It’s foggy. The tension is almost unbearable. However, the epic horror memory loss disappoint with the basementa new chapter kicks off after three years in the franchise New birth.
1916. In the heart of World War I, French soldier Henri Clement falls into German hands while trying to rescue a fellow soldier. Initially unconscious, he wakes up alone – or so he thinks – in a dark, abandoned asylum. With only a buzzing dynamo flashlight, a bullet in his pistol magazine and some trinkets found on his way as resources, he’ll have to navigate this shelter to hide the dark recesses watched over by a mysterious monster.
his long-awaited the basementsaga memory loss It is born from the beaten path of its previous entries by offering a semi-open world in which the player can move at his own pace and at his own pace. Free to explore its areas in the order you want, apparently the end goal remains the same: get out of this shelter unscathed by solving puzzles and brainstorming.
No nuance
But a more linear approach – prioritized in dark lineageAnd a machine for pigs And New birth – It seems more fitting to Kunmemory loss. The dugout lanes end up looking similar here and its different sections are cruelly devoid of nuances and differences.
Image courtesy of Frictional Games
The penumbra, an integral part of the plot, makes exploration less intuitive – that’s clearly intended – but also less fun. We often get the impression that we are running in circles, running after our own shadow, or simply getting lost in a dead end. It must also be said that the controls, at times wobbly, weigh rather than enhance the experience. We struggled to perform simple maneuvers like opening the door as it can get chaotic in different sectors.
Passing on feelings
Same goes for the graphics, which pale in comparison to what, say, Montreal studio Red Barrels does last, in the same slot. The creature lurking in the shadows is perfectly capable of making you jump, of course, but it won’t haunt gamers’ nightmares by simply dropping a controller. The feeling of anxiety, omnipresent during the game, also fades quickly – if not immediately – once it’s over. In short, for lasting effect, we’ll be back.
Image courtesy of Frictional Games
finally, Amnesia: The Crypt It turns out to be a valid adventure that finishes in less than three hours, but we wouldn’t succumb to it a second time. Those who will be inclined to do so, however, will be pleased to know that the game comes to shuffle the cards with each new game. Certain items – such as locker sets – are already randomly modified every time the player starts a new journey.
Amnesia: The Crypt ★★ ½
- Available now on PS4, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
