A Machine for Pigs is a good game, as long as you judge it on its own terms. Unfortunately, that's not exactly easy to do. For one thing, it carries the "Amnesia" title, which sets certain expectations. Also, releasing so close to a similar genre game like Outlast doesn't help either. A Machine for Pigs is nothing like either of those games - it is very much its own beast (no pun intended).

Gameplay-wise, it resembles the original Amnesia, in that you explore a creepy location with nothing but the light of a lantern to aid you. The stories of the two games are also connected. But that's pretty much where the similarities end. In the original game, you had to manage resources to keep your light lit (and your character sane), which ended up being a pretty tense balancing act at times. Additionally, running and hiding from monsters was a key gameplay element. However, in AMFP, your lantern never runs out of fuel, the actual monster encounters are few and far between, and hiding is not usually necessary.

The upshot of these changes make AMFP a very different feeling game. For one, it is not particularly scary. Sure, there are definitely lots of moments of dread where you find yourself not wanting to go through a door or down a dark hallway. However, you soon realize that in most cases, there is actually nothing there to fear. Secondly, the game is very linear and the puzzles are overly simple. Mostly, you just go through a series of corridors and turn on a valve here and there, which opens up the next corridor. It's pretty easy. So this isn't really a horror game in the sense of "scare factor". The horror mostly comes from the feelings created by the environment (level and sound design, which are both excellent), and the story. The story is the high point here, though. Most of it is revealed through notes and audio recordings that are found throughout the levels. The voiceovers, and the writing especially, are very good.

I would say that is the main reason to play this game - the story and atmosphere. As a pure horror/scare-factor game, you will be disappointed. For that, you are better off playing the original Amnesia or genre newcomer Outlast. A Machine for Pigs plays much more like a horror version of Dear Esther (which should come as no surprise, as it was developed by the same people). If that sounds up your alley, definitely give this one a go. Just keep in mind it's not really very scary or action oriented, so if you are expecting a repeat of the original game (or something along the lines of Outlast), you will be severely disappointed. Playtime is around 4 hours or so, give or take. All in all, I felt it was a worthy successor to the Amnesia legacy, in its own way. Probably not as good a game overall, but definitely a unique experience that is worth checking out at some point if you enjoyed the original.

A Machine for Pigs is a good game, as long as you judge it on its own terms. Unfortunately, that's not exactly easy to do. For one thing, it carries the "Amnesia" title, which sets certain expectations. Also, releasing so close to a similar genre game like Outlast doesn't help either. A Machine for Pigs is nothing like either of those games - it is very much its own beast (no pun intended). Gameplay-wise, it resembles the original Amnesia, in that you explore a creepy location with nothing but the light of a lantern to aid you. The stories of the two games are also connected. But that's pretty much where the similarities end. In the original game, you had to manage resources to keep your light lit (and your character sane), which ended up being a pretty tense balancing act at times. Additionally, running and hiding from monsters was a key gameplay element. However, in AMFP, your lantern never runs out of fuel, the actual monster encounters are few and far between, and hiding is not usually necessary. The upshot of these changes make AMFP a very different feeling game. For one, it is not particularly scary. Sure, there are definitely lots of moments of dread where you find yourself not wanting to go through a door or down a dark hallway. However, you soon realize that in most cases, there is actually nothing there to fear. Secondly, the game is very linear and the puzzles are overly simple. Mostly, you just go through a series of corridors and turn on a valve here and there, which opens up the next corridor. It's pretty easy. So this isn't really a horror game in the sense of "scare factor". The horror mostly comes from the feelings created by the environment (level and sound design, which are both excellent), and the story. The story is the high point here, though. Most of it is revealed through notes and audio recordings that are found throughout the levels. The voiceovers, and the writing especially, are very good. I would say that is the main reason to play this game - the story and atmosphere. As a pure horror/scare-factor game, you will be disappointed. For that, you are better off playing the original Amnesia or genre newcomer Outlast. A Machine for Pigs plays much more like a horror version of Dear Esther (which should come as no surprise, as it was developed by the same people). If that sounds up your alley, definitely give this one a go. Just keep in mind it's not really very scary or action oriented, so if you are expecting a repeat of the original game (or something along the lines of Outlast), you will be severely disappointed. Playtime is around 4 hours or so, give or take. All in all, I felt it was a worthy successor to the Amnesia legacy, in its own way. Probably not as good a game overall, but definitely a unique experience that is worth checking out at some point if you enjoyed the original.