Layers of Fear Reviews

The architecture of the game is also delightful, with some mind bending segments thrown in which may be the best parts of the game. One particular segment involved walking around and around a seemingly never-ending set of rooms, but with one particular thing changing in each room every time, until it truly got out of hand. Watching paintings turn from classical to twisted was also a highlight.

Layers of Fear needs more layers.

Outside of the new storyline, Layers of Fear has some other useful additions. For players who don’t want to worry about the monster killing them (or get stuck on a chase one too many times), there is a safe mode option where enemies can’t kill you. For players interested in seeing different aspects of the story, there is a Chapter Mode that lets you start from any completed chapter to play through again and tracks your progress separately from the regular Story Mode. Meanwhile, the game looks beautiful, and I ran into only a few technical issues aside from a bug where I slowly fell out of the game world, which occurred twice during the painter’s story. Layers of Fear is an interesting approach to remaking the previous games, and I look forward to seeing if they intend to do any more with this series in the future.

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 cheap on sale and remain an ideal way to face your fears - especially when you have the option to just grab the superior sequel on its own.

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.

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.

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.

Layers of Fear looks and sounds like a van Gogh, but unfortunately plays like a cheap forgery.

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.

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.

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.

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