The Sinking City 2 Reviews
The Sinking City 2 understands something its predecessor occasionally struggled to recognise: more is not necessarily better. Frogwares could have answered the original's shortcomings with a larger map, more activities, and a greater commitment to its open-world structure. Instead, it has made the more difficult choice of cutting back. The sequel is smaller in scope, but considerably more deliberate in how it uses that scope. That restraint is the foundation of a much stronger game. Exploration, investigation, and combat no longer feel like separate ideas competing for the player's attention; they now support a common rhythm. Combat remains conventional, but its precision, readable enemy design, and weak-point system give encounters a welcome degree of tactical depth. Boss fights build on those foundations effectively, demanding greater awareness of patterns, timing, positioning, and resources when the difficulty is raised. The biggest improvement, however, may be found in the spaces themselves. The open-map structure gives Frogwares greater control over density and pacing, allowing locations to be built around meaningful routes, secrets, resources, and environmental storytelling rather than simply providing another stretch of world to cross. The sequel understands that an environment does not need to be enormous to feel expansive; it needs to give the player a reason to explore it. Investigation has undergone a similarly measured transformation. Frogwares has reduced the complexity of its puzzles without stripping away the investigative core of the series. Evidence still needs to be examined, connections still need to be made, and the player is still encouraged to participate in the process of uncovering the truth. The result is less demanding than before, but arguably more consistent with the game's broader survival-horror structure. It is the writing, though, that ultimately gives these systems their context. The Sinking City 2 understands that Lovecraftian horror is not simply about monsters, forbidden rituals, or ancient entities. It is about what happens when the pursuit of knowledge begins to undermine our ability to make sense of what we discover. Calvin's search for Faith gradually opens onto the Slither and a much larger cosmic conflict, with each revelation providing answers while simultaneously making the world less comprehensible. Frogwares is particularly effective when it resists the temptation to explain everything. The final act leaves several questions unresolved, allowing uncertainty to remain part of the horror rather than treating every mystery as a problem that requires a definitive answer. The journey to Antarctica, drawing directly on the imagery and ideas of At the Mountains of Madness, takes that philosophy even further. Away from Arkham's familiar streets and institutions, the game places Calvin in a landscape where isolation and scale themselves become sources of unease. The sequel still has weaknesses. Its technical performance is the clearest blemish, particularly on PC, where frame-rate drops can occasionally interfere with combat and shader compilation can produce unwelcome interruptions. Some loading times are also longer than they should be, while ammunition management is not always ideally balanced. A handful of puzzles, meanwhile, feel less developed than the stronger investigative sequences. None of these problems is catastrophic, but they are enough to keep the game from achieving the level of consistency its best moments suggest is within reach. What matters is that these shortcomings exist within a fundamentally stronger vision. Frogwares has not tried to solve the problems of The Sinking City by making the sequel larger or more elaborate. It has solved them by becoming more selective. The result is a game that knows what its different systems are for, how they should interact, and – just as importantly – what they should leave out. That makes The Sinking City 2 more than simply a better version of its predecessor. It is the point at which the series' two defining identities finally become compatible. Investigation gives the horror context; horror gives investigation consequence. Exploration creates the opportunity to discover something; discovery creates the reason to fear what comes next. There is still room for Frogwares to refine the formula, and the sequel's technical shortcomings prevent it from reaching the highest tier of the genre. But as a statement of direction, The Sinking City 2 is remarkably clear. This is a series that has finally found a shape capable of supporting its ambitions. And perhaps that is the most fitting conclusion for a game so concerned with forbidden knowledge. The greatest horror is not necessarily what waits in the darkness. It is what we discover when we decide to look into it, and the growing suspicion that some truths are frightening precisely because they can never be fully understood. The Sinking City 2 knows that the search for answers is not always a path towards certainty. Sometimes, it is the path towards madness.
The Sinking City 2 delivers strong Lovecraftian atmosphere, impressive visuals, and satisfying survival horror mechanics, but its momentum falters in the latter half. Repetitive enemies, frequent encounters, and forced evasion undermine the otherwise engaging combat and exploration, leaving a promising sequel that falls short of its excellent opening.
The Sinking City 2 left me with mixed emotions. The developers nail the world design, lore, and audio incredibly well, but the erratic nature of its level connectedness, lack of actual investigation, and staccato story flow will keep you painfully confused. It left me with a sinking (pun unintended) feeling about all the things it could have gotten right to make it a stalwart in its genre. As a sequel, it goes two steps forward but takes one step back. Frogwares’ The Sinking City 2 might feel a little rough at the seams, but it’s a bold step in the survival horror genre. The game betters its combat, scares, and atmosphere from its predecessor and manages to hold on to its dark linear narrative till the very end. A confident sequel that begs for the adage: third time’s the charm.
The Sinking City 2 is a perfectly decent survival horror game with solid exploration, combat, and puzzle mechanics, but it doesn't excel in any of them. It doesn't take any risks, which makes it an enjoyable title and very suitable for fans of H.P. Lovecraft's stories, but it doesn't do anything special and leaves us missing the narrative and mechanical ambition of the first game in the series.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Sinking City 2 isn't the sequel I would have expected after the first game. And perhaps that's exactly what makes it so surprising. Frogwares didn't just try to fix the predecessor's flaws and then build the same game all over again. Instead, they completely revamped the entire concept.
