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Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs Reviews Thread

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dmr87

Member
Line em up

89/100
http://www.pcgamer.com/review/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review/

8/10
http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/9/4709464/amnesia-machine-for-pigs-review

7,75/10
http://www.gameinformer.com/games/a...pc/archive/2013/09/09/jumping-at-shadows.aspx

7,5/10
http://pixelenemy.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review-things-that-go-oink-in-the-night/

7/10
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-09-09-amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review

3,5/5
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/09/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review/

Gamespot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEDVK684qN8&feature=youtu.be&a


http://kotaku.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-the-kotaku-review-1274112886

http://beefjack.com/reviews/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review-pc/

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/09/09/wot-i-think-amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/

http://www.savingcontent.com/post/60752138887/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review#_=_

http://www.game-debate.com/articles/index.php?a_id=2226&game=Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs
 
D

dmr87

Member
Sounds disappointing, but we'll see.

Kotaku

Speaking of disappointments, it's also difficult to ignore all of the elements present in the first game that have been removed from the new one. For example, one of the smartest things about The Dark Descent was how Frictional Games built it around an ingeniously cruel series of interlocking systems:

1) If you stayed in the darkness too long, you'd go mad and die.

2) If you stood in the light, the monsters could see you and kill you.

3) If you looked directly at a monster, you'd also go mad and die.

The systems worked in concert as a sort of game-design pincer trap, forcing player-response in the most nightmarish way possible. The design encouraged players to avert their eyes from the (somewhat low-fi) monsters while making it difficult to simply hide in a dark corner and wait things out.

A Machine for Pigs has removed all of that, and while Mandus' state of mind is far from rock-solid, "sanity" as a game-mechanic is no longer present. When bad things do appear in A Machine for Pigs, the lights flicker, and that's about it. Your vision doesn't blur, the walls don't bow in and out; no cockroaches climb across your vision. That the sequel lacks The Dark Descent's cruel trifecta of darkness, madness and monsters isn't necessarily a bad thing, but that it doesn't bring any new ideas of its own leaves the game feeling markedly thinner and less oppressive than its predecessor.
Click to expand...
 
D

DaBuddaDa

Member
Joystiq said:
Tinderboxes and oil have been obviated by an electric lantern that never runs out of power, and consequently I rarely felt frightened, never having to worry about being trapped in the dark as my mind went south for the winter. The lantern will occasionally flicker or go out entirely, but this is usually just a signal that a monster is nearby, which, again, sucks the air out of a good scare.
Click to expand...

Whaaaaaat? This sounds terrible.
 
B

Banzai

Member
hmmm why would they remove all those gameplay systems? kinda disappointing. I'll probably shit my pants regardless, but still...
 
P

PhillipCostigan

Member
It's more story focused, and some of that stuff can get in the way. Story's way improved, but that stuff is noticeably missing. Thought I'd care more than I did, but in the end it didn't really matter to me.

Can see some people getting a bit bored by the gameplay though if that specific stuff is what you're there for.
 
C

CheesecakeRecipe

Stormy Grey
To be honest, the tinderboxes and oil were less of an actual survival element and more of a gamey element that took me out of the atmosphere. I spent too much time looking for those two and was able to get through without using much of it. Even at the end of my first playthrough I had a huge buffer of both.

Sanity also was rather disconnected imo and I won't miss tripping one iota.
 
Jibbajabbawockky

Jibbajabbawockky

Member
I'll likely get it since its only $15 but why in the world would they remove the inventory management features and the sanity meter? The whole light/dark sanity meter interplay was a huge part of what made Dark Descent work, IMO. It made it so you wouldn't just stare at the monsters and get a clear look at them without basically failing.

Seems a very strange thing to remove. Instead of simply removing them it would have been nice to see them try to expand on those systems.

Then again, Frictional didn't make this game, so maybe I should have slightly lesser expectations.
 
P

Protein

Banned
Rock Paper Shotgun review worried me. Frictional shouldn't have let another developer take the reigns. Especially the Chinese Room.
 
E

excaliburps

Press - MP1st.com
dmr87 said:
Line em up

7/10
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-09-09-amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review

8/10
http://www.polygon.com/2013/9/9/4709464/amnesia-machine-for-pigs-review

3,5/5
http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/09/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review/

http://kotaku.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-the-kotaku-review-1274112886

http://beefjack.com/reviews/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review-pc/

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/09/09/wot-i-think-amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs/
Click to expand...

