# Amnesia: The Dark Descent



## Flatline (Dec 10, 2010)

Seriously, no thread for this masterpiece yet? I am disappoint.

Anyone played it? I constantly want to make love to Frictional Games since I played Penumbra Overture and dear God, this game is so fucking awesome.

Scariest game ever, suck it up Dead Space.

BTW, it's 50% off on Steam right now if anyone wants to buy it. (You know you want to.)


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## Aden (Dec 10, 2010)

And all their games so far have been windows and os x
brb checking it out


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## Mentova (Dec 10, 2010)

I bought it not too long after it released. I've been picking it up and playing an hour or so at a time and god damn is it atmospheric. However, it went from atmospheric and creepy to fucking _horrifying_ once I got to a certain part that I will not post due to the half assed spoiler tags this forum seems to have :V


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## Schwimmwagen (Dec 10, 2010)

Best game out there if you wanna scare yourself. Everyone who is reading this, get it. Also, get Penumbra Overture and Black Plague. It's by the same people, and these people are the masters of horror.


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## garoose (Dec 10, 2010)

I preordered the game and had it the moment it came out, but I still haven't beat it.... I'm too terrified to play it half the time xD. Even though it is a relatively short game I think I just finally got to the half way point.  

I highly recommend the game though, very well done with an interesting and immersive story, and a shit-your-pants atmosphere.


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## NCollieboy (Dec 10, 2010)

I played the demo and I liked it, probably gon wait till christmas to get it



Miles Snowpaw said:


> suck it up Dead Space.


How..how dare you!
*passes out*


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## Ibuuyk (Dec 10, 2010)

I tried it, it's boring as Hell.  Nothing ever happens except random epilepsy, paranoia and schizophrenic attacks.  The dude's a psycho.  /game

Scariest game ever?  My fucking ass, I've yet to find a game that actually makes me shiver.


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## Furlop (Dec 10, 2010)

This was a great game. I'd throw it up there with Silent Hill 1, Fatal Frame 1+2, Dark Fall 1 and Scratches. It's one of those atmospheric scary games  (which, IMO are the best kind). Therefor you can't put this up next to a game like Dead Space. Dead Space only relied on jump surprises and halfway through the game, I was hoping for more monsters to pop out because it was fun just to line them in half. It stopped becoming scary. 
Amnesia, on the other hand, might be one of the scariest games I've played simply because you can't actually kill things and there's always a sense of danger and unknown about. If you let yourself get sucked into the game, you will be creeping around in the dark at a snails pace with your lantern out, peeking around corners and fearing every little noise you hear in the shadows.


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## Superscooter143 (Dec 10, 2010)

I felt sad inside when I have the Steam maxiumum of 150 friends and found out that only one tried the demo.

Their games are known somewhat, the problem is with people either just pirating it or NOT getting it at all. Ever since the new stupid generation of CoD people, it seems as if people won't buy a good campaign mode only game, or a relatively scary one, for this matter.


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## GatodeCafe (Dec 11, 2010)

Yeah Amnesia is scary as fuck, in that sort of understated lovecraftian way where you will go for stretches of time without seeing a monster, only to have the fear and tension and anxiety mount in your chest until it's a fucking relief to actually stumble upon one of the godless abominations featured in this unholy game.

So yeah, support these bastards.


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## Kesteh (Dec 11, 2010)

Bought the indie bundle. Fell in love with Penumbra Overture, preordered Amnesia.
Indie bundle recently gave me a key to put into steam.
My whole collection is immortalized.


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## Flatline (Dec 11, 2010)

NCollieboy said:


> How..how dare you!
> *passes out*



I had to say it because I'm tired of people telling me the same "Dead Space is the scariest game ever" shit whenever I told them about Amnesia. No, it's not. It's a TPS, and YOU HAVE WEAPONS. A horror game where you have weapons is a lot less scary. That's why Penumbra Black Plague is scarier than Overture. I love the Silent Hill games for example, but they never really scared me. They are more disturbing/creepy than scary.



