Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition

Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition
78
Metacritic
93
Steam
86.902
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$9.99
Release date
23 January 2009
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
93 (2 275 votes)
Recent
81 (22 votes)

Surrounded by enemies and assaulted by terror from all sides, Philip must collect clues and solve vexing puzzles while combating the gnawing psychological terrors that assail his mind and threaten to strip him of his sanity.

Show detailed description

Penumbra: Black Plague Gold Edition system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows 2000/XP
  • Processor: 1Ghz
  • Memory: 256MB
  • Graphics: Radeon 8500/GeForce 3 (GeForce4MX not supported)

Recommended:

Recommended requirements are not yet specified.
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Pingler
Pingler

Clarence should not have been a comedy joker character but outside of this Very good game and penumbra might very well be better than amnesia as far as a 'game', i still think however the lore is a bit lacking in comparison. some of the puzzles are overly annoying, such as the final 'mix chemicals' puzzle where the order of button inputs is arbitrarily altered to make it as obtuse as humanly possible. frictional is Very fucking good tho.

Weasel Beans
Weasel Beans

Great game. I don't see it as a sequel to Overture as much as it is simply the second half of the same game.

Abandon
Abandon

As i said in my review for "Overture" the issue here is that I felt no terror at all. Gameplay, lore and climate are above average, also the game is funny as hell, but it is not scary... i think it's better than previous part so I rate it 7.5/10 i reccomend to play it, but I think that you may be a lit' bit disappointed as I am.

Mineswee
Mineswee

pretty similar to the first game and even as wimpy as i am when it comes to horror games playing it on easy with high brightness settings and low volume really helps take away the main creepy factor of the game making it where you just figure out how to do the puzzles which I liked

420.69.1337
420.69.1337

After playing first game, this game was 10 times better in every possible way. Only thing i really hated is that they removed combat, and that was really annoying. The whole Penumbra collection in worth a play, if you are a Frictional games fan, like i am.

Mr. Maco
Mr. Maco

The BEST horror game series I have ever played. The games aren't so long but they are fun as hell. Still didn't complete Requiem because it is too hard
Edit: Gentlemen, I have completed the whole Penumbra series

Somskel
Somskel

Black Plague is a better put-together game compared to Overture (which is already pretty good) in additional to just being an enjoyable experience overall. It still has the tense atmosphere of the first game, while removing and fixing a lot of the problems I had with Overture. The combat is gone, making stealth more valuable and making the overall feel of the game more tense, since one can't just kill all the enemies in the game anymore. Additionally, the enemies themselves are a lot more disturbing, even if they're also less varied.

The story itself does take a bit of a turn however, with some characters, specifically the villain, not meshing that well with the horror tone of the game, especially when they start making jokes. It doesn't detract too much from the game however, and the rest of the story's premise, twists, and mysteries are disturbing enough to be enjoy as a horror experience. Add in a few fun secrets to poke around, and you’ve got a pretty good indie horror experience.

Overall, Black Plague is a step up from Overture, with a lot of steps forward, but maybe just a few steps back. It's a recommended purchase for those that want to continue the Penumbra story, or really for anyone wanting a good horror game, for that matter.

Delusional_Echos
Delusional_Echos

if you have played the first penumbra overture, this one is much much better in every way well worth playing.

gageschleser
gageschleser

It's hard to say if Black Plague is better than Overture or not. It is still a fantastic game and it does some things better than the previous game, but then it does some things worse than or changes nothing from the last game.

Exploration follows a similar style that the last one did: you have a hub area, usually a mass of halls where the monsters patrol, and a handful of rooms that usually have a self contained puzzle with an item or clue that you need for the hub area's puzzle locked behind it.

Puzzles: honestly they are more of the same, and that is not a bad thing. Overture had a lot of fun puzzles that had a lot of variety to them. Some were inventory puzzles, combining things and placing them in the world to solve a problem; and some were more about following specific instructions to meet a certain goal; and then theres a couple of physics puzzles to boot. A lot of them require you to pay attention to notes and the environment, and some can take some time or trial and error to figure out. But when it clicks in your head its a great feeling.

