Today, developer Frictional Games launched a free update for Amnesia: Rebirth that introduces Adventure Mode, a new exploration-based mode that reduces the horror title's scare factor. Following months of hints and teases, Frictional unveiled the most recent Amnesia chapter last spring, promising a fall 2020 release that would usher in an experience venturing "beyond horror."
The 2010 release of Amnesia: The Dark Descent, in many respects, warrants recognition as the grandfather of modern survival horror games. Amnesia's first outing positions players in the role of Daniel, a man who purposefully erased his own memory but must now stealthily navigate his way to a foreboding castle's Inner Sanctum. In an attempt to successfully complete the task, Daniel also combats his ever-draining sanity, which worsens whenever the frightening creature that hunts him gets near. Amnesia: Rebirth puts its protagonist Tasi in a similarly horrifying situation, complete with sanity-based mechanics, fearsome creatures, and a compelling narrative. Fortunately, players who may find the experience a little too terror-inducing can now explore Rebirth's Algerian ruins at their own pace.
In a blog post on its website, Frictional Games announced Adventure Mode, which features in a new update that's currently live on PC. The same update is slated to hit the PlayStation 4 "in just a few weeks." Adventure Mode offers an experience with "reduced scares," allowing players to explore the environments without worrying about sanity-draining darkness and creepy monsters. A dev diary on Frictional Games' YouTube channel further notes that Adventure Mode targets a wider audience who can't stomach horror but would be interested in Rebirth's environments, gameplay, and overarching narrative.
Frictional Games similarly released a Safe Mode for 2015's SOMA, the studio's underwater-set sci-fi horror title. Other games have explored the idea to a different degree. For example, Assassin's Creed Origins and Odyssey received Discovery Tour updates post-launch. Discovery Tour lets players explore Origins' Ancient Egypt and Odyssey's Ancient Greece free from combat-related concerns, which then hands the spotlight over to the series' more educational qualities.
It'd be interesting if modes of this nature were more prevalent in gaming, particularly for horror titles that some players simply can't sit through. But time will tell if other developers find such stripped down experiences worthwhile. Horror's relatively recent renaissance across most mediums of entertainment suggests the genre itself isn't going anywhere anytime soon; as such, developers have plenty of time to experiment with the possibilities.
Amnesia: Rebirth is out on PC via Steam and PlayStation 4.
Source: Frictional Games
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