Ibuuyk said:


> I tried it, it's boring as Hell.  Nothing ever happens except random epilepsy, paranoia and schizophrenic attacks.  The dude's a psycho.  /game
> 
> Scariest game ever?  My fucking ass, I've yet to find a game that actually makes me shiver.


 
I guess you didn't play the game for too long then.
If you did then congratulations, you are the first person I've seen who wasn't scared by this game.


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## Schwimmwagen (Dec 11, 2010)

The game plays out like this:

> Walk around dark corridoors for ages

> An odd prescence in the room, hide in a closet whilst bricking it

> Get into a nice, calming well-lit atrium

> See a torso on the floor.

> ._.


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## Flatline (Dec 11, 2010)

Heh, I remembar that... It wasn't the worst part at all, but it was a great WTF moment for sure.


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## Ibuuyk (Dec 11, 2010)

Miles Snowpaw said:


> I guess you didn't play the game for too long then.
> If you did then congratulations, you are the first person I've seen who wasn't scared by this game.


 
I've actually completed it; kept playing thinking something'd happen.

Nope, just walking in the dark, hearing annoying noises & stuff, bumping into freaks that couldn't hurt you in real life because geez, they don't even have jaws anymore.  Once in a while, bright white flashes that kills your eyes when your character has a flashback.  At the beginning, the pepto bismol on the floor & the strawberry jam on the walls made me laugh.  Later in the game, when you find all these butchered corpses, why does everybody say it's gross & scary as fuck?  Watch a horror movie, go outside or something.  I bet death scares these people, pathetic.


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## RedFoxTwo (Dec 11, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> I've actually completed it; kept playing thinking something'd happen.
> 
> Nope, just walking in the dark, hearing annoying noises & stuff, bumping into freaks that couldn't hurt you in real life because geez, they don't even have jaws anymore.  Once in a while, bright white flashes that kills your eyes when your character has a flashback.  At the beginning, the pepto bismol on the floor & the strawberry jam on the walls made me laugh.  Later in the game, when you find all these butchered corpses, why does everybody say it's gross & scary as fuck?  Watch a horror movie, go outside or something.  I bet death scares these people, pathetic.


 
Your pathetic attempt at self importance is not conducive to the appreciation of this game. This thread exists so people can voice their compliments and appreciation for a great indie title. If you feel so strongly on the matter - I'm sure Frictional Games would be only to happy to accept some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism to improve the atmosphere of their software.


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## Iudicium_86 (Dec 11, 2010)

It's pretty much my Game of the Year. Very few games can get me fully _immersed_ in the experience like games by Frictional. I'm also very happy to hear that they're developing their next game already, and the new game engine to allow some fully lit outdoor scenes. Wonder where they'll go with that....


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## Mentova (Dec 11, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> I've actually completed it; kept playing thinking something'd happen.
> 
> Nope, just walking in the dark, hearing annoying noises & stuff, bumping into freaks that couldn't hurt you in real life because geez, they don't even have jaws anymore.  Once in a while, bright white flashes that kills your eyes when your character has a flashback.  At the beginning, the pepto bismol on the floor & the strawberry jam on the walls made me laugh.  Later in the game, when you find all these butchered corpses, why does everybody say it's gross & scary as fuck?  Watch a horror movie, go outside or something.  I bet death scares these people, pathetic.


 You clearly did not play it with the right mindset. The entire point of the game wasn't to "win", it's to immerse yourself in the world and story. The game even blatantly tells you that when you start. If you go in going GEE WHEN DOES THIS SHIT PICK UP AND GO "BOO!" DAMNIT! Then you'd hate it. If you go into it and immerse yourself in what's going on, then you'll probably enjoy it.


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## Iudicium_86 (Dec 11, 2010)

Heckler & Koch said:


> You clearly did not play it with the right mindset. The entire point of the game wasn't to "win", it's to immerse yourself in the world and story. The game even blatantly tells you that when you start. If you go in going GEE WHEN DOES THIS SHIT PICK UP AND GO "BOO!" DAMNIT! Then you'd hate it. If you go into it and immerse yourself in what's going on, then you'll probably enjoy it.


