Play the game that redefined survival horror before it leaves Game Pass on April 15

The first time I played Amnesia: The Dark Descent, I had to put it down and walk away. I’m a big fan of horror games and usually don’t put them down unless they’re unplayable or just plain bad. The dark descent was different though, a game that scared me so much that I had to turn on the lights and just sit in that glow until I could catch my breath. My vision had become too dark; I had run out of oil for my lantern; and cracking sounds came from somewhere off screen. I wasn’t surprised by a scare or a disturbing creature. I was just nervous, tense and extremely uncomfortable. So, you know, the best way to be scared.

Very few games are genre-defining in a way that actually means anything but Amnesia: The Dark Descent, developed by Frictional Games, set the standard for survival horror in the 2010s. After a few years of action-oriented horror games, especially those from 2005 Resident Evil 4 and 2008 Empty space, Amnesia took it back to basics, eliminating combat entirely and relying almost exclusively on the atmosphere to create scares. This was strangely refreshing at the time, and although there are plenty of them Amnesia-likes available to play today, including two direct sequels, Frictional is still a unique developer in this field for its dedication to this particular brand of horror, even as it has gone on to explore other themes and styles in individual titles, such as Soma.

While The dark descentas part of Amnesia: collectionis available to play on almost all modern consoles, along with those from Frictional Amnesia: rebirth And Somaleaving Xbox Game Pass on April 15. That means you only have a few days left to complete some of these relatively short (The dark descent lasts about eight hours), but very impactful horror games. And if you don’t make it in time, you can still get a 20% discount if you have a subscription.

In The dark descent, you play an amnesiac man named Daniel who wakes up in the creepy Gothic hallways of Brennerburg Castle. Unfortunately for the player, unknowable magic and creepy horrors lurk around every corner, and without your memory you’ll have to discover why you’re here and what’s going on in order to escape. Worst of all, there’s no combat, which means you can’t fight back. You can pick up objects to solve puzzles, but in terms of tools you only have a lantern that you have to repeatedly refill with oil and the occasional candle or torch in the environment, which you can light with a tinderbox.

It’s important to leave the lights on here as often as possible, otherwise the player’s “health meter” – which measures the amount of emotional distress the character is in – will appear and begin to rise, and as a result the game will become more difficult and challenging. The longer you stay in the dark, the more your meter rises. The edges of the screen darken and distort, while monstrous sounds creep in and crowd your senses. If you don’t find the light quickly, you soon won’t see much at all, a big problem when you’re surrounded by beings who can and shall kill you in just a few hits. You are very much alone Amnesiaand as long as you have that some impact on your environment, you are usually powerless.

This wasn’t a new gaming experience, even for Frictional Games, which started making a name for itself years ago with the Penumbra trilogy of survival horror games. They also eschewed traditional survival horror combat in favor of puzzles and an emphasis on atmosphere, which would in turn set the template for what Frictional would ultimately perfect in the coming years. The studio would use that knowledge to come up with a formula The dark descent just that to work, especially if you’re tired of action and bloodshed. Sure, being able to kill monsters with a shotgun can be cathartic, but at some point that power diminishes the impact of the scare, which perhaps should be one of the if not. the most important aspect of a horror game.

Amnesia: collection contains two games – The dark descent And A machine for pigs – together with Justine, an hour-long extension. While A machine for pigs is not an official sequel, as it was supported by Dear Esther developer The Chinese Room, and Justine is largely unrelated to the original game, but helped establish what has become Frictional’s Amnesia brand. These are all games about the absolute worst vibes.

Image: The Chinese room/friction games

Each game is heavily inspired by the works of HP Lovecraft, memorably emphasizes distorted, strangely organic machines, and features little to no combat. They use amnesia as a plot device to set up the exploration and revelations, but it’s more about the thin line between man and monster, and the lengths we’ll go to in the quest for power.

All this also applies to 2020 Amnesia: rebirth, which features some particularly disturbing pregnancy images; 2023 Amnesia: the bunker, which is a repeat of the series with its roguelike design; and 2015 Soma, which is basically a cyberpunk, transhumanist Amnesia game. These are all currently available on Game Pass, but only The Bunker will be available after April 15th.

Over the years, the Amnesia series has become a horror mainstay, and each entry can stand alone without recognizing its importance and impact. The dark descent. However, you still have to play that first game even 14 years later, simply because you started it all.