How the manipulation and limitation of player agency in Amnesia: the Dark Descent contributes to increased tension

Introduction

"Amnesia: The Dark Descent" stands out as a videogame landmark in the horror genre, influencing subsequent horror titles through its innovative approach to gameplay and storytelling. In this survival horror experience, players step into the shoes of Daniel, a character suffering from amnesia as he navigates a castle, manages limited resources, and solves puzzles while trying to avoid wandering enemies. Unlike many other horror games, "Amnesia" removes the player’s ability to fight back against enemies, forcing them to hide and flee instead. The lack of combat ability heightens the player's sense of vulnerability and helplessness, and it is one of many design features within “Amnesia” that are built around player agency.

This manipulation and limitation of player agency in "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" serves as a design choice that heightens tension and psychological terror. By limiting the player's actions, the game creates a sense of helplessness, tension and uncertainty, which in turn induces fear and anxiety. Through this paper I aim to explore how "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" is a great example in how limiting and manipulating player agency can result in an enhanced experience of tension and terror.

In this discussion, I will first define tension and its effects in horror, referring to the definition provided by Lehne and Koelsch (2015). I will then compare how tension is experienced in films and video games, highlighting the unique interactive elements of the latter. Following this, I will explore the concept of agency in video games, particularly within the context of survival horror games, and analyse how "Amnesia: The Dark Descent" uses these gameplay mechanics to create an experience of fear and tension. 

Tension and its effects in Horror

Tension, as defined by Lehne and Koelsch (2015), refers to an affective state that is characterised by conflict, dissonance, instability, and uncertainty. This state creates a desire for resolution, and is concerned with events of potential emotional significance, building on future-directed processes of expectation, anticipation, and prediction. In the context of horror, tension is not only an emotional response but a crucial tool that drives the storyline forward while engaging viewers or players in the unfolding narrative.

The presence of tension in horror often results in physical responses. According to Tudor (1997), the tension in horror movies leads to physical reactions such as covering one's eyes, jumping at shocks, holding one's breath, and nervous laughter. These observed reactions are significant signs of an effective horror experience, and when seen collectively, they contribute to our social understanding of what constitutes a pleasurable horror experience. 

In horror video games, tension plays a similar role. Game designers make use of various techniques such as sound design, narrative pacing, and gameplay mechanics to evoke this affective state. By manipulating these elements, game designers create environments in which players are constantly kept on edge, thereby enhancing their immersion and engagement in the game.

Comparing Tension in Films and Games

Tension in horror is experienced differently in films and video games, significantly influencing how the audience reacts emotionally and psychologically. Madsen (2016) points out these differences, by emphasising the passive and indirect nature of tension in horror films compared to the active and direct involvement found in video games.

Tension in Horror Films

In horror films, viewers can empathise with characters yet they remain passive observers, due to the nature of the medium. Unlike games, films do not enable their viewers to interact with or influence character’s actions or storylines. Instead, viewers observe the unfolding events from a distance, experiencing the horror through character reactions and situations, and this results in an indirect experience of tension and fear. Filmmakers take advantage of this, by using techniques such as suspenseful music and unexpected jumpscares to create a sense of anticipation and anxiety, or to startle their audience.

Tension in Horror Video Games

In contrast, horror video games like “Amnesia: The Dark Descent” put players in control of a character, turning them from passive observers into active participants. This direct involvement is made possible through agency mechanics, allowing players to make choices and take actions within the game world. This deepens the player’s sense of immersion and intensifies their personal experience with the narrative, leading to a firsthand experience of fear.

In “Amnesia: The Dark Descent”, players actively navigate through poorly-lit environments, solve puzzles, and avoid threats. This direct involvement heightens the player’s fear experience through personal agency, by giving them control over their actions and immediate consequences. Additionally, the player’s limited resources, together with their helplessness in combat, add to this feeling of vulnerability and tension.

Defining Agency

In the context of video games, agency is a concept that influences how players experience a game. As described by Murray (1997), agency is “The satisfying power to take meaningful action and see the result of our decisions and choices”. This definition highlights two essential components: meaningful action, which is an action requiring a decision to be taken, and the ability to see the results of our decision, which ensures that there is a range of possible actions, including choosing not to act, that would lead to observable outcomes.

Nguyen (2020) expands on this definition by describing how game designers create a structured environment that can guide the player’s actions. By establishing the rules, goals, abilities, and obstacles, designers set up the framework within which players exercise their agency. While players retain some freedom in their gameplay, their actions are ultimately constrained by the designer’s choices. Nguyen emphasises that designers not only create the game world but also construct the “skeleton of players’ practical agency within the world.” This means that game designers have the ability to manipulate and limit the player’s agency through their design choices. Since game designers can control what sort of agency the player might have, their choice to limit and manipulate these choices will still be a prominent part of the agency the player experiences and the tension they’ll feel.

