[url=http://www.frictionalgames.com/site/][img]http://www.frictionalgames.com/site/themes/friction/banner.jpg[/img][/url]
[LIST]
[*][B]What is frictional Games ?[/B]
frictional Game is an indie developer studio which focuses on the creation of immersive, often physics based survival horror using a first person point of vue for maximum immersion. Though they are only five, they are doing a great work and are making all their games from scratch. Even the physics and game engine is their own creation.
As we can see in their games, they are mostly influenced by the well loved author H.P Lovecraft. Even the physics engine they created is named HPL.
[*][B]Unbirth Tech Demo[/B]
This can be qualified as their very first survival horror. When they created this the studio wasn't even existing, it was still a bunch of students who didn't have much stuff to do in their spare time. Though it's rather ugly and not really good to play, it is considered as the penumbra trilogy's precursor and granddad. It is available at their website, though it's just an alpha tech demo they had to stop developing after some technical issues.
Some pictures :
[img_thumb]http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/6435/screen08.jpg[/img_thumb]
[url=http://unbirth.frictionalgames.com/]More about Unbirth[/url]
[*][B]Penumbra : Tech demo[/B]
First real project from the frictional games crew, it was made before the official creation of the studio and can be considered as it's creation's trigger. Graphically, it's almost the same as penumbra, yet it's uglier and has some shitty models. As free as Unbirth, this tech demo is rather awesome to play and contains some good ideas that will mostly entirely get kept in the future games, such as the importance of a good management of light sources, sneaking, hiding and use of physics to find a way out or block your enemies. You also don't have any weapons as well, which basically makes you widely inferior to your mutated foes. Some other ideas, such as the presence of complicated and somewhat numerous enemies and the ability to see your character look in his backpack were not kept.
And, trust me, even this tech demo is way scarier than dead space or resident evil.
The demo can be completed as well and can really be enjoyed if you play it in the right conditions, which are alone in the dark with headphones.
Good advice :
• Enemies are really rare. Yet, if you see one, run like fuck and hide in a corner.
• Avoid jumping, you can easily lose a lot of health by jumping out a whole stairway.
• Don't be afraid to walk through darkness. Mister glowstick is here to comfort you.
Some pictures :
[img_thumb]http://img259.imageshack.us/img259/457/screen04g.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/6176/screenhuntera.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/870/screen03w.jpg[/img_thumb]
[url=http://www.frictionalgames.com/site/penumbra]More about Penumbra Tech Demo[/url]
[url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/images/00016/00016554_000.htm]More pictures of Penumbra Tech Demo (from pictures 1 to 11, after theses it's penumbra overture screenshots)[/url]
[*][B]Penumbra : Overture[/B]
First game from the studio to ever be sold, it's the first episode of the Penumbra trilogy and is way more developed than his older brother. As it's name indicates, the game is the beginning of a three episodes long story, taking place somewhere in the north pole. Going to the rescue of your father, you quickly discover you placed yourself in one of the most awkward situations you can ever imagine : getting blocked in a large and apparently abandoned mine with no possibility of getting out from where you came. Stranded, blocked into darkness, you will have to go away, your brain being your one and only ally... until you fight a blunt weapon and get contact with Red, some crazy minor working down there.
The game had been both complimented about his incredible atmosphere and criticized about how easily you can get rid of what are supposed to be your worst nightmares : dogs and spiders. Normally, you are supposed to run your ass away everytime these fuckers show themselves, but once you know how to put them down with some improvised blunt weapon hits, it all goes fine. Otherwise, it's an awesome game with a lovely atmosphere and great ideas. You will need to be ingenious to solve a lot of problems.
Good advices :
• Light up every oil lamp you see. It will spare you precious batteries and will prevent you from using the glowstick.
• Glowstick is a spider bait, flashlight is a repulsive.
• Wolfs can easily get put down with a blunt weapon. Climb on a crate or anything like that, hit it right in the face, wait for it to get up, repeat.
• Dynamite is useless.
• You can't do anything about the worm, just run like fuck.
• Only use the left and right swing of the blunt weapons. The straight hit is useless and weak.
Some pictures :
[img_thumb]http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7656/ovescreen4.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/1157/ovescreen3.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/3435/ovescreen1.jpg[/img_thumb]
[url=[url=http://www.penumbragame.com/]More about Penumbra Overture[/url]
[url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/images/00016/00016554_010.htm]More pictures of Penumbra : Overture[/url]
[*][B]Penumbra : Black Plague[/B]
Second episode of the penumbra trilogy, it is considered as the best one. First of all, it completely removes weapons, and make the enemies way more aggressive, ingenious, and tougher as long as an increased speed. Don't expect killing them this time, they are the only one that can deal you damage, and they will do so at your first error.
The enemies, even though they are a real threat this time, can be counted on both hand's fingers. After playing the game twice, I can say they are fewer than ten. Yet, everytime they appear, you basically jump on your chair and get screwed if you don't hold the sprint key and run like fuck.
