Before reviewing a game I make an absolute rule that I shall read no other reviews, I do not want others opinions interfering with the ones I wish to form for myself. However, with this title, I confess, I had a quick peak at Metacritic before I knew I was reviewing it. Sure enough, this game has taken a battering from the press and users alike, which to me has left me confused and questioning my own experience with the title. So I turned my PlayStation 3 off and went away to start chipping away at the daily to do list and take a break from the title to take my mind off it. Later that day I returned to my PS3 knowing I could get the TV to myself and endure this survival horror as any game in the same genre should be endured – lights off, curtains closed and sound turned up. Another hour put into the game replaying the first chapters and I still have the same opinion; this game really is not as bad as it has been dubbed.

Amy is a download only title from VectorCell and as labels itself as a survival horror game. Tasked with babysitting a young girl called Amy you escort and look out for her after an initial introduction where the train you are travelling on gets caught up in an explosion. The character you play, Lana, is fairly capable of looking out for herself with just a stick and some smart problem solving, but as events unfold you begin to realise Amy has some very unique gifts. From the train-wreck, the story begins to unfold at quite a slow and messy pace that requires a fair amount of patience – something that could easily be missed with no real impact or justification for just what the hell is happening. But pay attention to dialogue, cut-scenes and notes/articles dotted around the levels and you get some basic reasoning that may bring out a “ohhhh I see” by the game’s end.

“From the train-wreck, the story begins to unfold at quite a slow and messy pace that requires a fair amount of patience – something that could easily be missed with no real impact or justification for just what the hell is happening.”

Visually the game is mediocre and, to be honest, it just holds up given it’s a download only title. Good use of effects such as mirrors are welcome inclusions; one example is whilst hiding in a locker you open the door just enough to peak at an enemy as he sniffs around to find you. Once he has inspected the corridor he turns the corner and you can use a mirror to observe his departure and determine a safe time to exit the locker. I found the game used this a little too much though and the novelty gets old midway through. Unfortunately, Amy is subject to a fair amount of screen tear and worse yet – a significant drop in performance during odd yet frequent moments in the game. Usually the frame-rate drops during (but is not exclusive to) the combat despite it mostly being a one-on-one situation. That said, it is not a game destroying hit on performance and though not ideal, it does not render the game unplayable.

Puzzles are frequent – alongside fighting and avoiding the zombie-like enemies, requiring the usual go here and find this or send Amy into areas Lana can’t access. Amy learns new abilities as you progress and these vary the puzzles somewhat so as to not get too repetitive. For example, Amy launches a sound dampening shield at an area you can designate, in this case a cracked window, which you can then smash through without alerting a nearby enemy.

This brings us tidily to the audio, something that I can say is quite well done throughout. Footsteps bring to your attention the fact you are heard as easily as seen by the enemy which leads to avoiding broken glass and loose materials on the ground. Voices are solid and the atmosphere is indeed chilling in places, occasionally throwing in cheap attempts to scare such as a blown fuse box or explosion. Unfortunately, it is certainly milked a little too much in places where glass seems to be present around most enemies just to slow you down and add tension.

“Offering standard visuals and good atmospheric sound effects, Amy is only really held back with inconsistent performance and repetitive game-play.”

With the puzzles, combat and giving your presence away with clumsy footing comes the frustration of trial and error. This game is riddled with it. Playing through Amy you’ll need to attempt each section multiple times until finding the winning formula, with no real improvisation or multiple successful methods. Amy’s controls are functional and serve their purpose in giving you the right tools to do the job, but they could be smoother and more user-friendly. At times you’ll need to make allowances for the controls and consider them part of the preparation on a second attempt to a trial and error section.

Presentation is average and accompanied with functional but slightly sluggish controls. Sprinkled on is many pinches of trial and error salt and it is all wrapped around a story you can either care to soak up or just ignore. It is quite a hard game and this has probably put many people off, not helped as the whole game just meanders around the mediocre mark. Amy had its disappointments but none of them have been game breaking, providing you don’t mind a bit of a challenge.

Offering standard visuals and good atmospheric sound effects, Amy is only really held back with inconsistent performance and repetitive game-play. Not one for everyone and hardcore survival horror fans that are not afraid of a challenge nor persistence should find Amy worth the purchase. Others may take a disliking to the challenge presented and thus fail to look past a few imperfections to what is, at least, a worthy effort.