Frictional Games has released a very short gameplay clip from its upcoming horror gameAmnesia: The Bunker, which actually shows a gameplay aspect fans aren’t used to in the series. Noteworthy for havingone of the creepiest locales in horror gaming, the firstAmnesiagame, subtitledThe Dark Descent, was a masterclass in terror. Not only did it help give the genre a much-needed jump start, it was also partly responsible for the rise in YouTube Let’s Play videos in which gamers would record themselves testing their mettle in what was considered at the time one of the scariest games ever made.
Now, the fun continues as the developer recently announced thatAmnesia: The Bunkerwill be releasing in March 2023and will be the fourth entry in the series. The original 2010 installment is generally considered to be the strongest in the franchise, helping to lay the groundwork for modern horror games and implementing a unique way of making the player feel vulnerable and terrified in equal measures. The fact that all three games currently available remove the ability to fight back is part of what makes them so scary, but it looks as though the new entry will be changing that.
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In a recent and brief video clip,Amnesia: The Bunkershows the player holding and firing a gun at a padlock to open a door. At 23 seconds long, it doesn’t appear to be a very significant gameplay trailer, but for those who are familiar with the series, being able to use a weapon will offer something the other three games intentionally left out. For fans ofAmnesiaorSOMA,which was also developed by Frictional, there may be concerns about how having a gun could affect the overall horror, but time will tell whether the game can still dole out the scares.
Considered by many to beone of the most influential indie horror gamesof all time,Amnesia: The Dark Descentcame along at a time when the genre was in something of a crisis.Silent Hillwas not really doing much back then, and some people felt that theResident Evilgames had lost their horror roots. WhileDead Spaceoffered something that fans could sink their teeth into, it wasn’t untilAmnesiareleased that many fans realized just how petrifying games could be.
WithResident Evil4 Remakealso coming out in early 2023,March is going to be an interesting month for horror games. While the original formula that Frictional put together in 2010 has been improved upon since, there’s no denying the impact it had on the industry’s ability to frighten players, even those more desensitized to the effects of horror.
Amnesia: The Bunkeris launching March 2023 for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
