Layers of Fear 2

Layers of Fear 2 doesn’t have many scares to offer, but visual panache and a multitude of classic film homages make for an extraordinary journey—for the right person.

70%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

replayability, grinding

71% User Score Based on 725 reviews

Critic Score 69%Based on 42 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $11.53

Buy NowGet on Steam €16.79 Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store Buy NowGet on Epic Games Store

About

Layers of Fear 2 is a single player casual simulation game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Bloober Team SA and was released on May 28, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

In "Layers of Fear 2," you become an actor, the protagonist of a movie with a script written just for you. Navigate through a terrifying vessel, haunted by your own past and consumed by the role you must play. Your past, experiences, and memories shape your character as you're immersed in darkness and silence.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 725 reviews

story143 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

Visually stunning with great graphics and atmosphere.
Engaging and complex story that encourages multiple playthroughs to fully understand.
Strong voice acting, particularly from Tony Todd, enhances the narrative experience.

Gameplay can feel repetitive and lacks the same level of immersion as the first game.
Chase sequences can be frustrating and detract from the overall experience.
The story can be confusing and disjointed, making it hard to follow at times.

story
601 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
68%
8%
The story in "Layers of Fear 2" is characterized by its cryptic and symbolic nature, often leaving players confused and requiring multiple playthroughs to fully grasp its intricacies. While some appreciate the deep themes and immersive atmosphere, many find the narrative disjointed and lacking the emotional impact of its predecessor, leading to mixed feelings about its execution. Overall, the game offers an intriguing but convoluted experience that may appeal to those who enjoy abstract storytelling and environmental exploration.
- “A brilliant, dark and deep story that horror where it needed to be and great story line everywhere else.”
- “The story is psychologically deep and will take multiple playthroughs to pick apart.”
- “The story delves into themes of ambition, obsession, and the destructive nature of artistic passion.”
- “The plot unravels pretty quickly and just feels like it's throwing random elements at you.”
- “The game play does not complement the storytelling and the narrative feels empty and hollow.”
- “The story is convoluted and I found it mostly tedious and bland.”
graphics
208 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
38%
2%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, intricate detail, and effective use of lighting, creating a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience. Many players noted the impressive art style and the seamless transitions between color and black-and-white environments, although some expressed frustration with the frequent monochromatic settings. Overall, the visuals are considered the standout feature of the game, overshadowing its less favorable aspects such as story and gameplay.
- “The visuals are simply astonishing.”
- “The graphics are amazing, but the lack of true horror makes it a real bummer when wanting that horror feeling.”
- “Bravo for the developers for investing in such beautiful realistic graphics.”
- “A graphics setting that stresses my eyes and causes me headaches within a short time.”
- “As things progressed, the acts all were just poorly realized, and the graphics were just a mess, which was intentional.”
- “They never let a single graphical theme breathe much at all, constantly switching from desaturated to saturated, and then throwing filters over the POV constantly.”
atmosphere
130 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
43%
5%
The atmosphere in "Layers of Fear 2" is widely praised for its stunning visuals, sound design, and immersive environments, creating a chilling and unsettling experience. However, many reviewers note that it lacks the intense dread and emotional depth of its predecessor, with some feeling that the gameplay mechanics detract from the overall atmospheric experience. While the game excels in artistic presentation and mood, opinions vary on its effectiveness in delivering genuine horror and tension.
- “It had this achingly beautiful emotional and atmospheric core that informed everything from the sound design to the character development, and it pulls you in and drags you along in the best way.”
- “The atmosphere really shines through spectacularly and strange scenes and eerie happenings await you at almost every turn of a corridor or room—causing unease as you walk about the ship.”
- “The game's greatest strength lies in its masterful use of atmosphere and environmental storytelling.”
- “Sadly, it doesn't have the same atmosphere as the first part.”
- “There is no atmosphere with this game compared to the first.”
- “The atmosphere here is lacking the dread that helps to build suspense.”
gameplay
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
68%
13%
The gameplay of "Layers of Fear 2" is primarily characterized as a walking simulator with a focus on exploration, atmospheric storytelling, and puzzle-solving, though it has been criticized for its reliance on predictable jump scares and frustrating chase sequences. While some players appreciate the immersive visuals and voice acting, others find the mechanics repetitive and the narrative difficult to follow, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. Despite its artistic ambitions, many reviewers feel that the gameplay lacks depth and can become monotonous, detracting from the horror elements that the game aims to deliver.
- “It doesn't take many minutes of gameplay before you'll realize that the team behind this game has put a lot of effort and passion into making one of the best horror games ever made.”
- “While the gameplay itself is not particularly innovative, it serves its purpose of propelling the narrative forward and maintaining a sense of unease.”
- “The obnoxious gameplay and cheap attempt at 'scares' through loud noises and forced chases just make this one way more annoying than it's worth investing time in.”
- “The gameplay is where things suffer: there's the odd puzzle every now and then, chase sections but 80% of the game is just walking from one end of a hallway to another over and over again.”
- “Gameplay wise, they know how to do a walking simulator, but when they tried to go away from that, the gameplay design was weak and it actually took away from the atmosphere when I kept dying which was a big no-no - they didn't fully know how to link gameplay to natural progression.”
music
81 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
42%
