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The Sinking City

The Sinking City is well worth playing for the initial rhythm of its casework and the freshness of its setting, but its mechanics, like its mystery, end up flooded.
The Sinking City Game Cover
70%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
stability, grinding
73% User Score Based on 1,942 reviews
Critic Score 62%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

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The Sinking City Game Cover

About

The Sinking City is a single player open world role playing shooter game with horror and mystery themes. It was developed by Frogwares and was released on March 11, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"The Sinking City Deluxe Edition" is a mystery adventure game set in a 1920s semi-open world, inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft. As private investigator Charles Reed, you'll explore a flooded city, combat supernatural creatures, and uncover a dark conspiracy. The Deluxe Edition includes a digital art book, soundtrack, and additional missions.

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The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
The Sinking City screenshot
+9
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73%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,942 reviews
story438 positive mentions
stability89 negative mentions
  • The atmosphere, story, character dialogue, and voice acting are all phenomenal, creating a captivating Lovecraftian experience.
  • The moral choices present genuine dilemmas rather than simple good/evil prompts, adding depth to the narrative.
  • The investigation mechanics are engaging, requiring players to piece together clues and make their own deductions.
  • The game suffers from clunky combat mechanics and limited enemy variety, making encounters feel repetitive and unsatisfying.
  • The open world feels empty and lacks meaningful interactions, with many locations being copy-pasted and offering little reward for exploration.
  • Technical issues, including crashes and performance problems, detract from the overall experience.
  • story
    1,435 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "The Sinking City" is widely praised for its engaging narrative and immersive atmosphere, drawing heavily from Lovecraftian themes and lore. Players appreciate the depth of the main storyline and the intriguing side quests, although many note that the side missions often devolve into repetitive fetch quests that detract from the overall experience. While the choices made throughout the game can feel impactful, they often lead to similar endings, leaving some players wanting more substantial consequences for their decisions. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of detective stories and cosmic horror, despite its gameplay flaws.

    • “The narrative is engaging and dark, full of twisted characters, moral dilemmas, and psychological tension that make the story unforgettable.”
    • “The story unfolds like a tattered newspaper found in an alley—half ripped, half terrifying, and you can’t stop reading.”
    • “The story is definitely intriguing, and unraveling it through the various documents hidden in archives and in abandoned, decaying houses really makes you want to dig deeper into Oakmont’s lore.”
    • “The story is not explained well.”
    • “The story is straight-up Lovecraft; and it is done well.”
    • “The story is thin and when the cases aren't swerving from one plot point to another without a satisfying denouement, it feels like it's jangling keys at Lovecraft aficionados going 'hey kids! Remember this from that story?'”
  • gameplay
    619 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay in "The Sinking City" is a mixed bag, praised for its engaging investigative mechanics and atmospheric storytelling, but criticized for repetitive tasks and clunky combat. Players appreciate the depth of the detective work, including clue gathering and the mind palace mechanic, but many find the combat unsatisfying and the overall gameplay loop monotonous. While the game offers a unique Lovecraftian experience, its technical issues and lack of polish detract from the enjoyment, making it more appealing to fans of the genre than to those seeking refined gameplay.

    • “Gameplay mechanics, including clue gathering, questioning suspects, and combat, are smooth and well-balanced.”
    • “The investigation mechanics are a nice touch, forcing you to piece together clues and form theories rather than just following a linear quest path.”
    • “The gameplay is varied and engaging, immersing the player in the investigation of unspeakable horrors.”
    • “The theme and writing aren't terrible (honestly some of the better Lovecraftian writing in games), but the gameplay just runs out of new ideas about halfway through and it slowly becomes fetch quests and just waiting to get the game over with.”
    • “There are so many problems with its gameplay, especially repetitive combat against the same 4 types of enemies, the over-reliance on the crafting system, and the overused repetitive level layouts.”
    • “The combat is clunky and unsatisfying, the investigation mechanics are repetitive, and the story loses steam fast with wooden dialogue and forgettable choices.”
  • atmosphere
    410 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "The Sinking City" is widely praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, effectively capturing the essence of Lovecraftian horror through its detailed world-building, moody visuals, and unsettling sound design. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of dread and mystery, making exploration feel engaging despite some repetitive gameplay elements. Overall, the atmosphere stands out as the game's strongest feature, drawing players into its haunting narrative and richly crafted environment.

