A constant sense of dread is instilled within the player by an audiovisual assault of whispers, unnatural scraping and far off doors closing. There are too many dark corners and not enough lanterns. The distribution of these lighting resources, lamp oil and matches, is perfectly attuned. This is mostly owed to Amnesia Rebirth’s lighting mechanics, which are so incredibly well done it’s like a cruel breadcrumb trail made of matches. Each time the game switches to these two tones, it ramps them up, then mixes them together in a horrific squirm-inducing sequence. You go from complex puzzle to frightening terror but not in such a way that the flow of this dynamic grows tiresome. The transition between the two gameplays is all about putting you in undesirable situations, like utilising a wheel mechanism in pitch-black lighting with your back to a festering hole of organic mass that you just heard an indescribable screech from. Now while the puzzles are impressive in their own right, it’s realistically the horror that acts as the central hook. The way they focus around applying many simplistic mechanics that then intricately fit together creates this pleasing sense of the solution converging in your mind’s eye (not too dissimilar to the plot). Large multi-room puzzles are also a highlight. It’s here the adventure-puzzle game shines through with its intuitive design. Generally, you’re introduced to a mechanic in a very controlled and safe environment. Pulling levers, spinning wheels and shifting massive objects are a staple of the franchise, but here the way each mechanic is applied is really quite something. Gameplay in Rebirth shifts effortlessly between adventure-puzzle and horror-exploration, occasionally blending the two together. Only then can the final moments illuminate the missing pieces, whereby the complete image of events gestates in your head as each little morsel you’re given slots into place until the culmination of threads tie together in an unimaginably grim, yet enthralling story. An impressive sense of gratification comes from allowing yourself to be in the dark with the plot by not trying to predict it but by letting it consume you. However I’d argue the confusion is heavily warranted and earned, serving further to immerse you into Tasi’s headspace. It’s a lot, frankly, even overwhelming at times. You have Tasi’s memories flooding back on top of the rapid onset of her pregnancy conflating with a ghost in the desert and her missing team, all the while an entirely alien city with its own subplot gradually comes to the forefront. At times it can feel a little confounding, especially in act one and two as there are many, many plates being set up that don’t get knocked down for some time. There’s immense scope to Amnesia: Rebirth’s very personal story. Tasi remembers her husband, and her search for him leads her down a chaotic rabbit hole that has her grappling with hope, fear, existential dread and the threat of oblivion. Who would have guessed? While typically a hackneyed plot device, Rebirth centralises it and uses it in obfuscating events within the personal story amongst a greater otherworldly mystery. You, Tasi Trianon, awaken to find yourself alone in the wreckage, stricken with an unknown illness and wait for it…amnesia. Your journey starts with a casual blip into what appears to be another dimension or alien world, forcing your plane to crash into the French-Sudan desert and the crew to split up.
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