Layers of Fear (2023) Review

The first Layers of Fear title appeared in 2016, followed by some meaty DLC. Then, in 2019, Layers of Fear 2 appeared, running a shared universe but in a different setting with different characters. Now Layers of Fear (2023) is here, bringing the two games together, plus some additional content, to create a new package of horror. 

Layer of Fear (2023) is not a remaster or a remake, but rather a horror reimagining. There is a whole new graphical engine in play with Unreal Engine 5, new gameplay techniques, and a new chapter set in a lighthouse, bringing the narratives together. It’s scary, original and you’ll want to lap it all up. 

Layers of Fear (2023) can best be described as an immersive horror experience and puzzle adventure. In this reimagining, the game starts with a woman who is staying in a lighthouse, working on her next novel. She is a troubled writer, working through the anxieties of what to do next. Slowly her world gets haunted by a presence that frightens her, before ultimately inspiring her. Then we travel through her words into the first game. 

The first chapter is set in an early 20th-century lavish home, focusing on a painter, his wife, and their daughter. The painter is haunted by his life, his failures, and his artwork. It’s a deep dive into the madness of an artist’s life and the effect it has on his mental health and family. There are two bits of DLC to go with this, covering the points of view of the daughter and wife. The storytelling is largely visual, working an abstract, deeply disturbing journey through someone’s madness. It is as brilliant now as it was when I first played it; deeply disturbing. 

The second chapter is set on a liner in the ocean. You play an actor who has come to shoot a movie by a famous eccentric director who loves his artists to be immersed in their roles. What takes place is a horrific journey that examines the world of film and fantasy. In terms of storytelling, there’s a definite progression from the first game, much more experimental in what is achieved through the visual storytelling of the game. Again, what plays out is deeply disturbing, but it is full of genius moments that will keep your heart pumping. Overall, placing these two games together with a new chapter working as a bridge between them is very clever and works excellently throughout. 

Gameplay wise and what is found in Layers of Fear (2023), especially in the initial incidents, works very much like a walking sim; you move through a linear (even though it’s a very twisted linear) pathway. In the second game, there are many more puzzles and different inventions in the gameplay. A new addition in this reimagining is the addition of a torch or lantern to give light. This can be used to hold back a monster or apparition that is hunting you. In the second game, it is used to move mannequins in a very clever and unique way. The game seamlessly adds new touches to the gameplay and to all the chapters on offer. Frankly, everything about Layers of Fear (2023) is inventive and intriguing throughout. 

The game has had a visual upgrade with the introduction of Unreal Engine 5 and our old friend, Ray Tracing. The lighting is amazing, as are the textures throughout. As I said before, the visual storytelling of this game is as important as the text you find throughout. And my word does it do an amazing job. Strange visions blur realities and wonderful rooms change rapidly, transforming into something else. Yet if I had to list my favourite visual moments it would be the pages of notes. However, strangely, In the second chapter there are still a few – very quick – loading screens, which is odd as none of the other chapters have any.

The soundscore is enchanting, powerful, and epic in its scale. Amazing strings enhance the soft melody moments to emphasise the emotion of the story, whilst tense tunes build up for the intense chase scenes. The effects are brilliant, very much as you would expect from a horror game, and playing with your headphones on or working a decent audio set-up is pretty much essential. The voice work is brilliant, and we need to drop a shout-out to the actress in the new chapter. 

I have problems going back to beloved games, especially those that are being delivered in the form of a remake or glossy shine-up – these things are never as good as you remember. But perhaps those thoughts need reconsidering as alongside the brilliant remakes of Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space comes Layers of Fear (2023). This reimagining weaves in new ideas, new content, and visual upgrades with aplomb; a genius move. 

If you are still to play Layers of Fear then you are in for a treat with Layers of Fear (2023). And even if you have played it before, you should head back in and be terrified once more.