Apart this little detail, there isn't much more to say compared to the first one. This time you are wandering in a scientific complex, and will have to deal with a voice in your head calling itself Clarence. And, trust me, this fucker is not here to help you. Throughout the game you will have to deal with hallucinations, psychotic deliriums and other joys like this, all caused by the asshole running in your head and touching all the buttons.
It can be independently played, even though you have never played Overture. A little summary at the launch of a new game will tell you everything you know and the ending doesn't need to know much about the first episode to understand it.
Oh, and the different enigmas are way more developed and current than in the first one. You will need a mac gyver mind to get out of every situations, even to get out of the first room.
Good advices :
• They are like 6 zombies who can actually hurt you. Any other enemy you can see are either hallucinations or scripted stuff.
• If you can sneak, do it. If a zombie spots you, just run like fuck and take the first door leading to another zone, this will reset the npcs and sometimes make them vanish.
• There are no dogs or spiders. If you see one, just run straight into it, it's nothing but a hallucination.
• Always be prepared to the worst.
• Never trust Clarence, or anything you see.
Some pictures :
[img_thumb]http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/9603/bpscreen1.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/6896/bpscreen4.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/6971/bpscreen3.jpg[/img_thumb]
[url=http://www.penumbragame.com/]More about Black Plague[/url]
[url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/images/00019/00019767_000.htm]More pictures of Penumbra : Black Plague[/url]
[*][B]Penumbra : Requiem[/B]
Meh. Just meh. Requiem is just penumbra's dark, evil Siamese twin. It has no enemies, no scary atmosphere, no intricate plot, no intriguing letters you find around, just random enigmas you must solve without any possible link. You just go in a room, find two items, some sort of technological glowing metallic balls (duke nukem just let his junk run around apparently), to activate a teleporter and go to the next room... and that's it. Boring as shit, without any possible interest if not the way it allows the story to go on a little more.
Good advices :
• Never be feared of going ahead, no monsters here.
• Take care about some rooms anyway, time can run against you.
• Don't rage, and don't panic. The best solution is always found with wisdom and patience.
• Fuck that flashlight, use the glowstick.
Some pictures :
[img_thumb]http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/p/0/p00rpc008.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/p/0/p00rpc010.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/p/0/p00rpc007.jpg[/img_thumb]
[url=http://www.penumbragame.com/]More about Penumbra Requiem[/url]
[url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/images/00021/00021998_000.htm]More pictures of Penumbra : Requiem[/url]
[*][B]Amnesia : The Dark Descent[/B]
Ah, here we are, frictional Games' last sick child. This one is almost directly taken from Lovecraft's universe, and multiplies implicit references to most of the author's novels. In this one, you are some guy who totally lose his memory and must find a way out of a giant Prussian castle. You quickly discover your "older yourself" discovered a ground-breaking magical object and decided to write a letter implying to kill the place's owner, then put himself into amnesia to prevent going mad.
Just as a lot of other Lovecraft based games, it contains both a life bar and a mental bar. If the life bar empties when you are getting hit, the mental bar will empty if you stay too much in darkness or assist to supernatural events, such as a pianos starting to play alone, ghosts appearing and doors slamming themselves close without reason. Contrarily to the previous games from frictional, you don't have two light sources which allowed you to have an unlimited yet weak light source and another powerful yet fast battery eating light source, just an old oil lamp, which means you will have to deal a lot more with the environment's possibility of lighting up places. But take care, you are not alone, and everytime you light up a candle or enter a room you take the risk of waking up some monsters and lead yourself to insanity or death.
This game just has a ground breaking atmosphere. You feel like you are the character, lurking around, heavily breathing, hearing the mouses lurking in walls, just as a sick walk into an abandoned haunted mansion. The only regrettable thing is that the fear is here provoked while the atmosphere just let the player's install his own fear while playing like in Penumbra.
Otherwise, it has some very important and handsome new things. The mentality bar will literally rule your way to play. If you just rush everything and don't take care of where you are going and go in the dark without any light source, you will very quickly become insane, which means you will have auditive hallucinations, complete screen deformation, running will cause you to regularly fall or trip, and you will be ever more defenseless than when you are perfectly sane.
Also, the editor is just awesome. Yet a bit hard to take in hand, once handled you can do absolutely everything with it. Give it a try, it comes with a model and a particle editor along with the level editor.
Good advices :
• Stay in light.
• Don't look at enemies when sneaking, you will panic.
• Take care when you are lighting up a candle or anything like that, you will take the risk to wake everything around.
• Oil refills are important and rare, don't use your lamp all the time, it's a complete waste.
• If you are spotted, don't panic, run to another room and duck into the darkest place.
• You can also run like fuck straight to the zone exit to reset the zombies and so be able to sneak up all again.
