Amnesia: The Bunker review

Amnesia-The-Bunker-review

Amnesia: The Bunker is the latest in the horror game Amnesia series from Frictional Games. Frictional Games returns with a different setting for this new game and tries to reinvent itself so as not to follow the lines of the previous games. In this review article we take a look at Amnesia: The Bunker.

Amnesia: The Bunker review

Amnesia: The Bunker is the newest installment of the Amnesia series, set in World War I. Released on June 6, 2023, the game was developed by the Frictional Games team and published for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and PC. It is the next chapter of one of the most famous horror epics of modern times. The main game, other than the prologue, takes place in a mysterious bunker during World War I.

The intro is a really quick way to show you the controls, but it’s done nicely. You then wake up in The Bunker. Here, something terrible has clearly happened (outside of a combat environment of course), no one is left and the way out is blocked, your main goal is to find a way to dig a hole through the rubble and get out alive. Easier said than done though, because you’re hunting…

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Anyone who has played a game from Frictional Games before will feel right at home. The game mechanics have all the familiar bits like opening cabinets, drawers, picking up and throwing objects, carefully opening doors and panicking and running inside and locking the door because you hear a noise. Yes, this is definitely a Frictional Amnesia game. There are a lot of tweaks and upgrades for The Bunker that they’ve included here, there are also some new ones you can try.

The premise of Amnesia: The Bunker is pretty simple: You’re locked in a World War I-era bunker, and there’s a creature that kills anyone who might think of setting foot in that cramped space. Your mission is to escape from there as quickly as possible, but to do this you will need to do everything you can to activate the mechanism that opens the main door.

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Amnesia: The Bunker gameplay

What is interesting in the gameplay is the generator system. You can light just about any shelter with a generator, which will quickly become your new best friend. The problem is that it will use up fuel very quickly. Therefore, you need to be resourceful in finding enough fuel to run it. Especially since the small wind-up hand light and torch are useless.

I don’t need to tell you how many times my torch has run out trying to figure out what to do in a room. The atmosphere of tension and foreboding is so thick I could sit and hide in it. This feeling of fear and panic only increases when you accidentally set a trap or catch a glimpse of the creature. On top of that, there are also small tremors that keep this feeling of uneasiness going even in quiet moments.

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It’s a pretty nice touch here that you’re given what looks like an arsenal, so you’re not completely helpless, just mostly helpless. You have a gun, but ammo is limited and it doesn’t kill the creature, it just delays your possible death. You have grenades, fuel with which you can do interesting things, meat with which you can try to attract attention, and more. The key to freedom is to be as quiet as possible, this gun and anything loud is a last resort.

One thing I ended up doing was barricading myself in a room and sealing the holes. Just for that little extra peace of mind that he might struggle a little to get to me and give me a chance to escape. This is another part of what I love about Frictional and its physics, and what makes The Bunker interesting is that you can move around a variety of objects, as well as using objects thrown together or thrown around to break things.

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Amnesia: The Bunker graphics and music

As you browse through you will find a variety of notes and photos to collect. This is where you will slowly piece together the events leading up to where you are now. Of course I won’t go into all the details, because spoilers, but it’s pretty easy to understand how to dig huge tunnels and uncover something scary. The setting, theme and visuals are all pretty great and while there are no complaints there, this game isn’t really about the story, it’s about the journey and how many different ways you can die trying to escape.

The structure of the game comes directly from the most classic survival horror games, so if you like this kind of offering, perhaps Amnesia: The Bunker will dazzle you. This is where the game moves like a fish in water when it comes to sound design. If you want to hug the mat while squinting your eyes, there are sounds, screams and footsteps coming from the creature that can make your blood run cold as it practically gropes around in the shelter.

If you’re after a new horror experience, I really see no reason not to recommend picking it up. The constant panic I felt walking down dimly lit and often completely dark corridors in a very claustrophobic environment was an unforgettable experience.

Amnesia: The Bunker System requirements

Minimum:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS *: Windows 7 / 8 / 10, 64-bits
  • Processor: Core i3 / AMD FX 2.4Ghz
  • Memory: 4 GB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 4.0, Nvidia GTX 460 / AMD Radeon HD 5750 / Intel HD 630
  • Storage: 35 GB available space

Recommended:

  • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
  • OS *: Windows 7 / 8 / 10, 64-bits
  • Processor: Core i5 / Ryzen 5
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM
  • Graphics: OpenGL 4.3, Nvidia GTX 970 / AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT / Intel Xe-HPG
  • Storage: 35 GB available space