How to get the most out of Amnesia: The Dark Descent

Actually, yes. This will serve as a warning for those who really want to enjoy the game. My first point that must not go ignored is, DO NOT WATCH THE VIDEOS ONLINE FIRST. Not only will it reveal spoilers, but as stated many times in my previous Hub, Amnesia: The Dark Descent - Scariest game of all time?, you'll ruin the fear factor. If you've seen part 1 of 9 videos, etc, you may be safe. If you've watched around 4 parts, you might as well just buy the game to boast that you've played it.

In this Hub I'll be explaining the key features of the game, how they'll influence you to play more or stray away from it, and what you can do to enhance your experience. Remember - Amnesia: The Dark Descent is NOT a pick up and play game. Sure, it will take mere hours to complete (especially on second playthrough), but the experience must be taken in for full enjoyment. Amnesia: Justine and the Custom Stories are pick-up-and-plays, and won't take too much of your time, yet you can still enjoy them.

I'll just leave a list of the major things here:

- Soundtrack

- Graphics

- Overall Gameplay

- Lore

Yes, Lore plays a major part of the game. If you're not following the story, you might as well be playing a Custom Story that has emoticons written on the collectables, and Skidrows with a Troll face mask chasing you. I shan't explain the story too much, nor shall I reveal the ending to ruin your experience. This is just a guide on how to enjoy the game the most. If you're not satisfactory, then you must be,

A) Playing the genre you're not really into

or

B) Playing with the sound on low, or off.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is unlike many horror games. You're not playing Dead Rising, Clive Barker's Jericho or a Half Life mod. You're playing a psychological horror game - it affects the mind in many ways. You personally will notice differences in morale mainly, as fear is waiting around every corner. The idea is to scare you, but keep you curious enough to continue playing.

Sound

You need a quiet room to truly enjoy the game, and earphones/headphones to truly enjoy the the game's atmosphere. With heightened volume (not too high to prevent deafness), you can also get an early warning of monsters and other threats by hearing them a tad faster. Without earphones/headphones, you won't get the feel of something right next to you, and the thought of no escape.

Surroundings

Keeping your room dark is essential, as it will boost the fright factor by miles. With this, you know that there's no hope of seeing light (remember, when you're plugged into the game there's no way of unplugging - that's the whole idea). There's no throwing the pad down to run away, because you're supposedly in the same place. You're in Brennanburg IRL, and that's what the game needs you to remember.

I also recommend having the room a tad chilly. It's fine warming yourself up, but a short sleeved shirt in a cold room will add to the feeling. This is tried and tested, and it's scarier than what Jaja Binks sees when he looks into both eyes.

Computer Specs

My graphics are on the lowest setting and the frame-rate is pretty poor, but not worth complaining about. My laptop isn't made for gaming, but an upgrade would be nice. Graphics on their lowest setting aren't nearly as scary, but on the highest setting with a good frame-rate you'll really be able to capture the true sense of fear. The benefit of having a low frame-rate is that it's harder to run and think of where you need to go. Begging for the door to open up real quick, stumbling along the cobbled floor, slamming the cupboard doar behind you - the feel of desperation sticks and doesn't go easily.

As I said before, this is Psychological Horror. It's no surprise that there's,

- No combat capabilities (at least, not for you)

- No HUD (except for when you take damage)

- Barely any hints or tips (just a journal)

- Little health

- Many puzzles

- Illusion

If you've never played this kind of game before, Frictional Games will kick you in the teeth and say, "YOU'RE DOOMED!", then laugh at you. Don't worry, it did that with me a year ago and I'm still trying to find Amnesia-proof dentures.

Puzzles? What kind?

It's mainly pulling the right levers, twising the right valves and finding your way around Castle Brennenburg. Nothing too complicated. If you need help with the puzzles, check YouTube for answers, or Google a written guide. I can understand how and why people will need walkthroughs (I did a couple of times, but didn't watch too much to spoil the next part), so it's always better to cheat a little than be stuck and be angered by the game.

Illusion?

Yep, illusion. From time to time you'll encounter monsters that a "real", as in "you get hit three times and you die - no health regen, so keep your Laudanum handy". Then there's "Poofers", which just disppear when they run very close to you. Some monster encounters are avoidable, others aren't. Some will happen no matter how many times you die, some won't occur after you reload the save. However, you need to be ready for anything, which brings me onto....

Hiding

Whenever you stumble across a corridor with lots of doors on each side, check through the peephole if there is one. If there isn't somewhere you can look through, then open the door slightly, and peer through (using a specific key, found on your key bindings page). Be sure to keep all doors open if you're pull out ones. If they're push doors, do what you will with them. Whenever a monster appears (can happen any moment, even if it didn't in the last save), you need to make sure you have an escape route.

-Which room is the darkest?

- Which room has a closet?

-Which room is has boxes stacked for me to hide behind?

Take those into consideration, and I guarentee your experience will be a horrific yet safe one.

When you encounter a monster!

1. You see the monster - he's dead ahead. Crouch and walk backwards, unless you've enough time to shut the door in front of him/behind you (if possible).
2. If he's seen you, run. If he's far back enough, grab a box and launch it at him to stumble him (if he's too close).
3. Your escape route needs to be clear of obstacles. So have all doors shut and the one you need open. Shut it behind you, and hide!
4. Crouch, and look away from the monster. If you look at him he will find you and most probably kill you.

You'd be surprised how difficult the game can be without knowing the threats you're against. Amnesia: The Dark Descent has a sort of dungeon-delver feel, and it's your job to know it inside out. Of course you won't without any help (I was the same - I just ran in and hoped for the best. Bad idea, that's why I'm writing this), and it's an easy mistake to make.

It's not an overrated game, but the warnings can be exaggerated. It's not impossible without help, it's about trial and error. In this game, there is justice behind it. If you make a mistake, you'll know better next time - not the game's fault.

So there you have it - some of the most important pointers to consider in game, and a few things which will make your A:TDD life feel more daring, but it's a lot safer.