Layers of Fear: Inheritance was released on 2 August 2016 as a direct follow up add-on to the first game. The gameplay, presented in first-person perspective, is story-driven and revolves around puzzle-solving and exploration.

In Layers of Fear, the player controls a psychologically disturbed painter who is trying to complete his magnum opus as he navigates a Victorian mansion revealing secrets about his past. It was released on Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One worldwide in February 2016. Layers of Fear is a psychological horror video game developed by Bloober Team and published by Aspyr.

Linux, Windows, macOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One.

It was never going to be the best looking game on the system, but weвЂ™re happy to report that this is a solid Nintendo Switch port, a surprisingly decent achievement when you consider how others have gotten it wrong. We also need to pay homage to the soundtrack, which is led by piano tones that only help to heighten the aura in certain scenes. The moody thunderstorm outside combines with the candlelight indoors to cast atmospheric lighting across many rooms, creating a sinister and foreboding ambiance. The graphics themselves are fine, but itвЂ™s the lighting that elevates the visuals to the next level. This isnвЂ™t the case here, with a smooth experience to be had no matter whether itвЂ™s on the big screen or tucked up in bed. The framerate was a major talking point upon the titleвЂ™s original release on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, where both systems suffered from plenty of dips. ItвЂ™s clear that some love and care has been put into this Nintendo Switch port, because LOF:L runs like a dream in both docked and handheld mode.

ItвЂ™s completely serviceable, but nothing to really shout home about. However, the gameplay feels like more of a vehicle for the story and scares to take place. ItвЂ™s nothing game-changing, but itвЂ™s a neat feature that youвЂ™ll only find in the Nintendo Switch version nonetheless. YouвЂ™ll be able to open doors and chests using the same motion you would in real life, with the added effect of HD Rumble to make things feel a little more life-like. The majority of interactivity is conducted using the ZR button, but thereвЂ™s an added lease of life if you play the game with the Joy-Cons detached. Played from a first-person perspective, youвЂ™ll explore the mansion in a fairly linear fashion while solving simple puzzles along the way, with no combat to speak of. When it comes to gameplay, things arenвЂ™t quite as impressive. If thereвЂ™s one thing to take away from all of this, itвЂ™s that LOF:L is playing with you, just as much as youвЂ™re playing it. They take on a life of their own as they incorporate themselves into scares that you donвЂ™t see coming, toying with you and playing about with your expectations. ThereвЂ™s terrors here that we havenвЂ™t seen in any other game before and because of that, it becomes a genuinely scary title to play.ДЄnd if that wasnвЂ™t enough, itвЂ™s actually the paintings themselves that become the real star of this scarefest. Unique set-pieces frighten the life out of you, while gory imagery keeps you on edge the entire time. Of course, thereвЂ™s the typical but successful jump scares that might cause you to drop your Switch once or twice in fear, but then so many more creative techniques are employed to really rack up the tension. If Bloober Team was looking to create its own masterpiece, then its magnum opus has been created thanks to the sheer variety of scares and bumps in the dark found in LOF:L. ItвЂ™s a solid driving force that twists and turns through the whole experience, but it also offers itself as an excellent catalyst to the scares.

ItвЂ™s a genuinely interesting tale that is sure to catch you off your guard upon some revelations, with collectibles providing further backstory and details you wonвЂ™t want to miss out on. Alongside the creation of the artisanвЂ™s crowning achievement, which is done in stages at the end of each chapter, youвЂ™ll explore what made him the man he is in the present. The bulk of the story is contained within the painterвЂ™s past, and what a gruesome but fascinating trip down memory lane it is.

Layers of fear review