I do love a good scare; it always gets the adrenaline flowing - although there are different kinds of fear. You can have monsters jumping at you out of nowhere and trying to kill you, with only a gun to protect yourself, or you can be afraid of the clever use of lighting where unknown terrors lurk in the shadows until it's too late, or you can become claustrophobic through lack of space and strange unknown noises getting louder as you move through ever smaller and darker rooms, whilst you feel the chills run down your spine as the impending thought of your doom becomes too much. And that's where Penumbra comes in, because it's all about the clever use of lighting in conjunction with generating an atmosphere that will keep you on edge while crippling your resolve to continue.

Penumbra: Black Plague is the second game in the series and it begins where Penumbra Overture left off. You play a man named Philip who is searching for his father and some answers within the darkest depths of Greenland. The first titles was an excellent horror game with intuitive controls that really didn't have too much in terms of advertisement, which again can be said about Black Plague - but that shouldn't be seen as a negative, as this is a thoroughly enjoyable if sanity-reducing game. The narrative is a little clumsy to begin with, not having the intense effect you would expect, but once it gets going you become engrossed within a psychologically brilliant story and gaming experience; it is a good idea to play the original first though, so you know how the story began.

back to Black Plague though and the excellent physics return and have been improved; Penumbra does not rely on you clicking on a door to open it or a box to move it, but rather uses a claustrophobic first person view where you use the mouse not only to move and open things but to totally manipulate objects. For example, dragging a box from one wall to another, picking up an object then holding it until you find the right place to put it down, using a circular motion to move a valve and so much more. In a game like this where you have no idea what lurks around the next corner, the fact you can open a door as slowly and as far as you'd like to not only adds to the atmosphere but also generates so much anxiety within you that you will need to take a break - hopefully you won't have to do that every time you encounter a door though! You can use the mouse to move an object up and around, which helps you to find hidden clues, something that helps convince you that you're actually there, surrounded by objects you can manipulate. It's similar to what can be done in Half-Life 2 but is a lot more effective here and the developers should be applauded not only for this idea, but for its implementation.

The major change from the last game is the almost complete removal of combat, which to be fair was clumsy to say the least, although it would have been nice to have a little action to break up the constant sense of impending doom. The enemies are uglier than before but are far less frequent than in last game, which I think suits the Penumbra vibe better. When you do get involved in a situation with an enemy, you need to use the environment around you to get through - otherwise you die. Most of the time you can hide and let the nasties walk past you, although I do have a problem with the save points; I would prefer a save at any time approach, rather than the save point system that is used, because it is oh so very frustrating to die after a completing one of the longer tasks because you are still searching for a save point. Another new element employed within the game concerns itself with your perception of what you see onscreen; let's just say you are going to have to double check what is in front of you before proceeding.

The puzzles on offer are often physics-based, such as using a fulcrum to reach a location. However, you will need to memorise some of the files you encounter on the way that not only expound the story but also need to be used in some of the puzzles, which are a bit of a brain tease at times. However, if you persevere you'll begin to understand how the puzzles are best approached; you know what they say - practice makes perfect. You'll find this out from the start, as you awaken in a room that you need to get out of, but you have nothing on your person and so must make use of the items around you.

The graphics aren't great; objects look a little bland, whilst the backgrounds don't have too much artistic flair within them - a lot of the scenery is obscured by the darkness. The majority of the exploration takes place in underground corridors, which are suitably morbid looking. However, the lighting and shadow effects are excellent throughout, concealing items just enough to arouse your curiosity. This is a game that needs to be played in the dark to fully enjoy its thrills and chills and one instance where you have to wear a mask that restricts your view is particularly scary, as everything becomes a lot tighter and darker. I consider myself a fairly relaxed and calm person, but there are several jump out of your seat moments that can only be appreciated under full darkness - maybe you should remove your light bulb before you start the game, just so you can't be tempted to turn it on halfway through! The sound is completely immersing too, with various shrieks and soft whispers used to keep you on your toes as you approach you goal.

If you're looking for a decent adventure game then I would most certainly recommend Penumbra: Black Plague, because not only does it possess a great story but also a few technical achievements that need to be experienced, namely the first person view and physics-based interaction and puzzles. Graphically it's not stunning and although it's not the longest adventure game ever, it's damn good while it lasts and there are enough scares to keep you up long after the sun has set - just make sure someone calls in on you at regular intervals in case it all becomes too much!

Reviewed by Christopher McNally for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).