AMNESIA: REBIRTH
Frictional Games’ sequel is no mere walk in the dark
Following The Dark Descent was always going to be the real nightmare for Frictional Games. How do you make a sequel to the scares-terpiece responsible for many an OTT YouTuber screech? Well, it turns out you drop your main character in the Algerian desert and deftly upturn expectations. Darkness might still mean madness and, don’t worry, here be monsters – such monsters – but Rebirth feels like a very different beast from what has come before.
Off the bat, this is going to be a spoiler-free review. The reason Frictional Games stayed frustratingly vague pre-release is that so much of the horror at work is story-dependent. But that doesn’t make it impossible to break down Tasi’s dance with insanity. Waking up after a plane crash in the Algerian desert – a welcome sunny change from the stormy nights and haunted houses of modern horror – with no memory of what has happened, Tasi’s journey isn’t just a quest for survival, it’s an atmospheric memorybuilding tool. With scares, of course.
Because that’s really what you’re here for.
But, is it scary tho? And the answer is yes, of course it is. This is a development studio at the top of its terrifying craft. Tasi’s time in the (somehow still uneasy) searing sun is balanced by quests into darkness with no method of self defence, into echoing caves, dripping sewers, and abandoned military bases where there can never be enough light to CTRL-Z the nightmarish contents from your mind’s eye. Delicious jump scares lurk within, scuttling creatures perfectly timed to deliver heart-stopping swears, but their scarcity means Rebirth never feels cheap. Instead the ebb and flow of tension builds an intriguing narrative, if one that occasionally loses its way, and Tasi makes great company as she voices concern that often reflects your own. “Not again...”
MENTAL STEALTH
At points, the tension is practically drinkable for the horror-thirsty, with every step through blood-smeared hallways bringing a new audible, if not visual threat.
Yes, you’re going to have to go in there. No, it’s not going to be nice, but using a dangerous knowledge of the exact timings to terrify you, Frictional deftly plays with your horror expectations like a cat with a mouse before it snaps your neck. Or your sanity.
As in previous Amnesia games, darkness is not your friend. Matches and your lantern are vital to stave off the shadows and keep your brain in check. Yet strike a precious match for relief and you’ll be on a stressful timer, desperately hunting for more permanent torches or lanterns to light. The locations toy with you. You can
“DEFTLY PLAYS WITH YOUR HORROR EXPECTATIONS LIKE A CAT WITH A MOUSE.”
see a torch, but think you’ll be able to sprint and get there before your match fizzles out? Think again, as the momentum will leave you in darkness holding a useless twig.
And your lantern, when you get it, isn’t much better. Oil is scarce, so you have to think about when you will need it most. While it is possible to stumble around in the dark – a purple hue lights the gloom – insanity comes soon after. It’s a constant challenge.
JUST DESERTS
This is where Rebirth is so refreshing. This is a traditional horror game. There are heartin-mouth chase sequences and rare (and therefore more intense) hide-and-seek sections amid the excellent puzzling.
You will occasionally die. But there is no forcing Tasi back to a set point to be murdered by insanity or monsters all over again, none of the tensiondraining rinse-and-repeat of so many horror games, only a slightly rearranged version of her reality that might be a little more possible this time around.
That’s not to say Rebirth is perfect. Amid things feeling a lot like 2010 in a good way as you struggle to move rocks and escape pursuers, there’s the odd moment of equally-2010 fury as you stick to scenery. And while it’s absolutely worth the 11 or so hours of lore-packed run time, the final set of choices feels a little insubstantial for the wellwritten excellence that’s come before. A unique character, though, and some exquisite set-pieces might just make this your... perfect match.
VERDICT
Tasi’s story is a well-balanced nightmare littered with delicious scares. While, like her ill-fated aeroplane, it doesn’t quite stick the landing, it should still sate your desire for atmospheric terror. Louise Blain