 
Yeah, there's a certain mindset to play these games. I think the few who hated it went in thinking it'll be an enhanced DOOM3 or something.


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## Mentova (Dec 11, 2010)

Iudicium_86 said:


> Yeah, there's a certain mindset to play these games. I think the few who hated it went in thinking it'll be an enhanced DOOM3 or something.


 It wouldn't surprise me. It seems like most of the people who complain about it being terrible went in thinking of it like Doom 3 or Resident Evil 4 or something. They game is supposed to be played more like an interactive movie and less like, well, a game.


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## Flatline (Dec 11, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> freaks that couldn't hurt you in real life because geez, they don't even have jaws anymore



Probably that's why they don't BITE you. Also, none of the video game monsters could hurt anyone IRL because they don't exist.



Ibuuyk said:


> At the beginning, the pepto bismol on the floor & the strawberry jam on the walls made me laugh.



Poor you, that is really the most annoying and game breaking thing ever.



Ibuuyk said:


> Watch a horror movie



Horror movies are boring.



Ibuuyk said:


> I bet death scares these people, pathetic.



That was the stupidest line I've seen in a long time.


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## Aden (Dec 11, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> I've actually completed it; kept playing thinking something'd happen.
> 
> Nope, just walking in the dark, hearing annoying noises & stuff, bumping into freaks that couldn't hurt you in real life because geez, they don't even have jaws anymore.  Once in a while, bright white flashes that kills your eyes when your character has a flashback.  At the beginning, the pepto bismol on the floor & the strawberry jam on the walls made me laugh.  Later in the game, when you find all these butchered corpses, why does everybody say it's gross & scary as fuck?  Watch a horror movie, go outside or something.  I bet death scares these people, pathetic.


 
Go back to Doom 3, kid


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## Xenke (Dec 11, 2010)

Horror can be such a huge crutch.


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## Skittle (Dec 11, 2010)

I LOOOOOVE horror games based on setting (like Fatal Frame).
I just played the demo for a little bit and eeee!


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## Superscooter143 (Dec 11, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> * I bet death scares these people, pathetic.*


 
You must be kidding.


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## Aden (Dec 11, 2010)

Superscooter143 said:


> You must be kidding.


 
no man he's serious
Thanks to the great boon of internet shock photos, action/horror movies, FPSs, "deep" thinking, and a whole lot of unwarranted self-importance, Ibuuyk is on a higher mental plane regarding death than us mere peons.


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## Captain Howdy (Dec 11, 2010)

I downloaded the demo, and was informed specifically that it's unlike any other game I've ever played before. And this holds true - Problem is, it's not terribly ... anything. The having-to-forcefully-do-everything is very off-putting, and sucks me out of the game immediately as I have to swing my mouse across my entire tiny mousepad to open a freaking wardrobe door. I might need to play it with more than one person to get any thrill out of it, but I just kinda felt like I was stumbling around a very, very long basement/cellar with the same items placed randomly around - Giving me absolutely no sense of where I was, where I have been, or where I was going. With some doors being propped open already, some slammed closed, and such, I ended up walking in what I guess was a circle for 5 minutes before I tried to stop imitating Nascar, and make a damn right turn...Into another black room, when my lantern went out, and my psychosis meds wore off.

I'm actually a pretty big horror fan, not the gorey kind, but what the type this game (and my friends) promised. I was pretty sad at how it turned out, and I might download the demo again, but if I somehow find enjoyment or any sort of thrill that would justify purchasing it, I would have to wait until it's 50% off again, because I firmly believe in not buying games anymore.


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## Zydala (Dec 11, 2010)

Well I love me some horror games. time to see if I can't beg the girlfriend to get it on her computer! sounds promising!


