14 DAY TRIAL // 
The summer starts with goosebumps for the fans of horror games. After The Bunker, the latest entry in the Amnesia series, they can enjoy Layers of Fear. This comprehensive remaster also adds brand new content to tie-in all the stories released previously. It is as chilling as the original and looks better than ever. But does it have the same effect on players as the original game?
The polish developers from Bloober Team did not have an easy task, since Layers of Fear is one of the most well-known representatives of the horror-adventure genre. They did a great job with applying a makeover, but also managed to link the original two episodes through a background story that also frames a larger story arc. All in all, Layers of Fear 2023 manages not just raise to the expectations, but also overcomes them.
As a result of the fresh additions, the story is much more coherent than before. It all starts with our writer who returns to familiar grounds, since she has lost her inspiration. Hoping to get the creative juices flowing she isolates herself in the ominous lighthouse she already visited a decade ago. We are briefly introduced to the chilling atmosphere with a brief recollection of strange omens and happenings, which foretell the drama of the painter, his wife the musician and their kid.
With the very first steps in the abandoned lighthouse, you are immersed in the dark and unsettling atmosphere of the game. With each passing minute, you will discover new disturbing details about the life of the protagonists, and you will find yourself enveloped by fear and a sense of helplessness. You will witness their dance on the edge of sanity and their struggle with the darkest corners of their psyche.
Just like the original game, the new Layers of Fear game debuts with the story of the painter. His painful descent into madness unfolds a family tragedy that consumes everyone and everything as the flames of an uncontrollable fire. After a welcome intermezzo, the story continues with the events tied to the kid in the painting – a retelling of the original DLC, Inheritance.
After completing these two stories already known to the fans, the remaster introduces some interesting new content entitled The Final Note. This presents the very same events, but from the point of view of the wife. This makes the whole story of the family fit together like a puzzle, the mother’s part representing the previously missing pieces. The game ends with the events of Layers of Fear 2, in the limelight that brings only suffering and pain.
The three original stories and the new content fit together seamlessly and are presented in a way that makes it easier to digest. The veterans of the series can choose specific chapters to play in whatever order they want, but it is recommended to experience Layers of Fear as a whole. Following the updated chapter structure and going through the events in the new order put together by the developers makes the whole experience more coherent and immersive.
There are some changes to the gameplay as well. Beyond searching high and low for notes and memories, the players now will also have direct contact with the supernatural. Armed with a lantern you will be able to cleanse various possessed objects and get a temporary break from the creatures of darkness that try to end you. This new gameplay mechanic fits pretty well the already gloomy atmosphere and adds extra tension to the exploration segments. No worries, though there is no real consequence if you fail an encounter, since you will wake up with a slight dizziness that will pass quickly.
What remained the same is the inconsistency of the puzzles. These are not very hard, but often they seem to follow their own logic, and they tend to be counterintuitive. Sometimes you will spend more time figuring out the objects you need to interact with than the solution itself. In some sections the game seemingly highlights interactive objects randomly. This design choice can be very obnoxious, but thankfully it does not happen often enough to really aggravate players.
The atmosphere of the game remains just as brilliant, since the developers kept the dark and aggravating style of the original. The entire game radiates madness and helplessness, feelings intensified by the fact that you cannot really hide. Beyond your limited source of light, you are completely vulnerable in the face of the forces of darkness. There are plenty of items to collect, and some of them are missable. Even some puzzles can be omitted if you are not keen on searching every room multiple times. As a result, we have multiple endings that require a couple playthroughs to figure out.
A lot of this atmosphere relies on the visual style that really benefits from using the new Unreal Engine 5. The graphics of the game look just amazing and the almost photo realism makes everything so much more vivid and scarry. Layers of Fear 2023 is a completely new beast from a visual standpoint, and it also benefits from great optimization. The lack of framerate drops and loading screens ensures that the immersion is not broken at any point. On the other hand, the bugs will break the spell, and the game is plagued by quite a few of them.
The Good
- Beautifully dark and detailed graphics
- A more coherent storytelling
- New gameplay elements fit perfectly
The Bad
- The same finicky controls
- Randomly highlighted interactable objects
- Bugs and gameplay errors
Conclusion
The over 12 hours of total gameplay and the replay value granted by multiple playthroughs needed in order to figure out the multiple endings more than justify the price of the game. The new Layers of Fear is a well thought out horror game, that with the mandatory facelift manages to be more impressive and memorable than the original one.
Review key was provided by the publisher.
