Fans of Layers of Fear better get ready to raise anchor and sail off into a living nightmare! Gun Media and Bloober Team allowed me the chance to try out their latest trip into terror, Layers of Fear 2. Does it hold up to its predecessor? Join me as we take a look.
Layers of Fear 2 follows the same story arc of the first where instead of a world-renowned painter being tormented by supernatural mental baggage, it’s a popular actor. The actor is not just an actor but a method actor who’s known for really getting into character. The unnamed actor is on a cruise ship where the latest film he’ll be working on is being filmed.
The film’s director (Voiced by Tony Todd) is mysterious and is known to make his actors go through “tests” to get them into peak performance almost adapting an extreme version of Stanislavski’s Method. These trials consist of traversing a nightmarish reality where the actor solves puzzles in order to move forward while at the same time uncovering his past.
Onto the game itself! If you played Layers of Fear you already know the mechanics pretty much but if you’re new to it don’t worry it’s pretty simple and easy to remember thanks to not having to use so many buttons on the controller, you can also customize the layout if you want. The graphics, like the first game, are amazing; I strongly suggest you leave the brightness of the game at its recommended setting to really appreciate the work.
Sound is very important for the game’s immersion and holy crap is it! With headphones on it helps add to the tension, and Tony Todd’s voice will send chills down your spine! Speaking of Tony Todd, he was the perfect pick for the role of the mysterious director as his voice and his deliverance of dialogue is lightning in a bottle!
This is the part I love most about this game, cinematic Easter eggs! What I mean by this is given the fact that the game’s story surrounds the making of a film (the story itself appears to take place in the 30’s-40’s) there are perfectly placed homage’s to famous films throughout the years. As of right now, I’ve found eight film Easter eggs, some are tucked away as some are right in your face.
Fans of the first game know exactly what’s going on here!
Much like the first game, Layers of Fear 2 is full of mind-bending tricks where rooms change as you’re in them, doors vanishing when you turn your back, and of course, tricks that lead you into a false sense of security leaving you open for a well-placed jumpscare!
Overall, this game is full of what we loved with its forerunner from the graphics, sound, atmosphere, and story. Tony Todd’s voice performance added to the tone of the game while the exploration and nods to cinema blockbusters make you repeatedly torture yourself with the scares that wait for you. On my scale of five stars, Layers of Fear 2 is a 4.5!
