Amnesia: Rebirth Reviews
A brilliant tale of terror, even if the ride is a little old and clunky.
Making a sequel to one of the most acclaimed horror games in recent memory may be a tall order for some, but Frictional Games has done it with aplomb with Amnesia: Rebirth. Without straying far from the formula that made Amnesia: The Dark Descent so popular and feared in equal measure-the clever use of jump scares, immersive puzzles and the light-dark dichotomy-Rebirth has reinvigorated its brand of horror with a haunting narrative that's as moving as it is refreshing. Rebirth may still be a bit too much to bear for players who don't usually venture into horror, but it's a sequel that should please ardent fans and horror masochists alike.
Amnesia: Rebirth is a solid return to form for Frictional. It has everything I’ve come to expect from the folks behind SOMA and Amnesia: The Dark Descent, but ups the horror game in meaningful ways appropriate to this particular entry.
Amnesia: Rebirth is a survival horror where the "survival" component is guaranteed, as there isn't any event that can lead to the death of the protagonist, steering the experience towards the "horror" component and making the most of the fear of the dark and a particularly distressing story made unpredictable by various plot twists. Three different endings and the ability to scare without splatter effects, but relying on the feeling of vulnerability, make this game a must play even for those used to more frenetic gameplay.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Spiralling towers, endless deserts and impossible geometry; Frictional's return with Amnesia: Rebirth showcases why they're the masters of horror
Frictional Games' long-standing goal to weaponize players' own fears against them bears fruit in Amnesia: Rebirth, in their most ambitious and tautly designed work to date.
10 years after Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Frictional Games decided to dive into the madness again. However, Amnesia: Rebirth is a completely different title: better written, more ambitious and more diverse in its themes. This game is a result of all the knowledge and craftsmanship gained by the Swedish studio after 14 years.
Amnesia: Rebirth is pervasively terrifying in a way very few video games manage to be.
All you need to know as a horror fan, or simply a brave gamer, is that Amnesia: Rebirth is a masterfully-crafted experience. There are no next-gen graphical features such as ray-tracing to fawn over, but its visuals are still top-notch and performance is solid. Just as important, its audio and sound design is simply outstanding. They come together to immerse you in one of the most terrifying experiences ever to be put into video game form, but one that also makes you think.
Amnesia: Rebirth is a worthy addition to a classic series. It buries the player deep in an oppressive atmosphere of fear like a gravedigger spading dirt onto a coffin. If the state of the world today isn’t terrifying enough for you, picking up Amnesia: Rebirth will certainly sate your lust for scares.
Amnesia: Rebirth is one of the best horror games available today, despite few small bugs it contains. In any case, what wrongs it the most is the painfully slow start.
Review in Czech | Read full review
At a glance, Amnesia: Rebirth could be taken for just about any other horror game of its ilk. That’s understandable given the last decade of influence Frictional has had on the genre. What Frictional does so well, what it’s always done well, is adapt. Bubbling under the surface of Rebirth are so many slight tweaks, changes, and improvements to a tired, but winning, formula that raises it above the copycats and potential usurpers. This is a game grown from regret and from mistakes as much as it is from success, and while Rebirth works as a title on so many levels, its best use is in how Frictional has reincarnated a seminal horror game as something relatively familiar on the surface, but quite different under the skin of it.
Despite a few small clichés and a merely functional technical department, Amnesia: Rebirth manages to be consistent to the end, offering a profound and terrifying experience. If the woodworm insinuated by a videogame manages to escape from its content by undermining the user-container, then it will have performed the most difficult task: to push to reflection through a silent path of transference and identification, to really live outside the fictitious nightmare that created it.
Review in Italian | Read full review
A remarkable adventure and an excellent horror game. The way it mixes tension and brief reliefs will make you come back for more. And it also offers an engaging personal drama.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Amnesia: Rebirth isn’t terrible in any way. You just get the sensation that within the event that it absolutely was called Rebirth it might be something more.
Amnesia: Rebirth is an excellent example of how to build tension, and the vulnerability Tasi feels throughout never gets any easier. There are great puzzles and a well-written story that keeps you gripped until the end.
With wonderful voice acting and atmospheric presentation that keeps you immersed and on the edge of your seat, Amnesia: Rebirth manages to provide an exciting experience. Of course, there are a few downsides. It's not as scary as previous offerings, the AI can be a little clumsy, and the weak conclusion to the story will leave you wanting more.
While this is certainly a return to form for the franchise, the game doesn't quite escape the shadow of the original, with the forced narrative aspects sometimes overtaking gameplay. Nevertheless, when judged by its own merits, Amnesia: Rebirth is a quality horror title made by passionate developers out to tell a disturbing story. At the end of the day, I'd recommend this one to any horror fan up for some interactive Cosmic Horror this Halloween season.
Amnesia: Rebirth has a compelling story, grim atmosphere and a solid fusion of gameplay and storytelling. But it just can't quite reach the heights of SOMA.
Review in Russian | Read full review