Here's ours (Text and video one): http://pixelenemy.com/amnesia-a-machine-for-pigs-review-things-that-go-oink-in-the-night/

Video YT link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81EUrRLC9UY

Reviewer scored it 7.5/10

Also, we might be doing a little Outlast vs. Amnesia video piece very soon just to compare the two. :)
 
S

SkyTurnsRed

Banned
Our review of Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs.

This is our first video review ever! We have been a podcast for a little while now and have been slowly transitioning some of our stuff over to video instead. Really excited to put this out there, even if I'm a little nervous about it. Haha.

Enjoy my face. Feedback is appreciated. Thanks for watching if you do. :)

(copy and pasted from the Amnesia OT thread)
 
G

Gbraga

Member
Wow, that sounds disappointing. Specially after Outlast was praised like the second coming of horror and it wasn't scary at all, even though it's a good game.

In the other hand, the fact Outlast was praised for how scary it is may be a good signal that this will be more scary to me.

I don't know, in one hand it's nice that it's not gonna be Amnesia 1.5, but in the other hand they shouldn't just remove the systems and call it a day, we should have something else in place that acted somewhat the same.

EDIT: I'm up for casual horror though, if it's scary I don't mind if it's easy.
 
P

Pai Pai Master

Banned
I'll wait and buy this on the cheap - lack of sanity mechanics and the infinite lighting throws away all gameplay tension for me. I want to check it out for the atmosphere and story but I'm not in a rush to actually play it if the gameplay is gonna get changed up like that.

Horror games aren't really horror games to me unless I'm actually afraid of dying and the gameplay reflects that. Just showing me scary shit has no effect on my actual interaction with the game.
 
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jacksepticeye

Member
Kinda sad to see these as I was fearful it wouldn't live up to the insane hype. Outlast having come just before it also my take some of the wind out of its sails if it did some scares better.

Still can't wait but I don't expect to love it like I did the original
 
AHA-Lambda

AHA-Lambda

Member
Honestly, I'm not sure if losing the insanity mechanic bothers me. I preferred Penumbra because of its lack of such mechanic; I felt it allowed the player to stew in his own juices of fear rather than Amnesia where the insanity feature always pushed you onwards.

That's just me though :p
 
S

Semblance

shhh Graham I'm still compiling this Radiant map
Not liking what I'm reading at all. Frictional shouldn't have handed this off, ugh.

Will still cop, eventually, anyway.
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
RPS review has me very eager to play this, but yeah, the lack of the sanity meter (and the ensuing shifting walls) is a bit of a downer. It completely changes how I'll play the game. Now it's just a maze puzzle, whereas before I was constantly forced to think of my toes and improvise. Now its just... "dodge the security camera lights".
 
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JBuccCP

Member
I liked the idea behind the insanity stuff but the actual effects gave me a headache so I'm kind of glad they're gone.
 
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Gbraga

Member
Rez said:
RPS review has me very eager to play this, but yeah, the lack of the sanity meter (and the ensuing shifting walls) is a bit of a downer. It completely changes how I'll play the game. Now it's just a maze puzzle, whereas before I was constantly forced to think of my toes and improvise. Now its just... "dodge the security camera lights".
Click to expand...

Can you post some choice quotes from RPS? I really don't want to be spoiled at all since I already preorder the game, so no reason to look up possible spoilers since I'm playing it anyway.
 
B

Brick

Member
When they announced that the makers of Dear Ester would be joining the team, I was so excited to hear that their story telling would be merged with The Dark Decent's mechanics. Now, it sounds like The Chinese Room has completely taken over, removing a lot of what made The Dark Decent special, and all that is left is the story. Don't get me wrong, story is important. But it's not the main reason that I play horror games. Not sure how I feel about this.
 
J

jacksepticeye

Member
JBuccCP said:
I liked the idea behind the insanity stuff but the actual effects gave me a headache so I'm kind of glad they're gone.
Click to expand...

I found the insanity mechanic annoying more than scary. It just made the camera hard to focus on and sounds appear. It never made me feel scared or like something abd was gonna happen
 
N

Nev

Banned
SkyTurnsRed said:
Enjoy my face. Feedback is appreciated. Thanks for watching if you do. :)
Click to expand...

I watched the last part just to see if you were attractive. You are!

Hope that's enough good feedback. I don't think the deer makes for a good profile picture for a channel that reviews games btw.

About the reviews, I knew they shouldn't have left it in hands of a studio which only made a game that almost isn't a game. Such a shame.
 