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## Superscooter143 (Dec 11, 2010)

Lastdirewolf said:


> I downloaded the demo, and was informed specifically that it's unlike any other game I've ever played before. And this holds true - Problem is, it's not terribly ... anything. The having-to-forcefully-do-everything is very off-putting, and sucks me out of the game immediately as I have to *swing my mouse across my entire tiny mousepad to open a freaking wardrobe door.* *I ended up walking in what I guess was a circle for 5 minutes before I tried to stop imitating Nascar, and make a damn right turn...*


 
One. Raise your mouse sensitivity, wow.

And two: if you were walking around in circles for five minutes in the _demo_, what game where you playing? Really?


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## Kesteh (Dec 12, 2010)

The mechanic of "grabbing" and "pulling" stuff is part of the immersion. If you have to move your mouse too much (which is about an inch), then increase your damn sensitivity. Just a nice nudge of my mouse does the job--no overkill swings or anything.
If it were like any other FPS where you literally interact with what is on your crosshair with a simple button tap then it would just be a generic horror game with a concept you are familiar with. 
Take the Source engine. Look at that valve and hold E. Press E while near that button or lever.
Now take the HPL engine. Look at that valve, grab it, and turn it. See that lever? Go pull it. That button is jammed, go put a part back in or pull that piece of wood out of the machinery.

Amnesia is scary in the sense that you have no security (weapons). You also need light and darkness while also _not_ needing them. They are both helpful and hurtful. You can't fight monsters, but you can temporarily stun them (not smart). You can't look at them either as you'll give yourself away and be attacked.


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## Flatline (Dec 12, 2010)

Lastdirewolf said:


> I downloaded the demo, and was informed specifically that it's unlike any other game I've ever played before. And this holds true - Problem is, it's not terribly ... anything. The having-to-forcefully-do-everything is very off-putting, and sucks me out of the game immediately as I have to swing my mouse across my entire tiny mousepad to open a freaking wardrobe door. I might need to play it with more than one person to get any thrill out of it, but I just kinda felt like I was stumbling around a very, very long basement/cellar with the same items placed randomly around - Giving me absolutely no sense of where I was, where I have been, or where I was going. With some doors being propped open already, some slammed closed, and such, I ended up walking in what I guess was a circle for 5 minutes before I tried to stop imitating Nascar, and make a damn right turn...Into another black room, when my lantern went out, and my psychosis meds wore off.
> 
> I'm actually a pretty big horror fan, not the gorey kind, but what the type this game (and my friends) promised. I was pretty sad at how it turned out, and I might download the demo again, but if I somehow find enjoyment or any sort of thrill that would justify purchasing it, I would have to wait until it's 50% off again, because I firmly believe in not buying games anymore.


 
There are very few places like that in the full game, I only got lost about twice.
And you should really raise the mouse sensitivity if opening doors is a problem, it really shouldn't be.


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## Jude (Dec 12, 2010)

I watched my friend beat it. Maybe its just me, but I have a hard time legitimately getting scared by anything that's not real.


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## Ibuuyk (Dec 12, 2010)

Jude said:


> I watched my friend beat it. Maybe its just me, but I have a hard time legitimately getting scared by anything that's not real.


 
Inb4 you get trolled because this game's supposed to scare the living shit outta you.  Wimps like to gang against non-wimps.


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## Mentova (Dec 12, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> Inb4 you get trolled because this game's supposed to scare the living shit outta you.  Wimps like to gang against non-wimps.


 Chyeah brosef, what a bunch of WIMPS! We're hardkore man, hard to the kore!


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## Aden (Dec 12, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> Inb4 you get trolled because this game's supposed to scare the living shit outta you.  Wimps like to gang against non-wimps.


 
I didn't know the inability to immerse yourself into a videogame meant that you're not a wimp
noted

\60% chance we're all getting trolled hard


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## Superscooter143 (Dec 12, 2010)

I got it today directly from Frictional Game's site and played it for about two hours.

It's scaring the living hell out of me and I played at one in the afternoon with lights on.


