The Layers of Fear franchise, starting in 2016, brought us two very positively received horror games. The series drips with psychological horror, starting with a look into the mind of a deranged artist working on his magnum opus in Layers of Fear 1. Layers of Fear 2 places us behind the eyes of an actor who can’t tell what’s real. These two games, plus their DLC, have been reworked and expanded, as shown in the latest 11-minute Layers of Fear demo walkthrough trailer.
Layers of Fear demo walkthrough gives a fresh perspective
Bursting with horror game tropes, the trailer showcases some of the immaculately remastered gameplay from the originals. It is clear from the outset that the whole look of the games has been polished. Unreal Engine 5, ray tracing technology, and the new Lumen system all work seamlessly to produce a skin-crawling experience.
The original games already had spooky ambiance to spare. But with the expertly reworked textures and lighting models, they certainly look more immersive. Bloober Team has opted for the addition of a lantern, which not only makes the most of the new lighting tech, but adds a whole new flickering element to the scene.
All three tales
Three gripping tales are included in Layers of Fear 2023. First, we get to play as the Painter from the original game, a man who’s obsessed with is finest piece of work. Next, we join the Actor on the deck of a ship. Our grip on reality consumes us as the empty pages of the script guide us through the lonely glaring spotlight. Finally, the tale of the Writer, in which we fill the shoes of the Painters’ wife as she tries to unravel the unhinged story of her husband.
The whole game is reworked to look beautiful in all new 4K and features a haunting new soundtrack. The Layers of Fear trailer showcases eerie classical music accompanying the slow, harrowing, decline into madness. This all-encompassing experience might just satiate returning fans and draw new players to the franchise. Keep an eye out for it on Steam prior to its release in June.
