Frictional Games gave a sneak peek of their latest addition to the Amnesia series, Amnesia: The Bunker, at the GDC in San Francisco, and it’s safe to say this entry is an entirely different beast. The Bunker is less of an Amnesia game and closer to the likes of Alien: Isolation. Check out the trailer here:
It’s still claustrophobic, still atmospheric, and there’s still a monster hunting you through the darkness while you attempt to open doors by hand, but the focus is less on the story and more on what you do as a player to get out of this dreadful situation.
You are Henri Clement, a French soldier fighting for his life in the trenches of World War I. You’d think this was horrible enough, but after getting injured you find yourself waking up in an abandoned underground bunker, with no idea what happened while you were out. And you’re not alone in there either—a hulking creature called “The Beast” is stalking you in the dark, waiting for you to make a mistake and corner you when you least expect it.
Instead of a narrative-driven story, Amnesia: The Bunker traps you in an unscripted situation. The map stays the same but the limited items you find are randomly scattered throughout the environment with each run. You have a secure central room where you can rest and save using a lantern, much like Resident Evil. However, staying in the room isn’t going to help you escape. You must venture out and explore the dank hallways to look for resources. To do so, you will want to start the generator in your room to keep the lights on in the bunker—this lets you find items, navigate the mazelike passages, and keeps you relatively safe from the monster. This means also you’re working against the clock—once the gas runs out, you’ll be plunged into darkness with only your handheld torch to (poorly) light the way. And that’s when the Beast comes out.
You’ll feel the monster’s presence throughout every run. Its breathing, heavy footsteps, and scratching claws echo throughout the bunker. The creature is drawn by the noises you make. You have a handgun to defend yourself, but as with the Alien, it can’t kill the Beast, only distract it long enough for you to get away. And even that can backfire, because the next time you encounter the Beast, it will be even more aggressive than before. This results in emergent gameplay where your decisions and their consequences create the story.
It’s not a long wait before Amnesia: The Bunker launches on May 16 for PC via Steam and Epic Games. You can pre-order an Amnesia: The Bunker PC key at the best prices from our comparator.
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