Amnesia: The Bunker is a game that’s hard to forget. The newest entry in the Amnesia series – which is both developed and published by Frictional Games – is a first-person survival horror experience that’s thematically reminiscent of its predecessors, but also sets itself apart with innovative and cruel gameplay. Constant anxiety, scattered thoughts, and soul-crushing dread are all synonymous with The Bunker, and that’s exactly what makes it so exciting.
[Warning: The following article contains minor spoilers for Amnesia: The Bunker.]Frictional Games first put itself on the map with the release of Amnesia: The Dark Descent in 2010, which revolutionized the horror genre (and the way in which fans consume horror content altogether, thanks to its popularity on YouTube). Following The Dark Descent’s massive success, the developer released two sequels. Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs launched in 2013 to generally less-than-favorable reception, but Amnesia: Rebirth’s return to series roots restored hope to many players in 2020. The Bunker finally seals the deal, but it does so in a way that’s far from traditional or predictable.
Stepping into the shoes of French WW1 soldier Henri Clément, the player isn’t nearly as defenseless as the typical horror protagonist, having a set of offensive weapons and defensive tools at their disposal. Naturally, the bunker in which the game takes place isn’t too spacious, but the map’s non-linear, semi-open world design gives a sense of freedom nonetheless. Initially, this seems like it would lend itself to a more relaxed experience, but any such feelings of comfort quickly dissolve, and it becomes clear that The Bunker is just as scary as Amnesia: Rebirth (if not more so).
Henri’s goal is straightforward – find a way to the surface – but the process is complicated by memory loss, dead comrades, the rubble that blocks the exit, and most formidably, a lurking monster. The core gameplay of Amnesia: The Bunker involves navigating multiple sections of the map to find the tools necessary for escape, all while carefully avoiding the mysterious beast. Unlike previous Amnesia games, the monster is minimally scripted, and it reacts in real time to the player’s actions. If Henri makes too much noise moving an object or even using the hand-cranked flashlight, it won’t be long before it scampers towards the area and investigates.
The saferoom offers a brief moment of relief in between journeys. This central hub is where Henri can go to catch his breath, organize his items, and refill the generator with fuel. The monster is far less aggressive when the generator is running, and power is required to complete some puzzles – but just like in The Dark Descent, fuel is a scarce resource, which means time management is essential. A stopwatch keeps track of how much fuel is left in the tank, but it’s ultimately up to the player to maximize their time in the light and set themselves up for success.
2023-06-05 08:30:05
Link from screenrant.com