This type of mouse-based, motion-control is elegant and intuitive enough that you won't even think twice about how to interact with things after a couple of minutes - it just works. On paper, such a feature may sound mundane, at least until a demonic hellspawn is gaining on you, and you realize that doors open either inwardly or outwardly, not both ways. One of the most simplistic (and effective) examples is opening and closing doors, which is done by grabbing the door and using the mouse to swing it open or shut.

The basic FPS-like controls are supplemented with the ability to physically manipulate certain objects in the environment. If you encounter a monster in Amnesia, you have only a few choices: run, hide, or die. There's not a single weapon for the player to use in Amnesia. They help keep the player firmly rooted in the protagonist's shoes. In both cases, Amnesia's expository measures are immersive, albeit a bit unsettling. In-game, narrated cut-scenes are also fairly frequent, coating the screen with a dream-like visual filter when triggered. The game's narrative is told via collectible notes scattered around the castle, some written by Daniel himself, pre-memory loss. In fact, it's more of an adventure game with action elements. Unlike most other titles waving the banner of 'survival-horror,' Amnesia isn't another dimly-lit shooter filled with monster closets. Uncertain of his past, it's up to the player to piece together events from Daniel's fractured memory in order to uncover the secret of a malevolent darkness that pursues him. Amnesia is a first-person, survival-horror game that puts players in the role of Daniel, a mysterious protagonist who awakens in a dimly-lit castle. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is the latest title from indie developer Frictional Games, creators of the acclaimed Penumbra series.

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