The Amnesia series is one of the most well-regarded horror game series ever, and while it may not have as high a profile as Resident Evil, it’s right up there in quality. So, if you’re looking for a new scare, here’s how to play all Amnesia games in order.
None of the Amnesia games are direct sequels, so you can, in theory, play them in any particular order without feeling lost. There’s no Albert Wesker, no Chris Redfield, or any other recurring characters that you’re expected to know about.
However, if you want to experience them properly, I’d advise that you play them in the order they’re released, and I’ll explain why. Here’s our Amnesia game order guide.
Amnesia: Dark Descent is the first game in the series, taking place in a Prussian Castle. Your protagonist wakes up with next to no memory and discovers he is being pursued by an otherworldly force. This eerie game gets you into the habit of hiding rather than fighting; most of the Amnesia games don’t let you battle the monsters.
Bundled with Amnesia: The Dark Descent, this is technically an expansion, but rather than continue Amnesia’s storyline, it tells an unrelated tale. It’s set in 1858 and casts you as a different protagonist, who wakes up in a Saw-style set-up where she’s tasked with rescuing her fellow prisoners. However, this doesn’t have a save system; get caught once and it’s game over, unlike Amnesia: The Dark Descent. So if you’re low on patience, you might want to skip this.
This entry takes place in Victorian London, with your wealthy industrialist protagonist trying to track down his missing sons. It’s the only game not made by Frictional and was instead developed by The Chinese Room. It’s more of a walking simulator than the original since while there is a puzzle or three, monster encounters are minimal.
A member of an African expedition survives a plane crash but finds the rest of her team is missing, her memory more than a little hazy. Compared to previous Amnesia games, this title has your protagonist covering more ground, with some diverse environments, but it’s still very much a horror game.
Set during World War I, this is a bit of a departure for the series since it all takes place in one relatively small location, the titular bunker. Amnesia: The Bunker casts you as a soldier who’s locked in with a light-hating monster. You’re armed, but your weapon will only drive it away temporarily.
With one exception, the series’ timeline moves forward with each entry. Here’s how the games fit on the Amnesia timeline.
Frictional Games hasn’t announced a new title in the series at the time of writing, but I’d be very surprised if we got a modern-day Amnesia, since a lot of the games’ charm stems from their historical settings.
Can you play all the Amnesia games in order? Absolutely, and that’s the order I’d recommend if you’re going that route. However, it’s not compulsory. If you’re looking to jump into the Amnesia series and are short on time, I’d recommend you play the original Amnesia: The Dark Descent and Amnesia: The Bunker.
Why? Because these two are largely unconnected, other than that the protagonist is suffering from amnesia, enough to excuse the title. Amnesia: The Bunker was set to have a stronger connection to the original Amnesia, but that appears to have been dropped.
Related: 6 Best Supernatural Horror Games
The Amnesia games don’t share a single story, but they do share several themes and elements. These include:
Want to know more? Then I’ll explain but be prepared for some serious Amnesia storyline spoilers.
Each game does tell a distinct story, but there are subtle story connections between some of the games, particularly involving the Orbs. Here are Amnesia’s storyline connections explained.
Amnesia: The Dark Descent. We’re introduced to the otherworldly Orb artifacts and the Shadow, which pursues the holder of the Orb. We also learn that a substance known as “vitae” can be extracted from living humans. Daniel drank an amnesia potion so he could get past his guilt at his involvement in Alexander’s experiment.
Amnesia: Justine. Justine’s father is in possession of a star-shaped stone, which is associated with the Orbs, though it’s not an Orb itself. Justine uses the stone to kill her father. Justine gave herself amnesia to test if she had any love for humanity left.
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. Protagonist Mandus was driven to build the machine after discovering an object in an Aztec temple, an egg, which is heavily hinted at being an Orb. His madness led his soul to ‘split’, leading to his amnesia.
Amnesia: Rebirth. Vitae is mentioned again, as The Gate Builders use it to extend their lifespan. The Shadow also reappears, and protagonist Tasi finds an Orb though she has bigger problems to deal with. The substance she was tricked into drinking gave her amnesia.
Amnesia: The Bunker. There’s no specific connection to the previous games here. Some people have found an Orb in the game’s files, though it doesn’t appear in-game. Henri’s amnesia came from the injury he suffered while on patrol.
So, there are some minor story elements shared between the games, mostly involving the Orbs or their influence. You needn’t worry that you’ll feel lost jumping into any of the games since they don’t specifically rely on knowledge of earlier entries. There’s no set number of Orbs, so one could figure into a sequel.
Ultimately, the strongest connection between the games is that the protagonist has partial or total amnesia. Sometimes this amnesia is self-inflicted, and they’re struck by some dramatic realization that has remained hidden from them; whether that’s trauma they’ve suffered or something they’ve done but seriously regret.
So, that’s how to play all Amnesia games in order, but you can jump into any of the games and still follow the storyline.
The above article was updated on 12/9/2024 by the original author to add additional information about the Amnesia games.
