Takes Aim At Summer Release

Frictional Games and thechineseroom have basically finished Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs, which will only require some polish and optimisation before release.

I want to go home, mommy. Please don't make me review it.

If Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs is as terrifying as its predecessor and new trailer suggests, this little piggy will be staying at home. Probably crying, sweating profusely and maintaining questionable bowel control.

"Don't Try To Beat The Game, Try To Live The Game"

Amnesia: The Dark Descent designer Thomas Grip believes that developers and gamers need to realise that "story is not just the plot" - i.e. that games should convey their narrative through interactive gameplay, art design and audio rather than relying on cutscenes.

Horror sequel Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs will miss its Halloween 2012 release window. "The quality of the game is the absolute first, last, and always with this development, and we felt it could do with a few more months’ work to make sure that’s really going to happen,” thechineseroom creative director Dan Pinchbeck told Gamezone, basically suggesting that the project will miss this year altogether.

On the plus side, at least we've got a few more months of blissful, happy innocence before A Machine For Pigs turns our PCs into nightmarish portals to realms of pure terror. And we've got time to stockpile stain remover. For, you know, our [that's quite enough, thanks -Ed]

To thank players for getting involved with the sensational Humble Bundle V (which included Amnesia: The Dark Descent), Frictional Games have released a teaser trailer for the sequel. A Machine For Pigs is looking good at this early stage, and a brief gameplay snippet leaves us in no doubt that nothing is going to be okay, ever again.

Thechineseroom's creative director Dan Pinchbeck has spoken of the difficulties in balancing the horror of Amnesia: The Dark Descent with raised expectations, and a desire to provide a fresh experience for the upcoming sequel - Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs.

• What: Penumbra Collection
• Where: Impulse
• Current Price: £3.25
• Penumbra Collection Price Comparison

Several digital retailers tend to slash the Penumbra Collection to this sort of price level every once in a while, but at £3.25, Impulse provide a meaty saving and the cheapest we've seen so far. This nifty little bundle of first person horror adventure contains Overture, Requiem and Black Plague, and while slightly tatty around the edges, these games are incredibly creepy and well worth checking out by scare junkies.

Dear Esther Devs On Board

Just in case Amnesia: The Dark Descent wasn't terrifying enough for you, Frictional Games has announced their (already-rumoured) sequel as Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs. This new horror title will be set in the same universe, but stars"wealthy industrialist" Oswald Magnus who's constantly visited by fever dreams of a nightmarish machine.

Oh God.

The name and premise is terrifying enough as is, but it also transpires that Dear Esther developers thechineseroom will also be pitching in on the project - hence the hints about China in the teaser website. Considering their eye for moody art design and talent for deep psychological manipulation... this could potentially be the most bowel-looseningly frightening game ever made. Here's hoping.

Frictional Games has launched a teaser site for their next project... and tease is definitely the operative word. The Amnesia logo is plainly visible along with a hyperlink to a Google Earth map of China. And that's our lot.

So... adding two and two together gives us an Amnesia sequel set in China. Too easy?

RPS has diligently ferreted out some extra info regarding the domain - which is definitely owned by Frictional. Keywords include "3D game, frictional games, advanced physics, survivial [sic] horror, action adventure, first person, horror, scary, HPL, work in progress, upcoming game, next frictional game and game development." Watch this space.

• What: Penumbra Collection
• Where: Greenman Gaming
• Current Price: £3.74 (50p Trade-In Value)
• Penumbra Collection Price Comparison

Halloween may be behind us, but that hasn't stopped Greenman Gaming from maintaining their horrifically-slashed price for the Penumbra Collection. This nifty little bundle of first person horror adventure contains Overture, Requiem and Black Plague - and will save you a packet compared to most other retailers. While slightly tatty around the edges, these games are incredibly creepy and well worth checking out by scare junkies.

• What: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
• Where: Desura
• Current Price: £2.59
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent Review

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a truly terrifying game with a cuddly, heartwarming price tag courtesy of GamersGate. As far as gameplay is concerned, players are trapped inside a creepy house with a terrifying nemesis stalking the shadows. Having no idea why or how they ended up there (hence the title, natch), you've got to rely on your wits, desperate stealth and all-out flight to evade your pursuer... and it makes an incredible change from just shooting undead horrors in the face. The visuals and sound design create a horrifying atmosphere that's best enjoyed with the lights off.

Desura are offering a nice and cheap £2.59 price tag, though you'll need to download their client. It's a great platform for Indie games and mods, so I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys that sort of thing.

• What: Penumbra Collection
• Where: Greenman Gaming
• Current Price: £3.74 (50p Trade-In Value)
• Penumbra Collection Price Comparison

Halloween may be behind us, but that hasn't stopped Greenman Gaming from horrifically slashing the price of the Penumbra Collection. This nifty little bundle of first person horror adventure contains Overture, Requiem and Black Plague - and will save you a packet compared to most other retailers. While slightly tatty around the edges, these games are incredibly creepy and well worth checking out by scare junkies.

• What: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
• Where: GamersGate
• Current Price: £3.24
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent Review

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a truly terrifying game with a cuddly, heartwarming price tag courtesy of GamersGate. As far as gameplay is concerned, players are trapped inside a creepy house with a terrifying nemesis stalking the shadows. Having no idea why or how they ended up there (hence the title, natch), you've got to rely on your wits, desperate stealth and all-out flight to evade your pursuer... and it makes an incredible change from just shooting undead horrors in the face. The visuals and sound design create a horrifying atmosphere that's best enjoyed with the lights off.

• What: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
• Where: Direct2Drive
• Current Price: £5.15
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent PC price comparison
• Amnesia: The Dark Descent Review

This isn’t the cheapest the title has fallen to in recent months, but it’s still a significant saving for those that want to scare themselves stupid. Direct2Drive’s offer means you can save yourself just over £7.75 in comparison to GamersGate’s next best offer, although you might end up spending that on new underwear. After all, Amnesia is one of the scariest games in recent memory, taking the weapons out of your hands and forcing you to use puzzles and stealth to avoid the dangers that stalk you. If you’ve been looking for a way to scare the life out of you, put down some cash on this one, plug in some headphones, and turn the lights off.