2.5/5 ★ – MPT's review of Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs.

A Machine for Pigs is a sequel that unfortunately does everything a bit worse than the game before it (aside from the story). it amounts to quite an average game which is a shame considering how uniquely effective the first one was as a horror game, but there’s still some stuff that redeems it and makes it at least worth playing. the biggest problem with the game is how little actual horror there is in it. you very rarely feel like you’re in any danger at all, meaning for the majority of the game you just wander round in the dark not feeling threatened or pressured. essentially 90% of the game is a walking simulator. there’s nothing wrong with that (walking simulators can be very good), but this is a sequel to a horror game that also markets itself as a horror game, and it’s very light on the scares. it feels like the game puts the mechanics of TDD to the side and replaces them with nothing else. the enemies are also a bit pathetic and really fucking stupid. the very few times you’re in any actual danger the pigmen are blind as shit. they’re cool when considering the story, but they straight up aren’t very threatening at all, linking back to the main problem of how little danger the game puts you in. there’s also only one enemy type (three, if you count the electric pigman and water monsters that show up once each for their own admittedly cool sequences) so it gets a bit stale even when they do show up. the removal of great features from the first game like the inventory system and sanity meter, as well as resource management and the light/ darkness mechanic, seems unnecessary and is entirely to the game’s detriment. no puzzles are as hard as any in the first game, and the lack of things to find and do make this just seem like a stripped back version, non-horror version of TDD. the atmosphere the game does have, though, is still very eerie. this goes into overdrive in one of the actual best game sequences ever when you emerge onto the streets. it’s horrifying and super chaotic. there’s also the water monster part which, like the first game, is very well crafted, as well as a cool bit with the electric pigman at the end of the game. Amnesia still knocks it out the park with its set piece moments. if there was more sequences like this the game might actually be scary. however, the story is by far the best part of the game. it’s actually very interesting and like nothing i’ve ever really come across in any other piece of media. if you feel like playing this is a bit pointless, at least the story numbs the boredom a bit. A Machine for Pigs is a mediocre game, and not a very good horror game, but there are some redeeming qualities that make the game at least worth one playthrough. it’s a shame it’s simply not a very effective horror game in terms of actual gameplay. lots of what made Amnesia’s horror unique in TDD has been removed so the tension is almost non existent. may as well give it a try if you can though, the parts that aren’t boring are stellar.