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Amnesia: The Bunker

Amnesia: The Bunker is an essential horror game and an inspired next step for the series.
86%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
grinding, stability
94% User Score Based on 5,985 reviews
Critic Score 77%Based on 44 reviews

Platforms

PCXbox Game PassCloudXbox Cloud GamingXboxSteam DeckWindows

About

"Amnesia: The Bunker's Halloween update introduces two new game modes, Shell Shock and Custom, offering heightened horror and customizable experiences. New features include stalker behavior changes, locker randomization, fuel-based saving, and more. These features are available in New Game+, accessible after completing the game once."

Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
Amnesia: The Bunker screenshot
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94%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,985 reviews
gameplay473 positive mentions
grinding80 negative mentions

  • Exceptional horror experience with a terrifying atmosphere and sound design.
  • Innovative gameplay mechanics that encourage exploration and resource management.
  • High replayability due to randomized elements and customizable difficulty settings.
  • Short playtime that may leave some players wanting more.
  • The monster can become predictable and less scary after multiple encounters.
  • Limited save system can be frustrating, leading to potential loss of progress.
  • gameplay
    1,629 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Amnesia: The Bunker" has been widely praised for its innovative mechanics and engaging survival horror elements, marking a significant shift from previous entries in the series. Players appreciate the emphasis on resource management, the tension created by the generator mechanic, and the dynamic AI of the monster, which fosters a cat-and-mouse experience reminiscent of titles like "Alien: Isolation." However, some critiques highlight the game's relatively short length and a narrative that takes a backseat to gameplay, leading to a mixed reception regarding its story depth. Overall, the game is seen as a successful return to form for Frictional Games, focusing on gameplay while maintaining a terrifying atmosphere.

    • “Amazing gameplay, tense atmosphere, and the freedom to really move about the areas makes it somehow even more scary than the original game.”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic, it's a mix of alien isolation and (to my biggest surprise) penumbra overture, all wrapped up in a nice amnesia: tdd coating.”
    • “The bunker is an important entry in the amnesia franchise for its priority of the gameplay experience over a pretentious narrative - and I am hopeful that many more horror games to come will realize the strength and importance which intuitive gameplay design and survival horror means for a solid horror experience.”
    • “While SOMA was a great experience, it felt more like a walking sim with little in the way of gameplay besides opening doors, flipping switches, and plugging things in rather than a survival horror game.”
    • “The gameplay loop is one I truly despise in most horror games.”
    • “The gameplay is incredibly repetitive; you go to an area to find a specific item, some doors require you to break them, others are booby-trapped, and that makes noise which summons the monster.”
  • story
    1,304 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in *Amnesia: The Bunker* is generally described as minimal and less complex compared to previous entries in the series, focusing more on gameplay and survival mechanics. Players uncover the narrative primarily through scattered notes and environmental storytelling, which some found engaging while others felt it lacked depth and cohesion. Overall, while the atmosphere and gameplay received high praise, the story was seen as a secondary element that, although interesting, did not reach the narrative heights of earlier titles like *Soma* or *Amnesia: The Dark Descent*.

    • “The story is gripping, notes left are interesting to read, the atmosphere is amazing but when it comes to actually facing the monster, it just isn't scary.”
    • “Layered beneath the survival is a surprisingly rich vein of story and lore, unearthed through found notes, recordings, and honest, grounded voice acting that adds emotional weight to the experience.”
    • “The story was a masterpiece, the gameplay impeccable.”
    • “The story is done so well, and the gameplay is also extremely fun.”
    • “The only downside of this game I can think of is that there really isn't much story unless you're counting the notes scattered around and some environmental storytelling.”
    • “The story is fairly unobtrusive; you get the basic premise, but if you want more information you need to hunt down files to read.”
  • atmosphere
    771 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Amnesia: The Bunker" is widely praised for its oppressive, claustrophobic, and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the dread of a World War I bunker. Players highlight the exceptional sound design and environmental storytelling that enhance the tension, making every moment feel perilous as they navigate the dark, resource-scarce setting while being stalked by a terrifying monster. Overall, the game is noted for its ability to create a chilling atmosphere that keeps players on edge throughout their experience.