In Overture combat was really stiff and overall completely unnecessary, so its removal in this game is a major positive.

The atmosphere still maintains the level of quality from the last game but the story feels a bit more of a mixed bag due to the new characters. They are fine, none of them quite built up the same level of a relationship as Red did in the previous game. Clarence was entertaining, but he seriously diminished the horrific feel of the game (that is, when he's not making you hallucinate or giving bad advice to get you killed).

I am of two minds with the new monsters: while i like that they are a bit more supernatural than the dogs and spiders of the last game, they are more lacking in gameplay variety (also, they look a little... derpy). I will say though that it was rather scary to see them carrying flashlights while patrolling dark areas.

My favorite part of the entire game though would have to be the Kennel. One of the high ranking members of the Archaic Society went feral and started acting like a wild dog, digging holes in the walls of the kennel and having an aversion to light. You have to light up the hallways you want to explore to prevent him from attacking you and eventually you need to run in time with the blinking overhead lights. There's also a note that ties back to a moment early on in the first game that makes it much more terrifying in hindsight.

The lighting issue I found in the last game is still here. If you play on low resolutions, the game is very dark and is likely much more in line with what Frictional wanted it to look like, but if you play on high resolutions, everything is bright enough to see without any of the light source items. So if you want a harder and more atmospheric experience, play on low resolution.

I probably would have given Overture a 4/5 in my review for it, it had a good story and some good spooks but was held back by a few niggles. Black Plague I would have to give a 3/5 though. Overall the game feels like it takes a few steps forward, and then a few steps back, and then it decides to take a step to the left and call it a day. It is by no means a bad game but the purpose of a sequel is to hold onto whats good from the first game, get rid of the stuff that didnt work, and then add a few new things to enhance whats there. I guess that is the biggest issue with this game, it doesn't do all that much new stuff compared to the last game. Other than the removal of combat this probably could have been appended to the end of the first game without anyone realizing it was supposed to be the sequel.

SlavVampyr
SlavVampyr

Getting chased by ugly monsters, fearing for your life, wondering why the fuck are you here. But hey, you can find a computer and play space invaders on it, so it's all good.

KnightsWhoSayNi
KnightsWhoSayNi

Fantastic game. Clunky mechanics and mediocre technical level cannot outshine the incredible atmosphere of this production. I am writing this comment 3-4 years after finishing this game but memory of the sense of danger and the good story created around Inuit beliefs is still in my head (albeit I do not remember the plot in detail). Additional plus for good puzzle mini games.

FR33L0RD
FR33L0RD

Not aged well.
Gameplay 3/10
Timeplay 6/10
AI 7/10
Graphic 5/10
Level Design 6/10
Cinematic 5/10
Sound 9/10
Voice 7/10
Music 7/10
Immersion 8/10
Story 8/10
Fun 5/10
Replay 4/10

Darrenzmiller
Darrenzmiller

This is a great puzzle solver game, even playing it 13 years after the games release date.
I was able to configure a game controller to work great with the game.

Metal Militia
Metal Militia

Atmosphere and story was brilliant It's way scarier than the first one. Must play game before you die.

Foreplay
Foreplay

Man suffering from hallucinations single handedly takes on all Al-Qaeda forces fortified in an underground bunker. Our hero infiltrated the hideout and executed multiple key targets and left the head of operations in complete disrepair, he says that he envisioned the soldiers helping him escape his perilous situation but this is most likely a side effect of the massive amounts of painkillers and scientific chemicals he had been intaking.

