Pulling back the rose-tinted glasses, there’s an assortment of annoying issues to be found plaguing this ambitious collection of physics-based interactions and Lovecraftian lore. I may be a huge fan of the Penumbra games, but they’re by no means flawless titles. I guess whacking that thing with a pickaxe is no longer an option. While it’s still a compelling experience, it’s easily the least interesting part of the franchise, and I’m glad that Frictional Games would move on to new projects afterward. Removing enemies from the game entirely, Requiem is more of a horror-themed puzzle title, playing around with meta-storytelling and revisiting elements from the series’ past. In spite of a rather definitive ending, Black Plague would actually be followed up by Penumbra: Requiem, an expansion that serves more as an odd coda instead of a proper conclusion. Black Plague still has its problems, with some annoying enemies and the occasional physics hiccup, but it’s still a horror gaming landmark, and a lot easier to go back to than the first game. Personally, I would have preferred it if the studio had simply improved on the original game’s combat instead of outright removing it (I always thought that the janky-ness added to the scare-factor, much like Resident Evil‘s awkward tank controls), but I have to admit that its exclusion made for a far smoother experience. Juggling pseudo-zombie outbreaks, homicidal hallucinations, and spiritual quests, the storyline isn’t always easy to follow but at least it’s never boring, even with the simplified gameplay. This resulted in the second game attempting a lot more than its predecessor in the story department as it tried to wrap things up, which is both a good and a bad thing. Penumbra was originally envisioned as a trilogy, but the developers were forced to pull back on their plans due to budgetary and time constraints. As players continue to traverse the facility, they discover a vast conspiracy regarding an otherworldly virus and Inuit mythology, leading to a horrific yet satisfying conclusion. The story was also a lot tighter this time around, picking up where the previous title left off as Phillip chronicles his tragic misadventures through an e-mail sent to a friend. The combat system was completely removed and levels now exclusively focused on enhanced stealth mechanics and puzzle-solving. In 2008, Frictional would release Penumbra: Black Plague, which was a huge step up from its predecessor. It was clear that the Frictional Games’ strengths lay in stealth and puzzle-solving, so subsequent titles would polish and alter the gameplay experience into something more akin to what we now know as Amnesia. While Overture wasn’t exactly a blockbuster hit, with many critics complaining about the primitive combat system and convoluted narrative, it was popular enough to justify continuing the story with sequels and expansions, albeit with slight modifications. I won’t spoil anything here, but it’s clear that eldritch horrors await as you descend further into the abyss, encountering even more monsters and madmen. While there’s more than a little influence from John Carpenter’s The Thing in this initial release, the plot is actually quite interesting, unfolding through diary scraps and environmental storytelling. Much like Amnesia, players explore the world of Overture in first-person, solving clever puzzles (that usually make use of the impressive physics system), fighting off deadly creatures and eventually uncovering the facility’s eerie backstory. Seeking shelter from the cold, Phillip becomes trapped in an abandoned mine/research facility and must now investigate this sinister location in order to escape and find out the truth behind his father’s message. The game put players in the shoes of Phillip, a physicist who receives a letter from his supposedly deceased father and decides to track him down in northern Greenland. Lovecraft), Penumbra: Overturewas expanded on and eventually released as a full game in 2007, presenting players with a highly interactive environment and unsettling narrative. Initially meant to be an elaborate tech demo showcasing the then-innovative HPL Engine 1 (named after H.P. The Penumbra series might not be as fondly remembered as Amnesia, but there’s no denying that it helped to lay the groundwork for modern horror gaming and is definitely still worth revisiting. While there’s no denying the expert craftsmanship behind Frictional Games’ magnum opus, now that there’s a proper sequel on the horizon, I think that it might be a good time to look back on the ambitious games that helped to create the Frictional formula. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is fondly remembered as the terrifying title that changed the indie game industry, re-popularizing Survival Horror and influencing interactive media even a decade later.
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