Layers of Fear (2023) Reviews
Bloober Team finishes the layers of fear saga in convincing fashion, the story unfolds in a way that is totally unperdicatble leaving our jaws dropped despite the repeatitivness of gameplay mechanics and some minor bugs.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
Layers of Fear is easy to recommend to new players with an affinity for psychological experiences.
Layers of Fear is easily Blooper Team's crowning jewel and the best way to experience these games. Leveraging the power of Unreal Engine 5, the team has delivered their true vision of psychological horror without compromise.
The Layers of Fear experience can be favorably compared to the Ocean House Hotel sequence from Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines, with its slow build-up of dread followed by some excellent pay-offs. The gradual reveal of its story and the decaying of the minds of its protagonists is fascinating to experience in real-time, and there are even multiple endings to seek out, should you wish to squeeze more from the runtime, so long as you’re willing to endure all of the chases again.
Despite the slightly confusing name, "Layers of Fear" is a beautiful remake that can be enjoyed by horror fans and series newcomers alike.
Layers of Fear is an enticing package for any horror game fan. With several very interesting narratives about the disturbing and neurotic aspects of different artists' lives, visual and sound directions so well achieved, there are not many games that manage to instil a sense of tension as well as this remake. It's just a shame some aspects of the gameplay continue to leave something to be desired. But don't be fooled: Layers of Fear is one of the best horror series on the market.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Layers of Fear on the PS5 is the best-looking, best-sounding, and best-performing console version of the game yet. Playing with headphones is a must for the biggest scares, though many of the thrills are psychological rather than jump-based. Packed full of four different stories all interwoven to varying degrees, there is also a good deal of content to play through. Combined with multiple endings, Layers of Fear represents a great value for fans of horror games.
Layers of Fear brings plenty of new additions and refinements to each game, ensuring it is the definitive way to experience the series. The visual upgrades look absolutely outstanding, whilst the new story content fleshes out the narrative in an intriguing and cohesive manner. The refinements to the to the gameplay help streamline the experience too, and whilst some of the changes are better than others, it helps ensure that the haunting gameplay feels fresh and intriguing. Will it win over players who had mixed feelings about the original releases? Maybe not, but it’ll definitely be a treat for fans of the series that have been itching for more. I definitely had a good time with Layers of Fear, with it acting as the perfect reminder that Bloober Team certainly know what they’re doing when it comes to horror.
If you're hoping for something new with Layers of Fear, you should be aware that the majority of your time will be spent on the original Layers of Fear and Layers of Fear 2. At the same time, if you just want to replay those games, keep in mind that the new structure means it's not as simple as that. But for fans who want to experience the games in a new way or newcomers to the series trying it out for the first time, the new Layers of Fear keeps the games largely true to the originals' themes while also making some notable improvements.
Layers of Fear tells an incredible story of mental illness and tragic events set in a stunningly detailed world that won't scare you as much as you might expect.
It's a good game that everyone who doesn't hate jumpscare and loves psychological horror should give it a chance.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Layers of Fear (2023) is the best way to experience the series and has enough new content to revisit it.
Review in Russian | Read full review
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.
Bloober Team has paid homage to its series with an updated and extended package, both from a playful point of view and in terms of visual presentation.
Review in Italian | Read full review
This is the definitive version of the game and it brings all the previous Layers of Fear content together in a cohesive whole. Fans of the original game will enjoy revisiting these games in this tightened and polished version. New players who are horror fans should also find this a worthy experience.
They say an artist's work is never truly done, but with Layers of Fear, Bloober Team and Anshar Studios have completed the Master Opus started back in 2016. With superb UE5 powered visuals, improved writing and some new gameplay mechanics, these journeys into the darkest recesses of the human mind have never been so immersive, although some issues prevent Layers of Fear from being an absolute masterpiece.
The updated version of Layers of Fear is incredibly impressive. In addition to offering high-quality remakes of the entire series, this version goes a step forward and creates new material with the explicit purpose of bringing all pre-existing content of the series under one umbrella. The exceptional visual overhaul, fascinating transforming environments, and great sound design ensure this horror series has done a phenomenal job of making sure it continues to be an experience worth having.
A very special compilation, collecting the remakes of the two main stories of Layers of Fear, along with the DLCs of the first chapter (one of which previously unreleased) and a new adventure that acts as a glue to the whole. The Unreal Engine 5 gives us genuinely terrifying settings and atmospheres, and the "package" guarantees hours of thrills but also manages to arouse other emotions than simple fear.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Thanks to the right changes, the atmosphere remains fresh and as fearsome as in 2016. Even with its imperfections, it will hook fans of the most abstract horror.
Review in Spanish | Read full review