AetherDEAD
AetherDEAD

Penumbra is dated. Therefore, do not judge the great strides which brought us to the present by our current standards. I originally played Penumbra Overture, Black Plague and Requiem in their original releases, back when going to Best Buy and purchasing computer games on DVD-ROM was still a thing? Remember that? If you don't, then you cannot properly understand how terrifying Penumbra used to be. We're talking circa 2007-2008. Before there was Amnesia, or ALIEN ISOLATION, or any of the other current top tier soul rattlingly scary games, there was Penumbra. The real star of this game is the HPL engine, which the masters at Frictional Games built from scratch. The HPL 2 and 3 Engines would go on to achieve historic, industry topping things with Amnesia: The Dark Descent and SOMA, but none of that would have happened without Penumbra. And speaking of HPL, Penumbra does take a "The scariest thing is what you don't quiet see, or don't quite understand" approach to narrative and story telling. The premise is suitably Lovecraftian, updated for the technological context of the 21st Century, but mercifully free of any SJW attempts to atone for inherent nastiness in the epistemic schema of this story. And I think that's a key point to remember when you approach any of the original three Penumbra episodes, or especially, the amazing fan made Necrologue...
This is a nasty, grim, heavy hitting, un-hopeful situation. If you approach Penumbra hoping for a story where good trumps evil, where you solve the mystery and make things right. Look elsewhere, do not come to Greenland and take refuge in The Shelter. You won't like it. Penumbra has more in common with real life. You are a flawed protagonist. You don't understand even your own motivations and character too well. You go down a rabbit whole and come into direct contact with interests and agendas, both human and alien, which are far beyond one person's ability to marshal or bring to heal. You don't exactly win Penumbra and you don't exactly survive it either, but you'll certainly experience playing through it.

Sörkkeli
Sörkkeli

Penumbra: Black Plague is a BIG step up from Overture. This game took what was good about it and made it A LOT better!
Infact, for me this is most likely Frictional's best horror title by far. Yes, for me this is better than Amnesia: The Dark Descent and SOMA. I think it's one of my favorite horror games ever made and along with Overture and Necrologue is my favorite horror game series of all time. Here are the reasons why:

They removed the tedious fighting from Overture. You no longer have any weapons and you cannot kill the enemies. You can only run away from them and hide, which is much scarier too. Not to mention the monsters in this game are MUCH freakier so it makes it more intense.

Story in this game continues right where Overture left off. But it becomes much more ambitious and complicated, being better and scarier too! For me, I enjoyed the story of Penumbra the most out of all Frictional titles. Maybe it's because it is a bit more grounded in reality? At least I liked the characters more than in the other games.

The atmosphere is just incredible, similar to Overture but this time more scifi than the caves and mines of the first game. It makes the environments along with the enemies much more varied and creepier. The soundtrack is also amazing. Just like the last game it is cold, melancholic and atmospheric with some occasional intensity and also some hopeful pieces as well.

Another thing I really liked in this game was the gameplay itself. It was very similar to Overture but I think it is better overall because of the removal of combat. The puzzles are similar to previous title but still are really good with physics puzzles and also some traditional ones mixed in.

But the last things that makes Penumbra games better than for example Amnesia. In these games I can practically examine anything I want along with more interactivity in the environments. There's also a ton of interesting lore to read inside the games. Some players might find this annoying but I always really enjoyed that. The last thing to mention is the different ways to do things whether it be getting away from enemies or lighting the environments. There are many options which give the game a bit more replay value too in gameplay department.

In the end, for me this game series and this game specifically is a masterpiece. 10/10

WhatsMyFandom
WhatsMyFandom

Just like the first, full of creeps and mystery! No weapons in this one so you're left with stealthing or running away screaming lol

tok
tok

Continuation of the previous game. More explanation of the sci-fi story line with less annoying hide and seek mechanics. No annoying combat mechanics.

Story kinda switches from Aliens to metaphysical beings at the very end.

4/10

𝐊𝐨𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐞𝐝
𝐊𝐨𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐞𝐝

generally an improvement over episode 1, some enemy types and mechanics are remove but everything else from episode 1 is improved, and make a much more enjoyable game.

Angry Nautiloid
Angry Nautiloid

A great sequel to a great series, very good way to tie up the plot.

What do you mean there's another game?