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## Iudicium_86 (Dec 12, 2010)

Amnesia is another good example of games being an art. It's purpose is to elicit emotional reaction.

People saying they didn't care for it probably went in with an expectation of it being just another video game to beat. It's more akin to an _experience_ than a video game. Those claiming it wasn't scary or bored, I'm almost honestly sorry for you. Unable to simply _enjoy_ a well crafted experience.


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## Xenke (Dec 12, 2010)

Iudicium_86 said:


> Amnesia is another good example of games being an art. It's purpose is to elicit emotional reaction.
> 
> People saying they didn't care for it probably went in with an expectation of it being just another video game to beat. It's more akin to an _experience_ than a video game. Those claiming it wasn't scary or bored, I'm almost honestly sorry for you. Unable to simply _enjoy_ a well crafted experience.


 
Art isn't something you interact with, it's something to be viewed.

If they were trying to make art, they would have made a movie, but they decided to call it a game, and in my book they failed at it.

It has a good horror concept, I'll give them that, but the mechanics are terrible.


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## Mentova (Dec 12, 2010)

I just finished it. Holy hell what a ride. It was pretty damn creepy for the most part but the monsters stopped being very scary once you found out how they work; unless they found you of course. That didn't stop the atmosphere and various scripted moments from being creepy. However, I was disappointed with all the endings save for one. Overall, it was an amazing and immersive experience and I'm glad my friend convinced me to buy it. :V


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## Iudicium_86 (Dec 12, 2010)

Xenke said:


> Art isn't something you interact with, it's something to be viewed.
> 
> If they were trying to make art, they would have made a movie, but they decided to call it a game, and in my book they failed at it.
> 
> It has a good horror concept, I'll give them that, but the mechanics are terrible.



Video games are art. It's still just an emerging genre and only beginning to mature after 20+ years of being around.

It is a product of imagination crafted for others. Who cares if the medium is interactive, in fact that should be a plus as it adds a whole extra plane to work in. Much of the same disciplines in film are also in game development. Artists, writers, directors, composers, etc. 

Games as art has much opposition currently, but only because it's still juvenile and yet to blossom.


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## Xenke (Dec 13, 2010)

Iudicium_86 said:


> Video games are art. It's still just an emerging genre and only beginning to mature after 20+ years of being around.
> 
> It is a product of imagination crafted for others. Who cares if the medium is interactive, in fact that should be a plus as it adds a whole extra plane to work in. Much of the same disciplines in film are also in game development. Artists, writers, directors, composers, etc.
> 
> Games as art has much opposition currently, but only because it's still juvenile and yet to blossom.


 
First and foremost, Games are an industry, and that fact alone separates is what separates them from art in my opinion.

Ignoring that fact, though, games don't fall into an art as I see it. They contain art, such as cinematics, script, and music, but the concept of a game itself is not an art. The concept of gaming is about entertainment, giving the player the reigns and saying "go nuts", not "look at how aesthetically pleasing this is".


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## Aden (Dec 13, 2010)

Xenke said:


> First and foremost, Games are an industry, and that fact alone separates is what separates them from art in my opinion.
> 
> Ignoring that fact, though, games don't fall into an art as I see it. They contain art, such as cinematics, script, and music, but the concept of a game itself is not an art. The concept of gaming is about entertainment, giving the player the reigns and saying "go nuts", not "look at how aesthetically pleasing this is".


 
Films are about entertainment. Would you argue that filmmaking is not art?


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## Iudicium_86 (Dec 13, 2010)

Xenke said:


> First and foremost, Games *are an industry*, and that fact alone separates is what separates them from art in my opinion.
> 
> Ignoring that fact, though, games don't fall into an art as I see it. They contain art, such as cinematics, script, and music, but the concept of a game itself is not an art. The concept of gaming is about entertainment, giving the player the reigns and saying "go nuts", not "look at how aesthetically pleasing this is".



An industry. Can't that same be said for movies and music these days? And as for being just entertainment, the same can also be said for many other mediums. 

