Amnesia: The Bunker

Last updated

Amnesia: The Bunker
Amnesia The Bunker cover art.png
Developer(s) Frictional Games
Publisher(s) Frictional Games
Director(s)
  • Fredrik Olsson
  • Thomas Grip
Designer(s) Max Lidbeck
Programmer(s)
  • Edvin Grafe
  • Peter Wester
Artist(s) Rasmus Gunnarsson
Writer(s) Philip Gelatt
Composer(s) Mikko Tarmia
Platform(s)
ReleaseJune 6, 2023
Genre(s) Survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player

Amnesia: The Bunker is a survival horror video game developed and published by Frictional Games. The fourth installment in the Amnesia series, the game follows a French soldier who is trapped in a bunker with a monster and must find a way to escape. It was released for Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on June 6, 2023. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

Contents

Gameplay

Amnesia: The Bunker, like its predecessor, is a first-person survival horror video game. The game is set in World War I, and the player assumes control of French soldier Henri Clément. Henri is trapped in an underground bunker and hunted by a mysterious but photosensitive monster named "the Beast". To survive in the bunker, Henri must maintain the base's power while collecting resources and ammo, which are randomly placed in the game's map. Henri can also use a revolver, a shotgun, and other throwable items such as grenades and flares to fight against enemies, but ammo is very scarce. [1] The base is dimly lit, and Henri is eventually equipped with a watch that indicates when the generators will run out of fuel. If the fuel runs out, the base will become completely dark and the monster will actively hunt Henri. To solve the problem, the player needs to refuel the generator, and use a noisy dynamo flashlight to find his way in the bunker. There are limited amounts of fuel in the bunker, and once all supplies are used up, the player will have to complete the rest of their playthrough in the dark. [2]

Unlike previous Amnesia games, the game features a "semi-open world", one that gives players more freedom to explore and approach their objectives. [3] The game does not feature a lot of scripted moments, and the Beast is an ever-present threat that haunts Henri throughout the game. The game features elements inspired by immersive sims, and the game's world will respond to the player's action. For instance, players can pour gasoline on the floor and ignite it, creating a temporary light source to scare the monster. Players can enter various safe rooms regularly in order to save the game, one of which has a chest to store items, and view a map of the bunker to better understand its layout. Subsections of the map are filled in as those sections are found/viewed. [4] Unlike previous games in the series, The Bunker does not feature a sanity mechanic. [5]

Plot

In the year 1916, France and Germany are in the midst of World War I. French soldier Henri Clément heads out into the battlefield to search for his friend Augustin Lambert, who has gone missing during a patrol. Henri finds Lambert trapped in a large crater. He has Lambert drink some fresh spring water he finds inside the crater to revive him, and attempts to carry Lambert to safety. However, they are spotted by the Germans and Henri is knocked unconscious from an artillery shell blast.

Henri wakes up some time later inside a seemingly abandoned bunker with no memory of how he ended up there. Henri quickly finds a surviving soldier, Albert Boisrond, who informs him that the bunker has been sealed off, and instructs him to find dynamite and a detonator to reopen the exit. Boisrond is killed by a strange creature shortly after. Upon exploring the bunker further, Henri eventually learns that some unknown Beast had appeared out of nowhere and has been terrorizing the bunker, slaughtering the French garrison one by one. The bunker's cowardly officers fled, caving in the only exit to seal the Beast inside, but trapping the soldiers left behind. With no other choice, Henri searches the bunker complex for dynamite and a detonator. During his search, he comes across more clues left behind by the soldiers and he begins to piece together the events that led to this situation.

Some time ago, the bunker garrison discovered an underground tunnel dating back to Roman times. They began to excavate the tunnel with the intention of using it to stage a surprise attack on German lines, but some of the soldiers began suffering hallucinations and vivid nightmares about ritualistic torture, monsters fighting to the death, and extradimensional architecture. Fearing that the tunnel actually led to Hell, a group of soldiers sabotaged the excavation with dynamite in an attempt to seal the tunnel. The soldiers were subsequently court-martialed, and the excavation was indefinitely delayed. Meanwhile, Henri and Lambert gambled with dice to determine which of them would go out on patrol one evening; Henri, still smarting from a series of pranks played by his friend, cheated with a sleight-of-hand trick, causing Lambert to lose. Guilt-stricken when Lambert failed to return, Henri left the bunker in search of his friend. Later, Lambert brought back a wounded and comatose Henri, but Lambert oddly was completely unscathed. It is revealed that the spring water Lambert drank originated from the tunnel and was part of the ancient rituals; it began to slowly mutate him and drive him insane until he completely transformed into the Beast, stalking the bunker and killing his former comrades.

