Layers of Fear (2015)

 PC
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 445 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 260 out of 445
  2. Mixed: 120 out of 445
  3. Negative: 65 out of 445

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  1. Thilus
    Feb 19, 2016
    7
    I present to you a game about... opening doors! And I kid you not.

    Layers of Fear is a pretty good horror game that revolves around the story of a failed painter that seemingly descends into madness. The storyline is quite decent, though a little too cut-and-dried at times. Problem with the story is that it's stretched out to 5-6 hours of gameplay when in fact it should be 3 hours tops.    I present to you a game about... opening doors! And I kid you not.

    Layers of Fear is a pretty good horror game that revolves around the story of a failed painter that seemingly descends into madness. The storyline is quite decent, though a little too cut-and-dried at times. Problem with the story is that it's stretched out to 5-6 hours of gameplay when in fact it should be 3 hours tops.

    The artistic side is very good, but that is something to be expected from Polish developers. The visuals are solid if not very good and audio quality is enough to maintain the atmosphere. No complaints here.

    The main problem of this game is that it's not really scary. Instead of building the tension, it relies on cheap jumpscares. You just go from door to door (you'll probably be sick of opening door for quite some time after you finish this title) and breeze through the rooms. Sometimes there'll be something to be found, sometimes there'll be a scripted event to watch, but most of the time you'll just be looking for the next door that will lead you to the next room where something might happen and make you jump.

    All in all, a recommendable game with decent story, palpable atmosphere and good visuals. If you don't mind some cheap scares then it's a game you might find interesting.    … Expand
  2. pinismenshox
    Feb 19, 2020
    6
    So this game was top rated in steam, what the hell I can't see what the fuss is all about, it's just a linear walkiing simulator filled with jumpscares and a somewhat interesting story. Other than that... You're pretty much off wanking.
  3. SparkyVS
    Jul 5, 2018
    5
    Promising plot becomes dull really early. I like walking simulator, narrative and atmosphere games, but Layers of Fear pacing is terrible, awful jumpscares and super easy puzzles. Honestly, if it was more condensed and well designed, could be a instant classic. But it isn't.
  4. sft
    Oct 4, 2019
    6
    Picture this

    3/5 • LAYERS OF FEAR is a claustrophobic little chiller. It relies a little too much on jump scares, but it does also succeed in creating a fairly compelling air of creepiness and dread. The story lacks originality but the structure of the game is unusual and the incorporated puzzles are simple and yet inventive. The graphics are excellent and the limited environments are    Picture this

    3/5 • LAYERS OF FEAR is a claustrophobic little chiller. It relies a little too much on jump scares, but it does also succeed in creating a fairly compelling air of creepiness and dread. The story lacks originality but the structure of the game is unusual and the incorporated puzzles are simple and yet inventive. The graphics are excellent and the limited environments are used to good effect, although it’s a shame that you remain confined to the house throughout the game – I would have liked a little variety to the setting. Overall it’s enjoyable without being remarkable, but at just 4 hours long (unless you replay to explore different options, which is possible to some extent) I think it best bought in a sale. Good, but not great.    … Expand
  5. RagingPoet
    Aug 22, 2018
    7
    Layers of Fear nails presentation perfectly, it looks and sounds amazing, creating truly terrifying atmosphere. But the effect is a bit ruined by too frequent jumpscares.
  6. Mobile
    Nov 15, 2017
    7
    ENG
    Three or four hours wandering around the house, opening every possible drawer, door, reading notes, admiring the paintings and the collection of the grains of what had happened in this house and with whom. I want to highlight that the developers have not just released a simulator of a tramp in the dark in the scary house which is very much we have already played, there's a good    ENG
    Three or four hours wandering around the house, opening every possible drawer, door, reading notes, admiring the paintings and the collection of the grains of what had happened in this house and with whom. I want to highlight that the developers have not just released a simulator of a tramp in the dark in the scary house which is very much we have already played, there's a good soundtrack, not a bad atmosphere, a suitable design models, it is not a stupid slasher film, some not horror at all, since there is no dumb of the game, the only thing that will be bad, so this pattern which will be always next to music (on headphones a pleasure to pass). The game is designed not for one pass, there are several endings that you do during the game their actions will earn. I was pleased to play this game, although I am not a fan of this genres of games, but again, the developers really tried.