And for the matter, there is no authority on what is art and isn't. Far as I'm concerned, these are art. There's just a difference between bad art and good art. Good art in the gaming medium is rare, but as I said, it's only because it's barely reaching a point it can recognize maturity. Some examples I consider the best art in gaming are titles like Shadow of the Colossus, Flower, Amnesia, and a few others. Bad art (gaming) would be the majority of mainstream titles like HALO and Fighting games. 

You may want to look into the artistic side of gaming a bit more. Currently there are titles and projects that purposely take a more high-art approach to interactivity. Look up 'Linger in Shadows' or 'The Graveyard'.


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## Xenke (Dec 13, 2010)

Aden said:


> Films are about entertainment. Would you argue that filmmaking is not art?



I think they're slowing drifting away from art, yes.



Iudicium_86 said:


> An industry. Can't that same be said for movies and music these days?



Yes, it can. And they're drifting away from being an art.



> And for the matter, there is no authority on what is art and isn't. Far as I'm concerned, these are art.



You're right, it's subjective.



> There's just a difference between bad art and good art.



This is once again subjective. So, no.



> Good art in the gaming medium is rare, but as I said, it's only because it's barely reaching a point it can recognize maturity. Some examples I consider the best art in gaming are titles like Shadow of the Colossus, Flower, Amnesia, and a few others. Bad art (gaming) would be the majority of mainstream titles like HALO and Fighting games.



Mainstream bad, Hulk smash. By your logic, Bayonetta is a piece of art (except for story), and it's pretty mainstream (and it has a hard divide between love and hate). Legend of Zelda (series) would also be a piece of art, but it's mainstream so fuck that.



> You may want to look into the artistic side of gaming a bit more. Currently there are titles and projects that purposely take a more high-art approach to interactivity. Look up 'Linger in Shadows' or 'The Graveyard'.


 
I get a game for the game side of things. Makes more sense. Granted, no game can survive on game mechanics alone, but artistic flare does not a game make.


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## Iudicium_86 (Dec 13, 2010)

If movies are moving away from art, then I say games are moving towards art. 

And I didn't say all mainstream games, just a majority. There's some more high-end titles that I would consider to be artistic as well as entertaining. Bioshock, Xenosaga, Deus Ex, Mass Effect, and Metal Gear Solid come to mind.

And on top of that, not only are games being an art themselves, they are sometimes the tools for others to create their own art. I haven't played Minecraft myself but I understand you can build what you want in there. Same with Little Big Planet in which I craft and publish levels myself. I even receive actual feedback from other creators as well. 

But as you've said, it really is all subjective. That's the beauty of art.
For me to consider something art, it just has to be 'Crafted Imagination'

What are your requirements? Do you actually set well defined lines on creativity and craft?


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## Xenke (Dec 13, 2010)

Iudicium_86 said:


> What are your requirements? Do you actually set well defined lines on creativity and craft?


 
Something created for the sake of beauty.

I'm not denying that games are a mix between art and mechanics, I'm just saying that to say a game is art doesn't sit well with me. Games vary greatly in the spectrum of 'form' vs. 'function', and I'm saying this one falls mostly on the 'form' side of the scale.


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## Iudicium_86 (Dec 13, 2010)

Xenke said:


> Something created for the sake of beauty.
> 
> I'm not denying that games are a mix between art and mechanics, I'm just saying that to say a game is art doesn't sit well with me. Games vary greatly in the spectrum of 'form' vs. 'function', and I'm saying this one falls mostly on the 'form' side of the scale.



I would also like to say I'm not saying games are a full and self recognizing form of art either at this time, with masterpieces and game developers being household names. As I expressed before, I think they are an art but well aware it's a very young and immature form right now. It has a lot of development and progress to go through before it will gain more notoriety as another medium of art and expression. 

Games are just barely starting to recognize a decent level of maturity in it's addressing of various life issues that the other mediums have long since tackled such as gender, sexuality, morality, society, etc. Who knows where on the scale of art/entertainment games will be in another 20years. 