Harrell and Zhu (2019) challenge the “more is better” models of agency, suggesting that agency should be seen as an expressive resource that varies across different dimensions to create meaningful and aesthetic effects in interactive narratives. This perspective is especially relevant in the survival horror genre, where the manipulation and limitation of player agency are a common design feature. Game designers intentionally restrict the player’s abilities - such as limiting health, vision, resources, and increasing puzzle difficulty - to create an oscillating experience of empowerment and disempowerment, and this dynamic heightens the player’s sense of vulnerability and tension. 

Agency in Survival Horror Video Games

In the realm of survival horror games, the concept of agency plays a significant part in contributing to the genre’s ability to evoke tension and fear. “Amnesia: The Dark Descent” serves as a prime example of how manipulating and limiting player agency can amplify psychological horror and tension.

Habel and Kooyman (2014) emphasise that in horror games, players interact with the game world through their avatar, engaging with specific 'agency mechanics' designed to oscillate between empowerment and disempowerment. These mechanics include elements such as scarce health and ammunition, challenging puzzles, and the constant threat of overwhelming odds. This fluctuation between player control and game constraints creates what they describe as a 'bounded experience of fear', where player autonomy is balanced against the limitations imposed by the game world. Their analysis suggests that these agency mechanics intensify the survival horror experience by heightening tension and enhancing immersion.

Tanya Krzywinska (2002) further explores this dynamic, highlighting the oscillating rhythm of action and inaction within horror games. She notes that this alternation between being in control and losing control, particularly in the face of supernatural threats, is pivotal to the suspense and emotion-based pleasures unique to horror games. This interplay between empowerment and helplessness generates a specific kind of tension that is central to the horror game experience. The moments of safety allow players to gather their wits and plan their next move, only to be thrown back into situations where their agency is challenged. This creates a relentless cycle of anxiety and relief, and it builds a persistent atmosphere of fear.

Building on these insights, Krzywinska (2015) elaborates on how players often respond instinctively in survival horror games, where their physical and cognitive actions align effortlessly, reinforcing a sense of mastery and autonomy within the game's structured environment. However, she argues that while these experiences affirm the player's self-determination, they are rooted in navigating through adversity and uncertainty, rather than in self-affirmation. The tension arises from the player’s constant need to adapt to rapidly changing situations and threats, where each decision could mean the difference between life and death. This alignment of player actions with in-game consequences creates a profound sense of immersion, as players feel directly responsible for their avatar’s fate.

Unlike other genres where the goal is to achieve clear objectives and victories, survival horror games focus on the struggle of surviving against overwhelming threats that are often ambiguous. In other genres such as first-person shooter or action-adventure games, part of the appeal lies in the power fantasy they offer, as players take up the role of an important hero. These games often provide players with a range of powerful weapons, abilities and upgrades, encouraging them to face their enemies head on, as the sense of empowerment and improvement are central to their experience.

In contrast, survival horror games intentionally subvert this power fantasy. Instead of empowering the player, these games focus on limiting and manipulating the player’s agency, making them feel vulnerable and constantly under threat, and their struggle to survive becomes the primary objective. This is key to the genre’s appeal, as players are drawn into a world where their agency is both a tool for survival and a source of psychological stress. This deliberate manipulation of agency by game designers increases the emotional responses among players, reinforcing themes of fear and tension that are integral to the genre's appeal. Thus, agency in survival horror games becomes a tool to unsettle players.

Agency in Amnesia : The Dark Descent

In “Amnesia : The Dark Descent”, the player’s sense of agency is a carefully designed aspect of the game. By intentionally limiting and manipulating the player’s control and decision-making capacity, the game intensifies the sense of helplessness and tension. This section will explore specific design elements that affect player agency, while examining how these techniques enhance the psychological horror of the game.

Enemies:

According to Kryziwnska (2015), horror games instil fear by making players feel weak and powerless compared to the enemies within the game. This principle is seen in “Amnesia: The Dark Descent”, where players cannot fight enemies directly. Instead, the game places the player in a position of extreme vulnerability, where their only option to escape from an enemy is to hide from them. “Amnesia” was one of the first survival horror games to adopt this concept, of making the player feel completely helpless in combat, for past horror games would typically include some ability to fight back. This restriction in the player’s combat abilities manipulates their sense of agency, and it produces feelings of tension and helplessness during these encounters.

