Layers of fear game review
My only real complaint within the sound department was the voice acting, which was incredibly hit or miss.
From harrowing dissonant clashes, to the soft soothing sounds of minimalist piano music, the score always felt on point and captured the onscreen intensity. As you make your way through the many winding corridors, piercing scratches and cries will bleed from the controller, catching you off guard and adding to the suspense. The title really shines in its sound department, implementing the DualShock 4’s internal speaker to add an extra layer of immersion. An abundance of jump scares also soured the experience for me, leaving me rolling my eyes in distaste. Due to this, the game struggled to have the same hold on me as Alien Isolation did for example, where I felt like I could have been snatched at any moment.
#LAYERS OF FEAR GAME REVIEW SIMULATOR#
The game is essentially a walking simulator where you progress from one horrific set piece to the next, there is no possible way to be killed apart from falling and there are no enemies in your path to cause harm. I guess this was due to the fact that it never felt like I was truly in danger. Sure, it's undeniably creepy, featuring some horrifically vivid images that I’m probably not going to forget anytime soon, but I never felt truly overwhelmed by fear. What is largely disappointing is that Layers of Fear struggles to live up to its reputation as an unplayably scary game. Each horrific encounter is meaningful and symbolic of the aftermath of the artist’s actions. The atmosphere is always incredibly unsettling and you’ll often find yourself pausing to try and find the courage to proceed. Objects will begin to levitate, doors will slam before you and distressed cries will fill the air. Core gameplay involves exploring the mansion, combing every inch for clues and watching the chaos unfold around you. What is a nice touch however, is that each chapter is signified by its own eerie painting. Chapter titles such as “Paint”, “Canvas” and “Brush” offer very little to the imagination, which is pretty ironic for a game primarily focused on creativity. The story is divided into six main stages that can be conveniently accessed from the title menu. These collectables allow the player to delve deep into the artist's’ psyche and uncover the chilling underlying narrative. This is done by examining a number of letters, objects and paintings that are scattered across the sprawling Victorian mansion. As players begin they are literally left in the dark to try and piece together the result of the protagonist's actions. Layers of Fear follows an artist’s descent into madness, attempting to overcome his writer’s block and paint his final masterpiece.
#LAYERS OF FEAR GAME REVIEW SERIES#
The main challenge you’ll encounter along the nauseating thrill ride that is Layers of Fear is not intensely difficult gameplay, or a series of challenging puzzles, but instead an internal struggle to keep both eyes glued to the screen. Reviews // 25th Feb 2016 - 6 years ago // By Kieran Harris Layers of Fear Reviewįeeling trippier than LSD for the PlayStation, Layers of Fear bends your sense of reality and leaves you stranded in a perpetual maze of wooden doors.