Top G.
Top G.

Penumbra as a series is great if it comes to the game itself nice !
If you don´t own this game/haven´t played it yet what the fuck are you waiting for ?

NP4Ya
NP4Ya

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YOUR FACE WHEN COMPLETE PENUMBRA: BLACK PLAGUE

[UB]Zvona (CRO)
[UB]Zvona (CRO)

Don't judge Penumbra Black Plague on the first impressions. I was even considering of ditching the game during the first few chapters but now I'm glad I've continued playing it to the end. The game becomes more and more interesting as you progress, but requires patience and lot of out-of-the-box thinking to finish.
Bad things first:
- PBP has the most awkward combat system I've ever seen. You can do everything by stealth only, but sometimes it's more convenient to relay on combat than the stealth.
- No save command except on checkpoints, but quicksave can be enabled by tweaking the config. I finished it without enabling quicksave and it wasn't as painful as it sounds.
- PBP is released in 2008 so the graphics is very rude and outdated, but still perfectly playable.
- PBP is an unforgiving game. Not sure is that bad or good, but you will probably have to load sometimes when you screw something
Good things:
- Evolving from simple exploration to deep multi-dimensional story
- Excellent puzzles you won't see in other similar games. Lots of them.
- Not combat oriented, but not a peaceful game. You can avoid combat entirely if you have patience for stealth.
- Game difficulty is not achieved by insane stunt trick-jumping, but by mental work.
- Some unique enemies
Conclusion:
If you are into an interesting story and unconventional puzzle-solving, this is a game for you.

Im⁧⁧Jöhne
Im⁧⁧Jöhne

pee pee monster goes brrr.. nah but fr this game is extremely good to be made in 2009, that's pretty insane. The puzzles were really interesting and complicated in a fun way. The monster AI was a bit wonky but they were still an obstacle which made the game a lot more scarier to play.

Respect for all the developers and creators for bringing this masterpiece up to the surface.

Dustin
Dustin

Episode 2 of Penumbra continuing where 1 (Overture) ended.

These puzzles are WAY harder.

6/10

cry
cry

I love the interactivity of Frictional Games' titles. Haven't really found other games where I can pick up anything with my hand or actually control my swing of a door, cabinets and cupboards.

Mithra
Mithra

7/10.

A total improvement compared to the first, at least for me. Black Plague managed to get me interested in what was going on with the story, all the questions raised by Penumbra: Overture are answered here. In all honesty though, there are not many changes from the first game. Gameplay-wise it's literally the same, nothing changed, but that doesn't really bother me; it's better to keep something that was working fairly well than to make changes for the sake of it. And of course, I can't forget to mention how satisfied I was that they removed the usage of itens that require you to move your mouse in an uncomfortable way; now you're not forced to use your mouse like a Wiimote. Yeah, it still feels a bit stiff to turn some valves at time, but doesn't happen much so I won't nitpick. The areas are way better now, moving around and getting what you need to progress feels a lot more intuitive, doesn't feel as repetitive; even though most areas are pretty similar in terms of visual, but I guess that's what consistency is about. The atmosphere here is 10x better than it was on the other, because here you truly have no way to fight as you had on the previous title, which forces you to hide, sneak past enemies, and pray that they won't follow you. I actually felt tension at some moments, hiding and hearing the character breathe while the enemy is around. That being said, this game has one of the amusing enemies I've ever seen in a horror game, for me they're funny more than they're scary. I mean, you have to agree that a naked "zombie" guy with a flashlight running after you sounds kinda like a joke. It's pretty bad when they catch up to you though lol. . Don't worry though, there's enough room for an actual feeling of dread despite the somewhat funny design and behaviour of the enemies. There is another character here that serves the same function that Red did on the first game, but besides her we have one of my favourite things from this game: Clarence. He is a manifestation of the Tuurngait virus, that instead of turning Philip into a zombie, simply spawned a voice inside his mind . He will provide the best comments whenever you perform a key action, that vitriolic humor is comic relief done right; which means it does not put at risk the horror experience. Most of the time Clarence will just roast Philip, calling him monkey and playing pranks on him, which is actually scary since they come whenever your guard is down. . As I mentioned before, the story managed to get me engaged here, something the first one didn't do. The whole Tuurngait thing is very interesting, specially by the end of the game, not only in terms of plot, 'cause the final puzzles are my favourites and the areas are visually different from any other. I was not expecting that Lovecraftian twist about the Tuurngait being an extraterrestrial being as old as the universe itself. It surprised me too how it deals with Philip by the end, offering insightful comments about mankind, which make you reflect about all the events that led you to there in the first place. The game gets suddenly philosophical, which is always nice since it makes you think about things from a different point of view. Makes you ask yourself if the monsters haunting you are actually monster or if you're just too ignorant to see the bigger picture. . Very satisfying conclusion to the mystery from previous title. This one felt even shorter than Overture, one might beat it in 4 to 6 hours, but that's just enough time for it to give the best content it can. I'm not sure if it feels easier because it is in fact easier or if it feels easier because it's basically the same game as Penumbra: Overture, except the annoying parts. I feel there was a lot more effort here, it's much more memorable and enjoyable, I might even replay it in the future. Not a masterpiece, but it's pretty solid even today and I enjoyed playing it much much more than its predecessor, because now it actually hits the right spots to promote the best horror experience.

