Layers of Fear - Review
Originally published April 2016There haven't been many horror games that have come out in the last year I've found to be worthy of my time and money, other than PT or SOMA. Most of the time I'd sooner just watch a YouTuber play it, being as how I don't have the cash or interest to constantly buy one game after another that promises an experience it rarely ever achieves. Layers of Fear, seemed like a walking simulator, but like PT, it showed real promise at providing a more unique experience than the rest.
It's been a while since I've done a Q&D review for a video game, mostly because I haven't played any games lately that made me want to talk about it positively or negatively in under 2000 words. Until I played Layers of Fear, that is. It's a short game, deserving of a review.
Image: Bloober
Pros
Graphics look great, though the frame rate gets a little choppy at times
Good sound design, which is crucial for horror games
Fantastic use of perspective and integrating it into the environment and the scares
Jump-scares are more thought out and not always cheap
Plenty of material you could miss
Room for more to be added along the way
Cons
The main ghost is a little too similar to PT's, from its movement down to the death animation
Some sounds are a little too common, losing immersion
Some scares are too similar to each other
Still just a walking simulator, so not always exciting or involved
Voice actor for the protagonist is over-the-top in delivery; I normally like that performance, but not when the game is trying to seriously put me on edge
Plot & Thoughts
Layers of Fear is the story of a nameless painter in a fictional era of history where the vernacular of contemporary English is used in Victorian homes that use Edison bulbs. I have no idea what time period the story is taking place since some of the paintings in the game are renderings of real paintings that existed over a hundred years ago. The style and technology of the place lead me to believe that it's supposed to be the late 1800s or early 1900s, but then contemporary phrases like "Nightmare fuel" show up in notes, so it's a bit confusing sometimes.
Regardless, you play as a nameless painter who experienced some trauma in his life with his family and is losing his grip on his sanity. Pretty straightforward, standard horror game scenario. What sets it apart is how much effort the developers put into making the themes of the premise work with the scares. When the story is focusing more on his child, there are more scares with the use of smaller shadows, dolls, and nursery chimes. While the scares related to his spouse are more related to music since she played the piano.
Image: Bloober
I won't say any more about the premise because, if you haven't seen or heard of Layers of Fear before now, it's best to know less about the game going into it. There are plenty of YouTubers out there who have already played the game to completion and if you have any interest in playing it yourself, don't spoil the atmosphere by looking ahead. Since the game is all about psychological horror and the perspective of the player, the set pieces are best left unspoiled. And again, the game's not very long.
The best part about this game is how it messes with the environment. Rooms that are upside-down one moment, right-side-up the next. There's a room you'll see looking through a window that becomes the room you're standing in as you turn around. It's clever and seamless how Layers of Fear manages to mess with your perspective as you make simple turns through the winding haunted house ride. In fact, it is very reminiscent of the classic Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland in just the overall experience of it. It's like strolling through a fun-house because, at its heart, Layers of Fear is still a walking simulator. There is the occasional puzzle, but those require very little effort. Most of what you do is just walk, pick up a key, wait for a scare, and then move on to the next room for something else to jump out at you. In that regard, it's not too involved or immersive, but if that genre of a game doesn't rub you the wrong way, it may not be a problem for your experience.
Image: Bloober
TL;DR (Conclusion)
PT revolutionized the walking simulator sub-genre of horror video games, for better or worse, and many games have followed suit. There have been plenty of crappy horror games that involve just walking from Point A to Point B. Layers of Fear, however, sets itself apart with clever scares and more realized effects. This was made by people who knew how to put the psychological aspects at play in their psychological horror game. If you aren't into this genre of game at all, I doubt Layers of Fear will do much to convince you otherwise. However, if you aren't bothered by the gameplay style, and you're looking for a simple, fun haunted house experience for a few hours and under $20, this may be worth your while.