Amnesia: Rebirth – Game Review

They’ve gone and done it again! Amnesia: Rebirth is a great game, and we’re about to tell you why. First, we’ll give you the backstory about the game and the developer Frictional Games.

Amnesia: Rebirth is the third installment in the Amnesia series made by Frictional Games and a follow-up to Amnesia: The Dark Descent. They have brought us some great games like the Penumbra series, SOMA, and of course the Amnesia series. Each of these games has amazing sound effects that amplify the scary ambiance we have grown to love.

This review is completely spoiler-free. You play as Tasi, a married and pregnant lady that just survived a plane crash and has set out to find her missing crew members in the deserts of Algeria.

For the first few hours, it does drag, however, that is also the best thing about this game as it creates a sense of existential dread and you can feel the game slowly building up to something big…

The visuals are excellent, however, they do look a little dated. It is similar to the old Amnesia, same mechanic style. The physics are also amazing and there is a lot of fun puzzles you will need to figure out.

Just like the original, you don’t want to stay in the dark too long. The locations are also quite interesting. Caves, desert, ruins, temples, another world, and a fort, for example. Very diverse and well crafted. Amnesia: Rebirth is really more of the same, but better. They have greatly improved the environmental physics puzzles and the narrative is a step up from Amnesia: The Dark Descent.

That said, the game doesn’t do anything new. This is not necessarily a criticism, as many gamers want more of the same and want to see how far they can take the genre without any major changes. Others like myself, who had hoped to see something new in the genre, are going to have to wait a while longer.

Also, the game does explore thorough investigation. Many items are hidden in hard-to-find spots, giving the area or room an authentic and lived-in feel. As someone who loves to complete all the side quests and collect all of the things, this made the game very enjoyable.

Ruins, temples, deserts, the scenery is varied and beautiful

Scare Factor

The scares are very good. The game builds up, and the darkness really comes into play the longer you stay in the dark, unlike the last game, because if you stay in the darkness too long, you get a nasty case of jump scares. At the end of the day, if you’re looking to be scared then you’re in the right place.

While this game has many scares and thrills, in many ways it feels like the game is broken into two distinct parts. The first part lasts for approximately two hours (depending on how much you explore and take in the visuals). One Steam Reviewer said it felt like the “world’s most nerve-wracking walking simulator” and that is an accurate assessment.

You won’t encounter any monsters for the first few hours and that is perfectly fine. The visuals are great, and more importantly, they build up your sense of dread and being lost. Because when the monsters come out to play, boy, do they come out to play!

Come out, come out, wherever you are…

The first two hours or so are not in vain. Oh, hell no. It is a prelude to the main event, and the main event has monsters. Lots of them. That build-up only makes the monsters more terrifying when they are let loose.

Overall, Amnesia: Rebirth is a great game and a great sequel. It feels similar to its predecessor Amnesia: The Dark Descent (a good thing) while also bringing some new ideas and concepts to the game. If you like a game that is heavy on narrative, with some great puzzles, visuals, and most importantly, scares, then this is the game for you.

Get Amnesia: Rebirth on Steam
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