Layers of Fear Review

We creative types have all experienced it, writer's block, artistic constipation, call it what you will, sometimes inspiration just won't come. We stare at a blank page, almost willing the words to materialise out of the ether, or a picture to paint itself, but alas it just doesn't work that way. And it sure as hell does not work that way for our nameless protagonist in this game.

Layers of Fear is an apt title for this game as it slowly reveals it's secrets too us and by the end you may well be questioning the main character's motives. There's an argument that this descent into madness is somewhat self inflicted, but not everything is explained, at least not in the first play through. Just why is our 'hero' suffering from a major phobia of Rats? Why do we find sketches of the little blighters through the house? Oh sure it is Rat infested, but you get the feeling that all has gone to hell around him and he has to some extent, let that happen. Why are there images of a prosthetic leg to be found here and there? And just EXACTLY what did happen to his wife and child? To find out you will have to peel back the layers of truth, and be warned, it may take more than one trip through this hell house to reveal the final answer.

Presentation

I have to admit I have read other reviews of this game but I am not going to let that colour my impressions of this title. What you see is what I think about it OK? Good.

The visuals I feel, are one of the elements that some reviewers have criticised. I find the moody visuals (especially in the opening sections of the game) are more than adequate to the task. There are some beautiful lighting effects, effective shadow play, and textures are really well rendered. I hope some of the images presented here represent that. If you get the gamma setting in the game just right, then you'll get the full visual effect.

And then there's the sound, and this is perhaps one of it's best features. Disembodied voices, the moaning of the wind outside, the sound of tree branches scratching at the window panes like claws scratching on woodwork all help to make the hairs on the back of your neck bristle. Through a decent home cinema system this games atmosphere may well have you sleeping with the light on by the end of it.

Gameplay.

This is part of the newly created 'genre' of the walk simulator, such as 'Everyone's Gone to the Rapture'  and 'Slender: The Arrival'. If you want a game where you can blast zombies and ghouls back to whatever hell spawned them with a shotgun or chainsaw, then look elsewhere.

Exploration is key. You are encouraged to look into dark corners even if you are certain there is something unpleasant lurking within them, likewise you have to open drawers, peer into cupboards looking for clues, it's a case of search everywhere. The truth awaits, even if you are not going to particularly like it and you will do so with the more than occasional look back behind you as something crashes to the floor, a door slams or there's that lurking fear that there is something creeping up behind you.

It is an 'on the rails' adventure although sometimes there is the option of going off the main track only to be pulled back onto it, and it has to be said, it's not gentle in persuading you to go back on the path most tread. For the door that you maybe wanted to go through but have been distracted from, is now shut and locked leaving you to face whatever lies ahead.

There are also some puzzles to solve, some simple, some not so, the best one involving telephones, a secret passage and a possible tumble to your doom....

Controls

Controls are simple enough and pretty bog standard. Left stick to move, right stick to look around. Where controls differ are the controls for interaction with your environment. Use the stick to look at the drawer you want to open and then manipulate the right stick with a press of the right button, moving the stick towards or away from you to open the drawer or cupboard. To pick something up just move the icon over the item and press the right trigger to collect it or read the paper or examine the artwork. Some of these clippings are saved into a scrapbook that you can review once you have returned to the main art room as it were. Controls can be a bit awkward and hard to get used too initially. Sometimes you move forward rather than open a cupboard or drawer, so if you manipulate the controls gently, then you will be able to achieve your aim of interacting with the item.

Physics

There are some very nice 'underwater' or 'bullet time' like effects with objects suddenly floating as if in zero gravity, some objects will be thrown across the room and will bounce very realistically when encountering a wall or another object. Rain flows very nicely down the window panes etc etc and added to the sound effects, you have a very well presented product indeed. 

Music.

If you could isolate the soundtrack, then you would have a very atmospheric haunted house theme indeed suitable for a murder weekend or a horror based table top RPG, where you want to build the tension and then BANG!, and let them settle down again before the tension starts to build again. A very good soundtrack indeed, not outstanding, but darned effective.

Summary

So there you have it, a tension filled, atmospheric, well presented game. It's scares are what you would call jump scares but no less effective for all that. Other reviews have been hard on this title as I said earlier, but whereas I found Slender to be OK and I could walk away from it and go back for another play, this game had me hooked and I wanted to go on to find the next gruesome secret. 

Replay value may seem limited BUT there is more than one ending by all accounts. So if, like me, you have not found all the letters, or the photographs etc then you are encouraged to go find them for the house 'resets' itself, daring you go looking again but having been through it once, anything you have encountered before you will be able to breeze through, but when you encounter something new, then well, you will have to slow down, take a deep breath and get ready for whatever may come.

Not a Must By though, but again recommended very highly. It won't suit everyone.

Safe journey friend. Watch the shadows, and keep an eye out for anything behind you. It's going to be one hell of a journey.

Thanks X Box for sending us the code for this game. Now can I sue them for suffering minor heart attacks? No? Ahh well......