Henri is eventually able to recover the dynamite and detonator and blasts the exit. However, instead of opening the tunnel, Henri accidentally falls deeper into the Roman ruins, where he has one final confrontation with the Beast, where he can try to fight it and send it plunging into an underground abyss or flee. Henri eventually manages to return to the surface, but if he failed to kill the Beast, it escapes along with him before running off into No Man's Land. Regardless of the ending, Henri falls into a shell crater filled with the mangled corpses of French soldiers just as a German patrol begins to approach, leaving his fate uncertain.

Development

Frictional Games described The Bunker as the franchise's "pivotal point", as it incorporates elements from sandbox games and focuses on emergent gameplay. [3] According to game director Fredrik Olsson, the team focused on the game's replayability, and that each playthrough will lead to unique moments for players. With the game's procedural generation, the team wanted to avoid "linearity and predictability" and offer a challenging experience for players. [6] He added that the team prioritized developing gameplay over crafting the game's narrative, though the game still features journal entries for players to further explore the game's world and its lore. [1]

Weapons were added for a dual purpose, while the player can defend themselves with grenades and guns, they also can be used to break locks or set objects ablaze. The Bunker's revolver was designed to be "clunky" and take a long time to reload. “Loading that last bullet creates a strong sense of urgency, adding an extra layer of stress to already harrowing situations.” [5]

Amnesia: The Bunker was announced in December 2022. [7] Initially set to be released in March 2023, the team postponed the game's release to May 2023 as the team "had a tough winter with a slew of illnesses that has affected development". [8] It was then further delayed by two weeks due to "unforeseen certification issues". The game was released for Windows PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S on June 6, 2023. [9]

Reception

Amnesia: The Bunker received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, except for PlayStation 4, which received "mixed or average" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [10] [11] [12]

While criticizing the monster AI as mediocre, IGN liked the pressure the game put on the player through the limited amount of generator fuel, "What this means is every trip out into the far corners of the bunker comes with a sense of urgency and purpose". [16] GameSpot praised the tension present in the resource management mechanics of the game, writing, "All resources are finite, so using any of them must come with good reason or else you're damning yourself to failure". [14] GamesRadar+ felt the story was weaker than previous entries, "The unfolding horror of Amnesia: The Bunker, told over old documents, is really enthralling, but it's not quite on the same level as Frictional's past works". [15]

PC Gamer enjoyed the sound design of the title, "There's this ambient, cavernous hum to The Bunker, punctuated by the squeals of rats, occasional cries from the Beast, and the earthshaking thumps of German artillery". [17] Eurogamer liked how the game encouraged experimentation, by utilizing the environment as a means to discover new things, "As terrifying as it is, it's such a thrill to find your brave explorations and inventiveness rewarded in such interesting ways". [13]

Related Research Articles

<i>Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth</i> 2005 horror game

Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth is a survival horror video game developed by British studio Headfirst Productions for the Xbox in 2005 and for Microsoft Windows in 2006. It combines an action-adventure game with a relatively realistic first-person shooter and elements of a stealth game.

<i>Soma</i> (video game) 2015 survival horror video game

Soma is a survival horror video game developed and published by Frictional Games. The game was released on 22 September 2015 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, and PlayStation 4, and on 1 December 2017 on Xbox One.

<i>Lost: Via Domus</i> 2008 video game

Lost: Via Domus, marketed as Lost: The Video Game in Europe, is a video game based on the ABC television series Lost. The game was released for the Microsoft Windows operating system, and the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles in February 2008, after the third season of the series. In Via Domus, players control Elliott Maslow, a survivor of the plane crash that Lost revolves around. Although Elliott is not featured in the television series, the game contains many characters from the show, as well as many locations from Lost's mysterious island. Some of the original cast of the series provided the voices for their characters, and the Lost composer Michael Giacchino created the score for the game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frictional Games</span> Swedish video game developer

Frictional Games AB is a Swedish independent video game developer based in Malmö, founded in January 2007 by Thomas Grip and Jens Nilsson. The company specialises in the development of survival horror games with very little or no combat gameplay mechanics. It is best known for its games Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Soma.

