![]() Although, the wide area to activate the door was a plus. Some items needed to be closer and others you could activate from a distance. I get that we can adjust the control sensitivity in the options menu and that having a cursor on the screen would hinder the atmosphere, but the constant dot locked on the screen and maneuvering it over the items we could interact with constantly frustrated me. However, my main issue of progression, which did get better once I got a hang of it, was the game mechanics themselves. It is not a long game, maybe 4 to 5 hours of gameplay, so I don’t quite see the point of adding complex puzzles because the focus isn’t on that. K: That’s a good point about the puzzles and the little clues that Layers of Fear uses. Again, these overused tricks become tiresome as the game begins to feel like a walking simulator with pretty images. And so begins the process of finding the right item to analyse so the game can progress and the locked door will open. It also reuses its tricks far too often for example, if you enter a room and then find that the door at the other end is locked, you’ll find that the door you entered through is also locked. I’m a fan of puzzles that need completion to continue, but here they are either far too easy, or it is a simple case of opening the right cupboard door and/or looking at the right object to progress the story, which becomes tiresome. I found progression a little frustrating though. J: They have definitely created something a bit different here, and you are spot on about how they create the tension. It proves also that the much criticized (and linked with bad games) free Unity engine can create something beautiful with the right developers who have a great concept. ![]() What does need to be mentioned here is that Layers of Fear is trying to create something different for a horror gaming experience. It is knowing when to put in haunting music or just letting the player walk in silence with the subtle wood-creaking or shattered glass sounds to create the mood. But, what creates the atmosphere? The soundtrack and background music/effects. K: The art here, even in its weirdest moments, is beautiful along with the extremely creepy atmosphere. The demented artwork lying around the constantly changing house is another nice touch. The art direction must also be highlighted, as for a game about an insane painter, this game looks great. In addition to the story, we have the creepy atmosphere that this game creates, which is fantastic, I can’t deny that. It is well written but also felt rather shallow – though I’m sure I am alone in thinking that. While the story is memorable, I felt that it could have been explored further. Then again, I know I am in the minority here as the game is rated as ‘overwhelmingly positive’ on Steam. J: I can see where you are coming from, not everybody plays video-games every day! Though during my play-through, I couldn’t find any choice in this game. ![]() For that reason, it still has the appeal of playing a game and one that we can control just like a “Choose Your Own Adventure” concept. And the other group would be audience like myself who aren’t quite as skilled in hand-eye coordination which makes constantly shooting enemies with today’s moving cameras and attacking simultaneously a challenge. Games like this open up a new audience: those that appreciate a good story and a well-crafted atmosphere. Kim: Here’s where I’d have to disagree with you, Jordan. I enjoyed those games, but honestly would have preferred to watch them as animated features. Games from the Telltale series (The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, Tales of the Borderlands) are a good example, where there is minimal player input while the game focuses on the story. Layers of Fear certainly does this well, as there is a big focus on a demented, twisted story as well as a lingering atmosphere to accompany it. This can be a good thing, as it forces developers to write decent stories to accompany their games. Jordan: Recently there has been a movement – if you could call it that… more of a trend I guess – of movies and video games moving closer together. Watch our gameplay footage and then read their review. Layers of Fear is no different, and we couldn’t come together on a single score, so Kim and Jordan got together and talked it over. Many games can be divisive, as play styles and personal investment can really have a big effect on the satisfaction. The player must navigate through both a constantly changing Victorian-era mansion and ghastly visions of the painter’s fragile and crumbling psyche. Players take control of a painter whose sole purpose is to finish his Magnum Opus. Layers of Fear is a first-person psychedelic horror game with a heavy focus on story and exploration. ![]()
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