# Amnesia Style - Horror Template | Summer Engine

## About this template

Amnesia proved that removing weapons entirely makes horror exponentially more terrifying. When the player hears dragging footsteps in the corridor ahead, there is no gun to draw, no knife to grip. There is only a closet to hide in and the hope that the thing outside does not check. The genius of the design is that hiding in the dark keeps you safe from enemies but erodes your sanity, while staying in the light keeps you sane but visible.

Summer Engine helps you build that impossible choice. Describe your castle, dungeon, or facility and the things that stalk it. The AI scaffolds sanity systems, oil lamp management, physics-based door and object interaction, and monster patrol AI so you can focus on level design that funnels players between light and shadow.

The physics interaction is what makes these games feel real. Players do not press a button to open a door. They grab the handle and pull. They drag bookshelves to barricade hallways. They throw objects to distract enemies. Every surface is tactile, and that tactility makes the horror physical in a way menu-driven interaction never achieves.

## Who it's for

* Developers who believe horror is scariest when the player is completely defenseless against the threat.
* Designers who want to explore the tension between light (safety for sanity) and darkness (safety from enemies) as a core mechanic.
* Solo devs building a linear horror experience with physics-based puzzles and scripted chase sequences.
* Teams inspired by Frictional Games' philosophy that player imagination is the most powerful horror tool.

## Highlights

* ### Castle Horror Demo  
Build three to four interconnected rooms in a Gothic castle. One monster patrol, one chase sequence, physics-based barricade puzzle, and a sanity system. A tight 15-minute proof of concept.
* ### Full Amnesia-Style Campaign  
A 4-6 hour descent through increasingly disturbing environments. Sanity deterioration changes what the player sees and hears. Multiple monster types with different patrol and pursuit behaviors.
* ### Immersive Sim Horror  
Expand the physics interaction to include environmental traps, improvised barricades, and multiple solutions to every encounter. Every room becomes a sandbox of survival options.

## Highlights

### No combat, total vulnerability

The player has no weapons and no way to fight. The only options are running, hiding, and using the environment. Every encounter is a survival puzzle, not a combat encounter.

### Sanity mechanic

Spending time in darkness, witnessing disturbing events, or looking directly at monsters drains sanity. Low sanity causes visual distortion, hallucinations, and eventually incapacitation.

### Light resource management

Tinderboxes light wall sconces permanently. Oil fuels the lantern temporarily. Both are scarce. Players must choose which corridors to illuminate and which to brave in the dark.

### Physics-based interaction

Doors open by grabbing and pulling. Objects are thrown, stacked, and dragged. Drawers are pulled open one at a time. The world is physically interactive, making every action feel deliberate.

## Features

* ### Sanity system  
A hidden meter that degrades in darkness and near threats. At low levels, the screen warps, insects crawl across the view, and the player stumbles. At critical levels, the player collapses.
* ### Oil and tinderbox economy  
Oil depletes while the lantern is lit. Tinderboxes are single-use permanent light sources. Both are found through exploration. The player is always calculating how much light they can afford.
* ### Physics-based puzzle design  
Puzzles involve dragging objects, stacking crates, rotating valves, and combining found items. No abstract puzzle screens. Everything happens in the physical world.
* ### Monster patrol and chase AI  
Enemies patrol set routes but investigate sounds. If they spot the player, a chase begins. Players must break line of sight and hide. Looking at the monster during a chase accelerates sanity loss.

## Genre fit

* Horror
* Survival
* First-Person
* Stealth
* Desktop

## Related Templates

[View All](https://www.summerengine.com/templates)

[Survival Horror Build a third-person survival horror game with resource scarcity, inventory management, and enemies that punish carelessness. Describe your world and Summer Engine builds the systems with you. Horror](https://www.summerengine.com/templates/horror/survival-horror/survival-horror)

[First-Person Horror Build an immersive first-person horror game where the player perspective is the horror tool. Close quarters, limited visibility, and audio-driven dread. Summer Engine helps you construct the experience. Horror](https://www.summerengine.com/templates/horror/first-person-horror/first-person-horror)

[Stealth Horror Build a horror game where players survive by staying hidden. Stalking threats, narrow escapes, and the dread of being almost caught. Summer Engine helps you design the tension mechanics. Horror](https://www.summerengine.com/templates/horror/stealth-horror/stealth-horror)

Source: https://www.summerengine.com/templates/horror/survival-horror/amnesia-style

---

## Machine-readable resources

- Site index for agents: https://www.summerengine.com/llms.txt
- Full inlined content: https://www.summerengine.com/llms-full.txt
- Porting catalog: https://www.summerengine.com/llms-porting.txt
- Structured catalog: https://www.summerengine.com/agent-catalog.json
- Sitemap: https://www.summerengine.com/sitemap.xml
- Developer resources: https://www.summerengine.com/docs