Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs may be a different kind of horror than fans are expecting, but it's an interesting and welcome experiment in gaming terror. Though its sharp fangs of resource management may have been dulled, in place of the swift bite is a deeper, more haunting world that will linger with me much longer than the original. Between the obligatory puzzles is a game that delivers a painfully personal story and some superb psychological horror.

Survival horror done right.

However, as a whole, Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a haunting yet gratifying ride, rewarding players who are willing to read every note and explore the horrendous truths of 'The Machine'. The location is really a compelling dive into the recesses of nineteenth century Britain, 'The Machine' just falling short of iconic locations like Rapture and Aperture Science Labs (of which it borrows heavily from). While it is brought down by some troublesome execution and a lull in the middle, A Machine for Pigs is full of ideas and heart, telling a compelling story of all encompassing grief with a smatt...

A Machine for Pigs drops the sprawling mansion of before in favor of 1899 Victorian London. The game smartly opens you up in a familiar feeling mansion then slowly takes you on a ride through the grimy industrial factories and sewers of the era. The scares are also just as good as before, if not better when you slowly realize what horrors have been done in the factory. There’s an impressive amount of detail in the game and the artists should really be commended for crafting such a ghastly world. The creatures you’ll encounter have also been greatly improved from before and not only look terrif...

It’s hard to recommend A Machine For Pigs to every horror fan, as it provides something that could so easily delight or dismay, something that is unique and effective, but potentially shortchanging. If you want to be told a vexingly bizarre story presented with a real sense of style, The Chinese Room may have exactly what you want. If you’re a massive survival horror fan who wants to be made to scream, however, you probably want to stick your snout in someone else’s offal.

While it balances some moments of pursuing narrative and scare tactics, there are too few in a mostly linear game to come to great heights. It is, however, still a solid playthrough.

While undoubtedly completely less OH MY GOD RUN HIDE than the first game Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs manages to still be a worthwhile purchase thanks to The Chinese Room putting so much effort into maintaining a creepy, freaky atmosphere. It also offers a much better plot with a satisfying ending, and those damn pig masks (OR IS IT JUST ONE?!?) get me every time. However while The Chinese Room have attempted to make their Amnesia a purer horror experience they’ve merely succeeded in removin...

Horror games are special in a way that not all people react to them the same, but personally, I did almost shit my pants in some cases, and like I said, even when the scares were just a product of my paranoia, they were only possible because of the game’s carefully crafted ambience. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a fantastic and moody horror experience.