<i>Resident Evil 6</i> 2012 video game

Resident Evil 6 is a 2012 third-person shooter video game developed and published by Capcom. A major installment in the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil 6 was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in October 2012, and for Windows in March 2013. It was re-released with all downloadable content for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in March 2016, and for the Nintendo Switch in October 2019. Players control Leon S. Kennedy, Chris Redfield, Jake Muller and Ada Wong as they confront the force behind a worldwide bio-terrorist attack. The story is centred around their four interwoven campaigns, and every campaign features a unique style in both tone and gameplay.

<i>Amnesia: The Dark Descent</i> 2010 video game

Amnesia: The Dark Descent is a 2010 survival horror adventure game developed and published by Frictional Games. It was released in 2010 for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and Linux operating systems, in 2016 for the PlayStation 4 platform and in 2018 for the Xbox One. The game features a protagonist named Daniel exploring a dark and foreboding castle called Brennenburg, while trying to maintain his sanity by avoiding monsters and unsettling events. The game was critically well-received, earning two awards from the Independent Games Festival and numerous positive reviews.

<i>Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs</i> 2013 video game

Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs is a 2013 survival horror game developed by The Chinese Room and published by Frictional Games. Originally meant to be a mod, the game is an indirect sequel to Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010), which was both developed and published by Frictional Games. While set in the same universe as the previous game, it features a new cast of characters and time setting.

<i>Outlast</i> 2013 horror video game

Outlast is a 2013 first-person survival horror video game developed and published by Red Barrels. The game revolves around a freelance investigative journalist, Miles Upshur, who decides to investigate a remote psychiatric hospital named Mount Massive Asylum, located deep in the mountains of Lake County, Colorado.

<i>Hunt: Showdown</i> 2019 video game

Hunt: Showdown is a first-person shooter video game by Crytek. It was launched on Steam in early access on 22 February 2018 and for Xbox Game Preview on 29 May 2019. The full release of the game launched on 27 August 2019 for Microsoft Windows, it was also released on Xbox One on 19 September 2019 and PlayStation 4 on 18 February 2020. In the game, the player assumes the role of a bounty hunter who tries to kill mythical monsters in order to claim their bounties and survive long enough against other bounty hunters to reach an extraction point.

<i>Zombie Army Trilogy</i> 2015 video game

Zombie Army Trilogy is a third-person tactical shooter video game developed and published by Rebellion Developments. It is a spin-off to the Sniper Elite series and was released on 6 March 2015, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. A port for the Nintendo Switch was released on 31 March 2020, in North America and Europe, and in Japan on 28 May 2020. The game takes place in an alternative version of the final days of World War II, with the German army close to defeat. Adolf Hitler deploys a last resort plan to raise the fallen as zombies through occult rituals and turn them against Allied forces, thus causing Germany to become overrun with the undead.

<i>Amnesia: Rebirth</i> 2020 video game developed by Frictional Games

Amnesia: Rebirth is a 2020 survival horror video game developed and published by Frictional Games. It was released for Windows, Linux, and PlayStation 4 on 20 October 2020, for Amazon Luna on 22 October 2021, and for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on 20 October 2022. It is the third installment in the franchise and serves as a sequel to Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010). The game received generally favorable reviews.

<i>Call of the Sea</i> 2020 video game

Call of the Sea is an adventure video game developed by Out of the Blue and published by Raw Fury. The game was released for Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on December 8, 2020. The game was also released for Amazon Luna on April 15, 2021, and for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on May 11, 2021.

<i>Maid of Sker</i> (video game) 2020 survival horror video game

Maid of Sker is a 2020 first-person survival horror game developed and published by Wales Interactive. The game is set in 1898 in the Sker Hotel, on an imaginary island called Sker Island. The protagonist, Thomas Evans, is invited by his lover, Elisabeth Williams, to uncover the mysteries of the hotel after she notices her family's strange behavior. While exploring the hotel, Thomas learns cult followers called "The Quiet Ones" control the place. He finds notes and gramophone records scattered around the hotel that reveal the history of Elisabeth's family.

