Xbox Game Pass is seeing one of the best horror game series arrive in May
Return of the King
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TheXbox Game Passlibrary is getting a blast from the past in May as the next installment of the Amnesia series is being added to the service.
Almost three years afterAmnesia Rebirth,Amnesia: The Bunkeris set to release May 16, coming toXbox Game Passon day one. This fourth installment will shake the series up while staying true to what made the original games so terrifying.
You’ll play as Henri Clement, a French soldier fighting in World War 1, who takes shelter in a seemingly abandoned bunker after getting separated from his battalion. Sadly, nothing’s ever easy in Amnesia games, so before Henri knows it, a dark entity called The Beast begins pursuing the French soldier. In order to escape alive, you must navigate the dark maze-like tunnels and outsmart the monster hunting you down.
Taking some time
It turns out thatSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueisn’t the only title that’s needed extra development time this year. While not quite as drastic as Rocksteady’s 2024 pushback, Frictional Games decided to delayAmnesia: The Bunker’s original release from March to mid-May.
It’s unclear why Frictional Games delayedAmnesia: The Bunker, but it was probably for the best. If this psychological horror game had been released in March, it would have had to compete withResident Evil 4as well as Xbox Game Pass additions likeWo Long: Fallen DynastyandValheim.Those are some big hitters, even for a beloved series like Amnesia.
While many will be looking forward toThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,there aren’t many horror games for theAmnesia: The Bunkerto compete with. As it stands, probably the biggest competition forThe Bunkerwill beRedfall. Though given Arkane Studios' latestwon’t launch with a 60fps performance mode, it seems the vampire slaying co-op shooter will be off to a rocky start.
Standing out from the crowd
If you’re a fan of the kind of psychological horror that the original Amnesia titles mastered, rest assured thatThe Bunkerwill keep the anxiety-fueled story while giving this series a much-needed facelift.
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The setting of a WW1 bunker lends itself easily to Amnesia’s dread-filled atmosphere. The dark is just as terrifying as it has always been as you rush around refilling generators, as this is the only way to keep The Beast at bay.
Unlike the previous games,The Bunkerhas a protagonist who knows how to fight back. As Henri Clement is a soldier, he can handle and fire a gun while also having some knowledge of explosives. This expertise means that players won’t be completely defenseless. Unfortunately, due to limited materials, it’ll be tough to consistently rely on firearms to keep you safe.
While having more agency in the next Amnesia title is nice, it seems like Frictional Games hasn’t ventured too far outside the box to retain the psychological fear championed by the series thus far. It’s shaping up to be another horror smash hit from the developer, and I can’t wait to play it day one on Xbox Game Pass.
Elie is a Features Writer for TechRadar Gaming, here to write about anything new or slightly weird. Before writing for TRG, Elie studied for a Masters at Cardiff University JOMEC in International Journalism and Documentaries – spending their free time filming short docs or editing the gaming section for their student publications.
Elie’s first step into gaming was through Pokémon but they’ve taken the natural next step in the horror genre. Any and every game that would keep you up at night is on their list to play - despite the fact that one of Elie’s biggest fears is being chased.
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