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Penumbra |
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Developer: Frictional Games Publisher: Frictional Games Genre: Adventure > General Released: Apr 27, 2006 Players: 1 |
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Penumbra is a 3D horror title created by Frictional Games to showcase
their remarkable Newton Game Dynamics physics engine. Penumbra allows you
to manipulate in-game objects to solve puzzles and explore a mysterious
environment. Stack crates to reach out of the way areas, slide barrels to
block dangerous broken pipes, and barricade doors to keep the horrors at
bay. It's a remarkably immersive experience that successfully traps you in
a dark world of mystery and suspense.
The story of Penumbra begins with a mysterious letter from your father who vanished before you knew him. In the note he apologizes for his absence and includes a key to a safe deposit box. Upon retrieving the box you discover a strange book written in an unknown language. Notes scribbled in the margins mention a strange location somewhere in Greenland. Curious, you travel there and stumble upon a sealed door hidden by snow and ice. Too far to turn back, you crack open the portal and step into a nightmare. Upon exploring the inside you find a chilling note from a former occupant. Something horrible has happened here, and whatever creature caused the terror could still be at large...
The environment in Penumbra as a whole is fairly small, so don't worry about getting lost, even when you're crawling through air ducts. The entire game takes place inside a dark abandoned building and there's always a foreboding sense of fear in the back of your mind as you explore the hallways. Will something leap out from behind the door? What's around the next corner? That intense feeling combined with the fun physics engine is what will keep you playing.
Progressing through Penumbra is fairly straightforward, as puzzles are
simple and intuitive. You'll need to get machines to work by finding
missing pieces, figure out how to enter out of reach areas, and decipher
the occasional keypad code. There is very little searching or
backtracking, though a few puzzles require you to hold objects for much of
the game. Most of the hurdles you will overcome must be solved by moving
or throwing different objects around. A fantastic example is trying to get
a gas can from a tall shelf early in the game. You can stack objects to
reach it, try and knock it off by throwing boxes, or just grab the shelf
and give it a good shake. Very easy to understand and unbelievably fun to
do.
The game as a whole is fairly short, but Frictional Games have maintained this release is merely a tech demo. A full version titled Penumbra - Overture has been announced and will contain a longer story, better visuals, numerous minor tweaks and a melee combat engine. Until its release sometime in 2007, playing Penumbra is a great way to warm yourself up to the idea of physics-based gaming.
Graphics:
Although the scenery of a horror game requires a bland color palette, Penumbra does a good job of showing off detail in drab surroundings. However, some of the models look a little blocky and many of the areas seem incomplete. Given the fact that this is a tech demo, though, it's forgivable.
Sound:
The lack of a soundtrack is definitely a good thing, as horror titles
usually go for tense moments of silence followed by frightening action.
The ambient noises and sounds of objects you throw clinking on the floor
are good, but some of the larger, thicker objects sound hollow when they
hit the floor. A fire hydrant should make a richer sound than an empty
cola can. On the plus side, noises are context-sensitive, so dragging a
box over wood and over metal produces different sounds.
Gameplay:
The no-nonsense control scheme lets you jump right in to play, while the heavy use of real physics makes it easy to progress. Stacking crates to reach high-up areas is second nature, and Penumbra lets you do that and much more. The game itself is rather short, only an hour or two long at best, but it still offers the ability to explore the building and utilize the accurate physics however you please.
Concept:
Building a game around a programming trick isn't usually the best design technique, but for Penumbra, it works quite well. The horror genre must attempt to pull the player into the environment as much as possible so they abandon their sense of security. How can you get scared when you know you're sitting in front of your PC? But adding a detailed physics engine and interactive environments sucks you right in. I could spend hours just playing with boxes and barrels, and when a game's rooms are that good, I know I'm part of the experience.
Value:
Can't get much better than free!
Fun:
Part of the entertainment in Penumbra is the ability to pick up objects and fling them around the room. Most of the items you see are simply there to play around with, such as a lone DVD player or the collection of pick axes in the corner. Playing the game straight through is certainly entertaining, but to really enjoy yourself you need your own sense of adventure.
