Amnesia The Bunker Review: So good, it’s scary!

Amnesia: The Bunker is the newest iteration of the ever-popular Amnesia franchise that completely reinvented the horror theme in games, opening doors and giving ideas to many other indie hits that would follow. Frictional Game developers know the horror genre and have been successfully frightening the lights out of me ever since the first Amnesia: The Dark Descent in 2010. Naturally, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this long-awaited title. Having watched the trailer, I thought I knew what I was getting myself into. It's the Great War era, so at least we'll have guns, right?

Atmosphere

I can't talk about Amnesia: the Bunker without talking about its atmosphere first. The Amnesia games are well-known and much-loved among their fan base for the fear of what we don't see and the brutal anticipation of an enemy just around the corner that creates a feeling of ever-present danger. This game does an excellent job of encapsulating all these elements into a truly gut-wrenching experience.

During my adventures trudging through dank and murky, generator-lit bunker tunnels, I really felt like I was in danger every second I spent in the game. The true feeling of helplessness faced with a monster that cannot be killed is a staple in all Amnesia games, and Amnesia: The Bunker captures that same feeling, despite arming me with a revolver right at the start. Immediately the game let me know from various in-game notes and soldiers' messages that it was going to be more of a tool than a viable self-defense method. Alright, game, you have me properly scared now!

Score: 5/5

Gameplay

Amnesia: The Bunker is a true pleasure to play. The controls are simple enough, offering me all the features a modern FPS game would have. The object manipulation makes a comeback from previous titles, as I was able to perform simple item crafting by combining two rugs into a bandage and breaking a wooden door with a brick in a small intro sequence that served as a tutorial level while establishing a story introduction.

I could see that the developers wanted to reward clever thinking, and they succeeded, as there are almost always multiple ways of going around obstacles. I could spend a little extra time searching for the key to the locked door, or I could just blast them open using a grenade immediately. Doing the latter would attract the monster, making me think about the pros and cons of each approach.

Another exciting game mechanic revolves around the Bunker's power generator. It uses petrol to power the entire complex with electricity, and since it's a war-era monstrosity, it drinks fuel faster than my truck, creating the constant need for refills. This mechanic gave me a time constraint since it constantly required me to find gas cans and bring them back to keep the lights on. The generator's note said it must always be kept running because the monster hates the light. If I failed to return in time, the lights would go out, making my life much more difficult.

Score: 5/5

Enemy design

Enemies have always been iconic in this series, and the monster in Amnesia: the Bunker will not leave you disappointed. Without spoiling the monster's appearance in this iteration of the game, I will just say that it looks worthy of carrying the role of this title's nemesis. It is a tunnel-digger and a darkness-dweller, preferring not to pop up in the light, which makes it a perfect antagonist for a scenario set in a wartime bunker.

Instead of roaming the tunnels and patrolling key corridors like in previous titles, this monster was coming through holes in the walls that could be found all over the Bunker. Seemingly drawn to loud noises, I had to tread very carefully, always aware of my surroundings, because one wrong step would likely mean my untimely demise.

The big baddie wasn't the only one standing between me and the light at the end of a bunker, however, as the tunnel rats posed a constant problem to my progression. I'm not even talking about regular rats, as the Amesia's rats look more akin to Skaven from Warhammer, with their glowing eyes and half-decomposed bodies. They proved to be a constant nuisance and another problem that needed solving, as they frequently appeared to block my progression, biting me if I approached too close.

Score: 4/5

Sound

Sound is of quintessential importance in Amnesia: the Bunker thanks to its quality and because it's an important game mechanic. In my opinion, you should really use headphones to get the true horror experience in this game because their sound stage creates an immersive feeling. Everything in this game sounded good, from my footsteps to random rattles, scratching in the walls, loud bangs, and noises from outside the Bunker—it gave me moments of sheer panic. Gunfire felt remarkably realistic and percussive, too.

Some might feel less inclined to turn the volume up because of the terror of it invokes. I sympathize entirely, yet I would advise you embrace the sound because it also plays a role in gameplay; the characteristic sound cues can sometimes announce the monster is coming. Because the sound presentation is done so well in this game, I could also say with fair certainty if the monster was nearby in the walls. I knew I shouldn't perform specific actions or use particularly noisy objects like my dynamo flashlight.

Score: 5/5

Verdict - So good it made me sleep with my lamp on!

Amnesia: The Bunker is another excellent experience that gave me hours of adrenaline-pumping fun. The game's atmosphere is fantastic, always keeping me on my toes. The puzzles were clever, requiring me to think outside the box and rewarding me for my creativity. While the campaign is relatively short (it took me only a couple of hours to complete on Normal difficulty), its replayability is high because the game keeps itself fresh by randomizing certain elements. The developers have outdone themselves with this masterpiece!

A free copy of the game was provided to PGG by the publisher for review purposes.