The player must balance the amount of time Daniel spends in light and shadow.
However, the number of tinderboxes and the amount of oil available are both limited, and standing in a light source also makes the player more noticeable to monsters. Light sources help restore sanity, and if none are available Daniel may use tinderboxes to ignite candles in wall sconces and candelabra, or deploy an oil-burning lantern found near the beginning of the game. Being in darkness too long, witnessing unsettling events, or staring at monsters will reduce Daniel's sanity, causing visual and auditory hallucinations and drawing the attention of monsters. In addition to a health indicator, Daniel's sanity must be managed. This gives the player stealth, allowing them to peek out a barely-opened door or open it slowly to sneak away, but also adds to the player's sense of helplessness, as it is now entirely possible to attempt to push open a "pull" door whilst danger approaches from behind. Few in-game objects are operated by toggle to open a door, for instance, the player must hold down a mouse button and then push (or pull) the mouse. The game retains the physical object interaction used in the Penumbra series, allowing for physics-based puzzles and interactions such as opening doors and fixing machinery. In a similar vein to the developer's previous games, Amnesia is an adventure game played from a first-person perspective. 3 Amnesia: Justine downloadable content.In addition, the game's soundtrack is available for purchase and a free content expansion called "Justine" has been released as well as many fan-made expansions and stories for its unique "Custom Story" gamemode. A collection of five short stories set in the world of Amnesia, written by Mikael Hedberg and illustrated by the game's concept artists, was also made available. Originally released independently as a download, the game has since been published in retail by 1C Company in Russia and Eastern Europe, as well as THQ in North America. The game was critically well received, earning two awards from the Independent Games Festival and numerous positive reviews. The game features a protagonist named Daniel exploring a dark and foreboding castle, while avoiding monsters and other obstructions as well as solving puzzles. Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a survival horror video game by Frictional Games, released for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux platforms.