Fear served as a layered cake

Introduction

Halloween month continues, so after playing The Medium, a while back. I decided to dig up two more Bloober Team horror titles, from my massive digital library. I think I bought these on a whim, ending up in my backlog and staying there since.

A common feature for these games: they're essentially, what has become popular described as, walking sims. Games such as Firewatch, Gone Home, Dear Esther, Edith Finch etc. Typically, you wander about and investigate the surroundings, with no combat or constant gameplay interaction. I wouldn’t call them playable movies either, much associated with the terrible FMV titles in the early 90s, more of a playable story. Not a genre I’m massively into, but they are a nice change of pace now and then.

A cool note about performance: both games have an uncapped framerate option and a field of view slider. A nice feature to have if you have the brand new consoles, letting you play them in 60fps with a better viewpoint!

Let’s take a look at both releases.

Review

Played on: Xbox Series X
Released: 2016

The first game arrives at an old, Victorian mansion. A timeless, classic horror setting. Here, we learn that we're playing as a painter, which wants to make his final perfect piece of art. Viewed in first person, roaming about the empty mansion leaves us clues as to what happened prior to our arrival. As we delve into this story, we find notes and objects that trigger dialogues and flashbacks.

It’s a simple layout, utilising few buttons on the controller, other than movement and interacting with objects. As you progress through the mansion, it slowly begins changing around you. Recreating for the player, the madness which the artist sank into, as he tried to create his perfect painting.

For quick jump scares, Layers of Fear does a decent job, throwing moments like crashing noises, sudden appearances of objects, stuff breaking loudly and so on, at the player. The layout, however, is a bit more bothersome, it all feels very linear. You're simply led from one clue to the next. The sudden jump scares never let the atmosphere settle either: suddenly you’re shocked by an event and before your heart rate settles, you're led into the next room with yet another scare.

It’s an intense three hour experience for sure, probably best played in one session, but it really never lets you settle down. These few hours of playthrough, feel more than enough, as you finally breath out at the end credits. You feel like you're led through a story, and I get that's the point of the genre, but perhaps let the atmosphere of the world sink in a bit more before throwing you into the next scene and so forth? Herein lies it’s problem.

Sure, there are certainly a few elements I enjoyed about LOF and I was scared quite a bit at the beginning, but after a while I just grew accustomed to its constant scares. I just didn’t feel frightened anymore. High points or, in this case of a horror game, scares, need low points. Calm periods of time, where you settle into a comfort zone and begin building courage again. Without these breathing spaces it just stays on full pressure and it loses its effect.

Confusingly, the story unfolds early on, and at the end of the day, was I really any richer for what I had experienced at the end? I even played the extended story, from the artists daughters point of view, the Inheritance DLC, and became a little wiser on how she had experienced the whole madness of her father. But alas, at the ending it didn’t really feel like it had added much of anything.

For a low price point and short playthrough of three hours, I can’t complain too much. It’s a neat way to get scared and doesn't require heavy gameplay engagement from the player, it can just be enjoyed at a casual pace.

I wanted to like it more, I enjoyed the visual style and it’s setting, but it’s a very shallow experience at the end of the day.

Review

Played on: Xbox Series X
Released: 2019

The second Layers of Fear, unrelated in it's story to the first game, takes place on an old ocean liner with a clear nautical theme. Giving visual resemblances to the Titanic era of ships. While the first game delved into the mind of a painter, the second delves into the mind of a movie director. Again, a focus of being inside a crazy artist’s mind.

Gameplay is very alike LOF1, with a first person view and an interact button. A neat hub room is introduced at the beginning, from here you access each of the movies the director made and delve into it’s crazy world. Finishing a movie chapter returns you to this hub, which is a fancy boat cabin, where items like sound rolls, movie posters and other collectibles can be viewed.

This sequel throws slightly more gameplay at you, while still heavily receding in the walking sim genre. There are more elaborate puzzles and some scenes where you must escape an enemy. This felt, at least, a little more interactive and for the better. While modestly used, it’s an improvement over the first game.

Whereas the first game lasted three hours, LOF2 clocks in at about five. In my opinion, an hour too much. Again, we're trapped in an increasingly maddening world and a five hour entrapment within it, feels a little exhausting. It still retains the problem of never letting the player calm down and relax. Although, the returns to your ship cabin between chapters, does ease the pressure slightly. 

While cool for the artistic effect of an old movie, there’s also a lot of the game in black and white. I understand the usage, but it outstays its welcome at certain points.

Overall, I felt LOF2 was better in most parts. The added gameplay elements were a nice addition, but it doesn’t really justify it dragging on. I preferred the more unique ocean liner setting too. It retains itself to the same complaints as the first game, mostly so, is the  confusing plot and lack of a memorable ending.

Again, a title worth playing through for a reasonable price, if you're into horror and want something linear and quick to complete. Maybe on this one, I’d recommend taking a break between each chapter. Much like the first: an average experience at best.

Summary

Both games are very similar and while they don't objectively stand as strong titles, I did enjoy them. The art style and visual presentation is unique and well done. With some incredible locations, blending a classic vintage look with an unsettling vibe.

At the end of the day, they work as short experiences. Just don't expect anything life changing. If you enjoy horror, you'll find something to enjoy here. If you have to pick just one of them, go for LOF2.