Layers of Fear Remaster Collection: A Fresh Horror Experience
A new Layers of Fear remaster hits shelves in 2023, bringing a fresh and terrifying experience to fans of the popular Horror game. This remaster showcases revamped graphics, new gameplay mechanics, and brand new DLC, all bundled together in one shiny collection for you to enjoy. The indie games that make up this collection are part of a complicated and confusing mishmash of remasters.
Unlike most other horror game remasters, Layers of Fear bundles all of the series' games together, including all DLC, into a single story mode. The first game is accompanied by the Inheritance, The Final Note, and The Lighthouse chapters, which are available right from the start, providing a framing story.
When starting a new game, players are immediately immersed in the remastered version of Layers of Fear (2016), where the familiar sights of The Painter and the eerie scribbles on the walls come to life. Upon completing the first game, players are presented with a menu that allows them to play through the Inheritance DLC or the new Final Note add-on. Access to these additions is granted through books found in The Writer's room.
The menu itself elegantly lists each game by its story title, including Painter's Story (Layers of Fear), Actor's Story (Layers of Fear 2), Daughter's Story (Inheritance DLC), and Musician's Story (Final Note add-on). This thoughtful organization should help players easily navigate through the different games.
Bloober and Anshar Studios have made significant improvements to the collection. The new version of Layers of Fear utilizes the powerful Unreal Engine 5, while all the other games have also received overhauled visuals, new gameplay mechanics, and seamlessly integrated DLC.
Personally, Layers of Fear 2 stands out from the pack for me. With its unique design quirks, absence of aura with the cult, and the footfalls mechanic, it provides an immersive and thrilling experience without any voice acting. However, all three games in the collection have significantly improved visuals and enhanced playability, with the new DLC packs offering welcome variety.
From a consumer perspective, the collection may leave something to be desired. The packaging can be confusing, as it does not clearly indicate which games are included. This confusion is compounded by the fact that multiple Layers of Fear games are already available on Steam. However, the revamped Layers of Fear remaster will be released on PC and Switch on May 28, joining a lineup of other horror remasters and remakes that have already captivated audiences this year, including Resident Evil 4, System Shock, Dead Space, and Metroid Prime. Fans can also look forward to the return of classic games such as Dead Island, Alan Wake, and Diablo after a long hiatus.