    • “The atmosphere is oppressive in the best way — dark, claustrophobic, and constantly tense.”
    • “The atmosphere created through the sound in the way that it evolves based on location, threat index and stage in the game served to help build suspense, dread and immersion.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick with dread, and everything feels so tactile and real.”
    • “The atmosphere created by the depressive muted colors of a broken down WW1 bunker puts you right in the shoes of the soldier you play as.”
    • “The atmosphere is so thick you could cut it with a knife.”
  • replayability
    369 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game "Amnesia: The Bunker" is widely praised for its high replayability, attributed to its randomized item placements, codes, and various difficulty settings that enhance the gameplay experience. While the game is relatively short, averaging around 4-8 hours for a first playthrough, players appreciate the emergent gameplay and customization options available in New Game+ modes, which encourage multiple runs. Despite some critiques regarding the depth of replayability, many players find the combination of procedural generation and mod support to create a compelling reason to revisit the game.

    • “The game is entertaining and has very good replayability; if you're a lover of survival-horror, I recommend playing this game.”
    • “A meticulously crafted experience that leaves the player figuring out the numerous mechanics of the game, while, courtesy of its randomization, offering lots of replayability.”
    • “The randomness of item placement and custom difficulty settings add a lot of replay value too.”
    • “The only thing I would say that is a bit of a downer is the replayability isn't really there - but I can't really imagine how it could be.”
    • “While the randomization does help it somewhat in the replayability department, there is little reason to play more than once or twice outside of achievement hunting.”
    • “That said, despite the game's efforts to increase replay value with randomizing various elements every playthrough, the lack of a deeper mystery to be solved and no multiple endings kills the drive to do multiple playthroughs.”
  • graphics
    226 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Amnesia: The Bunker" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric design and effective use of lighting that enhances the horror experience. While some players noted that the visuals are not groundbreaking and show signs of aging, they still contribute positively to the game's immersive environment. Overall, the graphics are considered solid for a mid-budget title, effectively capturing the eerie aesthetic of a World War I bunker, despite some technical performance issues.

    • “The graphics are next level.”
    • “Visually stunning: the graphics in Amnesia: the Bunker are impressive, delivering detailed and realistic environments that enhance the overall horror experience.”
    • “The graphics are top notch, offering an immersive experience that draws you deeply into the action.”
    • “The beginning is very boring with no interesting story, broken and heavy gameplay, and bad graphics.”
    • “The graphics are by no means eye-popping.”
    • “The graphics and the aesthetics are just painful and there are no interesting narratives.”
  • grinding
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, with many players expressing frustration over repetitive mechanics, excessive backtracking, and limited resources that hinder exploration. While some appreciate the game's atmosphere and unique concepts, the overall sentiment leans towards the gameplay becoming monotonous and frustrating, particularly as players progress and encounter the same challenges repeatedly. The difficulty adjustments and save mechanics further contribute to a feeling of tediousness, detracting from the intended horror experience.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “But then you die to the beast for the 10,000th time and it stops being scary and just becomes extremely tedious.”
    • “Normal difficulty felt both too easy and too tedious, spending minutes at a time not playing the game, hiding in a closet until the monster leaves.”
    • “The gameplay does have a somewhat repetitive loop that does get a little tedious at the end of this game's fairly short runtime.”
  • music
    79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is characterized by its minimalistic approach, enhancing the eerie atmosphere through exceptional ambient soundscapes and haunting sound design. While some players feel the soundtrack lacks memorability compared to previous titles, it effectively complements the tension and immersion of the gameplay, with standout moments in safe areas and during key events. Overall, the sound design and music are praised as top-notch, contributing significantly to the game's horror experience.

    • “The atmosphere, music, and tension, combined with tight level design create a perfect storm.”
    • “The dark ambient background music helps you sink deep into a suffocating mood of paranoia and darkness.”
    • “The amazing sound design also added to the immersion and, once again, Mikko Tarmia's soundtracks were phenomenal.”
    • “The game has a distinct lack of music in most areas, which is a bit of a letdown, as great music can contribute to a better atmosphere, but the clever sound design, level design, and monster design more than make up for it.”
    • “The music sounds like it's supposed to be sad, which I can't ever feel for someone I'm not even given the time to care about.”
    • “The soundtrack wasn't as great as some of the other Amnesia games.”
  • optimization
    46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including frame drops and stuttering, particularly during transitions between areas. While a few users noted that the game runs smoothly on their systems, others criticized the overall optimization as poor, especially given the game's reliance on an outdated engine. Overall, the game's performance seems to vary widely depending on hardware, with some players enjoying a stable experience while others faced frustrating technical problems.