WiseWhiteWolf
WiseWhiteWolf

Worked better than Overture, but, it still has most of the same issues.

1. FIX SURROUND SOUND. OpenAL is broke and doesn't work properly, like it never does. Enabling hardware via sound options does nothing and will never switch to 'yes' to enable surround.

2. You need to manually configure the cfg file for your resolution if above 1080p.

3. ENABLE QUICK SAVES BY DEFAULT! To enable, you need to edit the cfg file and change allow quick save or whatever to 'true'.

No game breaking bugs I found in this one luckily.. Overture.. not so lucky.

radical_chic
radical_chic

The best of the Penumbra series and very much proto-Amnesia. However, one big caveat: the bad guy who inhabits your brain with you is badly written and badly acted.

ɖɛʋǟɖǟȶȶǟ ɮǟʀǟӄǟ
ɖɛʋǟɖǟȶȶǟ ɮǟʀǟӄǟ

Good atmosphere and story if you can put up with some bad puzzles. Not a fun game, but I had a good time with this tbh.

Trisideon
Trisideon

Much improvement on the original. More varied locations and much needed explanation on the lore and plot. Honestly, I really like the ending and what it all comes to. Overall, I pretty decent survival horror Duology .

7/10

shorts
shorts

If you liked Penumbra Overture, you'll like this one as it's essentially an upgraded version of Overture. The combat has been completely removed which I like, adds to the tension more knowing you can't fight back anymore. There are a lot more puzzles than the last game, some are confusing but once you figure it out it's a good "ohhh" moment.

I will say that the enemies in this game are way less intimidating than the zombie dogs, the enemies now are these infected people with flashlights and weapons. You'd think that would be more scary but no, once they see you they slowly lumber towards you, saying things like "there's no use running" but you can outrun them super easy.

I also like how you have a voice in your head now from beginning to end, I hate him but he added some good parts to the overall story. He's basically a snarky and annoying version of red. Oh well at least you have Amabel as a beacon of light.

10/10 sequel

Ex Machina
Ex Machina

This is absolutely my favorite game of the trilogy. It evoked a lot of emotions in me at different points: terror, sadness, loneliness, rage. It's the mark of a good game that can get you immersed and get in your head like that. I did have a lot better of an experience with the stealth mechanic in this one than the first game, which is good because there is no real chance for you to fight back against the enemies here. You need to outsmart or outrun them, or you won't make it. The revelations about the truth of what happened in the mines and Shelter were very satisfying to finally discover. The ending is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. This game and its prequel are truly worth the play through.

gabor.g.somogyi
gabor.g.somogyi

I think this is excellent piece of the series. I really enjoyed the narrator + Clarence :)
The ending is confusing, it took some time to come up with an explanation what and why happened.
The interesting part is that the ending is not clear so one can make personal explanation which is subjective.
All in all I really enjoyed the spent hours.

