If you're not sure you have the courage to plunge right into Amnesia: The Dark Descent, today you can take just a few first steps with the release of a playable demo.

The latest horror adventure from the developers of Penumbra sends players deep within the stony walls of an old Prussian castle. With little memory of who he is or why he's there, the protagonist must delve the dark, desolate environs to discover the reason for his presence there. All the while, he must seek whatever meagre light sources he can find to preserve his sanity, trying to avoid the terrifying creatures that stalk the halls along the way.

The demo is a little over 150 MB, and a list of download links can be found at the official website. The full version of Amnesia: The Dark Descent is due for downloadable release on September 8th.