The premises between the two games are relatively simple but, while the stories are very interesting and engaging, it’s the gameplay and mechanics that will hypnotize players the most. As the player explores the ship, memories are unlocked and secrets are revealed. When the character was younger, they were on a similar ship with their sibling as a child which ended in an unfortunate accident. The voice of a mysterious director instructs you to certain tasks while exploring the ship and you can choose to obey or defy the direction, which will change the ending you get. In the end we've got a solid few hours of entertainment, and more than enough heart palpitations to go with it.In Layers of Fear 2, you play as an actor on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Those who will enjoy becoming completely immersed will take delight in puzzling over the situations that plague our protagonist throughout the story, and theorising over the heavy symbolism even after the game has long since revealed its ending.ĭefinitely one for the jump-scare adrenaline junkies, Layers of Fear 2 offers a hearty mix of slow, calculated suspense, and intense, terrifying chase sequences. While it offers a much wider range of puzzles and sequences to play through than its predecessor, it suffers from being a too obscure too often, and that leads to the loss of some of the weight in the story that most players will probably not forgive. To summarise, it is far from a perfect video game. Not only mannequins, but also a distorted, supernatural spectre that will pursue you relentlessly, subjecting you to a hugely drawn-out, loud instakill sequence that does start to become ever so frustrating after the 6th time you’ve fumbled a door handle. Because everybody is scared of mannequins. Gun MediaĪlas, yes, the game now has mannequins. You can enter a hallway that is seemingly empty, and then turn around to discover that the path you’ve just walked is now blocked by a terrifying mannequin holding a gun. While the mechanics remain largely the same, and the visuals and sound design are stellar as ever, I was delighted to find that the sequel also contained obnoxious and frightening changes to the environment while you weren’t looking. Early on in the game you will find a room full of artists equipment, and throughout the story you are encouraged by rats, and plagued by creepy portraits - as well as that one amusing sequence that involves a kitchen full of exploding fruit, a particular favourite take-away from the first game for myself.īut what does it actually do different, and is it an improvement over the first one? The short answer is: Absolutely. There are several subtle references to the first game, also, that will delight those who played and enjoyed it. New to Layers of Fear 2 are optional collectables in the form of photographic slides and movie posters, that will gradually begin to decorate your quarters, and give an extra bit of incentive to continue replaying the game even after finishing it once - a nice way of making the £25 price point a little more worth it.įeatured also are multiple different endings, giving each new game plus run some new opportunities as you try and unlock them. However, I cannot ignore the blatant interruption that this places in the way of the pacing, preventing the overall experience from being in any way smooth. In this world, nothing makes sense, and when you start to walk into a room expecting things to happen, it’s often the complete opposite. In sharing with the hopelessness and confusion, we are truly experiencing the protagonist’s journey as if it were our own. ![]() While this may initially frustrate some players, it is actually yet another strength of the game. There is one instance that sees you locked in a room with a desk fan and a tap, and the combination of which tap is running actually helps you escape the room. Gun MediaĪs mentioned above, the game does have some simple puzzle designs, and others that are simply bizarre that you solve simply by seeing what you can interact with in any given room. Hopefully a console controller doesn’t have this problem. ![]() While this definitely adds to immersion, panic and urgency during some mid-game chase sequences, playing on a PC with a gaming mouse resulted in some fumbling - and even struggling - to open a door in time to avoid an instant death. ![]() However, it's done by clicking and sliding them open, as seen in the likes of Amnesia: The Dark Descent. Gameplay-wise, there is only really one main mechanic, and that is opening and closing doors. Allow yourself to look past the thinly explained story and completely blank, emotionless protagonist, and you'll realise this game’s strengths are in environmental design, alongside overarching feelings of dread and mystery. Using headphones is absolutely the way to play, as Layers of Fear's less-intense portions are where the atmosphere truly gets to shine.
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