⚡Sebariel
⚡Sebariel

No Order Without Chaos

A great sequel to 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖: 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚.

I have nothing much to say that I haven't said in my review of the first game: fantastic story, setting and atmosphere.

All the questions posed earlier are answered in this game, and the new characters are also interesting, especially Clarence.

The puzzles in 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖: 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙚 continued being complicated and fun to solve, and the fact that you did not have weapons at your disposal (unlike the previous game) made it scarier. The enemies were also a lot more disturbing this time around.

The soundtrack is up to standard as well — the chasing theme is terrifying, and the slightly different main theme is sad, ominous and scary.

I just wish they hadn't changed the voice actor for the main character, but he only speaks once so it is a minor detail.

In conclusion, 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖: 𝘽𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙋𝙡𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙚 is a fantastic direct continuation of the first game, keeping the horror and gameplay intact and adding a bit of Lovecraftian horror, which definitely makes it a must play if you enjoyed 𝙋𝙚𝙣𝙪𝙢𝙗𝙧𝙖: 𝙊𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 and want to know how it all ends.

"Kill them. Kill them all."
- Philip Buchanon

Button Eyes
Button Eyes

Penumbra: Black Plague is the continuation of Overture, taking place shortly after the end of the first game. This time, Phillip enters an underground lab, getting closer to solving the mystery from his father. The game plays the same as the previous one, exploration and item-based puzzle solving involving object physics, but you don't have weapons. However, you can still kill enemies by spamming left and right click while holding an object in front of an enemy.

Compared to Overture, BP feels like a more "complete" game, as it's longer, has better-designed and more varied levels, scary enemies, and most importantly a deeper dive into the story. The levels are more linear, with the exception of 2 "free-roam" areas. You also interact with more characters, although most of them remain unseen. Personally, I'd be happier if the game dives deeper to the source of the "plague" and have levels set on the excavation sites, but it's not a big deal.

Penumbra: Black Plague is probably the most important game in the trilogy, since most of the plot and explanations happen here. If you played Overture, there's no reason to not play this game. And if you like the Amnesia games, give the Penumbra franchise a try.

CoolswagOfficial1
CoolswagOfficial1

If you like Horror youll like this game classic horror delivered in a setting of tight coridors and flickering flourenscent lights.. I however dont like horror and quit before I got to the first enounter. This game from my 30 minutes I played before I decided it was too scary was very positive. Level design utilised hallways to the most long and hallway themed way of making you feel paranoid you are almost always exposed with one way to go.. and you really dont know when your gonna get chased (There are hints of monsters along the way) so yeah while I didnt play much i think this game is a good horror game you can really see the framework for amnesia in this game

Addraelisk Uxltec
Addraelisk Uxltec

This thrilling sequel in the "Penumbra" series has not yet failed to excite players with its occasional moments of comedic relief, grotesqueness, and fascinating plot. In effect, I would say this is the most enjoyment that I have ever had playing a horror game in some time. Ergo, I would recommend this antique to those seeking something with both liveliness and
eerily enigmatical.

Missouri Man
Missouri Man

I honestly enjoyed the world and atmosphere of this game more then amnesia very solid but short experience

ten years in the joint
ten years in t…

this game really reminded me of my real world problems. like voices in my head. and zombies everywhere. but hey. that's just a normal day in philly isn't it.

ekaneer
ekaneer

this game is farking awesome!!! it is as epic sauce as amnesia the dark descent made by frictional games, scary and pog at the same time, that is just the best package possible, don't you agree?

