For years I deftly evaded taking part in an Amnesia sport for the good thing about my mind. I do not like being terrified by videogames (actual life is frightening sufficient), however a number of years in the past I informed a buddy I hadn’t performed The Darkish Descent and he bought actually excited by the concept of watching me play it, so I gave in. When the lights had been on, I cherished the little issues that also stand out about Amnesia—the analog really feel of pulling doorways and drawers open, the ornate puzzles, the creepy enamel clattering. However the hours spent standing in pitch-black stillness whereas a monster had his means with the hallway, questioning why I might signed as much as be sad, had been so unnerving that I primarily wrote off that kind of sport for good.
Then I heard the latest Amnesia sequel—Amnesia: The Bunker—has a gun, and I simply needed to see what that is about. I’ve all the time understood the unstated rule of Amnesia video games to be a continuing state of defenselessness. How can Amnesia nonetheless be Amnesia when you’ve got the {hardware} to combat again?
After taking part in an hour-long demo of Amnesia: The Bunker throughout GDC 2023, I discovered that, truly, you do not. The gun is extra software than weapon, and it is only one technique to remedy issues in The Bunker’s micro open world. This isn’t Amnesia making an attempt to be Resident Evil; that is Amnesia inching towards the participant company and emergent gameplay of a full-blown immersive sim.
You also needs to know that Amnesia: The Bunker is a smaller sport than its predecessors (round 4-6 hours) and designed to be performed a number of occasions. You are within the boots of a French WW1 soldier who cannot bear in mind the final a number of days. The titular bunker is the whole sport world, and your solely objective is to flee. My demo was a number of enjoyable, even when it resulted in catastrophe. Right here had been my 12 massive takeaways after an hour with Amnesia: The Bunker:
Amnesia: The Bunker”
The monster is all the time a risk
As a result of Amnesia: The Bunker is a largely non-linear sport, its monster does not present up at scripted moments within the story. The creature is all the time round, scurrying by the bunker in its community of dust tunnels, snarling eerily to maintain you in your toes. Apparently there are a number of elements that make the creature roughly prone to seem, together with noise and light-weight. Inventive lead Fredrik Olsson in contrast The Bunker’s omnipresent risk to Alien: Isolation’s xenomorph.
The bunker has a central hub the monster cannot attain
After an introductory sequence, you discover the admin workplace, a bastion inside the bunker which you can all the time really feel protected in (much like typewriter rooms in Resident Evil). It has steel doorways that lock, a lantern that serves as a save level, a map, a stash for further objects, and the all-important generator (extra on that beneath). It is primarily your mission management and a fairly cozy spot.
Ammo is scarce and reloading is a course of
Nearly instantly you are given an almost empty revolver. It may maintain as much as six bullets at a time, however ammo is so uncommon that I by no means managed to fill it up. I like how this revolver behaves: it is heavy, loud, and appropriately sluggish to function. Reloading is a two-step means of holding open the chamber with one key and manually inserting bullets one by one with one other. There’s additionally a devoted button for holstering it since you do not actually need to have it out more often than not. You will not (or a minimum of should not) be capturing issues all that usually.
WW1 is frightening sufficient with out gap monsters
The Bunker’s temporary introduction does not truly happen in a bunker. As an alternative, the sport explains the fundamentals of leaning, choosing issues up, and capturing the gun by making you creep by a trench within the midst of a chaotic battle. For these first couple of minutes, The Bunker performs extra like a conflict sport than a supernatural horror sport, and but it is simply as horrific because the creepy tunnel monster stalking you within the bunker.
Amnesia: The Bunker 1″
Every little thing is less complicated if the generator has gasoline
In all probability your most essential asset in The Bunker is the generator. Operating the generator activates brilliant lights in all the principle hallways of the bunker, which appeared to more-or-less preserve the monster at bay. Preserving the lights on requires fueling the generator with gasoline cans scattered across the map. You may optionally preserve the pocket watch in your stock to see precisely how a lot time is left on the generator, which is neat. I finally bought so nervous about dropping mild that I used to be checking the watch obsessively.
You examine your well being by taking a look at your hand
One other one in all The Bunker’s diegetic tips: there is a devoted button for checking your physique for wounds and judging your well being by how a lot blood is in your hand. Cool! Although you additionally maintain your bloody hand up the entire time you are rummaging by your stock or studying discovered notes, and it seems to be somewhat awkward.
Amnesia: The Bunker”
Many doorways have satisfying slide locks
Nearly each door I utilized in The Bunker had a sliding bar lock on the facet. They make a very good metal-on-greased-metal sound, the identical sound that makes a model new deadbolt satisfying to bolt and unbolt. The monster cannot get by a locked steel door, however Olsson informed me {that a} locked picket door will not cease it for lengthy.
Taking pictures the monster will sluggish it down, but additionally piss it off
There is no capturing your means out of the bunker. In my hour I nearly completely used the gun to shoot locks or blow up barrels, however you need to use it for fight. Taking pictures the monster will stun it lengthy sufficient to perhaps escape its chase. Olsson warned that pissing it off will solely make it extra aggressive the following time you encounter it.
Amnesia: The Bunker”
The dynamo flashlight is genius
Amnesia: The Bunker ditches lanterns and oil for a helpful little dynamo flashlight, a hockey puck-shaped gizmo that you simply cost by yanking on a string. I like this factor, partly as a result of the sunshine it places out is so pathetic. At a full cost (about 4 or 5 pulls of the string, so far as I can inform) you’ll be able to solely see a small cone in entrance of you, and just for about 10 or 15 seconds. Making an attempt to maintain up a continuing mild is annoying, which appears like an intentional wrinkle to ensure I do not depend on it on a regular basis. To not point out the monster can hear you pull the string.
The Bunker performs surprisingly properly on controller
I anticipated little Amnesia actions like pulling open drawers and doorways could be bizarre on a controller, however it works fairly properly. Analog stick motion means I get full management over how slowly I tiptoe down creepy hallways or lean round a nook to see if it is protected. Aiming the gun is somewhat clunky with sticks, however it’s a clunkiness that feels acceptable for this type of sport.
Amnesia: The Bunker”
There’s in all probability a better technique to do one thing
Early on I encountered a locked door that wanted opening, so I made a decision to blow it up with a frag grenade I discovered close by. The door did open (properly, it blew up) however the explosion additionally set off a tank of toxic gasoline within the room and I almost died scrambling out of there. Afterward, Olsson informed me I may’ve simply thrown one thing heavy on the door till it busted down. I in all probability could not simply shoot it open too, however I solely had two bullets left! It is cool which you can sort out issues in a number of methods right here and I am to see if the probabilities get deeper as my software equipment expands.
Randomly positioned objects will make walkthroughs fairly powerful
I initially blew up that door with a frag grenade as a result of I discovered it close to the door, and subsequently assumed the sport was nudging me towards blowing it up. It seems, merchandise placements are randomized between playthroughs, so after I load up the ultimate sport I may discover bullets, a stick, or perhaps a key merchandise just like the gasoline masks as an alternative. Fairly neat!
