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Penumbra: Black Plague

Developer: Frictional Games Publisher: Paradox Interactive
12 February 2008
Penumbra: Black Plague - cover art
Glitchwave rating
3.58 / 5.0
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182 Ratings / 1 Reviews
#1,125 All-time
#37 for 2008
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It does a lot of things better than the predecessor Penumbra Overture. the enemies are way more interesting actual humanoid types that wander around with flashlights and axes searching for you. there's no combat in this one unlike the first where you actually had the option to attack, here you are defenseless. the story evolves in an interesting way and it more or less wraps its self up nicely. there is really only one enemy type. I think I saw a spider once. but the atmosphere is done really well and the environment is a sprawling underground fallout bunker full of strange hivemind inhabitants. I enjoyed exploring and collecting notes, finding out more about the place.

Like the first game, there are some really bullshit parts such as:

- An electricity box that you must open, I search around for 40 minutes looking for a way to open it. Backtracking, looking for anything I missed. I even pickup random objects and swing it at the box to try to break it open. Nothing works. I then see a rock on the ground and throw it at the panel, and it breaks open. This is what you were suppose to do. Specifically. kind of bullshit!

- Some extremely awkward trial and error death sequences. Such as it forces you into a room with a giant worm and you have to figure out the correct sequence to leave, but it takes 30 deaths before you figure it out. Maybe im just slow but this is just my experience

- another part where you have invisible deaths due to some dog-man in the wall just felt a bit awkward and undeveloped

- Another point where it forces you into a small confined room with an enemy that you must face. You have to figure out how to drop a box on its head and flip a switch but fumbling with the controls to turn the valve is awkward as hell especially with an enemy inches away from you. This took a dozen deaths. At first I was just throwing random shit at him to try to kill him but he just appeared to be stunned

- the third hivemind trial towards the end of the game was stupid. the concept is interesting but i just felt frustrated.

- Some various puzzles that I tried really hard to figure out (30+ minutes) but ended up just saying fuck it and googling it. Such as the chemical mix puzzle, and the computer puzzle.



these parts aren't exclusively bad, they're unforgettable, just the trial and error stuff is kinda bad as it ruins atmosphere. There are a lot of really interesting things to just walk around and examine in the environment, and the descriptions that come with them. It seems like the story is wrapped up but there is a third game Penumbra Requiem but I hear really bad things about that and that its not even really a penumbra game. but there are more memorable and great parts too like the whole level design and finding what you've came to the place for, and being locked in the server room with a guy who just turned infected. its hard to mention all the cool moments without spoiling the game in this review so ill just leave it at that it was a lot better than Overture because of the improved enemies, atmosphere, level design, and the puzzles overall were more enjoyable and didn't waste as much of my time for the most part

7/10
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darkrecollections 2020-09-03T23:30:52Z
2020-09-03T23:30:52Z
3.5
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Title
Ever since Alone in the Dark and Clock Tower [クロックタワー] defined the survival-horror genre, every additional game linked to this genre have been more and more action oriented. The latest Silent Hill and Resident Evil [バイオハザード] games certainly scare, but they hardly represent the sheer terror and barebones survival qualities of these earlier titles. Penumbra: Black Plague should serve as a revelation then, as it strips you back down to being a lone contender in an impossible race for survival. Much more then just a survival-horror title, Black Plague is one of the few titles to truly innovate and rethink genres that we felt had been fully explored in the '90s.

In cold math, the equation of P:BP would be such: Myst+ Portal+ System Shock 2= Black Plague. The game has the isolation and mystery of the Myst school of adventure games, as well as being composed of puzzles that will leave you stumped for some time. The game channels Portal due to the game bringing the Myst puzzles into a more accessible FPS experience (as well as its black humor), and SS2 for having a terrifying narrative and a novel way of delivering it. Any game that requires so many comparisons and lengthy explanations is always an original, interesting, and innovative game. This certainly applies to Black Plague.

It's hard to keep in mind Black Plague is a budget title by a budget company. With that said, the game lacks the polish of its influences. There are various graphical glitches, the controls can be clunky, and the game is minimal with its environments and character models. These complaints, thankfully, don't conflict with the narrative and content of the game.

After Braid and Portal, it seemed we had entered an age when innovative, smaller budget titles will get their dues -- Black Plague hints that we aren't quiet there yet. As the game anyone should pick up if they are craving some solid spooky business (this is hands down the scariest game I ever played -- I literally couldn't sleep afterward and needed to play it during daylight) and Portal's logic puzzles, Black Plague needs to develop a greater following. With a compelling narrative, the most unsettling environment ever, and one of the most ingenious narrative-driven gameplay moments ever in its final act, Black Plague is a hard game to overlook when making a best of survival-horror list (especially given the psychological scar it left on me).
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SUPER_Lonely_Panda 2016-04-11T23:07:14Z
2016-04-11T23:07:14Z
4.0
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Catalog

MartiniEldritch Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-03-18T00:09:48Z
2024-03-18T00:09:48Z
4.0
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
probably like more than i should
kortoshechka Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-03-13T19:57:36Z
2024-03-13T19:57:36Z
4.0
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
eliottstaten Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-03-11T01:57:40Z
2024-03-11T01:57:40Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
CaptainPlasma Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-02-24T17:57:44Z
Windows / Mac / Linux/Unix
2024-02-24T17:57:44Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
JJ155 Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-02-22T23:52:21Z
2024-02-22T23:52:21Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
DuwG Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-02-07T08:22:48Z
2024-02-07T08:22:48Z
4.0
1
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
LocoJake Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-01-29T21:27:22Z
2024-01-29T21:27:22Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
Account_Sperimentale Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-01-14T22:49:23Z
2024-01-14T22:49:23Z
3.5
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
BitterAndThenSome Penumbra: Black Plague 2024-01-05T06:42:00Z
2024-01-05T06:42:00Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
Fet Penumbra: Black Plague 2023-12-11T04:21:06Z
Windows / Mac / Linux/Unix
2023-12-11T04:21:06Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
Kn66v Penumbra: Black Plague 2023-12-10T03:30:21Z
2023-12-10T03:30:21Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
Pukapa Penumbra: Black Plague 2023-11-26T08:24:10Z
2023-11-26T08:24:10Z
In collection Want to buy Used to own  
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