Amnesia : The Bunker

The Bunker is the fourth installment of the popular Amnesia horror franchise and while I’m personally new to the franchise, I’ve always enjoyed a good horror game, so it’s time to dive into the bunker to see if it’s truly scary or just another horror wannabe.

Researching the Amnesia franchise, it’s pretty clear that the more than decade-old Dark Descent is considered not only the best game of the franchise, but also one of the best horror games available, so while I’m still coming to terms with how I’d missed it I looked forward to seeing what the bunker held in store.

Set in the trenches of the first world war, you take control of a French soldier, thankfully both he and his fellow troopers all speak perfect English, but the only sounds you’ll really need to pay attention to are the blood curdling screams.
There’s not much in the way of hand-holding except for some very simple instructions on how to pick things up, throw them and check your ammunition, like many survival-horror titles ammo is in short supply, but the bunker allow you to check specifically how many bullets you have remaining, which is incredibly stringent, but also adds to the horrors that will unfold.

As you start to progress, you soon start to realise that ammo and weapons will only get you so far and the main resource you’ll need to look out for and use sparingly is fuel to keep your surroundings doused in light.

There’s a wide range of games that rely on light and dark mechanics, with some like Alan Wake, Metro and Resident Evil using them to great effect, but like Alien Isolation, The Bunker really does utilise the mechanics well, the “monster” you’ll soon encounter is a vicious beast and definitely on par with the famous xenomorph for shear shit-your-pants anticipation, but the feisty little fellow isn’t keen on lights, so you’ll be relying on that fuel we mentioned and a small handheld light source to try and keep yourself safe.

The other main mechanic is Cat & Mouse, like Alien Isolation and titles such as Monstrum, you’re the hunted and you’ll spend half your time trying to avoid getting the attention of the Stalker, a menacing foe who seems to come running as soon as you sneeze in the wrong direction, and while your firearms might scare him off, he’s usually back within minutes to see if you’ve ran out of bullets yet.

Atmosphere always plays a big part in survival horror games, and sadly it’s one area I found a little hit and miss with the bunker, as soon as the games started and I dropped into the trenches, it all looked a little too artificial, even when bullets were flying around, there was no noticeable dust and debris flying around like many titles are starting to explore with modern technology, which felt a little at adds with the otherwise impressive visuals.

On the other side of the coin is the impressive lighting, whether in the light or seeing a light source nearby, it looks great and really does help to make up for some of the more advanced effects like dust particles and light-rays which would have really set the Bunker apart from the competition.

Back to the main concept of the game, and in trying to escape your temporary prison, you’ll need to work your way around the relatively open bunker, to progress. sneaking around in the dark isn’t really advised, but to generate light you’re usually generating sound, which means that Stalker will soon start growling and screeching to let you know he’s coming to get some lunch.

This really does start to give off an Alien Isolation vibe, but while the Xenomorph felt smart and constantly evolving to my dirty little tricks, I did find the Stalker a little dumb at times and I was able to use the same techniques time and time again to avoid detection.

It definitely doesn’t ruin the party, but just like the attention to detail with the overall atmosphere of the game, it’s just an area that could have been improved to turn the Bunker into a true classic horror.

Looking at presentation and overall I’ve been impressed with the Bunker, there’s deffinitely areas that could have been improved, but the overall light and dark system is done incredibly well and the utilisation of sound as both a warning system and a trigger to cause the need of a warning is a smart way to keep users on their toes and trying to pay attention to what sound their character is making.
it’s not quite on par with many stealth titles, where you’re being careful of where you’re walking, but there’s more than enough to make you pay attention to your surroundings and how you interact with them.

It’s difficult to be too negative about the Bunker and maybe my own lack of experience with other games in the franchise stopped me enjoying it as much as I could have, and equally, early Summer doesn’t provide many dark stormy nights to set the horror atmosphere.

Equally, 2023 just doesn’t feel like the best time to stand out as a Survival Horror experience, we’ve not long had the Callisto Protocol and Dead Space, while not on Xbox there’s been plenty of buzz about the Outlast Trials, Resident Evil is the ever present king of Survival horror games, and we’ve got the 2023 remake of the fantastic Layers of Fear just around the corner, which makes it a little more difficult for Amnesia: The Bunker to step into the light and get as much recognition as it possibly deserves.

Coming in at little more than £20, Amnesia: The Bunker is already a respectable price and Gamepass subscribers get access for free, making it fantastic value, Overall, fans of previous Amnesia titles, and offerings like Alien Isolation are likely to enjoy The Bunker, It’s a solid horror game with an emphasis on Survival, and while it doesn’t really stand out as one of the greats, it’s still well worth checking out.

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