Unforgettable Terror: A Review of Amnesia: The Bunker

Frictional Games is renowned for its exceptional horror games, and rightfully so. The original Amnesia revitalized the genre when other developers were focusing on action-oriented gameplay, and Frictional has consistently delivered outstanding work since then. Amnesia: The Bunker, the latest addition to their first-person horror series, takes bold risks and breaks away from the established formula. However, it falls short compared to its predecessors and is the weakest entry yet.

Upon starting the game, players are thrown into a semi-open World War 1-era bunker with minimal supplies. However, thorough exploration can lead to the discovery of helpful items such as bandages, grenades, revolver ammo, and fuel for the generator. Amnesia: The Bunker requires players to keep the generator fueled to maintain the lights, but with limited resources, they must use it wisely.

Fuel in Amnesia: The Bunker serves multiple purposes, such as starting fires and crafting useful items like Molotov cocktails and torches. However, given that fuel is scarce in the game, players must carefully evaluate their options before deciding what to do with any fuel can they come across. The game uses this scarcity of resources, along with limited storage slots and a severe lack of ammunition for their revolver, to increase tension and difficulty, as is common in survival-horror games.

In Amnesia: The Bunker, the revolver is a valuable tool to defend against the relentless monster that pursues players. The creature is drawn to noise, so players should avoid using excessive force to blast through doors or barricades, unless they are prepared to face the monster head-on with the revolver in hand. Despite the addition of the revolver, players still feel vulnerable when confronting the monster, as it can withstand multiple shots on harder difficulty levels. As a result, players must be strategic in their use of ammo, reserving it solely for self-defense against the monster. This limitation forces players to find alternative methods for navigating the bunker, such as using environmental hazards or solving puzzles to progress.

Amnesia: The Bunker may give the impression of an open world, but its gameplay is actually quite linear. The bunker is divided into segmented zones, each requiring specific tools that are scattered throughout the area and must be collected in a specific order. This unique gameplay mechanic gives the game a first-person Metroidvania vibe, making it a truly immersive and thrilling experience.

In Amnesia: The Bunker, players are tasked with exploring a semi-open area and finding items to access new places, much like the original Resident Evil. However, unlike Resident Evil, Amnesia: The Bunker offers players multiple solutions to puzzles, allowing them to tackle each problem from different angles. For instance, if faced with a locked door, players can either search for the key or blow up the door to the adjoining room and go through a hole in the wall. However, this approach may attract the monster, which will no doubt have players on edge. The monster in Amnesia: The Bunker is expertly crafted, with its inhuman noises, stomping, and scratches causing players to feel truly scared, particularly in the game's early moments. With the use of high-quality audio design, such as loud, random mortar shellings that shake the entire screen, players will remain on high alert throughout the game.

Exploring the depths of Amnesia: The Bunker is a thrilling experience for horror fans, but encountering the monster for the first time is sure to leave even the bravest player shaken. However, the terror soon turns into frustration as the monster becomes more of an obstacle than a genuine scare. On higher difficulties, the monster's grip is lethal, and with no autosaves, players are forced to repeat significant portions of the game after each death. While the initial exploration is enjoyable, the need to constantly redo it due to the presence of the monster quickly becomes tedious.

In Amnesia: The Bunker, players are forced to adopt a cautious, non-entertaining playstyle to avoid alerting the monster. This involves crouching, disregarding locked doors that could be smashed open, and refraining from using the flashlight which attracts the creature with its noise. Moreover, the flashlight requires frequent winding and has a limited battery life, creating a tension-building mechanic that ultimately becomes tedious. The game relies too heavily on one-hit deaths and fear of losing progress, making it feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience. The unsatisfying storyline and lack of reward in the final stretch of the game only add to the frustration, making it the weakest in the Amnesia series. Nonetheless, it still has some redeeming qualities.

Amnesia: The Bunker is a thrilling horror game set in a World War I bunker, where players are armed with only a single bullet and forced to navigate a terrifying and claustrophobic environment. The game's puzzles are engaging and its randomization of certain elements ensures that subsequent playthroughs remain fresh and exciting. Although it may not quite reach the same heights as its predecessors, The Bunker is the most replayable Amnesia game to date. Thankfully, it is available on day one of Xbox Game Pass, so horror enthusiasts can experience its scares without breaking the bank.

Amnesia: The Bunker launches June 6 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Game Rant was provided with a PC code for this review.