Recommendation:
Although you don't have anything to lose by downloading this freeware title, the dark atmosphere and emphasis on physics-based puzzle solving won't be for everyone. The system requirements are a little beefy as well, so not everyone will be able to experience the game. Nevertheless, it's a chilling ride and a promising look at what could be a great new experience in video gaming.
The story of Penumbra begins with a mysterious letter from your father who vanished before you knew him. In the note he apologizes for his absence and includes a key to a safe deposit box. Upon retrieving the box you discover a strange book written in an unknown language. Notes scribbled in the margins mention a strange location somewhere in Greenland. Curious, you travel there and stumble upon a sealed door hidden by snow and ice. Too far to turn back, you crack open the portal and step into a nightmare. Upon exploring the inside you find a chilling note from a former occupant. Something horrible has happened here, and whatever creature caused the terror could still be at large...
The environment in Penumbra as a whole is fairly small, so don't worry about getting lost, even when you're crawling through air ducts. The entire game takes place inside a dark abandoned building and there's always a foreboding sense of fear in the back of your mind as you explore the hallways. Will something leap out from behind the door? What's around the next corner? That intense feeling combined with the fun physics engine is what will keep you playing.
Progressing through Penumbra is fairly straightforward, as puzzles are
simple and intuitive. You'll need to get machines to work by finding
missing pieces, figure out how to enter out of reach areas, and decipher
the occasional keypad code. There is very little searching or
backtracking, though a few puzzles require you to hold objects for much of
the game. Most of the hurdles you will overcome must be solved by moving
or throwing different objects around. A fantastic example is trying to get
a gas can from a tall shelf early in the game. You can stack objects to
reach it, try and knock it off by throwing boxes, or just grab the shelf
and give it a good shake. Very easy to understand and unbelievably fun to
do.
The game as a whole is fairly short, but Frictional Games have maintained this release is merely a tech demo. A full version titled Penumbra - Overture has been announced and will contain a longer story, better visuals, numerous minor tweaks and a melee combat engine. Until its release sometime in 2007, playing Penumbra is a great way to warm yourself up to the idea of physics-based gaming.
Graphics:
Although the scenery of a horror game requires a bland color palette, Penumbra does a good job of showing off detail in drab surroundings. However, some of the models look a little blocky and many of the areas seem incomplete. Given the fact that this is a tech demo, though, it's forgivable.
Sound:
The lack of a soundtrack is definitely a good thing, as horror titles
usually go for tense moments of silence followed by frightening action.
The ambient noises and sounds of objects you throw clinking on the floor
are good, but some of the larger, thicker objects sound hollow when they
hit the floor. A fire hydrant should make a richer sound than an empty
cola can. On the plus side, noises are context-sensitive, so dragging a
box over wood and over metal produces different sounds.
Gameplay:
The no-nonsense control scheme lets you jump right in to play, while the heavy use of real physics makes it easy to progress. Stacking crates to reach high-up areas is second nature, and Penumbra lets you do that and much more. The game itself is rather short, only an hour or two long at best, but it still offers the ability to explore the building and utilize the accurate physics however you please.
Concept:
Building a game around a programming trick isn't usually the best design technique, but for Penumbra, it works quite well. The horror genre must attempt to pull the player into the environment as much as possible so they abandon their sense of security. How can you get scared when you know you're sitting in front of your PC? But adding a detailed physics engine and interactive environments sucks you right in. I could spend hours just playing with boxes and barrels, and when a game's rooms are that good, I know I'm part of the experience.
Value:
Can't get much better than free!
Fun:
Part of the entertainment in Penumbra is the ability to pick up objects and fling them around the room. Most of the items you see are simply there to play around with, such as a lone DVD player or the collection of pick axes in the corner. Playing the game straight through is certainly entertaining, but to really enjoy yourself you need your own sense of adventure.
Recommendation:
Although you don't have anything to lose by downloading this freeware title, the dark atmosphere and emphasis on physics-based puzzle solving won't be for everyone. The system requirements are a little beefy as well, so not everyone will be able to experience the game. Nevertheless, it's a chilling ride and a promising look at what could be a great new experience in video gaming.
By: John Bardinelli
Posted: Friday September 15, 2006
Posted: Friday September 15, 2006
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