Here’s 10 minutes of SOMA dev’s non-linear WW1 horror Amnesia: The Bunker

Amnesia: The Bunker, the new “unscripted” WW1 horror from SOMA developer Frictional Games, is almost upon us following a number of delays, and with its 23rd May release date looming, the studio has shared 10 new minutes of gameplay to ponder.

The Bunker, for a bit of context, is the fourth game in Frictional’s Amnesia series, which began with 2010’s acclaimed The Dark Descent. Since then we’ve seen a Chinese-Room-developed successor in 2013’s A Machine for Pigs, and Frictional returned to the series in 2021 with its ambitious Amnesia: Rebirth, set in the Algerian desert.

Frictional’s latest, Amnesia: The Bunker, marks a notable departure for the series, trading traditionally linear tales of horror for “unscripted” scares in a nightmarish semi-open-world as players – in the role of French solider Henri Clément – attempt to flee a relentless, “adaptive” otherworldly creature through the claustrophobic confines of the titular subterranean space.

To aid their escape, players have a number of basic tools always to hand – namely a noisy dynamo flashlight and a cumbersome revolver – but Frictional is aiming to create an unpredictable, repeatable experience by making other objects, threats, and resources change each playthrough. And if you’re wondering how it all comes together, that’s where the studio’s new 10-minute gameplay trailer (which you can see above) comes in, offering what it calls an “in-depth look [at The Bunker’s] dynamic and immersive ways to tackle survival.”

Amnesia: The Bunker launches for PC via Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store on 25th May.