Playtime: 11 Hours
Score: 8/10
A fantastic return to form for the series! I started this series pretty late last year with The Dark Descent, and I ending up really loving that game! It made me appreciate Frictional Games as a developer as they made a hide and seek horror game (which I normally hate) fun for me! The series has been in limbo for a while, as A Machine for Pigs had a good story but got reduced to a walking sim in terms of its gameplay. Rebirth tried to go back to Dark Descent's gameplay, but it failed at it imo with a bland story and setting. However, The Bunker not only brings the series back but also evolves it in many ways. So what did I think?
The first immediate change is the fact that you get guns and can actually defend yourself against the monster. Ammo is pretty limited, but it felt empowering to be able to fend off the monster if I ever got into a tight spot. The game plays a lot more like a mix of the classic Resident Evil games and Alien: Isolation, as you can explore this old WW1 bunker and you have limited inventory space which you can upgrade. They also include an item box but it has limited space so I only stored away key items if I didn't immediately need them. What I like most about the gameplay is just how many tools the game gives you to solve puzzles or access certain areas and there are multiple ways to approach situations. It just invites you to experiment and see what works which was cool.
A mechanic that reminded me of Darkwood, is where you need to fuel a generator in order to keep the lights on in the bunker. At first I hated this mechanic but I grew to appreciate it as it really made the atmosphere tense as the creature won't appear as frequently when the lights are on, but once they go off, all bets are off. The creature reacts to sound, and almost everything you do makes a hell of a racket thanks to the games excellent sound design, so it made exploring feel rewarding but also scary. Things like having to blow open a door to find a map and some supplies can feel good but at the same time daunting because you know the creature will be right on its way to eat you. The creature does lose its luster after a while and becomes a bit of a nuisance but when your in its lair and hiding in a cupboard and its right outside searching for you, it can be terrifying (speaking from experience).
Only thing I wasn't too hot on was the games story. While Frictional have made some great stories with games like Soma and tried with Rebirth (never going to like that game), here it goes back to the storytelling of Dark Descent, where a lot of it is told through notes. The notes are interesting to read and they fill in the blanks of what happened in this bunker before you arrived, but theres not much to the main plot. Its basically just your stuck in this bunker with a monster and your trying to get out. And even with the other games in the series, you had both compelling lore and an interesting main plot. This game fails a little in that department.
Overall though, I loved this game and it's a high recommend to anyone who loves Survival Horror games, especially the classic ones!
All Games I've Played and Reviewed Ranked - https://www.backloggd.com/u/JudgeDredd35/list/all-games-i-have-played-and-reviewed-ranked/
Frictional Games Ranked - https://www.backloggd.com/u/JudgeDredd35/list/frictional-games-ranked-/
Score: 8/10
A fantastic return to form for the series! I started this series pretty late last year with The Dark Descent, and I ending up really loving that game! It made me appreciate Frictional Games as a developer as they made a hide and seek horror game (which I normally hate) fun for me! The series has been in limbo for a while, as A Machine for Pigs had a good story but got reduced to a walking sim in terms of its gameplay. Rebirth tried to go back to Dark Descent's gameplay, but it failed at it imo with a bland story and setting. However, The Bunker not only brings the series back but also evolves it in many ways. So what did I think?
The first immediate change is the fact that you get guns and can actually defend yourself against the monster. Ammo is pretty limited, but it felt empowering to be able to fend off the monster if I ever got into a tight spot. The game plays a lot more like a mix of the classic Resident Evil games and Alien: Isolation, as you can explore this old WW1 bunker and you have limited inventory space which you can upgrade. They also include an item box but it has limited space so I only stored away key items if I didn't immediately need them. What I like most about the gameplay is just how many tools the game gives you to solve puzzles or access certain areas and there are multiple ways to approach situations. It just invites you to experiment and see what works which was cool.
A mechanic that reminded me of Darkwood, is where you need to fuel a generator in order to keep the lights on in the bunker. At first I hated this mechanic but I grew to appreciate it as it really made the atmosphere tense as the creature won't appear as frequently when the lights are on, but once they go off, all bets are off. The creature reacts to sound, and almost everything you do makes a hell of a racket thanks to the games excellent sound design, so it made exploring feel rewarding but also scary. Things like having to blow open a door to find a map and some supplies can feel good but at the same time daunting because you know the creature will be right on its way to eat you. The creature does lose its luster after a while and becomes a bit of a nuisance but when your in its lair and hiding in a cupboard and its right outside searching for you, it can be terrifying (speaking from experience).
Only thing I wasn't too hot on was the games story. While Frictional have made some great stories with games like Soma and tried with Rebirth (never going to like that game), here it goes back to the storytelling of Dark Descent, where a lot of it is told through notes. The notes are interesting to read and they fill in the blanks of what happened in this bunker before you arrived, but theres not much to the main plot. Its basically just your stuck in this bunker with a monster and your trying to get out. And even with the other games in the series, you had both compelling lore and an interesting main plot. This game fails a little in that department.
Overall though, I loved this game and it's a high recommend to anyone who loves Survival Horror games, especially the classic ones!
All Games I've Played and Reviewed Ranked - https://www.backloggd.com/u/JudgeDredd35/list/all-games-i-have-played-and-reviewed-ranked/
Frictional Games Ranked - https://www.backloggd.com/u/JudgeDredd35/list/frictional-games-ranked-/