Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Review:

This game has a theme of Fear, Perseverance and Valour. The element of fear is produced by the endangering creatures and monsters encountered throughout the game in an attempt to create difficulty and dread for the player. Perseverance comes from the player's need to pass each area and reach the end of the game despite how frightening and deadly the monsters are, this also makes the player relatable to the protagonist 'Daniel' whom the player controls as his goal throughout the entire game is to reach an area and kill a man named Alexander. Valour is another theme that corresponds throughout the entire game as these monsters are fast and some even have the capability to kill the player in one hit, giving the player (and Daniel) a sense of valour as they overcome the dangers and remain focused on their goal.

The genre of this game is Adventure, Puzzle and also Horror as the player explores an eerie old castle, waking up inside with no knowledge of how or why they are there. They must traverse this dark place, exploring many areas and solving puzzles along the way which open up the way to the next area whilst also having to deal with the dread and terror of the monsters looming around the area. In addition to this the player also has to worry about the darkness as being in it for too long causes Daniel's 'insanity' to go up, making the controls nauseating and causing hallucinations for the player. This in itself is a puzzle the players must deal with throughout the entire game as they try to figure out the best routes to avoid darkness and monsters together. A sense of adventure is also to be found however as player's can read notes found around the different areas which tell backstories and previous events, along with this Daniel's memory slowly comes back to him as the player progresses further, allowing the player to understand and make more sense of the story.

It is a game only featuring a Single Player Game Mode, this helps to tell the story to the player but this also allows them to control the pace of how they play. They can choose whether to rush through each area or enjoy every moment and take the slow and scenic route, uncovering every secret of the game. Additionally this makes the player feel even more isolated, they are completely alone with no one else other than the monsters out to kill them.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is played through a First-Person Perspective, the player views the game through Daniel's eyes as they make their way through a castle full of deadly obstacles. This makes a link between the player and Daniel, they experience what he experiences, they see the entire story from his point of view which makes the player feel more immersed and in the game. This further drives a sense of fear into the player as the monsters are trying to kill them. This helps the player to sometimes forget that they are Daniel and makes them think that these things are coming after them, it is them who are in danger and it is them who need to escape. This makes the game very effective at causing fear for the player.