Layers of Fear Review (PS5) | Push Square

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Bloober Team has had a time of it when it comes to making games. The original Layers of Fear was a resounding success upon launch back in 2016. However, that success has been much more elusive in the following years, what with Blair Witch, Observer, and even Layers of Fear 2 receiving mixed responses. So why not return to that well that brought so much success in the past? And if you’re going to do that, why not also ensure you make the best version of the game thus far released?

The PS5 version of Layers of Fear consists of both main games, two DLC expansions — one of them, The Final Note, brand new — as well as a new chapter revolving around a writer, which serves as a way to unite the series into one experience. This new framing device is particularly interesting, as it helps to essentially transform the entire Layers of Fear series into one cohesive game. And it works surprisingly well. You play as a writer staying at an ominous lighthouse, using it as an artistic retreat to get writing once again. While there, you uncover stories or have ideas that all harken back to the events of the previous games and expansions.

Though everything in the series is more or less operating on the same level now, the original title remains the real star. With its haunting gothic mansion and hypnotic paintings, the journey of «the painter» remains a highly engaging, deeply disturbing experience. The «melting» paintings and spontaneous reconfiguring of rooms remain as compelling and exciting to behold as they ever were. This gameplay component is a great tool for puzzles, as you can lock away new areas and solutions through clever visual trickery. Having the world around you fundamentally change based on the angle you happen to be