played it's just smacks so hard in everything. The sound design, the mechanics, the gameplay, the story, the monsters, and beat of all the atmosphere. This game is not the scariest thing ever but it's still scary and I probably one of the best gateways into the horror genere. Frictional really cooked with this games. This games is super imerserve and the atmosphere and theme is all just so amazing. This is coming from someone who beat this entire game on a roadtrip with one earbud in and I still enjoyed this game so much if you haven't played it id recommend you do or give it a try if you wanna get into horror games

Amnesia The Dark Descent is a modern masterpiece of psychological horror. I was refused to even touch this game for years, 'cause the idea of me playing it just scared me too much.

When i finally played it, it didn't really come as a surprise how uneasy it made me feel. The atmosphere is really oppressive throughout the whole game and the overall mood is really distressing.

Now, after few playthroughs later, Amnesia: The Dark Descent still makes me feel anxious every time i play it, something that has never happened to me with any other horror game ever. It's truly a masterfully crafted piece of horror game history.

An amazingly told story and riveting gameplay, despite the character being unable to fend for themself physically. Run, sneak and battle with wit to get out of harms way and find out what has happened to you and why you've got amnesia.

Played it last year. I really liked it, it was interesting and scary. However the last part of the game is a bit annoying and not that scary, however the game overall is a classic and worth to play.

Unique experience from the era. A true gem of a game, yet so simple to play, it is one of the best Horror game ever made with one of the best soundtrack of the genre!

My favourite horror game of all time, no doubt. Holds up even to this day. Perfect atmosphere, not too many cheap jump scares, great pacing, and great build up, 10/10 near perfect horror game.

One of the most influential horror games, Amnesia: The Dark Descent is still worth playing even after all these years.

The horror here isn't reliant on cheap jumpscares; it's about building a tense atmosphere through the story, unnerving visuals, and sound design. The persistent feeling that danger is nearby keeps you on edge most of the time. It's a shame that there are only a few types of enemies, especially considering that the ones present look great.

If you've played previous games from Frictional Games, you'll notice many similarities. In fact, I think Amnesia is only a few steps ahead of Penumbra. It shows that if you have a solid game, you don’t need many changes to create something that people will remember for decades.

Amnesia: Justine is a bonus DLC story that offers a more concentrated experience of the main game and is also worth a try. However, I wasn't a fan of the no saves possible mechanic (and I still can't make sense of the second puzzle, but that’s probably on me).

Amazing even after all these years. Mechanics still fun and sound effects are amazing. However, i got it for 2,50 and the original price is like 20 dollars. I think its a bit pricey regarding the age of the game, but 10-15 dollars would make it worth every penny and a must have for horror games, especially for 2,50

At the beginning i loved how the game slowly revealed its horrors without showing too much of the monsters and always made me guessing if i was seeing things or it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. The way the devs made the darkness and light both an ally and a friend was really cool. I loved the atmosphere, they truly captured the vibe of an old creepy castle, the sound design was excellent and the creatures roaming it were truly disturbing.

Unfortunately i didn't enjoy the gameplay that much, it's way too linear and most of the puzzles were not that interesting. Also the way monsters just spawn and despawn from levels while you are not looking or if they kill you one or two times kinda took me out of the experience. And then there is the story, which i really enjoyed, until the ending that felt really anticlimactic.

6/10 - Now go kill Alexander and stop looking at silly ratings!!!

I consider Amnesia Dark Descent strongest feature to be its strong atmosphere, with clever use of lighting and shadow, which are also tied to the gameplay. Inside a deprecated, decaying castle which was partially renovated turn it into a mansion for it's owner, a claustrophobic and sometimes maze-like environment that combined with the soundtrack, and high quality sound effects provides a strong sense of tension, the game puts in the work to provide a specific emotional reaction from the player, keeping pace in mind as it balances moments of tension with the moments where things can ease, then it builds up it's tension again. Regardless if they achieve "horror" for a particular player or not, the effort to execute it and maintaining engagement is clearly there and can be appreciated

The story, starts at a blank slate with only your name as a baseline, the story progresses using notes, flashbacks and environmental storytelling to tell it's narrative, slowly revealing why the game begins the way it does, in what concludes as a very solid story, with deep understandable characters. It's a bleak tale that takes advantage of it's method of storytelling to establish and explore its mystery as you piece together the events on your own

