Layers of Fear Reviews
Layers of Fear is a very shocking first-person horror, reaching very well the essential factor for games of the genre that is to carry moments of tension, and fear and still make you move forward because of curiosity. The game knows very well when to use soundtrack, when to use sound effects and when to use silence, demonstrating that it is always in control of the game and the player perceptions of the environment. Although it has some rhythm problems in the final segments, Layers of Fear is highly recommended and will be marked as a great experience in the recent survival horror scene.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If Konami let you down when it killed the new Silent Hill game, then Layers of Fear will help ease your pain. It's not perfect but it's punctuated with some great moments and you can't beat the price.
A gloriously ghoulish horror game with some trippy transformations, held back by what it borrows from other releases.
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.
Sometimes a game comes along that sees a team of people coming together to create something unique and scary all the same. That's Layers of Fear in a nutshell and it scared the living hell out of me.
Layers of Fear delivers on its promise of a unique vision of gothic horror, but the game leans heavily on cliche genre gimmicks to jump scare players.
If you are looking for a nice atmosphere, gashes visions and a clever narrative that unfolds room after room, Layers of Fear is the game for you.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Layers of Fear sits somewhere between the pejoratively classified 'walking simulators' and a full game experience, as for the most part you are simply wandering around and solving the odd puzzle. Despite the clichés and obvious jump scares, I rather enjoyed my time exploring the mansion and I'm looking forward to having another play through to see what I missed the first time round. If you enjoyed the Silent Hills teaser P.T. and want more of the same, then Layers of Fear is well worth a look.
In a game that has a lot of fresh ideas on how to build suspense and let your mind do most of the work, it's disappointing to see frequent usage of those tautologies (it's scary because it's scary).
In a world devoid of P.T. – aka Silent Hills, we found Layers of Fear to offer an intriguing take on the horror genre and video game storytelling. Turn off the lights, turn up the volume, and immerse yourself in the world that Layers of Fear has to offer.
Layers of Fear is an experience that no fan of the horror genre should pass on. With its unnerving atmosphere, engaging plot/characters and psychedelic visions, Layers of Fear invites players to a nightmare they won't be forgetting anytime soon (though the linear gameplay won't be etched in their memories).
What Layers of Fear lacks in complexity, it more than makes up for with atmosphere. It's a bizarre and thrilling ride that doesn't even considering letting up as you traverse a truly broken mind. The concept is incredibly novel and well portrayed, the wellbeing of your limping vessel never coming into debate as he works on his masterpiece. It's just a shame that, even with all the literary influences, the phenomenal and thought-provoking ambience isn't backed up by the writing or voice work that can both feel flat and uninspired more often than not. The dodgy frame rate that's becoming depressingly synonymous with Unity on PS4 adds to the issues here and pushes it that bit further away from truly hitting the mark P.T seems to dominate, even if it's now starting to pass into gaming mythology.
Layers of Fear is an effective scare 'em up but the sense of dislocation and the lack of character development left me feeling as if I'd enjoyed a thematically messy series of shocks rather than a cohesive horror story. It's a collection of scary things that are tangentially related to the idea of creative blocks and familial cruelty rather than an exploration of the artist or his personality flaws. By the time the credits rolled, I knew very little about this particular painter that I couldn't have learned by reading a brief synopsis.
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 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.
Layers of Fear is an unsettling and occasionally frightening game that succeeds in keeping you on the edge of your seat, though it doesn't deliver up to its potential and ends up feeling a bit lacking.
While Layers of Fear hews close to horror game tradition all too often, it does offer enough innovation to make it a worthwhile experience - especially when played after dark.
Layers of Fear is well made, but commits a potentially greater sin than a game that's simply bad. It's dull. It's dreary. It's got as much bite as a beach ball. Perhaps for those who have only the lightest experience with horror games, it could be seen as authentically and astutely terrifying. For me, it's nothing new at all, and its presentation is so railroaded it might as well have been a ghost train.
If you like jump-scares, this is for you. If you like horror titles that effectively establish an atmosphere, this is not for you
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.