frictional games

  • Amnesia: Rebirth Makes Motherhood Scary

    Amnesia: Rebirth Makes Motherhood Scary

    The only scary thing in Amnesia: Rebirth is motherhood. The monsters are rare and dispersed enough to be manageable threats, and the atmosphere is less oppressive than other Amnesia games. Rebirth did not scare me the same way The Dark Descent or its far more terrifying older sibling Penumbra: Overture did. But it’s a game…


  • Video Games Should Have Fewer Achievements

    Video Games Should Have Fewer Achievements

    SOMA is a standout game, and one of the many ways it distinguishes itself is through its restrained use of achievements. There are 10 on Steam (or 10 trophies on PlayStation), and each is nothing more than a progress marker. They come infrequently and unexpectedly. I wasn’t sure when one would pop up or why.…