Some Pictures :
[img_thumb]http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/a/m/amnesia-the-dark-descent-pc-026.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/a/m/amnesia-the-dark-descent-pc-029.jpg[/img_thumb] [img_thumb]http://image.jeuxvideo.com/images/pc/a/m/amnesia-the-dark-descent-pc-026.jpg[/img_thumb]
[url=http://www.amnesiagame.com/#main]More about Amnesia[/url]
[url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/screenshots/images/00027/00027207_000.htm]More pictures of Amnesia[/url]
[url=http://hpl2.frictionalgames.com/]Amnesia HPL engine editors wiki[/url]
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So, in short, play them. At least try the tech demos, and if you like them buy the games, Amnesia is costing like $15 and the other ones are half this price, it really worths it.
I thought there was only ONE 'n' in "Frictional".
Still, good write up and I agree 100%.
There is, just a little mistake I passed on without noticing.
I changed it before it was too late anyway, thanks for saying.
Better re-host those images buddy, hotlinking isn't allowed.
i pirated all there games
[QUOTE=z0nk3d;24803392]There is, just a little mistake I passed on without noticing.
I changed it before it was too late anyway, thanks for saying.[/QUOTE]
Every single Frictional in your post is with 2 Ns.
[QUOTE=EcksDee;24803440]Every single Frictional in your post is with 2 Ns.[/QUOTE]
Gotta change this.
[editline]wohoo[/editline]
Done, thanks to notepad.
They are a great company. Probably my favourite after Valve.
Also, please, don't hack and download these games without paying. They are making a great work and they are indie, they deserve some money to keep up the good work.
I bought the full pack on Steam when it was on sale and it's awesome.
I fucking love Frictional Games. There are my second favorite game developer company.
Valve is at the top of course. :v:
Don't hotlink from their servers, they're short on money :frown:
[QUOTE=imadaman;24804175]Don't hotlink from their servers, they're short on money :frown:[/QUOTE]
I am rehosting all the pictures right now.
Ok guys don't search "Unbirth" on Google images, especially not with the safe search disabled. I learned that the hard way.
Adding a link to all games websites and removing most of the images, rehosting three screenshots per game to avoid hotlinking from their servers.
[editline]07:49PM[/editline]
And adding links with shitloads of pictures from each games.
Requiem is awesome because it has no monsters, isn't scary and has those great puzzles like in the other Penumbra games.(some people like that)
(me)
This company are awesome, I've played all their retail games save for Requiem and I cannot recommend them more to anyone.
[QUOTE=k-nie;24804720]Requiem is awesome because it has no monsters, isn't scary and has those great puzzles like in the other Penumbra games.(some people like that)
(me)[/QUOTE]
Well, it can barely be qualified as penumbra then, it just lacks of any scary or even heavy atmosphere. I also enjoyed playing it because the puzzles were tough, yet I got really disappointed by the fact it actually wasn't a true frictional game.
It is just an alternative for me because I am a coward who likes amazing physics engines and puzzles.
[QUOTE=k-nie;24805260]It is just an alternative for me because I am a coward who likes amazing physics engines and puzzles.[/QUOTE]
Just try the other episodes. I was a coward before too, and playing penumbra overture and black plague just solved the problem.
I love Frictional Games, they're one of my favorite companies. They actually respond to my emails, and for a team of four they make some damn good games.
Once I started looking at Requiem as just a puzzle game, rather than a Penumbra game, it got more fun.
I came into this thread expecting stuff about friction and physics and shit.
[QUOTE=leshrec1;24808821]Once I started looking at Requiem as just a puzzle game, rather than a Penumbra game, it got more fun.[/QUOTE] Agreed, unfortunately, my friends cant accept the fact that it's a fairly decent puzzle game.
[QUOTE=OutOfExile2;24807982]I love Frictional Games, they're one of my favorite companies. They actually respond to my emails, and for a team of four they make some damn good games.[/QUOTE]
Holy shit, I didn't know they were only four people. That's pretty awesome.
[editline]10:54PM[/editline]
[QUOTE=Hardpoint Nomad;24808968]I came into this thread expecting stuff about friction and physics and shit.[/QUOTE]
in the games forum
It's amazing what 5 guys from scandinavia can make. I'm gonna buy all the Penumbra episodes and Amnesia when I have the money for it, to support them. I've only played through the demo's. They also have a youtube channel with behind the scenes/making of, etc.
Link: [url]http://www.youtube.com/user/frictionalgames[/url]
[QUOTE=Mr. N;24809205]Holy shit, I didn't know they were only four people. That's pretty awesome.[/QUOTE]
I think it's four, something around that number. Also this video shows how awesome they are:
[media]http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q06d40zChDM[/media]
I saw about 10 copies of Penumbra Overture for $3.50 at my local Gamestop, so I bought around 4 of them just to give them to friends.
[QUOTE=z0nk3d;24803552]Also, please, don't hack and download these games without paying. They are making a great work and they are indie, they deserve some money to keep up the good work.[/QUOTE]
I hacked all their games. Now I have the hydra
[quote](duke nukem just let his junk run around apparently)[/quote]
Brilliant.
I wish Frictional would make some kind of stealth. Penumbra is cool and Amnesia is awesome, but I am a huge pussy and horror games freak me out. They do stealth pretty well since, especially in Amnesia, you can't fight so you need to work your way around.
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