But it really is the outstanding synergy between all aspects of the presentation that make this game seep into your pores.īloober Team’s main source of inspiration, aesthetically and thematically, is golden age cinema. The sound design contributes just as much as the visuals, giving the presentation a true sense of three-dimensionality that gives you a rock-solid sense of where you are in the environment (which the developers, of course, manipulate and warp at times to make you feel just a little nauseous). Every room is rendered beautifully, down to the tiniest details - like the way light bounces off of the cabins’ polished wood molding, or the way every material looks tactile and lived-in. The key to the game’s ability to creep you the fuck out is the stellar presentation and art design, which work harmoniously to create a thick, pervasive atmosphere that can be extremely transportive and encompassing. There aren’t any overt threats of violence in the game, so the way developer Bloober Team instills fear is by making you feel perpetually off-balance, unwelcome, and unsafe.įurther Reading: The Games You Need to Play in 2019 I never found myself actually frightened by the fact that the dark closet I just walked out of turned into a dingy kitchen, while I had my back turned, but it was certainly amusing and kept me on my toes. These, along with references to classic horror movies and the use of all-too-adult themes regarding blame, regret, guilt, and shame make this a memorable psychological horror adventure that's well worth the experience.There are a lot of little tricks of the mind sprinkled throughout the game, and the cumulative effect of them is amusing at the very least. The prospect of being chased keeps tension high, dream sequences provide much-needed weirdness, and the gravelly narration by Tony Todd (of Candyman fame) is sure to get horror fans' hearts racing. Still, despite covering some fairly familiar ground, horror fans will enjoy when the game makes them tip-toe.
#Layers of fear 2 rating pro
Add to that the prevalence of darkness, things jumping out from the dark, scary, sometimes moving mannequins, and sprays of blood, and this is not a game for younger kids.) Players on the Switch may also want to use the Pro controller instead of the analog nubs, which aren't the most precise when it comes to shooting sequences or the quick reflex moments were analog drift can result in restarting a section all over again. (Note: along with disturbing dialog, visuals suggest and show kids in serious peril. Without spoiling anything, let's just say it involves a specific kind of disaster and the workings of a highly dysfunctional family. The story will feel like a bit of a re-tread too.
Fans of the first game will anticipate the jump scares fairly easily, and that lowers their impact. While this kind of gameplay's expertly done, the problem is that scares aren't scary when you know they're coming. All too soon, it's hard to tell the difference between reality and nightmare. The more doors you open and clues you find, the stranger things get. Clues to your outer and inner lives pop up in the form of messages from your agent and notes to yourself. As in the original Layers of Fear, the main character's got some issues that need working out. This survival-horror sequel does a fairly good job of walking the tightrope of familiarity and innovation, but lacking the surprise of its predecessor, could feel like “too much of the same.” There's something inherently spooky in Layers of Fear 2 about cruise ships, especially the Art Deco ships of the 1930's, and the claustrophobic hallways, moody lighting, and cage-style elevators set the stage for horror.
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