I liked the idea of the Fade in DAO, but I thought the execution was a bit dull. It's true that you get a break from micromanaging a team, but it's still a bog-standard dungeon crawl. I wish they had implemented some new mechanics to make it feel like a dream world in which normal rules don't apply. I know that's risky, but it would have underscored how different the Fade is supposed to be.For example, the final boss in Beyond Good and Evil has to be fought with reverse controls because it messes with the main character's head. It's tough, but it's also a cool little tweak to the endgame. Professional level designers ought to have a few ideas up their sleeves for how to mix up the mechanics without destroying the game.@secondchildrenYes, Frictional Games (Sweden) made Penumbra before Amnesia. The games are similar, but the use of visible enemies is more restrained in Amnesia, and your ability to defend yourself is completely taken away. IF you run into an enemy, you can only run...and they're not slow, and the shadows won't always hide you if the enemy is too close. It's less, hmm, concentrated (more strung out, maybe?) than the asylum level in Thief 3.