    RU
    Три - четыре часа блуждания по дому, открывания всех возможных ящиков, дверей, чтение записок, любование картинами и собрания по крупинкам, что же произошло в этом доме и с кем. Хочется выделить, что разработчики не просто выпустили симулятор бродяги в темноте по страшному дому, каких очень много мы уже успели поиграть, здесь есть хороший саундтрек, не плохая атмосфера, подходящий дизайн моделей, это не тупой ужастик, для некоторых не хоррор вовсе, так как здесь нет дурацких скримеров, единственное от чего будет не по себе, так эта картины которые будут всегда рядом и музыкальное сопровождение (в наушниках отдельное удовольствие проходить). Игра рассчитана далеко не на одно прохождение, в ней несколько концовок, которые вы сами по ходу игры своими действиями заработаете. Мне было приятно сыграть в эту игру, хоть я и не поклонник данного жанры игр, но повторюсь, разработчики действительно постарались.    … Expand
  7. gold
    Jun 2, 2020
    6
    Кому нравиться эстетика коридоров, тем может и понравиться.
    Для меня однообразные коридоры в восторг не вводят, поэтому только 6.
    Итог: 6.769/10
  8. Jackermy
    Sep 27, 2020
    6
    So, this game is not scary. It tries to affect your psychological health but after 1 hour playing this game, you begin to accustom to this atmosphere. Also, it tries to scare you by some screamers and a lot of fast running models. you're not afraid to play it. Perhaps a couple of times you will jump out of your chair, not from fear, but from surprise. I`ve completed a lot of horror gamesSo, this game is not scary. It tries to affect your psychological health but after 1 hour playing this game, you begin to accustom to this atmosphere. Also, it tries to scare you by some screamers and a lot of fast running models. you're not afraid to play it. Perhaps a couple of times you will jump out of your chair, not from fear, but from surprise. I`ve completed a lot of horror games and I am sure, that this game can not be scary.
    In the conclusion, I want to say that I recommend playing this game only if you want to feel something unusual, but this feeling will end in 1-2 hours of gameplay.    … Expand
  9. caranteenser
    Feb 16, 2016
    7
    This a game is not bad. It has nice design, decent graphic, good soundtrack and horror atmosphere. Unfortunately game scares you not with elements listed above but with jumpscares.
  10. kuehnau
    May 1, 2016
    7
    I picked up Layers of Fear after I noticed it had come out of early access. I refuse to buy games in early access anymore, so I just add them to my wish lish and wait for them to be "finished".

    I am posting this review after I played and beat the game. Layers of fear is kind of an interactive story, puzzle, survival horror kind of game. You play as an artist returning home to work on    I picked up Layers of Fear after I noticed it had come out of early access. I refuse to buy games in early access anymore, so I just add them to my wish lish and wait for them to be "finished".

    I am posting this review after I played and beat the game.

    Layers of fear is kind of an interactive story, puzzle, survival horror kind of game. You play as an artist returning home to work on his opus magnum.

    At what first appears to be a basic jaunt around his home, quickly turns into a psychological horror, the house appears to be (possibly) haunted as the layouts change, you are confronted by visions of your dead wife and other various paranormal-esc situations.

    Along the way, you'll collect notes and other memorabilia within the house that offers quick glimpses into the painter's past life, his family and even the state of his mental health.

    The game isn't as "scary" as other games of this nature may be and in fact, you are put in several situations in which you can avoid confrontation entirely if so desired. As far as I am aware, there isn't really a way to die in the traditional sense, which is nice, because the game is set up in a way that you won't have to restart entire chapters of a mistake you may have made.

    The writing for the story is farily good, I'd say much better then games such as Penumbra. It's a fairly unqiue and engaging story that made me want to continue playing just to find out a little bit more.

