π’ WE ARE ALL PIGS IN THE GREAT MACHINE! π’
Alright there buddy calm down. π
This is going to be our last Amnesia game for a while, seeing as how I haven't played the newest installment. And I'm talking about the mainline games, and not this new rogue-lite experiment called 'Bunker'.
As such let's try and do this retrospective justice, as I think there is a lot that can be said about this sequel. The good, the bad, and the crazy. And there is a lot of crazy in this game. π
And soβοΈ In this edition of Through the Lens π, we'll be taking a look at Frictional Games sequel in the Amnesia franchise from 2013: Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs, βοΈ
(what an amazing name for a title, I remember being luke warm to it when it first came out, but it's a great choice)
Roll it! π½
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π· UP TOP πΆ
You know how I usually talk about how horror game soundtracks are not much to talk about? Well, this game is the exception. A Machine For Pigs has the best soundtrack out of any horror game. And I can say that hands down, confidently, gun to my head or not. This game's score slaps. π
What makes it so good is its grandiose nature. It just oozes gravity. It matches the intensity of the game's themes and story super well, which helps in its execution. For a soundtrack to be truly transcendental it needs to be dope to listen to on its own, as well as compliment, and most times elevate its material. π―
Me gushing over this game's presentation will be a running theme in this article, it's not just the music. π But let's talk a bit more about the nitty gritty.
I played this game on the day of its release. Needless to say, I was a huge Amnesia fan, and I waited for the sequel's release with bated breath. Let's just say that reactions... were mixed when it first came out. It was much less horror than people expected and much more set piece. Fortunately, I understood what this game was at first glance. Frictional tried to go above and beyond. In so, they lost some of that magic that made Amnesia so special. Remember, a tight experience is much easier to navigate than a grandiose one.
Let's see what made this game so divisive, but ultimately so good. I think this title has aged rather gracefully over the years.
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π· SCALED UP πΆ
Everything in this game is technically better than the original. There are more set pieces, well-made set pieces at that; the presentation is better, Frictional spent the money from the first Amnesia well; the voice acting is broader and better, not that the original was a slouch; the story is much more hard-hitting, this is greatly helped by the voice acting and music.
You might find this weird, the original Amnesia was just a cheap easy-to-make horror game. What's up with this sequel? Well, if you paid attention - you would know that the signs were there all along. Frictional always wanted to be bigger and bolder. This would be even more evident with their next game, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.
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π· PRESENTATION πΆ
Like I said, the production quality in this game is astounding. Aesthetically it's just much nicer to look at. After a success such as The Dark Descent you would hope that would be the case. But some studios like to hoard the money for themselves. Frictional, spent it wisely.
Just the different types of set pieces we get to explore. The original game had us trapped in this boring castle. And while yes the Lovecraftian influence was strong, it was still the same old medieval stone we've come to expect. Now? We're in a city baby! Not to mention all the other wacky places we get to explore.
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π· STORY πΆ
The story comes before everything else here. It's big and bombastic. Philosophical yet personal. It's carried by its well-told narrative as well as the presentation. Few fames are woven together as such and Amnesia A Machine For Pigs nails it. π
It also makes you think which is something not many game stories can boast about. It doesn't slap you in the face with its meaning, instead if gradually lets the player figure out what's happening, and even then - question everything.
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π· THE BAD πΆ
For a horror game, it's not really scary. π
It's like the curtains have been lifted and the magic act is seen for what it truly is - a sham. Everything is on rails. There are no patrolling enemies like in the first game (at least none that I can remember). Once you get used to the structure nothing is a surprise.
So it's more of an experience than an actual game game. I think the main culprit of this is the developers of Dear Esther, who collaborated with Frictional on this. Dear Esther for the many of you that haven't heard it, was what I like to call a none-game.. More akin to a Visual Novel, and even then it had no choices so yeah. π
Even then, by all accounts, Frictional barely worked on the game. As such, we got the non-gameplay title we got. Amazing story, an amazing experience. But little gameplay, and certainly no horror.
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π· LEGACY πΆ
The legacy of this game is tarnished. Many people have bad feelings towards it since it really didn't live up to the hype. I can appreciate it for what it is, but frankly, it's not a good game. Good experience /= good game.
Should you play it? Frankly - yes. It's not very long, and what it does offer is good. Just so you know you are not entering a horror game.
It's more of a walking simulator.
Thank you for reading, you rock! (and maybe roll) πππ
Shout-out to the πPIZZAπ gang, π€ gang. π€
And that does it for the Amnesia games. Next up? SOMA! π
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I hope you are having an amazing weekend! π
Return from Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs π½ Through the Lens to ΠΠΎΡΠΊΠΎ's Web3 Blog