4%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its haunting and immersive qualities that enhance the atmosphere, while others found it lacking compared to the first installment. Some players highlighted the soundtrack as a standout feature, describing it as beautifully composed and fitting for the game's eerie setting, while others criticized it for being monotonous or sparse, leading to moments of emptiness. Overall, the sound design and music contribute significantly to the game's ambiance, though opinions vary on its effectiveness in building tension and emotional depth.
- “The soundtrack and sound design I thought was amazing, and I think whoever composed the music is brilliant!”
- “This incredible immersive experience feels like an interactive haunted house with fantastic ambience, music, voice acting, and effects.”
- “The music was a mixture of calming and haunting, which I thought fit the atmosphere of the game pretty well.”
- “I couldn't feel the mystery of the first game in the second game; while the emotional music in the first game overly impressed the player, the music in this game was monotonous to me.”
- “Little to no music, nearly everything is in black and white, and the atmosphere is lazily stapled together last-minute.”
- “A huge part of the game also lacks any music; silence is good for a while, but after some time it just feels empty, not scary or foreboding.”
emotional
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
95%
14%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its well-developed characters and a deeply engaging story that resonates with players, often evoking strong feelings and reflections on personal trauma. While some reviews praise the game's ability to simulate complex emotions and create a haunting atmosphere, others note a decline in emotional impact compared to its predecessor, with mixed opinions on the effectiveness of its narrative and music. Overall, the game is recognized for its artistic storytelling and emotional depth, though experiences may vary significantly among players.
- “Lof1 had fantastic art, an emotional story with well-developed and nuanced characters you care about, amazing sound design, and some really neat tricks that simulate the feeling of actually losing your mind.”
- “It had this achingly beautiful emotional and atmospheric core that informed everything from the sound design to the character development, and it pulls you in and drags you along in the best way.”
- “This heartbreaking story is even better than the first one; those developers really know how to do horror games and narrate artistically through amazing storytelling.”
- “The puzzles serve no purpose, and the story is boring. I found myself rushing through it just to get to a scare, but when I finally did, it wasn't even really a scare.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters is lacking, making it hard to connect with their struggles.”
- “I expected a gripping narrative, but instead, I felt detached and uninterested in the characters' fates.”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The game's replayability is mixed among users; while some find it limited with only a few endings and a short playtime, others appreciate the new game+ feature that allows for additional playthroughs to explore different choices and collect achievements. Overall, players who enjoy uncovering all story elements and outcomes may find sufficient replay value, but it may not appeal to those seeking a more extensive experience.
- “This game, with the added new game+ option, adds tons of replayability.”
- “There is replay value because there is a new game +, so you can find missing collectibles and make different choices from those that you made in your first playthrough.”
- “Since choices can be made near the end of each chapter, there is a good amount of replayability with this title for those that wish to experience every possible outcome.”
- “But 16 euros for a roughly 4-hour game with little replay value (2 other endings) is a bit much in my opinion.”
- “Unless you are ending and achievement hunting, this game lacks replay value and can be finished well within 10 hours.”
- “The only issue that I have with this game is its story, as it will take multiple playthroughs to fully understand it, which I suppose was done for replayability purposes, though I'm not so sure as to how replayable this game is in comparison to the first game.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking in engagement, with repetitive environments and a story that fails to captivate. While some moments add tension, the frequent shifts in setting and the overall pacing detract from the experience, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite these criticisms, some reviewers still recommend the game for its improved story and new game+ feature.
- “Very boring and tedious, I forced myself through most of it but I accidentally deleted my save game, so yeah, no thanks.”
- “The second act was pretty tedious, and I thought, okay, maybe it's just a bad act, let's keep going.”
- “The story did not interest me and I found it mostly tedious and bland.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
Overall, the optimization of the game received mixed feedback. While some players reported smooth performance with no stuttering or frame rate drops, others experienced issues like stuttering and felt the game was poorly optimized. Despite these discrepancies, many acknowledged improvements in graphics and gameplay mechanics compared to previous iterations.
- “Game is well optimized but so far in the narration I have no clue where the story goes, I'm lost.”
- “Performance runs just fine; no problems whatsoever.”
- “Poorly optimized :(”
- “Aside from some stuttering, no technical problems so far.”
- “It's literally the same exact core concept with a new/better story, improved gameplay mechanics, significantly upgraded graphics, and better performance.”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is derived from its amusing puzzles and the predictability of its scares, which often leads to more laughter than fear. Players find the chase sequences unintentionally funny due to their silliness, and while the voice acting can be hit or miss, it occasionally adds to the comedic experience. Overall, the humor tends to overshadow the intended horror elements.
- “It was funny to play in different movies.”
- “Funny puzzles.”
- “Questionable but sometimes interesting/funny voice acting.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game appears to be inconsistent among users; some report frequent freezes, bugs, and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly in specific areas like mazes and puzzles. Conversely, others praise the game for running flawlessly without any issues, highlighting its impressive graphics.
- “Game freezes in the room where you watch the film.”
- “Some of the mazes, chases, and puzzles were just buggy, and I ended up getting stuck constantly due to a bunch of jank.”
- “Too many glitches.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development is highlighted as a key strength, contributing to the game's emotional and atmospheric depth, though some users feel that the protagonist lacks intrigue. Overall, the character arcs are engaging but may not resonate equally with all players.
- “It had this achingly beautiful emotional and atmospheric core that informed everything from the sound design to the character development, and it pulls you in and drags you along in the best way.”