    The puzzles are (generally) not too hard and there was very few moments I was actually stuck. Unfortunately the game doesn't help you in any real sense, besides some hints scattered about the game and as a result some of the more obscure puzzles can leave players scratching their head.

    While I did enjoy the time I spent with the game, there are issues with it that I feel inclined to inform people of.

    For starters, when you first start playing the game, it's fun and fascinating to explore the artist's big, beautiful house. The problem is that very early in the game, the exploration aspect of the game is all but removed, Instead the game becomes somewhat of an "on-rails" adventure game, instead of walking freely through the house, instead you'll be traversing hallways and single rooms. 9 out of 10 times, as you enter one room, the door will close and lock behind you, denying any sort of back tracking in the game.

    This can become an issue, because the game feels as if it were meant to be explored and it was just a concept that was throw to the side. On occasion you may be given the opportunity to travel off the beaten path, but it is almost always just for a moment and it usually results in a dead end or locked door. The missing exploration concept bothers me, because I have always loved horror books, games and movies that involved big, old, beautiful mansions.

    Another problem that I had with the game is it never really changes scenery too much. A large majority of the game just looks the same. Expect to see a lot of dark, dingy rooms, broken walls and floors and broken furniture. Also expect to see the same art, furniture and random junk over and over and over again. This becomes an even bigger issue when the game starts to begin recycling rooms.

    Finally, the last problem I had with the game was the story. Remember earlier when I said they had a good story? They do, the problem stems from the fact that there's a lot of information presented for players to process and it's never really tied together or explained in any real sort of meaningful way. While I enjoyed the game while I played it, after I beat it, I felt very dissatisfied because I really didn't learn all that much and the game doesn't really make a good attempt at helping you understand.

    I have questions, no one appears to have answers and frankly, I am no really into the entire "fan theory community" in which the developers of a game simply don't inform or release information to players, instead they just wait to see if someone gets it "right". For me, it just seems like a really lazy form of writing and I tend to get high aggravated with it.

    Don't get me wrong, I love reading long books, I like guessing at the story, or the plots or even coming up with theories as I enjoy whatever book/movie/game I am playing. But I expect the writers to eventually tie down and explain what is going on in a clear, concise and satisfying way.

    If you like games of this nature, if you have enjoyed games like 'A Machine for Pigs' and 'Penumbra', you'll enjoy this game a lot. If you like psychological horror, you'll appreciate this game. I can without hesitation recommend this game to horror fans, even given the rough spots of the game.    … Expand
  11. Zimbardo
    Feb 20, 2016
    5
    Basically: Layers of Fear capitalizes on a great looking engine, some innovative visual effects, and would likely be 10x better on an Oculus Rift. It lacks engaging gameplay and only has about 1 layer of fear that wears off 20 minutes into the game.

    Pros: This is a beautiful game that really showcases and uses Unity in really cool ways. Cons: All sense of tension is broken when I    Basically: Layers of Fear capitalizes on a great looking engine, some innovative visual effects, and would likely be 10x better on an Oculus Rift. It lacks engaging gameplay and only has about 1 layer of fear that wears off 20 minutes into the game.

    Pros:
    This is a beautiful game that really showcases and uses Unity in really cool ways.

    Cons:
    All sense of tension is broken when I realize that I can't die in a horror game (or if the chances of dying are pitifully low). Layers of Fear is more like Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs. It's a walking simulator.

    The game is crazy repetitive. Your walking through the different variations of the same rooms over and over, from jump scare to jump scare. Even the timing of the jump scares becomes repetitive. PT could get away with it because it was a DEMO.

    The story is better than FNAF but it's no Soma.    … Expand
  12. thepatient613
    Feb 16, 2016
    6
    There is little to nothing about this game that I haven't experienced in other horror games. Lots of cheap jump scares, nothing perticularly interesting about the storyline either. There are allot of random items that have little to nothing to do with the storyline as if they where trying desperately to copy other successful games.

