Layers of Fear

Layers of Fear is an incredible, mind-bending horror game. The gorgeous environments are both detailed and terrifying, and the story will captivate you as you work to unravel all the threads. What it lacks in polish it makes up for in how obsessed you’ll become with finishing the masterpiece.

An impressive remake/reimagining of the series from a technical standpoint, and there are some welcome changes to the way each game plays. It’s unfortunate that efforts to tie the individual stories together don’t always land, but it generally does the trick.

Layers of Fear serves as a kind of director’s cut for the horror series. With lavish visuals, new content, and a new framing device, it proves the definite way to experience the series. Those who’ve already played the games won’t find much they haven’t seen before, but The Final Note chapter adds a fun, spooky new layer.

Layers of Fear is a great example of Bloober Team’s particular brand of psychological horror. Playing through the entire series as one game makes the connections and links between the stories and characters far more evident and the end result is a real treat for horror fans. It is a very different sort of horror to the likes of Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space but is still up there as one of the best horror games of the year for me.

The original Layers of Fear, for better or worse, is a game that left a lasting influence on the narrative-driven horror genre. Developed by Polish developer Bloober Team, the game was unlike anything seen before, combining unique aesthetics with an art theme inspired by The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and a deep dive into madness that left a strong impression on anyone who experienced it, even though themes such as mental illness were maybe not properly handled.

Overall Layers Of Fear is a creepy game that misses the scary mark. The experience is worth going through if you have the extra cash but don't expect to be scared out of your mind by it.

Despite the clunky controls, typical horror tropes, and mediocre puzzles, Layers of Fear does provide a frightening experience and a compelling narrative. The game's real strength is its tone and dedication to the artwork theme. The struggles of the artist feel incredibly real and the story will make players simultaneously disgusted by and sympathetic towards the man that they are controlling. The music and narrative will pull players down each corridor towards an inevitable scare for just a handful of hours, but the short experience is definitely worth the $19.99 price tag for fans of horror.

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Layers of Fear needs more layers.

All in all, Layers of Fear 2023 is an odd remake and is ultimately one we don't really recommend. This new package is beautiful no doubt, but the first game just doesn't really hold up these days, and while the sequel marks a decent improvement in our eyes, the 2019 version is a much better looking game than 2016's Layers of Fear anyway - making the remake feel a bit pointless. If you've never played the series and are interested in a couple of one-time trippy horror experiences this package could be worth a shot once it enters your ideal price range, but the Xbox One versions often go dirt ch...

Layers of Fear lacks the surprises and subtlety needed to keep things interesting all the way through. It makes a strong first impression, but quickly exhausts its best ideas, making it hard for them to really shine as scary or meaningful moments. It’s hard to be terrified when you can see what’s coming at the end of every long dark hallway.

The path of the artist can be tough, it is said for an artist to paint they must first deconstruct themselves, think of it as soul searching. The artists must search their mind and uncover the dark truths that they try to hide, their own fears, and their own past. Only once they know themselves can they truly shine and create something of beauty, but those that can’t face themselves will forever live in torture, they become the tortured artist forced to walk a waking nightmare, forever scarred by themselves, their history, and often they fall to their own sanity.