Amnesia: The Bunker Review (WeeHammy)
Amnesia: The Bunker is a fantastic horror game set in a WW1 bunker being stalked by a relentless, AI-driven monster, Your survival depends on finding tools, crafting items and, most importantly, keeping the lights on! Frictional game's latest addition to the Amnesia franchise shows us how true horror masterminds work. It is not a perfect game, but in reality what game is perfect. Below I will state my opinion, pros and cons. So, let's get to it!
Small disclaimer - I used a speed-running tactic at the very beginning to cheese a few achievements to begin with so I could enjoy the game without any stress. Here is a link to the strat being used to "speedrun" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGQsGzjbIcQ
Small disclaimer #2 - I used CUSTOM MODE to do the rest of my achievements to attain 100% just incase anyone wanted to know if custom mode lets you unlock achievements
Pros
⚫It is a truly fantastic, immersive horror game that keeps you ALERT at all times, especially with the time constraint with the power running out. Great addition!
⚫"No 2 playthroughs are the same" - Devs statement. This is true as all of the codes and monster encounters are completely randomised.
⚫Multiple solutions to get where you need to go or do what you need to do.
⚫The atmosphere was utterly terrifying making me tense at every corner I turned and I could feel my heart beat when I stared into the dark oblivion of the empty bloodstained, tight ominous corridors of an abandoned WW1 bunker.
⚫The Physics-based interactions have been done to utmost perfection. What else do we expect from Frictional Games?
⚫Amnesia: The Bunker looks utterly gorgeous, although you can hardly see in the dark, the game looks stunning.
⚫If you are a fan of the original Amnesia games then it retains the original influence from Amnesia, what I mean by this is when Henri see's the monster his vision becomes very blurry and it shakes, it also has red ripples at the edge of the screen that moves.
⚫The sound design was my absolute favourite selling point. As you are alone, you can hear EVERYTHING. I mean, you would probably be able to hear a PIN fall and that, that adds to the built up tension already because if you are not making "THAT" sound.... WHAT IS?!?!?!
Cons
⚫Game length is... very short. For £21, if you don't care about 100% or just only want to play it once... it is not worth that price. It runs about 4-5 hours.
⚫The ending arena is very Haphazard. I thought the "standoff" was very rushed and boring.
My Verdict
Even though I done a speedrun of the game 3 times in a row at the beginning to cheese the game before I played it properly, I enjoyed every single moment of it. I thought having a gun would make it less scary, as well... it's a gun after all but they have limited your ammo to the EXACT amount for it to still be terrifying and tense.
Amnesia: The Bunker does not rely on "CHEAP" jumpscares, like most "horror" games nowadays but instead it plays on it's already tense, atmospheric horrific world that has been built around itself. This is how you make a good horror game.
Amnesia: The Bunker is a fantastic step forward for the series. It manages to modernise the mechanics, graphics and gameplay all while maintaining the "AMNESIA" we have all come to love (AND FEAR) for generations. It manages to retain who it is - AMNESIA - all while adding and giving us players, modernised mechanics such as the gun which I thought at the beginning was dumb but as I progressed... it was even MORE TERRIFYING especially when I shot.
Replay-ability 10/10! Atmosphere 10/10. Immersion 10/10. Amnesia: The Bunker 10/10. I love this game!
I AM SORRY I DID NOT BUY AND PLAY IT SOONER!!