    I didn't give this game a terrible rating as there are    There is little to nothing about this game that I haven't experienced in other horror games. Lots of cheap jump scares, nothing perticularly interesting about the storyline either. There are allot of random items that have little to nothing to do with the storyline as if they where trying desperately to copy other successful games.

    I didn't give this game a terrible rating as there are a few interesting concepts but sadly enough it wasn't enough to make this a memorable experience. I think there's allot of potential on the developper's side but they need to rework their idea of an horror game.    … Expand
  13. Edelplastic_com
    Aug 16, 2016
    6
    Nice puzzle game with short shocking events, a great story and wonderful graphics. But it isn´t a real Horror-Game. After few minutes you know that the game life from shocking events, but you not can die or can do something wrong. You play a short Story and thats all. It´s ok, but nothing special.
  14. RazorSamurai
    Jan 10, 2019
    5
    за пару часов прошел игру и получил концовку где картина бабы становится похожа на гуля из фоллаута нью вегаса. концовки и коллектейблсы это просто пустая трата времени и заставляет тратить и удлинять время геймплея, игра для типа людей которые ищут в играх скрытый смысл там где его нет или типа смотрите какой я интеллектуал и прочее. заскриптованная бродилка с пару годными скримаками сза пару часов прошел игру и получил концовку где картина бабы становится похожа на гуля из фоллаута нью вегаса. концовки и коллектейблсы это просто пустая трата времени и заставляет тратить и удлинять время геймплея, игра для типа людей которые ищут в играх скрытый смысл там где его нет или типа смотрите какой я интеллектуал и прочее. заскриптованная бродилка с пару годными скримаками с геемплеем в 2-3 часа.

    стоит отметить что сцены с глюками и прочими сделаны реально годными, приколюха с коридорами была слизана с PT от бурята.
    вообщем 5.5/10    … Expand
  15. Sjalka
    Feb 18, 2016
    7
    Great graphics and artistic style allows for a very somber classic feeling of a mansion of undetermined size and layout. The sound is somewhat more generic but good enough. The story is told via narration as well as loose notes that are scattered similar to ... which is also similar in terms of exploration of scenery.

    While the game at first appears to allow quite a lot of freedom (in    Great graphics and artistic style allows for a very somber classic feeling of a mansion of undetermined size and layout. The sound is somewhat more generic but good enough. The story is told via narration as well as loose notes that are scattered similar to ... which is also similar in terms of exploration of scenery.

    While the game at first appears to allow quite a lot of freedom (in the first few minutes) - it puts the player on very strict rails very soon - offering only very small portions to be explored in strict order.

    Puzzles are there but do not exceed novice level (like a combination that will be visible when you turn around or similar)

    While the ambient lightning, the decor and style suggests rather subtle suspense and the notes rather suggest subtle and incremental buildup of tension ... the actual "scare" effects are a fairly big let down - for they mainly consist of rather cheap jump scares of the most generic type. That gets to a point where one can almost reliably predict the next scare.

    All the while the game still looks fabulous and feels like a very finished product.

    The game is good enough and well worth playing ... but for me - it certainly is not one of the top adventure games (or whatever category that kind of game is)

    ps.: oh, and i really, really HATE that kind of savegame system on PC. (similar to Ethan Carter before it was patched) - the save points are too far apart - resulting in sometimes rather larger portions of the game to be replayed (which kind of kills it for scripted jump scares).

