In 2007, Penumbra Overture came along. It was good. One year later, Penumbra Black Plague came to be. And it was better.
One year later, its sequel "Penumbra: Black plague" was released. And it was better.
"Black plague" takes everything that made the first game good, and drops everything that made it annoying and repetitive. Anyone who played the first game remembers the frustrating stealth sequences, where Philip was forced to sneak around zombie dogs through entire levels, defending his life with wild swings of a hammer or a pick-axe. These same people will be thrilled to learn that "Black plague" got rid of all the zombie dogs and the awkward combat, and now focuses almost entirely on problem-solving and cunning trickery.
The unique gameplay mechanics from the first game made their way into "Black plague" as well. Every action Philip performs is directly controlled by the mouse. A door is blocking your way? No problem, just grab the handle with the mouse crosser (conveniently shaped as a hand) and pull the mouse back, as if opening a real door. Found a locked glass case? Just pick up a cinder block and break the glass to little pieces.
The mouse-dominated gameplay is intuitive, and easy to master. No more crazy, wild flailing of makeshift weapons, since Philip can outsmart most of the enemies in the game, locking them in a closet or killing them, using objects from his environment. Even stealth is taken out of the game almost completely, now that the enemies carry around flashlights.
The story starts off at the exact moment the previous game ended. After a nasty blow to the head, Philip wakes up to find that he is locked in a room. How he got there is a mystery, and pretty soon, after exploring a bit, the game's objective becomes clear- find Howard, Philip's father, and figure out what happened to the personnel manning the underground research center known as "The Shelter".
Not giving too much away, let's just say that "The Shelter" isn't as abandoned as it looks, and Philip is once again forced to save himself from deadly enemies controlled by an even deadlier entity, corresponding with the Lovecraftian theme.
The plot is still told by various notes and books scattered across the levels, but now Philip is able to use some of the staff's computers, reading research logs and reports about the findings. The computers also offer some minor puzzles, such as uncovering passwords and unlocking doors. There's even a short reprogramming section in one of the levels, which can easily be solved using an instruction book found nearby. Although not troublesome most of the time, the hunt for passwords can be tiring and even downright annoying.
Around the end, "Black plague" becomes too bizarre, and tries to cram in too much information in too little time. The last 30 minutes of the game can be a bit much for some players, and require a great deal of patience.
The sound in this game is a well executed scare machine. Whispers and distant yells chill the blood, while the sound of an enemy's dragging feet is enough to make the heart skip a beat. There's hardly any noticeable background music, but the little there is, is some well conceived, atmosphere creating melodies. The light piano music, with a touch of strings, is really appropriate for the minimalist feel the game is build upon.
All human interaction is done using voice acting exclusively, including a young woman, who takes the place of Red from the previous game, and Clarence, a malevolent and sarcastic voice in Philip's head.
The present of Clarence introduces a new plot twist, since he can control parts of Philip's brain, making him see and hear things that are not really there. This affects the gameplay somewhat, as doors will disappear and enemies will rush towards you only to vanish a split second before reaching you. Clarence seems to take real joy causing Philip troubles and minor heart-attacks, but at the same time is concerned with Philip's (and probably his, since they share the same mind) well being.
Since I haven't really complained about anything so far, I reckon it's a good time to start. First of all, the graphics are still dated and even pixilated at times, especially during transitions and fadeouts. Moreover, the enemies all look the same, and considering their limited numbers, there's no excuse for such laziness.
Another flaw (and probably the bigger of the two) is that the game takes about 4 to 5 hours from start to finish, which is a little disappointing, since the first game was longer. But I guess it's better getting something good for a short time, then something mediocre for a longer period.
Bottom-line, "Penumbra: Black plague" is better than its predecessor, so anyone who liked "Penumbra: Overture" will be pleased. Fans of horror games, especially adventure horror games, owe it to themselves to give "Black plague" a try. The gameplay and story alone are enough to justify a purchase, even if the experience doesn't last more then a day.