AYAYA
AYAYA

Although I don't like the removal of the weapons and ways to fight back generally much, it helped making the horror atmosphere better than in their previous game, as well as a lot more dark places. I'd like to have an option to turn the music volume lower though, I get that it's supposed to warn you but when there are many walls between you and the zombies and you still hear the music as loud as if they'd be next to you it can be both confusing and annoying, as annoying as taking fall damage when falling from a ridiculously low height.
Clarence lines were funny at times, annoying most of the time, his voice was reminding me of Green Goblin from spiderman and every time I was hearing his voice I'd see Goblin's face.
The minigame is pretty fun, you should try it out if you haven't already, if you're a fan of old spaceship vs aliens games that is. Code is xor451, it's in the research lab, Dr. Amabel Swanson's office, called SCHMUP.EXE.
A little tip, the glowstick, even though weaker than the flashlight, is infinite, so as long as you don't need to see further away I recommend using the glowstick at all times when you need a light source.
Expect some more scary stuff than in the previous game, and an annoying but funny second personality.

Cee
Cee

Before perfecting psychological horror with Amnesia: The Dark Descent, they had to start somewhere... and it's good. Old, but good.

Play the first one too for the whole story.

TheImmortalFlame
TheImmortalFlame

If you're going to play this game, I STRONGLY urge you to play the first one beforehand. The story flows seamlessly between the first game and this one. Therefore, leaving you truly immersed in the content and the game play.

Sapphron
Sapphron

I prefer this game over Overture though that is a good game in its own right. Great puzzles and some cool stuff for the time, along with a great ending.

Mer2cuss
Mer2cuss

This game constantly CRASHES on steam deck when doing mission "put this soda on that machine to stop cold air duct". No fix!

Toni Bambonaboni
Toni Bambonaboni

Gameplay

In theory Penumbra Black Plague is the same game as first game, there are some changes tho, Philip lost the ability to protect himself from monsters, story reason being that he's tired, but it was probably changed to make the game harder and make Players be always on high alert it's a good change in my opinion because in the previous game we could just kill our enemies to make an Area safe, because monsters didn't respawn. In Penumbra BP the dogs and Spiders were replaced with Tuurngait they are faster, being Able to actually sprint stronger and smarter... Okay not the last one because the monsters in this game aren't the smartest ones, if you get on top of a crate, or even a Table there is a high chance that you are safe, they can't reach you. The game now also has collectable artifacts, but they really aren't Worth Looking for, And that's it from the new things added in Penumbra Black Plague

Story

The story of Black Plague starts right after the ending of Overture, it is in my opinion much better than in the first one, it expands on the Mystery left with the ending of the first game and answers a lot of the questions that player had, it also introduces more characters than insane miner Red, they mostly exist in a form of a voice just like Red, the Two most important people are Dr. Amabel Swanson She is taking on the role of our guide and our main objective is to find her and rescue, so she can help us cure infection that Philip got at the end of the first game. And the Infection or Parasite is Another character his name is Clarence, and he takes on a role of antagonistic force, being inside us, he can make us see things that aren't there, and because of him we get to explore some really interesting places. The story is one of better parts of the game

Graphic

Graphics are almost the same as in the first game however level design improved in my opinion going from bleak mines, to mysterious laboratories to some paranormal Location and even outside the compless, monsters also improved from the previous game, the Spiders and dogs now only exist as probs or a jumpscare and were replaced by zombie like Creatures that look much scarier that poorly textured dogs.

Audio

The audio design is really good, soundtrack is really memorable, and Sound Effects make you feel like you really are trapped in the place where no man should be allowed, they are atmospheric and high quality, the voice actors also do a really good job but the one who steals the show is Robert Pike Daniel who plays Clarence who brings with his quotes and his twisted humor a really nice contrast of insane Red from first game, even tho there are a lot of humorous quotes from him the game doesn't stop being scary, He is really antagonistic towards Philip and would get him killed any chance he got.

Conclusion

Penumbra Black Plague is a great game, and a better sequel it improves all strengths of the first game answers most of the questions left by the first one, and is an overall really enjoyable and memorable game, If you are looking for a scary atmospheric game, or you are a fan of Amnesia Series and somehow didn't play it give it a try.

