Is Layers of Fear a Good Game?

What do you get when a small team plays the infamous PT and wants to make something out of it? Something like Layers of Fear, an indie horror game I played on a whim and am very glad I did. This is a game that starts out rather normally, before quickly spiraling down into deeper levels of insanity, showing just how messed up the human mind can get. It's not one of the big names, but it is one of the most memorable horror games I’ve ever played. And here is why.

10. Graphics

Paint dominates this decent-looking game

Graphically Layers of Fear looks good and gets the job done, it just doesn’t look quite as good as modern games. Which is to be expected of course when it isn’t a modern game, but worth noting. Its use of colors and imagery makes up for this a fair bit though, as many locations within the game are extremely eye-catching. 

9. Gameplay

Look at the VR, it exists I guess

As you would expect from a more exploration-focused horror game, the actual gameplay is light here. It's just the usual walking around and examining/collecting things, with the occasional puzzle. If you want more actual game to play, you won’t really find it here, as the bulk of its enjoyment is found in other areas. 

8. Horror

Okay, who put blood in the paint?

There is a lot of horror in this game unsurprisingly, but more of it is of the type I prefer. That being the sort that messes with your head instead of simple jump scares. That isn’t to say there aren’t moments that will make you jump, but Layers of Fear, true to its name, will give you many things to think about. And that’s a very strong point in its favor. 

7. Difficulty

A broken screaming painting, nothing to see here

Aside from an occasion tricky puzzle element, there really isn’t much overly hard here. You may have to look up how to reach the various endings as some of that isn’t the clearest in the game, but otherwise, you’ll face little issues here. Barring the creepy factor preventing you from progressing. 

6. Characters

Artwork depicting two characters that hints at what lies beneath the surface

There aren’t a lot of characters in Layers of Fear, and with none really having names that’s probably a good thing. Of note, there’s the painter you play as, his wife, and their young daughter. And that’s pretty much it, anyone else doesn’t have too much significance. 

As for these three, they don’t seem too bad at first. A struggling painter, his seemingly loving wife, and their young daughter. Well about that….

5. Story Out in the Open (spoilers from here on out)

Okay, weird floating heads, something’s definitely wrong here

So yeah, that painter…. turns out he’s kind of nuts. It starts with a dog he seems to have killed before spiraling into a series of progressively more messed up paintings. This culminates in his wife burning the paintings and leaving with their daughter, ignoring his attempts to convince her otherwise.

Without going into a ton of detail on what follows, the painter loses himself further and with his wife’s death, is alone in his house with his madness. It is thus unclear how much of what you are seeing when playing through his eyes is real, but it is nonetheless disturbing. 

4. Fun Factor

Welcome to a creepy abandoned house, you’ll have loads of fun

If the way I’ve described the game so far sounds interesting to you, then you should have fun playing this game. The slower exploration isn’t for everyone, but as evidenced by the large number of games like this, it has enough of an audience. And for those people, this is a very solid game to play.

3. Music

It's getting creepier in here and that music doesn’t help

From a soundtrack I didn’t remember too much off the top of my head, turning it back on instantly brings back memories. It is largely atmospheric as you’d expect, but it sets a perfect eerie atmosphere that compliments the game very well. High points here for sure.

Layers Of Fear - Official Soundtrack

2. Replayability

Oh yeah, there’s a remake

Revisiting? Well, there are the other endings, which you do have to replay if you want to achieve all three (or just watch the others on YouTube like I did). It is worth mentioning the recent “remake” though. I haven’t played it yet but from what I’ve heard it's kind of a weird mashup of this game and its sequel while being a sequel to both. Yeah, it's weird.

Then there’s the Inheritance DLC, where you play as the painter’s daughter years later when she’s an adult. This is a solid piece of DLC that delves more into the minds of all three characters, and its true ending still gives me chills when I hear the final line. Definitely check it out if you enjoyed the base game.

1. Story Behind the Layers

So that’s who put blood in the paint

So about the painter’s dead wife and all the blood…. yep, it's all but confirmed he used her remains to make his failed paintings. Skin canvas, blood paint, hair paintbrush. It's very messed up, but it also shows the painter’s state of mind. To him, using his wife’s body to immortalize her was the perfect way to honor her memory, especially after the fire scarred her physical body. He would have her remembered as beautiful, the way he remembered her.

And then the endings, both in the base game and DLC, further prove this point. Only one of these six endings is a proper good ending for the family without a hint of the insanity returning. As the daughter puts it at the end of the DLC “People say insanity runs in my family. Let it run.”

So in the end, Layers of Fear is a tragic tale of how desire for perfection can ruin not just the artist’s life, but those of those close to him. Aiming for perfection shouldn’t consume everything, or you will end up like this. At least it makes for a good game.

Score: 9.5/10

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