Layers of Fear: Legacy

 Switch
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 25
  3. Negative: 0 out of 25
  1. Switch Player
    Mar 7, 2018
    70
    The Nintendo Switch has finally found itself a horror game to be proud in Layers of Fear: Legacy, fulfilling the promise of a corridor creeper that's full of ideas and filled with plenty of unsettling exploration.
  2. Wccftech
    Mar 3, 2018
    70
    Layers of Fear: Legacy is a scary reflection of humanity, but perhaps not as scary as your own reflection on the Nintendo Switch's screen.
  3. COGconnected
    Feb 26, 2018
    70
    Layers of Fear: Legacy has some flaws, but the central experience – exploring an ever-changing mansion as you descend into madness – is solid and exciting. If you don’t mind a few cheap scares, there’s a good horror game here.
  5. FNintendo
    May 2, 2018
    60
    Layers of Fear Legacy features a simple and accessible gameplay mechanic that puts the player in a horror-themed adventure that includes a very detailed and well-designed visual environment, as well as some interesting puzzles. It doesn't live up to its full potential, though, as it could be much more immersive and feature more action moments and after some game time, it feels somewhat less appealing.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 50 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 50
  3. Negative: 11 out of 50
  1. Daedalusfalls
    Feb 24, 2018
    9
    I love horror games. I'm a big fan of Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and The Evil Within. I didn't think I would find Layers of Fear scary forI love horror games. I'm a big fan of Silent Hill, Resident Evil, and The Evil Within. I didn't think I would find Layers of Fear scary for one big reason, you can't die. I figured if you took away the threat of death, you would take away what's fear inducing about a video game. I was wrong. Through excellent pacing, mind bending psychological effects, and wonderful sound design, Layers of Fear managed to scare the heck out of me. In fact, I had to take frequent breaks during my time with the game. I made sure to play with headphones and in a darkened room for maximum effect. Even in portable mode, this game unnerved me. If you are into horror games, I highly recommend picking this game up! It's excellent value for the money, and a great way to get your horror fix on the go!… Full Review »
  2. NukeTv
    Jan 22, 2020
    0
    Ce jeu est nul, nul, nul et archienul. Une déception sans nom. L'histoire est inintéressante, les décors faussement artistiques, les scénarioCe jeu est nul, nul, nul et archienul. Une déception sans nom. L'histoire est inintéressante, les décors faussement artistiques, les scénario est faussement intellectuel et les jumpscare insignifiants. De l'horreur discount dans une maison soi disant hanté. On ne se sent pas du tout concerné par l'histoire et on a juste la désagréable impression que les auteurs se moquent de nous.… Full Review »
  3. Micmicc
    Sep 2, 2023
    8
    The gameplay largely involves you walking around an 1800s mansion solving a puzzle every now and then. There's no story segment in this reviewThe gameplay largely involves you walking around an 1800s mansion solving a puzzle every now and then. There's no story segment in this review just because it can be summarized in a few sentences:

    You're a mentally deranged painter roaming around in a victorian mansion trying to keep your sanity and piecing together who you are and what you've done whilst attempting to finish you final painting and getting it right finally. Layers of Fear Legacy also includes an expansion called Inheritance in which you return to the mansion as the Painter's daughter and go through flashbacks to discover what he was like as a father.

    So, now that I've explained the story, let's cut back to gameplay. As I've said you largely just walk around, but solve a puzzle sometimes. Some things for the puzzles were just too well hidden for me, so I had to consult a walkthrough at least a dozen times, because they were very well hidden.

    You find items sometimes that are somehow connected to the Painter and he explains what he's done with it, but I didn't find enough to be able to piece his story back together.

    Also, since this is a horror game, I have to talk about the scares. The game utilizes this mechanic where you face a direction, then you come across a locked door for example, turn around, and the environment is entirely different from where you've been before. It uses this mechanic really well. And despite how large of a part it plays during the whole experience, it never really gets old.

    Also there are a couple of really good scares. There aren't many jumpscares, you're kept uneasy because of the changing environment and the sound design. As you'd expect, the further you go, the more insane things get. This game isn't really about scaring you per say, just making you feel uneasy and fear what might be there after you open the next door.

    And this, in the Graphics section is where I get a bit more technical. I played Layers of Fear Legacy on a Nintendo Switch OLED Model, so obviously the graphics are gonna be much worse than on Xbox/PlayStation/PC.

    For one, there's some anti-aliasing, but where there isn't you can really see it.

    As I've watched a walkthrough whenever I got stuck on a puzzle I noticed that the other versions are much darker than the Switch port, so if you fear the dark and not being able to see much, I'd say get the Switch port, it's much brighter.

    Performance was a very mixed bag. In docked mode, it ran with around 15-30 fps. I had enough of the slowness one time, so I played the majority of the game in handheld more, where the performance was actually better at around 20-60fps. I know that's a huge range, but that's how it was. I didn't know handheld mode could run better in any game, but here we are.

    But no matter what mode I played on, the controls were still janky. It's not bad or game-breaking at all, it's just not as fluid as you'd think. Also, the game will recommend you every time you boot it up to try out motion controls to open drawers and doors. I tried it and I can confidently say, you should not! It's like Wii motion controls: when it works, it really works, when it doesn't work, it really doesn't work. It's ok as a gimmick, you can try it once or twice, but it's much easier to play with them off. Also, I discovered AFTER finishing the game that there's a fast walk button. Hold L if you want to run. The game NEVER explains this!

    So, in conclusion, Layers of Fear Legacy in my experience is a pretty good horror game. If you played this on anything else, it would be multiple times scarier. So if you want something that isn't that scary, only unsettling, and you don't mind the performance, this is for you. I beat the game with the expansion in about 6 hours without knowing that you can run, so it's not a long game at all.

    Layers of Fear Legacy costs €20 which I feel is a bit too much, but I bought it on sale at €4, which is very much worth it in my opinion. The game gets an 80/100 from me.

    Thanks for listening, drop a like and a sub if you enjoyed, and see ya in the next one.    … Full Review »
See all user reviews »