![]() The scattered film equipment and chalk marks on the floor you eventually find in various rooms would clue you in as such. You’d be forgiven for believing that you’re there at the behest of your agent in order to shoot a big Hollywood production. In Layers of Fear 2, you take on the role of an actor, brought aboard the ocean liner Icarus Transatlantic. The original game placed you in the shoes of an alcoholic painter who stopped at nothing to create his magnum opus. The Layers of Fear games are all about good art gone bad. And don’t worry about messing things up you may get a second chance. Oh, be sure to listen to the director’s instructions, but you are free to improvise if the inspiration strikes you. The ship sways and sighs as waves crash against its hull. Around you are clues, forgotten artifacts whispering of a life deserted - then rebuilt, time and again. Glancing inside the various rooms, you see discarded clothes and belongings. You stand alone in a long hallway of a seemingly derelict ship. Your motivation: discovering and, perhaps, accepting the tragedy of your past. ![]() These, along with references to classic horror movies and the use of all-too-adult themes regarding blame, regret, guilt, and shame make this a memorable psychological horror adventure that's well worth the experience.The scene: Layers of Fear 2. The prospect of being chased keeps tension high, dream sequences provide much-needed weirdness, and the gravelly narration by Tony Todd (of Candyman fame) is sure to get horror fans' hearts racing. Still, despite covering some fairly familiar ground, horror fans will enjoy when the game makes them tip-toe. Add to that the prevalence of darkness, things jumping out from the dark, scary, sometimes moving mannequins, and sprays of blood, and this is not a game for younger kids.) Players on the Switch may also want to use the Pro controller instead of the analog nubs, which aren't the most precise when it comes to shooting sequences or the quick reflex moments were analog drift can result in restarting a section all over again. (Note: along with disturbing dialog, visuals suggest and show kids in serious peril. Without spoiling anything, let's just say it involves a specific kind of disaster and the workings of a highly dysfunctional family. The story will feel like a bit of a re-tread too. Fans of the first game will anticipate the jump scares fairly easily, and that lowers their impact. While this kind of gameplay's expertly done, the problem is that scares aren't scary when you know they're coming. All too soon, it's hard to tell the difference between reality and nightmare. The more doors you open and clues you find, the stranger things get. ![]() Clues to your outer and inner lives pop up in the form of messages from your agent and notes to yourself. As in the original Layers of Fear, the main character's got some issues that need working out. This survival-horror sequel does a fairly good job of walking the tightrope of familiarity and innovation, but lacking the surprise of its predecessor, could feel like “too much of the same.” There's something inherently spooky in Layers of Fear 2 about cruise ships, especially the Art Deco ships of the 1930's, and the claustrophobic hallways, moody lighting, and cage-style elevators set the stage for horror.
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