    • “The atmosphere, story, character dialogue, and voice acting are all phenomenal.”
    • “The sinking city is a unique and atmospheric detective game that brilliantly combines investigation, horror, and Lovecraftian mystery.”
    • “The atmosphere is its strongest point: oppressive, foggy streets, eerie locations, and a sense of dread that permeates the entire experience.”
    • “Even the fog and rain effects, which should support the atmosphere, are ridiculously low-quality.”
    • “The atmosphere is bleak and boring; the city doesn't have any interesting and cool places.”
    • “The problem with the sinking city is that the amount of errors, bugs, and aesthetic sloppiness prevent that lovecraftian atmosphere from fully forming.”
  • graphics
    275 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "The Sinking City" have received mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric visuals that effectively capture the Lovecraftian aesthetic and enhance the game's eerie setting. While some players appreciate the remastered version's improvements and the overall art style, others criticize the graphics for being dated, inconsistent, and plagued by bugs, which detracts from the experience. Overall, the visuals are generally considered decent but not groundbreaking, with performance issues noted on various hardware setups.

    • “The visuals are fantastic and perfectly capture the eerie atmosphere you’d expect from a Lovecraft-inspired world.”
    • “Built in Unreal Engine 5, the remastered edition doesn’t simply upscale textures or improve resolution—it completely overhauls the aesthetic quality of Oakmont, the game’s decaying, rain-soaked city at the heart of its cosmic horror narrative.”
    • “The graphics are stunning and truly transport the player to the decaying streets of Oakmont, where the very fabric of reality is unraveling.”
    • “The graphics are quite dated and some of the faces just look really bad.”
    • “The game held so much promise, but after playing it for a few minutes I realized that graphics were not getting any better, which were about as good as the best games on the Commodore 64.”
    • “The graphics are pretty low-res even when turned up to the highest, and the player character has really odd glitches like the rifle and shotgun being held at a weird angle.”
  • stability
    92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting numerous bugs and glitches, including character clipping, freezing during combat, and inconsistent performance. While some found the experience enjoyable despite these issues, others described it as a "buggy mess" that detracted from the overall gameplay. Overall, while the game runs well on platforms like Steam Deck, it remains plagued by technical problems that can significantly impact the experience.

    • “The final version of the game is indeed more bug-free, although there are still some crazy things happening that make you laugh at what algorithm possessed the game at certain points.”
    • “Great game and runs smoothly on Steam Deck.”
    • “Big bonus points: it runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “It's a buggy tedious mess.”
    • “The game often feels unfinished and buggy, with NPCs clipping in and out of existence.”
    • “The map was big but practically empty, the visual glitches would literally blot out the sky on occasion, I fell through two staircases and couldn't get out.”
  • grinding
    91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive due to excessive backtracking, clunky combat, and a lack of engaging content in the open world. While some appreciated the detective mechanics and the novelty of marking their own map objectives, the overall experience was often marred by the slow pace and the need for constant resource management, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite its intriguing atmosphere and story, the gameplay's grindy nature may deter players seeking a more dynamic experience.

    • “It made 100%-ing the game actually really easy and not all that tedious.”
    • “Combat is a little clunky, diving is a little tedious, and it would be nice to cast some of the spells from the mythos at some point.”
    • “Grinding can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “It's tedious.”
    • “The walking/driving around felt tedious.”
    • “Unfortunately, the combat is clunky and the amount of running back and forth you end up doing becomes so tedious and unfun I almost quit the game.”
  • optimization
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the remastered version has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players reporting frequent stuttering, frame rate drops, and crashes, even on high-end hardware. While some users noted improvements in visuals and the addition of upscaling technologies, the overall performance remains inconsistent and often disappointing, leading many to question the game's stability and playability. Despite the potential for a great experience, the technical issues significantly detract from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The addition of DLSS, FSR, and TSR upscaling support allows for smoother performance across a variety of hardware configurations, making the remaster more accessible and stable.”
    • “The remastered version looks fairly nice, but there's clear issues with the optimization.”
    • “With modern GPU support, improved software optimization, enhanced lighting and textures — their beloved game is finally back, polished and proud.”
    • “The game's biggest downside is its terrible optimization.”
    • “Constant stuttering, sudden FPS drops, and technical issues never leave you alone.”
    • “This remaster has been left in a broken, unoptimized state; frame generation is broken, performance is a mess, and the developers have been silent for months, only interested in selling us the sequel.”
  • music
    80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is primarily ambient, creating a moody and unsettling atmosphere that enhances the overall experience, though it often lacks variety and memorability. While some players appreciate the eerie soundscapes that contribute to the game's Lovecraftian themes, others find the soundtrack unremarkable and overly repetitive. Overall, the sound design effectively complements the game's visuals and narrative, but the music itself may not stand out as a highlight.