It;s important to note that this shift in player agency doesn’t eliminate it, but it transforms how the player can experience this agency, by narrowing their options to evasion rather than direct combat, thereby also increasing their feeling of vulnerability. In “Amnesia”, hiding becomes a crucial strategy, as players seek out environmental cover such as barrels, wardrobes and doors to avoid detection. For example, when a monster is nearby, players can hide behind barrels or other objects to avoid being seen. Wardrobes offer a more secure hideout though they sacrifice the player’s vision for safety, and the player can also close doors behind them to create temporary barriers, buying themselves time to locate a more secure hiding place. These choices highlight that despite the limited agency, the player has several choices available when it comes to hideouts, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. However, these choices compel the player to adopt a passive and reactive playstyle, enhancing their feeling of powerlessness, tension and vulnerability.

Moreover, while hidden, the player’s vision is often limited, sometimes reduced to a narrow slit or complete darkness, heightening their feeling of uncertainty, and forcing the player to rely on senses beyond sight, such as sound. This sensory deprivation manipulates player agency by restricting their ability to gather information about their surroundings, which in turn will affect the significant choices they can make.

Game Space:

In “Amnesia: The Dark Descent”, the design of the game space plays a crucial role in manipulating player agency to increase tension. The spatial layout is intentionally crafted to restrict both the player’s movement and their field of view. The corridors within the game’s castle are deliberately designed to be dark with sharp turns, increasing tension by obscuring enemy locations until they are in close proximity to the player. This restriction leaves players unaware of their surroundings, significantly limiting information on enemy positions, potential encounters, and the timing of such events. Hence, the player’s agency is limited, since less environmental information is available to shape their choices, and it transforms how the player can express their agency, forcing them to adopt a more cautious approach. 

The strategic use of corners further exacerbates the player’s feeling of vulnerability. Players cannot anticipate when they might encounter an enemy or if one lurks nearby, hence they must navigate the game space in constant fear of encountering enemies around each corner. When such encounters do occur, they are often sudden and close, leaving little time for the player to react or find a place to hide. This proximity intensifies the sense of tension and fear, as players feel constantly exposed and at risk. Even in instances where no immediate threat is present, the anticipation of danger persists, contributing to the sense of unease and dread.

The camera perspective in video games also plays a crucial role in shaping player agency. Lee (2019) highlights that a third-person camera, such as that of “Metal Gear Solid”, enables players to peek around corners, gaining crucial information on enemy positions and potential threats, thus enhancing their spatial awareness. However, in “Amnesia” and similar survival horror games, the first-person camera is deliberately used, to deny the player the advantage of this uneven distribution of information. This limits their ability to gather critical details that would help make better informed decisions.

Game Sound:

In “Amnesia”, sound design plays a pivotal role in shaping player agency, by forcing them to rely on auditory cues to navigate and survive. Each type of enemy in the game emits distinct sounds - some hiss quietly, while stronger enemies can be recognised by their heavy footsteps. These auditory signals provide players with a general idea of where enemies are located, yet lack the precision needed to pinpoint their exact positions. This ambiguity creates a sense of uncertainty about the proximity and movements of threats, intensifying feelings of tension and fear.

Julian Hanich’s (2011) concept of imperfect knowledge is particularly relevant in this context. Hanich proposes that dread often arises from an “epistemic deficit”, where players lack complete perception or understanding of the danger they face. In “Amnesia”, players experience this deficit - they know enemies are nearby but cannot determine their exact whereabouts until it may be too late. This uncertainty about enemies’ exact locations and movements instil a sense of dread, making players constantly question their ability to protect themselves in dangerous moments.

Game Lighting:

In horror games like “Amnesia”, lighting is used to significantly restrict player agency by limiting their vision, amplifying their sense of vulnerability and fear. According to Tanya Krzywinska (2015), deliberate use of darkness and limited lighting restricts the player’s ability to move and defend themselves effectively, thereby increasing the challenge when confronted by enemies. This also limits the player’s capacity to make informed choices based on their surroundings, further limiting their agency.

“Amnesia” introduces a sanity metre that decreases when the protagonist is in darkness; if this metre falls to 20%, the player’s vision is impaired with severe motion blur, and their movement becomes sluggish through a pronounced mouse acceleration effect. This mechanic further limits the player’s agency, by making it harder to perceive surroundings and mechanically escape from enemies at low sanity levels. Enemies are more likely to detect the player at low sanity levels, which further compromises safety. If the player’s sanity reaches 0%, their agency is further affected, as they might start to hallucinate enemies. These hallucinations are harmless, though they can still influence the player’s decision making since they cannot discern if the threats are real.

