We don’t have to worry about our financial situation, a year ago we worried about it monthly, at the same time everyone is better paid, but in a sound manner to ensure the company can maintain its current stability for a long time. We are eight working full-time compared to five a year ago, but at the same time everyone is still working from home and no plans to get an office.

Jens Nilsson: A lot and nothing at the same time. So let’s start off with this question: How much different is Frictional now than it was one year ago? How much has changed?

Shacknews: You recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Jens shared thoughts on Amnesia, the numerous mods that the game has inspired, and whether games (both indie and mainstream) are headed in more emotion-based direction. To commemorate the game’s anniversary, I spoke to Jens Nilsson for a one-year retrospective. The game was a hit, racking up high scores from various critics, bringing home a number of awards at the 2011 Independent Games Festival – the 'Excellence in Audio,' 'Technical Excellence,' and the 'Direct2Drive Vision Award' chief among them. Swedish developer Frictional Games' Amnesia: The Dark Descent is recognized as one of the few genuinely scary games ever made. While many survival horror games try to scare audiences with zombies and gore, Amnesia goes in a less-traveled direction, preying on a player’s sense of imagination. In the midst of a blockbuster fall season, one indie title managed to stand out.

Amnesia through the portal