[EZ2] Breadman
[EZ2] Breadman

Thumbs up'ed but I feel a bit mixed on this one. The story takes a weird nosedive by introducing some characters the game could have done without. One is extremely annoying and the other is voiced a little too perfectly given the presented scenario. There's just a bit of dissonance between characters and content. The puzzles are still fun and interesting though. I'd say it's worth a playthrough if you enjoyed the first one.

Crito
Crito

Unfortunately the ending ruins the journey for me. And the journey was ruined by your "Friend." OVerture was more enjoyable.

Marin4usaka
Marin4usaka

Amazing Frictional game - might just be my favorite of theirs. Better than Amnesia or SOMA, even. A must play for anyone who is a fan of Frictional. But do start with the 1st game, as it is important for the story.

Snippity Snap
Snippity Snap

Another voice to add to my head

Valienare
Valienare

The puzzles are way more interesting and less randon than in the first game. Graphics, physics and audio almost on the same level or better as the first part (nice for its time especially physics). Story got some depth but also lost some of its mystery. Also some events during the first game had more impact on the story and the character than that thing with the box in the second game which is weird, during the game you start hearing some annoying voice (sounds exactly like Joker btw) but i thing it was made on purpose even tho it sometimes id prefer to just mute audio lol. Overall 6.3/10.

sanjay adams
sanjay adams

monkey? can you hear me? yeah, buy the game, its good. spooky

Capt. Morgan (USS MADOG)
Capt. Morgan (…

Penumbra Black Plague is my favorite horror game by Frictional games. I originally played it when it first released on pc, before its Steam Debut. This is hands down one of the scariest games out there,

it has perfect creepy locations that are immersive, and interesting at the same time. The monsters are limited, but in a good way so your not too overwhelmed. The puzzles as usual are good at making the most veteran game groan and feel stupid.

combat is still discouraged and youll be relying on stealth and evasion tactics for the latter of the game.

Overall its a great experience with a interesting cast of voice actors to keep things lively.
Its a fantastic game that adds to the original Oveture lore and compliments Lovecraftian Horror. 10/10.

vincentgareu
vincentgareu

Spoilers ahead:

Really ups the ante while removing the worst parts of gameplay. Clarence seemed really annoying first but he really grew on me (pun intended) . Love the story and its ending. The puzzles are very esoteric but equally satisfying to solve (if you don't resort to using GameFAQs).

My favorite moment was meeting the Tuurngait face-to-face . A close second was finding copies of the Necronomicon, confirming the Lovecraftian connection.

catastrophe crow 64
catastrophe crow 64

пенумбра черная чума) пркиольная игрушка ;)

Astolfo
Astolfo

Unlike in the Overture You can't fight enemies which makes the game a bit more scary (although I played through 3/4 of Overture not knowing I could fight enemies). The story continuation is pretty good and the puzzles are fun to do. There are some stealth and running sections with some twists in later stages of the game. I struggled a bit since I can't handle horror games but I enjoyed the game.

scoob
scoob

Nostalgic masterpiece that brings me back to when I first played it and began my PC gaming journey.
The audio, voice acting & soundtrack is extremely ahead of it's time and does better than most modern horror experiences.
Game play is slightly clunky and dated but gets the job done.

Puzzles are satisfying, story is great, the d*ck monster never gets old, just an all around classic.

10/10.

girejorenh
girejorenh

this game is farking awesome!!! it is as epic sauce as amnesia the dark descent made by frictional games, scary and pog at the same time, that is just the best package possible, don't you agree?

Andy Arachne
Andy Arachne

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this game before, Played Penumbra long before Amnesia and Honestly, I think Penumbra is better than Amnesia. I highly Recommend!

OhOneNine
OhOneNine

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is one of my favorite games ever (horror or otherwise). Playing through the Penumbra trilogy is neat because you see how their game development skill has improved over the past decade.