The atmosphere is gloomy. The tension almost unbearable. However, the horror saga amnesia disappointed with The bunkera new chapter begun three years after the distinguished one rebirth.
1916. In the middle of World War I, French soldier Henri Clément falls into German hands while trying to save one of his comrades. Unconscious at first, he believes he wakes up alone in a dark, disused bunker. With only a loud dynamo flashlight, a bullet in his revolver’s magazine, and a few trinkets found along the way for resources, he must navigate this sanctuary that hides dark alcoves from which a mysterious beast watches him.
Photo courtesy of Frictional Games
With the long-awaited The Bunker, the Amnesia saga breaks the beaten path of its previous entries and offers a semi-open world in which the player can progress at will and at their own pace. You’re free to explore the areas in whatever order you want, but the end goal obviously remains the same: solving puzzles and brainstorming to get out of this shelter unscathed.
lack of nuance
But a more linear approach – prioritized in The Dark Descent, A Machine for Pigs, and Rebirth – seems better suited to the Amnesia universe. The corridors of the bunker end up looking the same here, and the various sections are cruelly devoid of nuance and distinction.
Photo courtesy of Frictional Games
The penumbra, an integral part of the storyline, makes exploration less easy – that’s obviously intentional – but also less enjoyable. We often feel like we’re going in circles, chasing our shadow, or just stuck in a dead end. It also has to be said that the sometimes wonky controls tend to detract from the experience rather than enhance it. We struggled to perform maneuvers as simple as opening a door, as they can be messy in different sections.
Temporary Emotions
Ditto for the graphics, which pales in comparison to what, say, Montreal studio Red Barrels is doing with Outlast in the same niche. The creature lurking in the shadows is of course quite capable of making you jump, but it will no longer haunt players in nightmares once the controller is put down. The feeling of dread that is ever-present during gameplay also subsides quickly – if not immediately – once the game is over. In short: to make a lasting impact, we will come back.
Photo courtesy of Frictional Games
In the end, Amnesia: The Bunker turns out to be a real adventure that ends in less than three hours, but we won’t submit to it a second time. However, those who are tricked will be happy to know that the game causes the cards to be reshuffled with each new game. Certain elements – such as B. Locker combinations – are actually randomly changed each time a player starts a new journey.
Amnesia: The Bunker ★★1⁄2
- Now available for PS4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S