    • “The game looks stellar yet at the same time runs smoothly (even on my semi-powerful laptop from 2020 which does not support RTX games) at all times and is a consistent experience through and through.”
    • “A few frame drops here and there but otherwise well optimized.”
    • “However, I'd like to note two things it does really well: the graphics are great, and it's optimized really well.”
    • “One of the worst horror games I've ever played. The atmosphere is too good and very scary, but the realistic physics mechanics make the game bad and boring. The flashlight mechanics are terrible; if the flashlight would at least shine for a few minutes, I wouldn't get tired of refilling it every 10 seconds. The environment is full of mice, but since the game only gives you 1 or 2 bullets, you can't shoot them, and they stick to you, slowing you down and damaging you. I'm not even talking about optimization; the FPS is very bad, with drops every time you pass through certain locations. Constantly stumbling on objects in narrow corridors drives you crazy. It doesn't even cost 1 dollar; if they gave it to me for free, I wouldn't even play it. My score for this game is 2/10.”
    • “Also, the main issue of the game is its horrendous optimization.”
    • “However, there is a critical performance error where the game just starts slowing down until it is barely controllable, even at lower settings on decent graphics cards and memory.”
  • emotional
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke genuine feelings of terror, sadness, and nostalgia, with players reporting experiences that range from crying to feeling a deep connection to the story and characters. The rich narrative, combined with immersive sound design and gameplay mechanics, creates a memorable emotional journey that resonates with players, making it one of the standout horror experiences in recent years. However, some players noted a lack of emotional connection to certain elements, suggesting that deeper character backstories could enhance engagement further.

    • “But the emotional toll is immediate and non-refundable.”
    • “Layered beneath the survival is a surprisingly rich vein of story and lore, unearthed through found notes, recordings, and honest, grounded voice acting that adds emotional weight to the experience.”
    • “The storytelling adds an emotional layer to the horror, making it more than just a series of scares.”
  • stability
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, such as AI issues and visual anomalies. While some users experienced minimal problems and found the game generally smooth, others noted significant immersion-breaking glitches and performance issues, particularly during area transitions. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further polishing to enhance stability and reduce the frequency of these technical hiccups.

    • “First, the game runs great.”
    • “Scales well, runs great.”
    • “From a technical perspective, it's excellent; no frame drops, no glitches, no bugs (at least I haven't found any yet).”
    • “The creature often glitches—walking in circles or ignoring obvious noise triggers—which breaks immersion and undercuts the tension.”
    • “Every time you switch between different areas of the bunker, like when you enter or leave the arsenal/prison, the game freezes for up to a second. The transition between different areas of the game is poorly made, and the map is not big at all. This has even been mentioned in the IGN game review; the loading is just poorly made, but it only happens when you enter or leave a new game area. Otherwise, the game runs smooth.”
    • “Frustratingly buggy, with less than great game design.”
  • humor
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of absurdity and dark comedy, often providing comic relief amidst the tension and dread. Players find themselves laughing at the game's quirky elements, such as a "funny little guy" lurking in the walls and the absurdity of using a wooden plank as a crucial item. Overall, the humor effectively lightens the atmosphere, making the experience both entertaining and frightening.

    • “I'm crapping my pants and laughing over its occasional idiocy.”
    • “The things it does to gaslight the player are very funny, too.”
    • “The much higher freedom and random generation both makes for funny situations that ease the tension a bit like a group of rats becoming the most dangerous thing in the game just to absolutely crush you in the next moment as you realize you've got to make an incredibly reckless thing if you hope to survive.”
  • monetization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for feeling like a cash grab, with some users expressing dissatisfaction over the lack of marketing and the perception that it serves primarily as a promotional tool rather than a standalone experience. Despite the absence of microtransactions, the overall sentiment suggests that the game's value may not meet player expectations.

    • “There are no microtransactions, which makes the experience much more enjoyable.”
    • “I appreciate that the game doesn't include any microtransactions.”
    • “The absence of microtransactions really enhances the overall gameplay.”
    • “But this felt like a simple cash grab, like a bank account top-up, and left feeling pretty unsatisfied after.”
    • “Maybe if the developers stop throwing the word 'Amnesia' for easier advertisements and just roll with a simple one-off game, people would not have these high expectations.”
    • “I don't personally care about the show, as I believe it's just 2+ hours of glorified advertising, but it still would've been a giant publicity boost for Frictional and their non-stop commitment to quality games.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is criticized for being shallow, with players expressing a desire for more depth and complexity. Despite the protagonist facing intense challenges, the narrative feels underdeveloped and suffers from pacing issues, leaving character arcs feeling incomplete.

    • “Character development: although the protagonist is thrust into a terrifying situation, the lack of deep character development might leave some players wanting more.”
    • “Additionally, the narrative, although promising at the outset, is so bare bones it's practically non-existent and what is there suffers from pacing issues and a lack of depth in character development.”
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5h Median play time
7h Average play time
3-9h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs
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