You get a vague idea of the story by the second act, but even then a lot of the game is trying too hard to be mysterious. You are on the вЂshipвЂ™ and then weird stuff starts happening. Not because it was difficult вЂ“ you are just walking from room after all вЂ“ but because there is no introduction, no back story. The game is split in to five acts, the first of which was one of the most arduous slogs I have ever encountered in a video game.

Like the first game you donвЂ™t have to do much other than make your way to the next area and as thereвЂ™s only one path for you to follow, this allows developers Bloober to script in jump scares and set pieces.

That lasts all of two minutes before every rule is thrown out of a porthole and we descend into madness, opening doors to find forests, mazes, and things scuttling around in your peripheral vision. The game is superficially set on an ocean liner where the unnamed actor is about to start filming, with Candyman star Tony Todd playing an unseen and malevolent director, berating and belittling the star. It might be about a childhood trauma, an abusive father, a split personality, or an evil director, but unfortunately the voice overs and imagery are so obtuse and pretentious, itвЂ™s almost impossible to work out exactly what is going on. In a similar way, Layers of Fear 2 uses cinema to explore the psyche of an actor searching for a character. Story-focused exploration вЂ“ Only through exploring the environment can you uncover the details of the painterвЂ™s dark and tragic past.Art was at the heart of the horrors of the first Layers of Fear, as you journeyed into the dark recesses of a painterвЂ™s mind and his struggles with alcoholism.Original and classic art вЂ“ Numerous pieces of original art and music flesh out the story and environment.Victorian setting вЂ“ Explore a game world inspired by masterpiece paintings, architecture and dГ©cor from the 19th century.Psychedelic horror вЂ“ A sense of insanity means each turn of the camera may completely change the look of your surroundings.Uncover the visions, fears and horrors that entwine the painter and finish the masterpiece he has strived so long to create. Delve deep into the mind of an insane painter and discover the secret of his madness, as you walk through a vast and constantly changing Victorian-era mansion. Your Magnum Opus.Дare you help paint a true Masterpiece of Fear? Layers of Fear is a first-person psychedelic horror game with a heavy focus on story and exploration. How long has it taken to get to this point? Too long, but it doesnвЂ™t matter. That melodyвЂ¦ Was that a piano? It sounded just like herвЂ¦ But, no-that would be impossible. Your friends, critics, business partners-soon, theyвЂ™ll all see. Why havenвЂ™t you done this before? It seems so obvious in retrospect. YouвЂ™ve created countless pieces of art, but never anything likeвЂ¦this. You take another drink as the canvas looms in front of you.

Layers of fear game review