It start with subtle things like the example above, but then it starts to push the envelope. It doesn’t try to scare you through sheer adrenaline, instead it tries to ingrain you with real fear. Situations like this are not uncommon in Layers of Fear, and that’s what makes it more unique than most horror games out there. A message is painted on the back in blood. Suddenly, one painting flies off the wall and lands beside you. You walk down this hallway and it’s lined with paintings that don’t look wrong, just off. You’re finished and go to leave, but wait, the door is gone and its been replaced by a hallway. Let’s say you walk into a room and you explore. Obviously, I won’t spoil anything, but allow me to pitch you a concept. Most horror games these days, like Soma, just throw something at you to make you run and hide, but Layers instead tries to get into your mind and scare you through doubt and literal fear. Layers of fear is a psychological horror game. Suffice to say, the game does something different with storytelling that I really enjoyed, especially when I played it with someone else. Many horror games have tried this approach where they throw out documents to give you the story, but Layers of Fear relies entirely upon it, and it adds a layer of mystery to everything you do in the game.īecause the game is so dependent on this slow trickle of story, I won’t say anything else on the subject for fear of spoilers. It makes you work for the answers you seek, and it torments you while you do it. The game often employs voice acting only when you’ve discovered something first. It’s a more passive approach to the concept, but it keeps you guessing. These third-parties convey more of the story than anything. As you explore the various rooms, you find all kinds of mementos, invoices, letters, and more that start to paint a picture for you (for lack of a better word). You’re essentially thrown into the game without much information. The game doesn’t tell you much from the beginning. The story of Layers of Fear, for lack of a better word, is told in layers. It’s a solid premise to be sure, but does this tale of creativity gone wrong accurately portray the state of a creative mind pushed too far, or is this just a haunted house without any ghosts to make it scary? We’re here to find out ladies and gentlemen. It’s driven you mad, or so it seems, and now you’re all alone with only your thoughts and the nagging urge to finish the piece to keep you company. The premise is simple: you’re an artist with a severe drinking problem, among other ailments, who can’t seem to finish his magnum opus. I think it’s that understanding of how every single tiny aspect of the world can ruin your focus that made Layers of Fear such an interesting game for me. I know how that sounds, but if you’re a writer, an artist, a composer, or anything in between then you’ve had those moments. Sometimes the voices of the world, of our own minds, just won’t shut up without a stiff drink to silence them. John replies, “I said I was a writer, didn’t I?” I’ve always loved that line, but I think it reveals something about creative people like myself and countless others out there. Jackson’s character asks John Cusack’s character if he drinks. In the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s 1408 there’s a scene when Samuel L.
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