Developed and published by Frictional Games, “Amnesia: The Bunker” marks the fourth installment in the renowned Amnesia series, following the footsteps of its predecessors: “Amnesia: The Dark Descent” (2010), “Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs” (2013), and “Amnesia: Rebirth” (2020). Remaining true to its roots, “Amnesia: The Bunker” delivers a chilling first-person survival horror experience. Full disclosure, this is my first time dabbling in the franchise, although I’m not a stranger to Frictional Games. They released the title “Soma” in 2015, which I really, really enjoyed. So when “Amnesia: The Bunker” dropped, I couldn’t help but be curious what this franchise has to offer. I was more or less not disappointed, but this title never quite grabbed me as well as “Soma” did.
As a standalone story, prior knowledge of the series is not necessary, allowing newcomers to dive right into this survival horror without hesitation. Set amidst the backdrop of World War I in 1916, you play a character named Henri Clement, a French soldier in search of his missing comrade. After an unfortunate event where the Germans find Henri and knock him unconscious, he finds himself awakening in an abandoned bunker, oblivious to how he ended up there. As the eerie truth unravels, it becomes clear that a lethal beast lurks within the labyrinthine depths of the bunker. Survival hinges on two vital factors: the creature’s insatiable hunger for human flesh and its aversion to light. Armed with a flashlight and a pistol, players must navigate the shadows with caution, using any light source to their advantage.
The primary objective in “Amnesia: The Bunker” is to escape this nightmarish underground maze. Yet, freedom is far from attainable, as the bunker has been blasted shut and has you trapped inside, transforming your mission into a desperate struggle for survival. From the moment the game commences, the entire expanse of the bunker is accessible, revealing distinct wings such as a medical ward and a prison. Silence and stealth become paramount as even the slightest noise can alert the beast, be it your rapid footsteps, the clatter of objects, or the creaking of vents. Ammunition is painfully scarce; I swear I think I only found only a couple dozen bullets throughout the entire game. Scattered gasoline tanks offer an alternative means of progress by fueling generators, which gives power to various light switches you can flip on. Illuminated areas not only provide respite from the creature’s relentless pursuit but also serve as a deterrent. Injuries carry dire consequences, if you’re wounded, you’ll be leaving a trail of blood that serves essentially as a breadcrumb trail for the beast to quickly find you and take you out. Swift healing becomes a vital necessity to avoid a swift demise. All of this is a pretty cool concept for a game, but it’s very reminiscent to a very similar experience I had a long time ago with “Alien: Isolation,” but that game did everything a lot better.
Unfortunately, “Amnesia: The Bunker” does suffer from a few technical issues. At times, the beast’s AI fails to perform as intended, it fails to clearly see me when it should have. Also, the graphics feel pretty cheap, like a game from a decade ago starting to show its age. I found it odd that a PlayStation 5 version has not been released yet, only for PlayStation 4, where it clearly holds the games potential back. But back to the game itself, the bunker proves to be relatively confined, and the game’s duration is relatively short. With a potential completion time of around six hours, the limited size of the bunker really starts to show, as you constantly retread similar areas over and over again. So yeah, “Amnesia: The Bunker” isn’t perfect, but it’s by no means a bad game. It offers an intense and atmospheric journey that survival horror fans will get a kick out of for a day. Seeing as I haven’t played the previous games in the entry I can’t confirm if Frictional Games successfully maintains their reputation for delivering spine-chilling survival horror experiences. All I can say is this one seemed to accomplish what it set out to do and it generally succeeded in doing so.
7/10
For more information, visit HERE
Related: Reviews by Nick Navarro
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
More Stories
Tokyo Game Show 2024: KOEI TECMO Unveils New Atelier Resleriana: The Red Alchemist & The White Guardian
ATHENA CRISIS Review for Steam
Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Expansion Review for PlayStation 5