Maybe only 5 years ago I wouldn't have said games are art. But as an artist myself, I also matured and recognized gaming's potential for expression and craft.


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## Flatline (Dec 13, 2010)

Ibuuyk said:


> Inb4 you get trolled because this game's supposed to scare the living shit outta you.  Wimps like to gang against non-wimps.


 
Doesn't really matter if someone gets scared by the game or not, everyone has different tastes.
But your posts were retarded and unnecessarily rude, so don't be surprised by the negative reaction. 
Also, by your logic, people who get scared by horror movies are wimps too because they bore me to death.



Heckler & Koch said:


> I just finished it. Holy hell what a ride. It was pretty damn creepy for the most part but the monsters stopped being very scary once you found out how they work; unless they found you of course. That didn't stop the atmosphere and various scripted moments from being creepy. However, I was disappointed with all the endings save for one. Overall, it was an amazing and immersive experience and I'm glad my friend convinced me to buy it. :V


 
Yeah, the monsters were more annoying than scary near the end of the game. Especially in Choir. God I hate that part.
I only got the "bad" ending, and it was pretty lame. I didn't really have time to get the others yet.


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## Barak (Dec 13, 2010)

Let's Played the game, got the 3 endings. It was rather good, especially when you give attention to details, starting to make connection in your head. 

At first i was like " Yo Daniel... we will get out of this together" after a while " Daniel you ass, Get out off this mess alone >:c"

I prefer Amnesia to Penumbra really... i didn't liked the naked aliens running around D:

BTW, if some people are interested : http://www.youtube.com/user/BarakLeSeul#grid/user/F5CA7BD47573F873


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## Skittle (Dec 13, 2010)

JUMPING IN HERE LATE!

Definitions of art:
the products of human creativity
the creation of beautiful or significant things
a superior skill that you can learn by study and practice and observation
artwork: photographs or other visual representations in a printed publication
Art is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way to affect the senses or emotions.

Video games, movies, etc. by definitions are ART!


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## Schwimmwagen (Dec 13, 2010)

Games are indeed an art form - the way it psychologically affects the players. You have two kinds of games.

Games that contain art and Games that _are_ art. 

Games like Halo, COD, Counter Strike contain art. They're just games meant to be played and enjoyed casually and while making a game enjoyable is psychologically artistic, shooters and strategy games are very generic forms of art, like portraits of people, whilst games like Amnesia, Penumbra and my personal favourite, Silent Hill 2 are meant to be "played" in a totally different frame of mind and the art that comes out of this is affecting the player on a deeply psychological level. 

Silent Hill 2 is a horror game and that is alike to an artistic film - creating tension, dread, interest and all those other feelings while the "game" explores thousands of different ways to bring these out. For example, the game relies on its story and the fact that every single part of it is open to interpretation, especially the endings, like an unusual painting that holds a deep meaning to it. It's also artistic in the way it keeps the players scared - it doesn't rely just on the "BOO!" scares or vicious grotesque monsters or the dark surroundings. It affects us in ways that don't only pose a physical threat but creates discomfort in the viewer by exploiting  psychological vulnerabilities and fears, most notably the deeper, hidden parts  of the human mind which most people hide or deny their existence. When you're in a game, you're thrust straight into that and you're not watching it. If you immerse yourself in the game, the music, sound, visuals and story is all pulled together in a way that makes it a truly horrifying *experience* - not a viewable medium. The best part of the immersion is that it creates a heavy emotional response from the player. I cried in the end.

Anyway, if you haven't played SH2, do it NOW.


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## NCollieboy (Jan 5, 2011)

Played it, my assessment:
 It was fun, and is was scary. Had some good Atmospheric tension, the only problem i had was that I felt as if I was walking down the same hallway every 30 minutes . But other than that i enjoyed it.


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## Teco (Jan 20, 2011)

My friend told me about this. I didnt believe him when he told me about the demo. I played the demo. I got the game. I sat down and played it at night with headphones and a steady supply of nicotine in one sitting. I love this game.


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