The actual gameplay mechanics are built toward maximizing the game's atmosphere. At a base you can run, crouch, interact with objects by holding them in the air and throwing it, and you have an inventory to carry certain predetermined objects, with these you will solve puzzles, do some light platforming, manage your health with healing items and keeping your sanity in check, your sanity starts at it's maximum but staying in the dark and experiencing scary things will lower it, meanwhile progressing through the game with things like solving puzzles will replenish it, and staying in the light will replenish it slowly, the lower your sanity weird you may see insects crawling, weird noises and your character can get harder to control, and when it reaches zero you will fall on the ground and alert the enemies in the area; to keep in check, the map has strategically placed light sources, some are already lit while the other need to be lit with a resource you can find in the level, there's also oil which can also be found is used on your lantern, a mobile source of light but limited in duration, the game gives you the tools and lets you figure out and make decisions of when you should use these resources. Looking at the enemies of the game can also lower or sanity and can actually get you caught if you look at them for too long, which means your primary force to counter it is to hide and avoiding looking at it or running away if you get caught, which engages you to a particular playstyle that has similarities to how movies hides their monsters, to keep the horror in your imagination to some extent rather than just showing it, but using the interactivity of video games by adding player choice on top of it, so you end up only catching glimpses of how they look like which adds to the atmosphere and danger of those creatures.

The game can be a bit buggy, by far the worst one i had on this playthrough was getting stuck inside a room because an enemy was keeping it shut and not losing aggro and i had to re do the entire section, also had a couple of UI problems, like the mission progression filter appearing when opening the inventory

I personally believe that SOMA is Frictional's best game, but Amnesia is really good, it sets out to provide a specific type of experience and executes it in a very engaging manner, arguably a must-play for any horror game fans

almost 15 years old but somehow better than every recent AAA game

Alright, listen—Amnesia: The Dark Descent? This game is… this game is… ah, Christ, where the hell am I?

You wake up in some big, creepy house, no clue how you got there, everything’s foggy—feels like the time I took too many of those little blue pills at Bobby’s barbecue. You start walking around, trying to piece things together, but the more you remember, the worse it gets. Just like my doctor says about my brain—"Junior, some things are better left forgotten."

And the shadows? They watch you. I swear to God, I saw something in the corner of my eye—big, ugly son of a bitch, looked like Livia after a bad perm. Tried to run, but my knees ain't what they used to be. Turns out, running ain't even an option—you hide, you crawl, you pray. I did that just last week when Tony came knocking about some money I "forgot" I owed him.

The game? It’s a masterpiece. But me? I ain't playing no more. Too close to home. Last time I got this scared, I was in the middle of Costco and couldn’t remember where I parked.

10/10. Terrifying. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go lie down… as soon as I figure out where the hell my bedroom is.

For a game that's old, it is still gold. It is by far one of the scariest horror games I have ever played.

Old but gold. The original Amnesia is fantastic compared to its sequels in my opinion. "The Bunker" was pretty good too.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a masterclass in psychological horror, plunging players into a nightmarish world of darkness and madness. You awaken with no memory in a creepy, abandoned castle, and the only goal is to survive while unraveling the twisted secrets of your past. The game’s eerie atmosphere is enhanced by its brilliant use of sound and lighting, making every creak and shadow feel like an impending threat. The emphasis on stealth and puzzle-solving over combat adds to the tension, as you're forced to hide from horrifying monsters rather than fight them. If you're looking for a deeply immersive and spine-chilling experience, The Dark Descent will leave you questioning what's real and what's just in your mind.

I played this game on Hard Mode, I have never been more scared or stressed out playing a game in my life, even though I was stressed all of the time, it was very fun. The story is fantastic and the gatherers are traumatically terrifying but I had a great time playing this.

I'm a fan of Frictional's work, but this game has the same problem that a lot of PC games from the late 90s to the early 2010s have in that they are no longer supported. Similar to a game like Dark Messiah of Might and Magic, this game simply was not made for hardware that exists today. In trying to play The Dark Descent, my aspect ratio cannot be set properly; the game either stretches past my screen or is shrunk too small (even when set to my screens resolution). I recommend watching a longplay video on YouTube for The Dark Descent and buying Amnesia: The Bunker :)

While I didn't find the game scary, I loved the atmospheric horror it provided. Story was great and memorable! I recommend buying on sale!

The Cold-blooded experience that will surely horrify you to the very bones... So grab your lantern and buckle up your sanity. This is gonna be gory...