I'll start off by going through each game, starting with the original.
The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent was released in 2010. The graphics were good for an indie game at the time, and the storyline was excellent. You follow the role of Daniel, who wakes up with no memory of who he is, or where he is.
Now, I can't remember much about this game since I only played it once in 2010. I do however remember that it was a terrifying ordeal that I did not wish to repeat! The game includes a sanity meter, and looking at the disfigured monstrosities that stalk the corridors would drain this meter. Once the meter reached 0, every monster would notice you and begin pursuit. On the topic of the monsters, you don't have any means of defence apart from running, and hiding. It doesn't help that the monsters are actually faster than you.
The game relied heavily on atmosphere to get the player interested, having you not have an encounter with the monster until roughly an hour into the game.
Overall, The Dark Descent is one of the scariest experiences out there.
A Machine for Pigs
Having just finished this game, I felt it was necessary to state my views on it, and how it compares to the original amnesia.
In this game, you wake up to find yourself in your own home and your children missing. You get glimpses of them as you walk through your house. You also receive phone calls from a mysterious man telling you to fix a machine that sits under your house.
As the game progresses, you get glimpses of something much more horrifying. The manpigs.
The manpigs are seen from twenty minutes in, but you can't be attacked by them until you reach the bottom of the church where the holding pens are. A full hour into the game. The tension when you finally CAN be attacked for it is extremely high and I had to stop playing for nearly a week when I reached this part.
Overall, the story is fantastic and un-fault-able, and the horror is to high levels.
Now, the comparison. I'll look at each individual section for this and base the final verdict on it.
THE MONSTERS
The Dark Descent Monsters:
A Machine For Pigs monsters:
Personally, I found the manpigs scarier than the Gatherers and the Brute. The sounds they make and the fact that they are each introduced slowly builds up to the encounters. The entire sequence with the Tesla Pig is the most intense sequence in any game I have ever played.
Story
Once again, A machine for Pigs wins out here. The writers for "The Chinese Room" are fantastic, creating a very interesting and horrific story.
The Gameplay and Horror.
Here, The Dark Descent wins out. While "A Machine for Pigs" was scary (And had me literally jump out of my chair at one point), I couldn't help but feel it was a little short in the gameplay mechanics. Hiding has been reduced to cowering in a corner (Which doesn't usually work) or simply running. A machine for Pigs is also rather linear in comparison to "The Dark Descent".
Final Verdict:
I actually can't decide. Both had brilliant moments, and brilliant scares. What "A machine For pigs" had lacking in gameplay, it made up for in story and intense sequences.
I do hope this has helped someone else decide which is the game to get though.
Thanks for taking your time to read this!
