Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs

[i]Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs[/i] feels (and plays) like one of those weird sequels. As we begin playing we immediately notice that it's not the work of the creators of the amazing [url=steamcommunity.com/id/atisz2/recommended/57300]Amnesia: The Dark Descent[/url] (it was meant to be a modification initially) and while the core mechanics are (almost) the same everything just seems off, not exactly what one expected. According to this, it's advisable to lower our expectations, as the game is both shorter and more linear. The more we play however, it gets closer to the original game step by step and manages to reach its horror through slightly different means, in fact it gets even more disturbing - or downright sick - than its predecessor. After awakening in a lavishly furnished mansion, we, Oswald Mandus - the owner of a large mechanized butchery (which is right next to our estate) receive a mysterious phonecall from a stranger that our twin sons are in danger as some machinery beneath the house broke and the cellars are being flooded. We have to reactivate the strange contraption, in order to drain the water to save them from drowning, but our villa and the machine beneath it hides many secrets... As it turns out quite soon, we are in London, in 1899 at the turn of the century and this'll have a rather important role later on. So what similarities do we have to begin with? An amnesiac protagonist, lots of rumbling, trembling, shaking, descent into the depth... dreams (or memories) of a mysterious pyramid in Mexico and an orb (!) even. The story is more obscure than in the original, we get the quasi concept relatively early, but at about 2/3 of the game it manages to surprise us and turns what we thought upside down or one could say adds another layer to it. Rather than shown directly, the plot is revealed largely through found notes, diary entries and phonograph recordings. Notes are written in a more cryptic manner, but aren't as elaborate this time. We don't find them in chronological order, so we often have to re-read them sorted by date. The main problem is that many gameplay elements have been dumbed down, turning the game more into a walking simulator, than an actual adventure game. While we still need mouse movement to open/close doors and drawers, turn valve wheels, there are far less items we can interact with. There's no inventory, no access to even the limited amount of items - light sources, healing and sanity restoration - of the first game: our lantern doesn't require oil anymore - it is electricity-powered and never depletes, there's autoheal and sanity loss only causes temporary vision distortion. The absence of inventory means we have to carry, drag items to where they should be used - there's only 1 occasion where we can send parts through a pipe system. As opposed to the first game, some of the enemies (the way they make an appearance is scripted) won't disappear, even if we move far away from them and constantly patrol around a given area. Looking at them will not cause panic, but they can spot us in pitch black dark, even if we turn our lamp off (which also acts as an indicator, as the lights flicker whenever an enemy is nearby). They are also very dumb and can't open or break down doors to chase us further. steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3674660644 Identifying ourselves with the main character is impossible since he committed several crimes, which he can't get salvation from. Daniel was trying to save his life and did terrible things in order to escape his fate - as most people would do anything to save their lives... and in order to right the things he had done, he needed amnesia to forget his terrible past. That is not the case here: our protagonist did even worse things [spoiler](cannibalism, among others)[/spoiler] driven by his own short-sightedness... without coercion. On the other hand, partially due to these worse crimes, the horror factor here is even greater, more disturbing than in the first game and for that it deserves praise. The descent below is more perceivable this time with maps on the walls always showing in which section of the facility/machine we are. Several times we venture outside to huge open areas, breaking the usual claustrophobic feel, creating the illusion that we could leave if we really wanted to. Pacing is also great, the game masterfully dispenses bits of information: at first we think that this machine is 'just' a very cruel processing facility, but then we learn that it's much more sinister. [spoiler]The final explanation foreshadowing the numerous tragedies of the 20th century is equally masterful.[/spoiler] Besides the gameplay there are some other problems, most importantly certain logical contradictions in the story. [spoiler]At 1 point we draw the conclusion that the man on the phone is evil, yet we still act accordingly what he says without being given a choice.[/spoiler] Most of the notes we find try to explain how the mentioned machine works (by using unknown words - what's "gamrolling", a misspelling?), which is a central element, it feels unimaginable for a machine such as this to exist in the Victorian era, not to mention its colossal size and how could it have been built underneath London? [spoiler]And of course the biggest question remains: why didn't the guardian come after Mandus as it did after Daniel?[/spoiler] Without choices, there's just 1 ending. With the same engine the game inherited the flaws of its predecessor: a slight lag regardless of system specs and limitations in graphics and audio. On the Tunnels level we can get stuck permanently (only reloading helps) as the shifting rooms effect can make doors locked or disappear, so we have to know exactly what we are doing, as we get no second chance (we need 2 types of liquids, BiV and OMd and send them through the pipes) after accidentally passing them by. While there are great props and graphical elements, fog and lighting, taking screenshots removes all of these and after the first level there's a blue 'haze' the game generates for no apparent reason, making everything darker... which is a shame since instead of being in a Prussian castle, an underground facility is a downgrade, yet it still looks amazingly detailed. The pigmen are menacing and disturbing at the same time. The numerous pig masks lying everywhere serve no purpose however. Sound effects are great, BUT the engine only supports stereo. I understand that most people play with head-/earphones, but surround sound shouldn't had been that exclusive in 2013... it's annoying that the back loudspeakers are silent. It really is a shame since the creaking of the malfunctioning machine, our loud footsteps on metal or in water, the constant dripping and hissing sounds are very well-made. The generous use of symphonic music at certain key points also makes the game more grandiose. At first sight [i]Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs[/i] has not much to do with the previous game, but slowly many (if not all) elements from there return to make an appearance, turning the game into a slightly different experience, but just as(or even more) haunting. Although just 4-5 hours long, it truly is a great sequel to an amazing game. PROS + great story with many twists + good setting and atmosphere + cleverly connected to the first game + the pigmen are really scary + despite its shortness we can explore huge areas + great sound effects, music and voice acting... CONS - ... but no surround sound - impossible to identify with the protagonist - no multiple endings, no inventory RATING 8/10