Amnesia Series

What is the Amnesia series about?

The Amnesia series is a first-person survival horror series created by Frictional Games. Known for its emphasis on psychological terror and storytelling over combat, the series places players in the shoes of protagonists who awaken in unfamiliar environments with no memory of how they got there.

Rather than giving players weapons, Amnesia games focus on hiding, running, solving puzzles, and managing sanity. This unique formula helped redefine the horror genre, spawning numerous imitators and earning critical acclaim for its storytelling, atmosphere, and sheer fear factor.

When did the Amnesia games begin?

The franchise began with Amnesia: The Dark Descent in 2010, which quickly gained a reputation for being one of the scariest games ever made. It revitalized interest in narrative horror games and laid the foundation for future titles in the Amnesia game series, both from Frictional and their publishing partners.

How many Amnesia games are there?

There are currently four main entries in the Amnesia game franchise, each with a different protagonist and setting, but loosely connected by shared themes, technologies, and dark forces.

Here’s a list of Amnesia games in order of release:

1. Amnesia: The Dark Descent (2010)
2. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (2013) – developed by The Chinese Room
3. Amnesia: Rebirth (2020)
4. Amnesia: The Bunker (2023)

What’s the best order to play the Amnesia games?

While each game stands on its own, some lore and thematic links make it more rewarding to play the game series in order. Here’s how to play the Amnesia games chronologically based on the in-universe game timeline:

Chronological Amnesia timeline:

1. Amnesia: The Bunker – Set during World War I, this is the earliest game in the timeline
2. Amnesia: The Dark Descent – Set in 1839, featuring Daniel’s descent into Brennenburg Castle
3. Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs – Set in 1899, it thematically builds on the first game’s ideas
4. Amnesia: Rebirth – Set in 1937, tying together many ideas from previous entries and revealing new layers to the lore

Each game tells its own story, but Rebirth especially rewards players who’ve completed the earlier entries. If you’re new to the Amnesia game franchise, starting with The Dark Descent or The Bunker is a great way to ease into its style.

The best Amnesia game

The Dark Descent is widely considered a landmark in horror gaming and the best Amnesia game, thanks to its oppressive atmosphere and sanity mechanics. Amnesia: Rebirth builds on this with a stronger narrative focus and emotional depth, while The Bunker takes the series in a new direction with semi-open environments, resource management, and a persistent monster that adapts to your actions.

Machine for Pigs is more polarizing, praised for its storytelling but criticized for simplifying the mechanics of the original. Still, it’s a haunting experience worth checking out.

Who are the most iconic Amnesia characters?

Each Amnesia title introduces new characters, but all share themes of memory loss, trauma, and moral ambiguity. Key figures across the series include:

• Daniel – The protagonist of The Dark Descent, whose actions before the game are slowly revealed
• Oswald Mandus – The industrialist from A Machine for Pigs, haunted by visions of progress and sacrifice
• Tasi Trianon – A pregnant woman struggling to survive and remember in Rebirth
• Henri Clément – A soldier trapped in a bunker with a monstrous stalker in The Bunker

These characters are often unreliable narrators, and their journeys force players to question what’s real, what’s forgotten, and what they’re willing to do to survive.

Will there be a new Amnesia game?

Following the success of Amnesia: The Bunker, Frictional Games has stated interest in continuing to innovate within the horror genre. While a new Amnesia game hasn’t been officially confirmed, the studio is known for experimenting with mechanics, setting, and storytelling, so future entries may continue to evolve the franchise in bold new ways. To be up to date on all future announcements, go to our gaming news section and be the first one to know.