    I really wished for either auto-save upon exiting the game (ironman-like) or custom saves. - eventually it might be patched though... .    … Expand
  16. ozzsoffy
    Sep 29, 2018
    7
    Very good horror game.
    it tool me like 3.5 hours to finish.
    I liked it that it is short.
    you cant go wrong.
    very creepy and psychedelic in a good and professional way
  17. Tomle1202
    May 7, 2020
    7
    Layers of Fear's excellent art and sound design is too often poorly accompanied by the lack of stake, resulting in an average horror experience that could have been more.
  18. Topfpflanze
    Feb 14, 2021
    7
    This is game actually has no set goal and basically just consists of walking around and perceiving the atmosphere. There are some minimal puzzles, and at the end you get told how much you missed. This sounds boring, and it is, but less so than you would think. I suppose this could have been a great game if they had taken a cue from genre role models.
  19. touchofheaven
    Nov 2, 2020
    5
    Одна дверь, другая дверь, следующая дверь, скримеры, которые даже не пугают, а только утомляют. Посредственно
  20. mahirhasan37
    Nov 12, 2016
    7
    The game feels less like a horror game and more like a interactive horror book . It lacks engaging gameplay. Still a decent horror adventure with rewarding graphics and some amazing jump scares
  21. LoletinAlexis
    Jun 3, 2018
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It is very interesting the fact that everything is a madness formed by himself, or at least, is what I interpret. It contains a hidden plot in a kind of bubble that with each painting in the picture is getting bigger, and that eventually ends up exploding with several endings (depending on whether you collect the collectibles, whether or not you happen in history ...).… Expand
  22. KARF4GEN
    May 10, 2018
    5
    Доводилось мне видеть и более качественный симулятор ходьбы с открыванием дверей и ящиков.
  23. gameking
    Jan 10, 2020
    7
    This game is very different horror-game. The atmosphere is very good. If you want try something different then this is a good game.
  24. DJKrimson
    Nov 19, 2020
    6
    Walking sim horror game that has pretty nice visuals & audio. There's some really neat physics involved.

    However, walking sims really need to provide a strong story and sadly they failed to do that. At first it seemed that they were on to something really deep and interesting but it just faded off and became nothing.

    I'd say it's okay but it could be so much more.
  25. K0ma
    Jul 12, 2021
    5
    Layers of Fear is a mediocre to the decent psychological horror-themed walking simulator with some minor vague storytelling and a sole gameplay mechanic of item browsing.

    Be aware going into this game jump scares are frequent, and that Layers Of Fear is lacking in core game mechanics. Any engagement or investment into the characters and story falls flat on both. The story is difficult    Layers of Fear is a mediocre to the decent psychological horror-themed walking simulator with some minor vague storytelling and a sole gameplay mechanic of item browsing.

    Be aware going into this game jump scares are frequent, and that Layers Of Fear is lacking in core game mechanics. Any engagement or investment into the characters and story falls flat on both. The story is difficult to piece together and is a bit dry and boring albeit unique compared to Amnesia, Penumbra, and Soma.

    Layers Of Fear is visually beautiful, one of the best visually attractive modern horror games comparable to Red Barrels Outlast and the visuals of Resident Evil 7. The setting of Layers Of Fear distinguishes it from modern games similar to Amnesia. But unlike Amnesia which has puzzles to be solved and a physics engine that is actually used, a linear story with enough mystery and intrigue to keep the player interested, browsing mechanics that are actually utilized, and common enemies this game has none of these except for the browsing mechanic. Because of this lack of game in the game the overall experience is a bit sterile.

    The biggest draw is the trippy screen effects employed but everything feels very scripted and gamey. At the same time, there's an absence of game mechanics that makes Layers of Fear feel rather artsy and thematic like Firewatch this places Layers Of Fear squarely in the walking simulator genre. it relies too much on shaky metaphor and not much else. The sound design is great apart from some dodgy voice acting, overall it's a polished Unity engine first-person walking simulator. It doesn't warrant the full price tag but it's not awful, just disappointing.

