Amnesia: The Dark Descent

[Eedo Baba]

I need some help with this game. Whenever I start it up, I get way too scared and shut it down maybe 10 minutes later, spending most of my time in the inventory screen, to scared to unpause the game. I've played a total of 1.5 hours over many, many sessions.

So how can I make this game playable? I can't play it currently, it's just too much. Is there some trick to making this game tolerable?

I hate to think I wasted 20 bucks on what really appears to be a well made game. I keep trying to play, I just can't take the mental strain. I keep trying to remind myself that it's not real and nothing in the game can hurt me, which sounds ridiculous, but it DOESN'T WORK. I still get way too scared and turn it off.

I haven't even encountered any sort of enemy in the game. I'm just overwhelmed with fear. Please, any sort of strategy to make this game playable would be appreciated.

[Brad]

Try turning up the brightness and lowering the sound. That seems to work for me when I play a scary game. Also, are there any difficulty settings? If so, try setting it to the lowest difficulty. That'll probably reduce the number of monster encounters, so that way you won't get even more scared of the game then you are now.

 

I haven't played the game but it looks very interesting. I might give it a try later on if we're able to get a better gaming computer.

[Axeldeath]

I bought it as well, I haven't even downloaded it yet because it frightens me.

[Lord Sinister]

I'm afraid the only solution is to press on regardless. It's a horror game, it's meant to be scary. I'm afraid if you can't handle it, there's not a lot anyone can really do except advise that you play another game.

[PaladinVargas10]

Funnily enough, a friend of mine bought the game, and I went over to his house to play it. Our session started at aroud midnight, with the lights off, the brightness down, and the volume at max. I didn't find it scary, but I found it intriguing. The story is interesting.

[J.C.]

I need some help with this game. Whenever I start it up, I get way too scared and shut it down maybe 10 minutes later, spending most of my time in the inventory screen, to scared to unpause the game. I've played a total of 1.5 hours over many, many sessions.

So how can I make this game playable? I can't play it currently, it's just too much. Is there some trick to making this game tolerable?

I hate to think I wasted 20 bucks on what really appears to be a well made game. I keep trying to play, I just can't take the mental strain. I keep trying to remind myself that it's not real and nothing in the game can hurt me, which sounds ridiculous, but it DOESN'T WORK. I still get way too scared and turn it off.

I haven't even encountered any sort of enemy in the game. I'm just overwhelmed with fear. Please, any sort of strategy to make this game playable would be appreciated.

 

Sorry. My strategy is to play and be scared .

 

I'm currently at the part where you get off the elevator (I'm playing about 8 games simultaneously, so it may be a while before a get back to this one).

[Blightmare]

Considering I sing merrily while playing Penumbra, I got little advice. Most of my issues are that I'm just desensitized to horror games. Penumbra was the last game to scare me and even that doesn't anymore. But considering Penumbra was made by the same company who did this, I can honestly say it's not gonna get any less intense, the only 2 options are to press on scared shitless, or give up.

 

you can try to play in a well lit room during the day with the brightness turned up to lower the stress but in terms of the subject matter, it's kinda unavoidable.

[Axeldeath]

Just started playing this today. Awesome... But very, very scary.

[Kaon]

Being that I am a complete wimp when it comes to horror, I can't believe that I bought Amnesia. Luckily enough for me, another friend of mine also purchased it, and he was also mildly timid.

 

What we ended up doing was playing together on separate computers, him at his house and myself at mine; and making use of ventrilo (any such voice communication program would work). Essentially we both started the game together, I had no problem opening doors and exploring foreboding areas, whereas he had trouble being adventurous but could handle creature encounters much better than I. We rounded each other off, and although we weren't actually playing side by side the fact we kept pace with each other and could communicate when something occurred made the horror much more bearable.

 

That's not to say it made the game any less scary - we wimped out numerous times and had to return at a later date to continue - but playing with a friend, even one who's not right beside you really helps.

 

Either way, the best of luck mate - it was a hell of a game.

[Indenial]

This game is awesome. After playing during the daytime at first I realized that there's only one way this should be played: midnight, alone, total darkness and headphones on.

 

I'm a bit desensitized to horror games too, but this was like trying a habanero pepper after being used to jalapeno's. Let's just say I woke the neighbors a few times.

 

If it's too much, ease into it by playing resident evil first, then silent hill, then this.

