Reviews
‘Amnesia: The Bunker’ Review – How I Finally Became a Fan of the ‘Amnesia’ Franchise
I’ve always been fascinated with the popularity of the Amnesia franchise. The first game came out in an era where survival horror was pretty much dead. It soon caught on with YouTubers and let’s-players overreacting to its unique flavor of horror. Like it or not, it kept the torch of survival horror lit during an era where Resident Evil 6 was the biggest horror game on shelves. This was soon followed by an outsourced sequel titled A Machine for Pigs that took everything players loved about the first game and tossed it all out in favor of a walking simulator through carefully curated scenes. It didn’t work. The series returned to the original developers with Rebirth and for the most part it felt like a back-to-basics approach with a bigger emphasis on story.
For fans, the Amnesia series was back and could go anywhere.
The problem is, however, I was never a fan of the series. I found the first game to be an excruciating exercise in patience. Survival-horror to me represents both “survival” and “horror” in equal measure. I didn’t find it very fun to stumble around in the dark, balancing lantern oil with no way to defend myself other than…run. I could see the marks of genius and craft hidden in its design but it never appealed to me on a personal level. The sequel fared even worse in my eyes and I fell off within 30 minutes of starting it, still never finishing it to this day. For the longest time it felt as if the Amnesia series was never going to appeal to me despite how bad I wanted to get into a franchise that kept horror gaming alive through the dark times.
I thought it was a lost cause until I booted up Amnesia: The Bunker.
The Bunker promises to be a reinvention of the Amnesia franchise. Introducing a semi-open map, inventory boxes and most importantly: a way to defend yourself. With these additions, it finally clicked in my mind what makes the Amnesia series great. The feeling of dread as you struggle to make progress, always pushing forward and unsure if your next step is going to be your last. It’s a thrill that reminds me why I love survival horror in the first place. The Bunker makes strides to deliver one of the most thrilling and stressful horror experiences in recent memory.
You play as a French soldier named Henri, who after an explosive introduction, is injured on the frontlines of World War I. After waking up in a medical bay in an underground bunker, you soon realize something is horribly wrong. The entire bunker is abandoned and the exits have been sealed off to trap a horrifying monster inside. With no knowledge of what happened, you set out to explore the darkest depths of the bunker, and survive the horrors that await. This has to be one of the most unique settings I’ve seen for a horror game. We hear about the horrors of WWI a lot, but to see it as the backdrop for a modern horror tale is pretty chilling. It’s also unique enough that I can’t help but be totally fascinated with the creative choice that was made here.
Gameplay in this installment is highly improved. Right off the bat, players are given an era-appropriate flashlight that feels like the perfect middle ground between the original game’s lantern that required oil, and the infinite lantern from A Machine for Pigs. Instead of using oil, your light source eventually goes out and you’re required to recharge it. There’s just one issue: every time you crank it, it makes noise. It’s an absolutely horrifying experience having to choose between recharging your light source or braving the depths in the dark.
The best part of the gameplay is the new addition of self-defense. Players this time are armed with a single revolver that holds six shots. Don’t worry, you won’t be blasting your way through hallways Resident Evil style, but instead this weapon is clunky and sort of a hassle to use. You have to manually load bullets into it as well as empty shells after every shot. But if you line everything up just right, it can easily save your life. I appreciate the more realistic take on firearms compared to other contemporaries; I felt like I was holding a tool of destruction that could end my life as easily as it saved it. A very unique feeling for a video game, indeed.
As you explore the bunker you’ll solve puzzles and environmental obstacles to help you progress. There’s even an inventory box mechanic not unlike the Resident Evil series. Where I feel The Bunker fully comes together is when a lightbulb goes off in your head and you realize the solution to a problem and plot your way through very carefully to ensure survival. It once again reminds me of old-school style Resident Evil games, something we haven’t gotten much as of late.
The story takes a backseat to the gameplay as most of it is tied to logs and journals you find. It’s there if you want it, but doesn’t feel overbearing. As for the scares? There were moments where I felt on the verge of a heart attack or barely made it out of a situation alive. Encounters felt like a fight for survival and that’s exactly what I want from a survival horror game.
Performance in the game is pretty good, too. I played the PS4 version on my PS5 and never ran into any crashes or game-breaking bugs. The game also ran at a smooth framerate, which is a must for first-person horror games.
Do I recommend The Bunker? Absolutely. Whereas the original game kept horror games alive, this new installment is keeping the spirit of old-school design alive. While horror gaming is experiencing a huge renaissance and bigger visions, The Bunker chooses to embrace a more classic design that feels like a breath of fresh air. In the process it solves nearly every negative aspect of previous entries, even if the story is a little light. This is the Amnesia series at its most exciting. I wasn’t a fan before but if this is the future of the franchise, I sure am now.