The Coma: Cutting Class is a 2015 horror video game published by Devespresso Games. It was originally released in 2015, and a remastered edition titled The Coma: Recut was released on PC and consoles in 2017.

<i>The Quarry</i> (video game) 2022 video game

The Quarry is a 2022 interactive drama horror game developed by Supermassive Games and published by 2K. Players assume control of nine teenage counselors who must survive their last night at Hackett's Quarry summer camp amongst supernatural creatures and violent locals. Players make many choices throughout the game which may significantly affect character development, relationships, the story's plot, and its ending. All nine playable characters may survive or die, depending on the player's decisions.

<i>Alone in the Dark</i> (2024 video game) 2024 video game

Alone in the Dark is a 2024 survival horror video game developed by Pieces Interactive and published by THQ Nordic. It is a reimagining of the original 1992 Alone in the Dark and is the seventh installment in the Alone in the Dark video game series. The game features a single-player narrative set in the 1930s, where players can choose to play as Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood, as they make their way through Derceto Mansion to uncover the mysteries within.

<i>Still Wakes the Deep</i> 2024 video game

Still Wakes the Deep is a horror video game developed by The Chinese Room and published by Secret Mode. The story follows an electrician who is trapped on a damaged oil drilling platform in the North Sea, having no way to escape while being pursued by mysterious monsters under harsh weather conditions. The game was released for Windows PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S on June 18, 2024.

<i>Layers of Fear</i> (2023 video game) Horror game

Layers of Fear is a 2023 developed and published by Bloober Team. It is a remake of and sequel to the 2016 game Layers of Fear and its sequel Layers of Fear 2 (2019), combining stories from the previous games with new content. The game was released for Windows, macOS, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S in June 2023. It received mixed reviews upon release.

<i>Ad Infinitum</i> (video game) 2023 video game

Ad Infinitum is a 2023 survival horror video game developed by Hekate and published by Nacon. It is set during World War I and was released for Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

<i>In Sound Mind</i> 2021 video game

In Sound Mind is a 2021 psychological horror game developed by We Create Stuff and published by Modus Games.

References

  1. 1 2 Filiari, Alessandro (March 30, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker Feels Like A New Beginning For The Series". IGN . Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  2. ↑ Marshall, Cass (December 1, 2022). "Amnesia: The Bunker gives the player a gun — but at what cost?". Polygon . Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Wales, Matt (December 1, 2022). "Soma dev reveals "unscripted" WW1 horror Amnesia: The Bunker". Eurogamer . Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  4. ↑ Ramée, Jordan (March 31, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker Is Too Stressful For Me, But An Interesting Shift Away From The Series' Linear Roots". GameSpot . Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Crecente, Brian (June 6, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker is a chilling underground obstacle course of horror". Epic Games. Retrieved September 5, 2023.
  6. ↑ Parijat, Shubhankar (March 28, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker Interview – Semi-Open World, Structure, Stalker, and More". Gaming Bolt. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  7. ↑ LeBlanc, Wesley (December 1, 2022). "Frictional Games Announces Amnesia: The Bunker, A New Sandbox Open-World Horror Game". Game Informer . Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  8. ↑ Prescott, Shaun (February 2, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker delayed into May after a 'tough winter'". PC Gamer . Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  9. ↑ Ivan, Tom (May 12, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker has been delayed to June". Video Games Chronicles. Retrieved May 27, 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Amnesia: The Bunker for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved June 20, 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Amnesia: The Bunker for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Amnesia: The Bunker for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  13. 1 2 Blake, Vikki (June 5, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker review - survival horror that's dark in all the right ways". Eurogamer . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  14. 1 2 Delaney, Mark (June 5, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker Review - Shellshocked". GameSpot . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  15. 1 2 Cryer, Hirun (June 5, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker review: 'A bold new direction for the series'". GamesRadar+ . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  16. 1 2 Hafer, Leana (June 5, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker Review". IGN . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  17. 1 2 Litchfield, Ted (June 5, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker review". PC Gamer . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  18. ↑ Croft, Liam (June 5, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker Review (PS4)". Push Square . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
  19. ↑ White, Lucas (June 5, 2023). "Amnesia: The Bunker review: Old flashlight simulator". Shacknews . Retrieved June 5, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.