    If you appreciate walking simulators like Dear Esther and the visuals of games it may be worth a purchase.    … Expand
  26. alona
    Jan 22, 2021
    7
    Gives Amnesia: The Dark Descent vibes. Very well made and enjoyable. You'll like it if you're fan of horror genre. I wasn't disappointed at all, but still not the best game in my opinion.
  27. emreglbdk
    Jan 31, 2021
    7
    One of the rare games I finished in one sitting. His story is short but effective.
  28. crookedcritter
    Oct 22, 2021
    7
    Great horror game, Amazing visuals, super creepy and unique atmosphere. I would have like if they had puzzles or something to get your mind working. The game was pretty linear and the dlc was mediocre. The game itself was short, about 3-4 hours to complete, and the dlc very short-20-30 min. If you are a fan of the genre then you should try to get this on sale.
  29. Oskad
    May 3, 2022
    7
    ➤ Je vous présente un jeu sur... l'ouverture de portes ! Et je ne plaisante pas.
    Layers of Fear est un simulateur de marche sur le thème de l'horreur psychologique avec une narration et un seul mécanisme de jeu la marche !! :)  l'Ambiance est absolument incroyable, style visuel révolutionnaire. l'histoire tourne autour d'un peintre raté qui semble sombrer dans la folie
    la lutte sans    ➤ Je vous présente un jeu sur... l'ouverture de portes ! Et je ne plaisante pas.
    Layers of Fear est un simulateur de marche sur le thème de l'horreur psychologique avec une narration et un seul mécanisme de jeu la marche !! :)  l'Ambiance est absolument incroyable, style visuel révolutionnaire. l'histoire tourne autour d'un peintre raté qui semble sombrer dans la folie

    la lutte sans fin pour créer de l'art L'histoire de l'artiste est intrigante tout en vous faisant vous sentir tendu et mal à l'aise à propos de ce que vous voyez c'est une expérience que je n'oublierai pas, elle apporte tous les sentiments cachés à l'intérieur de vous dans une version terrorisée, dégoût, haine et empathie, vous vous sentirez plus que vous ne le devriez dans un jeu

    Le principal problème de ce jeu est qu'il ne fait pas vraiment peur pas vraiment en tout les cas !.
    Vous allez juste de porte en porte (vous en aurez probablement marre d'ouvrir la porte pendant un certain temps après avoir terminé ce titre) et traversez les pièces. Parfois, il y aura quelque chose à trouver, parfois il y aura un événement scénarisé à regarder,
    mais la plupart du temps, vous chercherez simplement la porte d'à côté qui vous mènera à la pièce voisine où quelque chose pourrait se produire et vous faire sursauter. Ce qui donne envie de jouer et continuer (et dans mon cas) c'est le sens de la découverte et de la progression de l'histoire quelle a suffisamment de mystère et d'intrigue pour garder le joueur intéressé, j'aurais aimé aussi un peu de variété dans le décor

    il a plusieurs fins que vous gagnerez vous-même par vos actions au cours de la partie. J'ai été ravi de jouer à ce jeu .

    En conclusion, je tiens à dire que je recommande ce jeu pour les amateur des simulation de marche avec de l'horreur dedans et une très belle histoire avec des fins différente pour ceux qui ont apprécié Firewatch , The Park , The Vanishing of Ethan Carter et enfin Dear Esther .
    La durée de vie est plutôt courte je diras 4-5 h voir un peu plus si vous cherchez des fins différentes
    Ça vaut la peine d'acheter ce jeu avec 19,99 $ non, vous pouvez attendre pour l'obtenir autour de 10 $

    il vaut mieux ne pas jouer à ce jeu seul la nuit  ! :)    … Expand
  30. korku
    Jul 18, 2023
    7
    ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏ ‏‏‏‏‏‏‏‏
  31. Pmstz
    Jan 30, 2023
    6
    Nice video horror / claustrophobic / narrative with madness atmosphere game.

Awards & Rankings

47
#47 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
38
#38 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 46 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 46
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 46
  3. Negative: 2 out of 46
  1. Adventure Gamers
    Jul 23, 2016
    40
    More an incoherent collection of jump scares than a horror game, Layers of Fear occasionally spooks but doesn’t make much of a lasting impression.
    Read full review
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    May 9, 2016
    86
    Gothic horror with a beautiful, strange setting and a strong embedded story. Linear, with a lot of hidden details. [May 2016]
  3. CD-Action
    May 1, 2016
    55
    Layers of Fear can send shivers down your spine, but it lacks a good story and moderation. It looks like developers could not decide which favourite horror motifs to use, so they used all of them and although the game started really well, after two hours I was already tired by the throng of predictable clichés and jump scares. [04/2016, p.57]
See all critic reviews »