Amnesia: The Bunker Review

thesixthaxis.com:

In the pantheons of indie horror there are few games that stand out as much as the original Amnesia: The Dark Descent. This 2010 title brought a particular kind of powerless horror to prominence. Rather than traditional survival horror in which you have ways to fight back against monsters, Frictional Games’ breakthrough hit saw you only able to run and hide. Later games in the series, A Machine for Pigs and Rebirth, brought an increased focus on puzzles and storytelling, but Amnesia: The Bunker now combines of both these approaches with the added mechanic of combat options. That being said, the emphasis is still very much on surviving against a seemingly invulnerable foe.

The Amnesia title seems somewhat superfluous here, as you begin in media res with your player character, Henri Clement, experiencing the horrors of World War One. You are introduced to the controls through navigating a linear trench section and discover that you can use a handgun and grenades to break obstacles – mechanics that will prove invaluable throughout your time in The Bunker. This opening is effective in contextualising the tale, but most of the game’s narrative and lore will be revealed through diary entries and notes that you’ll find as you explore.

The visuals here are lightly stylised rather than photorealistic and this works well, especially as the majority of the game takes place in extreme darkness. Light sources are restricted to fires, your own wind-up torch and the electric lights scattered throughout the bunker. These are essential as light is the best way to hold off the mysterious beast that hunts you, but none of the light sources are without issue. Fire burns out quickly and will damage you if you get close – far too easy given the