    • “The soundtrack and sound design heighten the creepy, unsettling atmosphere, making the game feel alive and threatening at every turn.”
    • “The eerie music and dark ambience with super grotesque monsters sent shivers down my spine.”
    • “The overall vibe from this game was chilling; the music and ambience were spot on, cosmic horror at its finest.”
    • “The music isn't anything I'd carry over by burning a CD and blasting it in my car to impress a date, but it's atmospheric enough for the game.”
    • “You're setting a game in such an evocative era, and there is so much public domain music you could use, and instead it's just droney dark ambient end to end?”
    • “The soundtrack is lonely, depressing.”
  • humor
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a blend of dark, macabre elements and self-referential jokes that often catch players off guard, creating a unique balance with its horror themes. Players appreciate the clever Easter eggs, funny dialogue, and absurd situations, such as NPCs floating or responding in unison, which add a layer of comedic relief amidst the chaos. However, some find the humor can detract from immersion, especially when technical glitches lead to amusing but distracting moments.

    • “But if you are a massive nerd like me and have an eye for detail, I promise you will fall off your chair laughing at more than one Easter egg from this brilliant and crazy team of developers.”
    • “The art of detection isn't rocket science here, the story isn't hugely unsurprising, the denizens of this city are hilariously unphased by its imminent demise and the presence of a lot of nasty things.”
    • “Also, make sure you don't shoot the monsters in the streets as this rather hilariously has people yell 'he's gone mad!' and then the cops open fire on you instead of the towering monster slaying the local population.”
  • replayability
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is mixed, with some players appreciating the multiple endings and branching storylines that encourage different playthroughs, while others feel that the overall replay value is limited after a few runs. Despite this, many find the engaging detective gameplay and character interactions worth revisiting, even if the replay incentive isn't strong for everyone. Overall, it offers a decent level of replayability primarily through choice-driven outcomes.

    • “With multiple endings and several choices in how to resolve investigations, the replay value is good.”
    • “It's also very replayable with a lot of different branching storylines and many different outcomes and ways to approach choices.”
    • “Not a lot of replay value beyond a couple runs through the campaign, but I still think this game is well worth purchasing and experiencing firsthand.”
    • “I don't recommend the game due to the entire lack of replay value, interesting content, and the legal tomfoolery going on.”
    • “Overall, combat aside, it's a great experience where you are the protagonist of a very well-written Lovecraftian story, with three different endings (all selectable at the last moment regardless of your actions in the story) and several options in your investigations that encourage some replayability.”
  • emotional
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its immersive environment that enhances feelings of dread and mystery, though some players find the story lacking depth. While the game offers a challenging experience that can evoke strong emotions, technical issues like poor facial animations detract from player empathy. However, moments of relatability, such as the protagonist's reflections on university life, resonate with players and contribute to a more engaging emotional experience.

    • “These enhancements create a significantly more immersive environment where every corner feels oppressive and alive with mystery, amplifying the emotional weight and dread that defines the game’s tone.”
    • “If you are ready for a challenge, both mentally and emotionally, then I highly recommend diving into the depths of the sinking city.”
    • “It was particularly heart-warming to hear the main character's opinion on studying at university, because I'm a student myself, but rarely appreciate being one.”
    • “Too boring story”
    • “Heart touching”
  • monetization
    9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players criticizing the DLCs as blatant cash grabs and expressing frustration over the lack of promised features like DLSS support in the remastered version. While some appreciate the absence of ads and proper regional pricing on Steam, concerns about the game's overall value and integrity persist, with accusations of it being a quick cash grab and issues related to unauthorized content use. Overall, players feel conflicted, enjoying the game itself but wary of its monetization practices.

    • “But for what it's worth, this version is solid, with no game-breaking bugs as far as I can tell, no crashing, no ads.”
    • “But the DLCs are just blatant cash grabs.”
    • “I really want to like this game, but at the end of the day, I still think this game is a cash grab.”
    • “--: publishing a game without consent of involved parties and doing a quick cash grab on customers is just plain scam.”
  • character development
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while the character designs and animations are praised for their vividness and immersion, the overall system lacks depth and fails to simulate meaningful growth or understanding as the game progresses. Players appreciate the unique interactions with memorable characters, but feel that the development mechanics do not fully capitalize on the potential for deeper engagement.

    • “The character design and animations are well-executed, contributing to the overall immersion in the game world.”
    • “Both world and character design seem incredibly vivid and make you feel like diving into a real parallel world.”
    • “It's an open-world RPG with loot, combat, and character development, but none of it feels right.”
    • “I wish that the character development system simulated you developing and unlocking new perception and understanding as the game advanced.”
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62%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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16h Median play time
18h Average play time
19h Main story
32h Completionist
4-33h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 23 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

The Sinking City is a open world role playing shooter game with horror and mystery themes.

The Sinking City is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

The main story can be completed in around 19 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 32 hours to finish. On average players spend around 18 hours playing The Sinking City.

The Sinking City was released on March 11, 2019.

The Sinking City was developed by Frogwares.

The Sinking City has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

The Sinking City is a single player game.

Similar games include Sherlock Holmes Chapter One, Call of Cthulhu, Atomfall, The Shore, We Happy Few and others.