Amnesia: The Bunker releases on June 6, 2023.
Review code provided by the publisher.
Books
‘In Search of Darkness’ Book Review: A Must-Have for ’80s Horror Fans
In 2019, the documentary of 80s horror In Search of Darkness became an instant hit with horror fans. Now, a beautiful coffee table style companion book is available and is a must-own for all fans of one of horror’s greatest eras. The book is a walk down the horror aisle of the best mom and pop video store in the heyday of VHS, featuring full color photos, poster art, insightful essays and more. More than just a nostalgic throwback, In Search of Darkness is the kind of book I wish I’d had back in my years as a burgeoning horror fan but is also satisfying for the film fanatic I have become in the years since.
The format is beautifully and simply laid out, with at least a dozen (usually more) movies from each year of the decade presented in order of release accompanied by informative and insightful essays by the authors Heather Wixson and Patrick Bromley. Both authors have been mainstays of film journalism, specializing in horror, for many years. Wixson began her career in 2007 with Dread Central and has spent the past ten years as the Managing Editor of Daily Dead, from which she recently retired to focus on books and other projects. She has devoted the past several years to interviewing and writing books about the Make-up and Special Effects wizards that have brought so much to film over the years, specifically the horror genre.
Bromley is a film journalist and critic whose work can be found all over the place including right here on Bloody Disgusting. He recently provided the commentary for the Vinegar Syndrome release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and is known as something of a Tobe Hooper expert. He is also the founder and editor of F this Movie!, an eclectic film website, and host of its accompanying podcast. So, to be clear, the authors know their stuff.
Wixson and Bromley divide writing duties roughly in half and though each has a distinctive voice, their writing styles dovetail beautifully into a cohesive whole. Each author plays to their strengths. Being familiar with both their work I didn’t even have to look at the bylines to know that Heather covered Christine and Terror in the Aisles and Patrick took on The Funhouse and Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers. Wixson’s passion for make-up effects is clear and comes through in many of her contributions. In general, Wixson takes on the “big” titles, the movies that defined the decade the most, and Bromley covers what the more cynical among us might call schlock, but he would likely call pure cinematic bliss. There are exceptions and surprises, of course, as there should be (Patrick covers The Shining for example). Each essay dives into the history behind the film, the major players involved, the reception, and legacy with often surprising aspects drawn from interviews with the filmmakers from various sources and insights from the authors.
For all their in-depth explorations of each film, in general the authors keep their critics’ hats safely stowed, keeping in mind that every entry on the book has its fans. In fact, they may well have sold me on finally hitting play on some of the schlockier offerings of the decade like Evilspeak, Nightbeast, and Blood Diner. Hell, I may even give The Beast Within a spin for shits and giggles. The point is that this book is a celebration through and through. The authors are honest about the critical receptions of the films, which were often unkind, and sometimes let their own opinions shine through, but recognize how beloved even the schlockiest films can become given time and availability. And that is an ongoing theme of In Search of Darkness. What may have been dismissed in its day often becomes revered as the years pass. Variations on the phrase “the years have been kind to…” referring to various maligned projects like The Thing, Halloween III: Season of the Witch, The Blob and many, many others, can be found throughout the book for good reason.
Each chapter of the book also includes a rundown of the top horror movies at the box office for the year as well as the top movies of all genres for context. The final page for each year highlights some of the major news and pop culture events including the top songs, albums, and television shows. There is a large central section that pays tribute to the talent involved with the greatest horror films of the 80s including directors, actors, effects artists, and more. This section includes brief biographies of John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Stephen King, Tom Savini, Barbara Crampton, Robert Englund, and many others presented in a dynamic and engaging fashion.
One of the beauties of the book is that it covers so much ground. Sure, you’ll find Friday the 13th, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Hellraiser, and the Halloween sequels in it, but you’ll also find deeper cuts like The Changeling, The Being, and Tetsuo: The Iron Man. I was happy to find the same love given to Frank Henenlotter and Larry Cohen as to George A. Romero and David Cronenberg. In other words, In Search of Darkness is extraordinarily eclectic, highlighting the diversity that truly defined what is often viewed as a homogenous decade. The authors make the case that the 80s was horror’s greatest decade, and with what they lay out throughout this book, it’s tough to argue against that. I even came across a film or two I hadn’t even heard of before, which has become increasingly rare as the years go by.
At just shy of $85, the cover price may give some horror hounds pause, but believe me, it’s worth every penny. This is a beautiful volume that every fan of 80s horror will want on their shelf or prominently displayed on their coffee table. Filled with favorite titles, hundreds of full color photos, insightful and informative writing, this is simply a must own.
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