Title: The Bunker
Developer: Splendy Interactive
Publisher: Wales Interactive
Released: September 20, 2016
Platforms Available: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC Game, Mac Game
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4
Article Reading Time: 5 minutes
Setting the Stage: Inside The Bunker
Thanks to its name, it is easy to guess what environment The Bunker is set in. Yes, it is indeed a nuclear shelter in which we follow and shift a bit to the exploits of young John, played by actor Adam Brown. Indeed, the name is familiar to you, as Brown portrayed Ori, one of the dwarves in The Hobbit film trilogy. Young John lives alone in the atomic shelter, going about his day-to-day routine and clearly suffering from various mental problems. The answer to why he is alone in the shelter begins to emerge from oblivion just as John is forced to act outside his daily routine and explore other shelter areas. Something breaks here, and something flashes there. You know, something always goes wrong when you least expect it.
A Dual Perspective: Film vs. Game
There are two ways of looking at The Bunker. Either you approach it purely as a short, interactive film and thus expect it to not abound with many opportunities for interaction, or you ignore that fact and approach it as a game. This will influence how you evaluate the work. To begin with, the Bunker has a really oppressive atmosphere. This is mainly because the game was filmed in the real-life backdrop of the now-closed Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker in Essex, England. Today, it serves as a museum, and it’s no problem to experience the atmosphere yourself.
Character Depth: Adam Brown’s Performance
Aside from the shelter, Adam Brown’s performance is also a considerable part of the whole atmosphere, as he comes across as quite clumsy and scared throughout and manages to convey these feelings to the viewer/player. As well as John, other characters appear in The Bunker, particularly in his memories, and the actors cast are not entirely unknown, having appeared in shows such as Penny Dreadful, Game of Thrones, and the Star Wars films. In short, the production costs for The Bunker were definitely on the higher end, and it shows.
Expectations vs. Experience: Gameplay Mechanics
The problem comes in when we expect greater freedom or choices from the work. This is certainly not the case. The entire gameplay, if we can even talk about such a thing, is limited to occasional clicks on pre-marked objects or a few clicktime events. From this point of view, it will be a sheer bore for specific people. Those who are not prepared for something like this might not be able to wait for the end credits, which take an average of 90 minutes to get through from the opening, which can be considered a slightly below average running time for today’s movies, but that’s perfectly fine, I certainly don’t try to take this into account as some sort of victory.
The Story’s Climax
It’s worth sticking around to uncover all of John’s memories, and it’s definitely worth it. I’m curious what he’s looking at at certain moments. What is hidden in the atomic shelter? A mutant demon, a deranged Nazi, or just the past shrouded in oblivion? You’ll find out, you’ll discover, you’ll learn… The Bunker won me over the most, besides the chilling atmosphere, through the main story twist at the very end of the game, which I did not expect at all, and thanks to that, The Bunker became one of the better FMV works I had the opportunity to try. I recommend it to you, too.
The Bunker – Conclusion
So how do I watch it? As someone unfamiliar with the genre, I might have turned up my nose and relegated The Bunker to mediocrity despite its qualities. As a film, it has high production values. It manages to work the tension through realistic sets or acting performances. As an interactive film? There is little interaction, limited to mere clicking, but what I wrote in the line above still applies. The clicking gives you a minor illusion that you’re actually controlling John’s actions, which makes the atmosphere a little more tense. However, I could appreciate the work more as a concise film without any interaction. Still, thanks to the atmosphere just mentioned several times. The breathtaking story twist, I can, for my part, allow this and still rank the title among the better ones within the genre.
Where to Buy The Bunker
- Steam (PC, Mac): Available for $14.99 (currently on sale for $2.24). You can purchase the game directly from Steam
- Epic Games Store (PC): Available for $14.99. You can buy it from the Epic Games Store
- PlayStation Store (PS4): The game is priced at $19.99. Check it out on the PlayStation Store
- Xbox Store (Xbox One): The game is available for $19.99. You can find it on the Xbox Store
- Nintendo Store: Available for $12.99. Purchase it from the Nintendo