[Blightmare]

Well, I'm intrigued by the responses I'm seeing here. Currently downloading the demo as I want to know just how scary this is before I make the purchase.

[Srake]

Only advice I can give to you, Talk to youself, Don't use headphones, and don't run out of oil.

Also Darkness can be your worst enemy but also your greatest asset.

And generally avoid water.

OK so I have a lot of advice

 

Or you could play with your eyes closed and your sound muted.

[Blightmare]

So I just played a bit of the demo, as well as taking the advice of the opening screen in a dark room with head phones on. Wow. I can't even begin to describe it.

 

I have to say I'm thoroughly impressed. I'm sure I can spare 20 bucks for this.

[Dr. Derpy Hooves Ph.D]

I'd buy Amnesia. If you can sit through a Rebecca Black video, you can sit through that.

[Lord Sinister]

I got it on offer on Steam a while back but only played the DLC (there's something slightly disconcerting about being pursued by a guy with no eyes). I should probably devote some time to this I think...

[Alyxx Thorne]

I've still yet to play this game, but it seems like a very atmospheric game.

[Cmasta]

Amnesia is one of the scariest bloody games Ive ever played! It took me over 20 hours to finish, mostly during the day with a friend or two. I got it during a sale for around $8 but it was definitely worth $20. Ive also got the penumbra series which is pretty scary, especially Black Plague (the humanoid monsters scared the SHIT out of me) Anyway my tips are play during the day in a well lit room and get a friend over and have a chat while playing, and if you get too scared at some points simply try to pursuade your friend to play for a bit Heres a funny memory i have from the game The first time i got to the prison area after the elevator crashed, after I went into the darkness and walked around, i was too scared and got my friend to play for a few minutes (he was insisting "It isnt THAT scary, you wimp!"). He started running around in the dark and sprinted up a flight of stairs and ran face first into a monster, at which point he got the lantern out, saw the monster, heard the music start and flew back from the screen yelling aka he shit himself

 

EDIT: When you reach your first area with a monster, you will probably be so scared you might wanna leave the game. Please don't do this! You need to remember that if you go somewhere dark and crouch and stay quiet with no lantern, it can't find you (also don't look at it for too long because if you get too insane youll give your position away, and you will get surprise butt sechs from the monster).

Some people say turn up the brightness, but this only helps a bit, and your only hope is to get used to the game in terms of how scary it is. What I tried is on my second playthrough (first playthrough i was scared shitless the whole way through) was to set up safe areas on places higher than where the monster cant reach, or on some boxes far back enough it cant hit me. Then I would throw boxes at it and make it come at me, sometimes let it chase me around the room. Yes, it was scary but now if I see a monster, it isnt as bad because im used to seeing them.

IF youre still too worried to continue, I suggest crouching through the whole game, so if a monster pops out to say hi it won't notice you right away. Now, since youre scared of the darkness (or what's in the darkness) also remember that it is your best friend when it comes to monsters. you will feel an urge to light every damn torch in sight, but if you do this, then youve got no hiding spots. Monsters are dumb as f**k and must rely on hearing or seeing you. If youre in pitch black darkness, even if its a few feet away, it wont have the slightest clue youre even there, if you keep quiet that is. OH and if one is chasing you as in right up your ass taking swings at you, DO NOT run into darkness suddenly crouch and think youre safe. I made that mistake when I went into storage. I saw a monster, got scared, panicked, got out of the dark and started sprinting. it saw me and chased me, i went around a corner into a dead end, crouched and when i turned around it was in my face!

SO your only hope is to find a level door, or a regular door, or something you can climb on where it can;t get you. If its a dark enough spot even if its slashing at you it may stop and walk away.

 

Anyway I hope this helps you progress through the game enjoyably enough!

Edited July 18, 2011 by Guest (see edit history)

[Blightmare]

I've reached the end of my demo, and I'm sad. I'm gonna have to buy this game for sure.

[Song]

Interestingly, as a child I was always scared of the darkness.

Took me some time to get over it. Now I know it was only the fear of the unknown

but it still manifests in my dreams sometimes.

 

Well, after playing this game, I had days where I couldn't walk around at night.

Sleeping was no problem since I was 'save' in my room, but geez, I coudn't even

go to the bath when I needed. I just waited until the sun got up again and ran for

it.

[Cmasta]

I've reached the end of my demo, and I'm sad. I'm gonna have to buy this game for sure.

You should get it, it's too awesome not to