D

Deleted member 30609

Unconfirmed Member
Gbraga said:
Can you post some choice quotes from RPS? I really don't want to be spoiled at all since I already preorder the game, so no reason to look up possible spoilers since I'm playing it anyway.
Click to expand...
Sure. I loved this:
Jim from RPS said:
I could probably recommend A Machine For Pigs purely on the basis of its sound design. Few games pay as much attention to piling tension and startling you with sonics in the way that this does. It staggers violently between throbbing threat and violent, shuddering screams: sometimes of pigs, sometimes of tortured metal and failing machines, always of something that puts needles into that bit of your phrenology marked RUN AWAY. Going to open a door and having it BANGBANGBANGHOWL in your face is enough of a jump scare, but when the sound goes on and implies some vast machine starting up in the Earth beneath you, and architecture is buckling and coming down around you, and then pigs are screaming on the other side of the walls.

Oh god.

It escalates, too. The initial game is tense, and disturbing, but as you descend into the machine, things become almost unbearable. I had to take my headphones off and go and stand in the sun at one point in the midst of the game, before sitting down and forcing myself to stop being a wuss. Power through, Rossignol.
Click to expand...
 
S

SkyTurnsRed

Banned
Nev said:
I watched the last part just to see if you were attractive. You are!

Hope that's enough good feedback. I don't think the deer makes for a good profile picture for a channel that reviews games btw.
Click to expand...

We are changing that out, haha. Our previous logo was REALLY bad. It should say something about the quality of the old logo that we feel that this temporary one is less terrible. We're in the process of designing one as we speak.

And thanks for the compliment. :)
 
P

Protein

Banned
Gamespot gave it an 8.0, was worried they were going to 6.5 it. They're usually pretty harsh on non-AAA games.

The Good
Brilliantly written script
Deeply unnerving and surreal setting
Impressive voice acting
Disturbing music and unsettling sound effects.

The Bad
Drags over the last hour or so with repetition and story padding.
Click to expand...
 
P

plagiarize

Banned
What I want to know is whether or not death is as irrelevant as it was in the original Amnesia. That sucked all the fear out of the game for me.
 
Sub_Level

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Not liking how the game mechanic changes are sounding but willing to give it a chance.

Lamp oil was good because it either urged you to move through an area quickly and it also urged you to stay in the dark more which is where the fear is.
 
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PairOfFilthySocks

Member
I think this was the first game I pre-ordered since Zelda Wind Waker. I ususally don't give a shit about reviews, but some of the details they share here are more than worrying. Sounds like the devs for this are more concerned with story and "experience" than letting gameplay get its due, which is what I hoped the sequel to Amnesia would get right. It even sounds like the gameplay has managed to regress from the original, with the loss of the sanity meter and constant need to manage light resources. Lame. I'll still play the thing but it sounds like the Dear Esther devs were not the ones to go with on this. It's hard to feel scared when you know the game isn't pitting you against any gameplay systems of any depth.
 
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SpiceMelange

Member
Was ready to pre-order, but reading the reviews now I've decided to dodge the bullet. Especially the kotaku review. They seem to have stripped too much game elements.
 
C

Clevinger

Member
Brick said:
When they announced that the makers of Dear Ester would be joining the team, I was so excited to hear that their story telling would be merged with The Dark Decent's mechanics. Now, it sounds like The Chinese Room has completely taken over, removing a lot of what made The Dark Decent special, and all that is left is the story. Don't get me wrong, story is important. But it's not the main reason that I play horror games. Not sure how I feel about this.
Click to expand...

Yeah, this is really disappointing. When they announced they were developing I figured they'd respect what Amnesia was but add more story stuff on top of it. But it sounds like they Dear Esther-ized it.
 
S

SkyTurnsRed

Banned
Clevinger said:
Yeah, this is really disappointing. When they announced they were developing I figured they'd respect what Amnesia was but add more story stuff on top of it. But it sounds like they Dear Esther-ized it.
Click to expand...

That's a pretty good way to put it; however, I really enjoyed it regardless. The experience itself was great, as it allowed me to focus more on immersing myself with exploring the environments instead of worrying about whether I was going to go insane. Really just depends on what you want out of the game.
 
I

inm8num2

Member
Removal of sanity meter and oil management is a little disappointing. Those two things are what gave the first game so much tension.
 
S

Syf

Banned
I had no idea they removed the sanity effect. That was one of the things that made Amnesia great..
 
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EGM1966

Member
Judging by reviews it's a case of less game improved narrative depth and thematic scope - probably what should have been expected given Dear Esther.

Happy to give it a go as I prefer differences vs the same thing re-hashed - but I've got to finish Outlast first, which I have to say I'm having a blast with even if subtlety isn't its middle name.
 
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gngf123

Member
Yeah, hearing about some of these changes has me really worried. I was looking forward to this, but I'm not so sure now.
 
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