Review in German | Read full review
Frogwares’ The Sinking City 2 is an example of improving upon an idea and delivering an unquestionably better time in all regards when it comes to a follow up.
The Sinking City 2 is a solid survival horror and a great way to lead into the spooky season of gaming. What it lacks in identity it makes up for in providing a genuinely tense and challenging game, lovingly wrapped in the blanket of H.P. Lovecraft. It provides a tight narrative and gameplay experience, but loses some of the stronger investigative mechanics from the original game in exchange.
The Sinking City 2 doesn't innovate in the third-person survival horror genre, but that's okay because of its unique world design. This handcrafted setting is fun to explore; it is full of distinctive characters, straightforward puzzles, and standard enemies. It also helps that the story is engaging enough if you are interested in H.P. Lovecraft, pulling from lore that is very cosmic-heavy and sometimes taking turns you do not expect, even if saving your unconscious lover isn't your cup of tea.
The Sinking City 2 was, for better or worse, everything I expected it to be. That was to say, an enjoyable trip through a land of horror and action. Even with the open areas that you get, you have a mostly linear experience that offers just enough freedom to find your own way and enjoy getting lost along the way. The narrative never hits the high I would have wanted but never sinks so low that I am let down. The combat is the element that should hold your attention more than anything, which is fun even at its worst.
The Sinking City 2 is an intriguing survival horror game with a bit of detective flavor that captivates with its atmosphere, story, and technical execution. If you’re expecting a detective adventure like the first game, you'll be disappointed. But if you're looking for a dark, linear horror game with a Lovecraftian vibe, you’ll get a solid experience.
Review in Czech | Read full review
The Sinking City 2 boldly rebuilds its identity but remains uneven. The shift to action‑survival horror may divide fans, yet Frogwares’ drive to reinvent is clear. Arkham is oppressive and magnetic; rigid inventory and enemy‑heavy sections slow things down. Still, Cal and Faye’s journey holds emotional weight and ends coherently. More than a sequel, it’s a resilient, imperfect but worthwhile experience.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Sinking City 2 might have its flaws, but is ultimately a decent sequel that I believe would still please fans of the original game and Lovecraftian Cthulhu lore alike.
The Sinking City 2 isn’t a perfect game, but it certainly knows exactly what kind of experience it wants to deliver. Frogwares has largely swapped the detective work of the original for survival horror, and this turns out to work surprisingly well. The atmosphere is powerful, Arkham is delightfully unpleasant, and the combination of puzzles, investigation and Lovecraftian horror regularly creates moments where you think: this is exactly why I willingly let myself be scared. Not everything works equally well. The combat can be clunky, technical issues crop up now and then, and anyone who came primarily for the detective aspect of the first game will probably find something missing. The Sinking City 2 isn’t a revolutionary horror game, but it is an excellent, dark plunge into a world you definitely wouldn’t want to live in. Highly recommended for horror fans.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
The Sinking City 2 successfully evolves the series into a tense and atmospheric survival horror, combining Lovecraftian storytelling, satisfying exploration, challenging combat, and an emotional narrative.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Sinking City 2 is a fantastic survival horror experience, combining tense combat, intelligent enemies, rewarding exploration and exceptional level design with a wonderfully grim Lovecraftian atmosphere. Despite some bugs and the reduced importance of investigations, its haunting flooded city and compelling storytelling make it worthy of picking up.
Even if The Sinking City 2 is a terrible follow-up to the first Sinking City, it’s a pretty solid entry into the survival horror genre. It’s full of monsters and creepy hallways and limited ammo and a constant sense of mounting dread. It’s a whole lot closer to Resident Evil or Silent Hill than anything Frogwares have ever done before.
The Sinking City 2 brings a considerable evolution compared to the previous game and adopts the traditional survival horror structure by reviving formulas that have worked very well in major recent projects.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Sinking City 2 is a survival horror game that clearly draws inspiration from the latest entries in the Resident Evil series, only to carve out its own path under the influence of the unsettling atmospheres described by H.P. Lovecraft. The new installment in the saga created by Frogware is a completely standalone sequel to the prequel, but unfortunately, despite its in-depth lore, the plot tends to lose its way at times, and the narrative’s pacing falters on more than one occasion. The gameplay and puzzles, however, are excellent and kept us thoroughly entertained.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Sinking City 2 is one of the biggest surprises I have played in a long time. It takes the familiar structure of modern Resident Evil, fills it with a fascinating Lovecraftian world, and gives the nightmare a sincere love story worth fighting through. Frogwares has created a phenomenal survival horror game, and I absolutely adored it.
The Sinking City 2 impressed me immensely. I was unsure at first if I’d like the drastic change in gameplay, but those uncertainties were quickly put to rest. If you’re a fan of Lovecraftian horror, or horror games in general, this is definitely worth a look. Frogwares have stepped out of their comfort zone with this title, and the gamble has definitely paid off! Therefore, The Sinking City 2 receives the ThumbCulture Gold Award!