Layers of Fear Reviews
Beautiful setpieces and a great atmosphere don't make up for the same old gameplay. While it doesn't need to reinvent the wheel, Layers of Fear should at least aim to do the same old thing as well as it can. It would seem that "as well as it can" is very much a "means justify the ends" approach, and the ends are stale mechanics done just well enough that they work.
There's more to Layers of Fear than initially meets the eye, and I'm pleasantly surprised at its quality. Playing the preview version was a nice way to get my Halloween horror fill. I highly recommend it.
Ultimately, Layers of Fear exists as a chilling cinematic experience that is capable of more than a few scares along the way. Uncovering the game's narrative is largely enjoyable and will forever keep you guessing, as clues feel well paced and each horrifying set piece is related. The game may rely on a few too many jump scares and voice acting may feel off at times, but there's still no denying that Layers of Fears is a truly memorable and massively creepy experience.
If you prefer something action-oriented like Resident Evil or Dead Island, this indie gem probably won't be worth the buy. For fans of Soma or The Park, however, or anyone who spent way too long going down the endless corridors of PT, it's no question that Layers Of Fear will be a must-play.
Layers of Fear is a competent demonstration of jump scares compressed tightly into an ever-changing and dark mansion.
The painter's tale is told from his daughter's perspective, offering a fresh take on the story with some much-needed gameplay additions.
Layers Of Fear aims for arty horror, but its strength is simple scares
In my preview of Layers of Fear I wrote that "psychedelic" was assuredly the single best word to describe the game, and if I was to build on that at all my only other words would be "perfect balance." A perfectly balanced psychedelic acid trip through the mind of a delusional and less-than quintessentially tortured artist. At its core that's what makes Layers of Fear such an evocatively thrilling horror game: it strikes a fantastic balance between narrative, gameplay, atmospheric immersion, and evolving horror themes. If P.T. provided the inspiration for this new genre of atmospheric horror games, Layers of Fear has undoubtedly begun its perfection.
Layers of Fear is Scary Beautiful But Scary Boring!
A beautiful and potentially fantastic horror story squandered by cheap scares presented at a breakneck pace.
A brief but compelling horror story presented in a creatively designed experience. Thought provoking, inferred not explicitly stated, with an effectively unpleasant undertone. Strange key mapping choices on consoles but otherwise fit for purpose. This is a game about exploration and your choices of where to go.
Layers of Fear almost feels like two different games smashed together to make up a single experience.
Truly, Layers of Fear is a masterpiece to behold. Buy it. Play it. Buy it and have a friend play it while you watch if you're faint-of-heart.
Suspense is an important tool, in horror. Suspense is what makes scares work. Five, ten, fifteen minutes of excruciating emptiness makes the eventual jump scare effective because we're lulled into complacency. The pacing in Layers of Fear is numbing, with "scares" coming at you so often they quickly lose their potency.
Creepy location, poor pacing
This is a burgeoning sub-genre but Layers of Fear has to be a high-point, and it deserves to be seen as a standard bearer.
Layers of Fear isn't a perfect marathon with its range of terrifying developments but the significance of its events will last longer than most horror sprints.
Interesting and immersive, Layers of Fear isn't a masterpiece per se, but it's an excellent experience you shouldn't miss if you have any inkling of interest in the exploration and horror genres.
Layers of Fear is a masterpiece of horror, successfully having me second guessing everything painting, door, and object in the game. There isn't much in the way of replay value unless you feel the need to collect missing achievements/trophies. With that said, I can't remember the last game that legitimately gave me goosebumps up and down both arms.