Since enemies are more likely to detect the player in a well-lit area, players must balance the risk of hiding in the dark with reduced perception and sanity loss against remaining in the light, where they would preserve their sanity though rendering them more easily detected.

According to Habel and Kooyman (2014), lighting serves as a crucial agency mechanic in horror games, since when visibility is compromised, it becomes difficult to perceive threats. Hence, the player’s control over the game world diminishes significantly, intensifying feelings of helplessness and unease. 

Resources:

Through the management of limited light sources such as lanterns, tinderboxes, and torches, players can exercise a degree of agency in "Amnesia." These light sources provide different benefits, requiring the player to choose what works best for them in each moment. Light is necessary to maintain the player’s sanity levels, a deliberate design choice by the developers that limits the player’s agency in navigating and surviving the dark. However, this limitation introduces new choices for players, areas where they can exercise agency, such as deciding which light source to use, when to use it, whether they have enough supplies, and if they should risk using more light to find additional supplies.

Torches can be found on the castle walls, though they are scarce. Players can use tinderboxes to create light and restore some sanity, but they cannot move around while the tinderbox is active. The most crucial light source available to the player is the lantern, which allows them to navigate the castle while preventing sanity loss from darkness. The lantern, however, requires oil to function. If the player runs out of oil, the lantern turns off, and the player risks going insane in the dark. Players must seek out oil hidden throughout the castle, often in difficult to see or hard to reach places like behind debris, in dark corners, or near other items where they blend in.

This mechanic forces players to use their remaining oil supplies while desperately searching for more, presenting a difficult decision: do they burn more oil to search for supplies, or do they try to conserve what they have and push on further? To limit the player’s awareness of their remaining oil supply, the only way to check it is through a metre on the pause screen. This adds an extra hurdle to making an informed decision, and it can be especially dangerous in situations where the player is focused on avoiding enemies or solving puzzles. These distractions might drive the player to lose track of checking their oil until it suddenly runs out, and the uncertainty surrounding such an important resource adds tension, lest the player is left in darkness.

The finite nature of oil also forces players to navigate the castle faster, reducing their agency to take a safe and cautious approach. Hence the player has less time to plan and less time to notice and avoid enemies, resulting in increasing tension. This type of fear, of running out of oil, is what Julian Hanich (2011) described as the “deliberate distraction” scare. He wrote, “we concentrate on something still in the act of approaching, we expect the shocking moment to take place later in time - which is, again, a mistake.” In this case, the deliberate distraction is that the monsters appear to be the main danger, focusing the player’s fear and stress on them. By concentrating on the monsters, players might overlook the looming threat of running out of oil, leading to their demise not from a monster attack but from being consumed by darkness.

Conclusion

“Amnesia” is a great example of how manipulation and limitation of player agency can heighten tension and fear in video games. By  significantly diminishing the player’s sense of control through a playstyle centred around stealth, avoiding enemies and limited resources, the player is left constantly on edge, feeling vulnerable and helpless.

As discussed earlier, tension is defined by Lehne and Koelsch (2015) as an affective state that is characterised by:

• Conflict, dissonance, instability, or uncertainty

• A yearning for resolution

• Events of potential emotional significance

• A future-directed process of expectation, anticipation, and prediction

Agency plays a significant role in many of these aspects, highlighting its strong link to tension. Tension arises from player decisions, even when choices come with poor odds. However, if a game designer restricts player agency to the point where choices are virtually non-existent, the game’s tension is hindered. Without meaningful choices, the end-state becomes predetermined, diminishing the sense of tension.

Consider the difference between being locked in a room with an enemy where you have a chance to hide and escape, versus being locked in a room knowing you will inevitably be caught. The latter scenario loses tension because the player’s fate is sealed, eliminating significant choices and the need for prediction.

Thus, while limiting and manipulating player agency can enhance fear and tension, it must be done carefully. There is a delicate balance to strike between presenting poor odds and ensuring meaningful choices remain. This balance is something other survival horror games can learn from Amnesia and strive to implement in their designs. In fact, the lessons from “Amnesia” extend beyond its genre, offering insights into effective game design across various narrative driven experiences. By carefully balancing player agency with challenges and consequences, game designers can create tension filled environments that  immerse their players. 

In conclusion, “Amnesia” stands as a great example of manipulating player agency to create  powerful horror experiences. Its legacy in the horror genre continues to influence how developers approach storytelling, immersion and the art of inducing fear through interactive gameplay.

References:

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Lee, C. (2019). RUNNING SCARED: FEAR, SPACE, AND AFFECT IN AMNESIA: THE DARK DESCENT.

Lehne, M., & Koelsch, S. (2015). Toward a general psychological model of tension and suspense. Frontiers in psychology, 6, 118396.

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