Switch owners already have access to Layers of Fear: Legacy and its sequel, but Bloober Team is back with a new port for Switch 2. Utilising Unreal Engine 5 to achieve some truly impressive visuals, Layers of Fear: The Final Masterpiece Edition is neither a sequel nor a remake, but rather the definitive vision of the series so far, packaging both titles into one enhanced experience.
The result is mixed. Although this is new for Switch 2, it launched elsewhere in 2023, before the studio significantly upped its game (in my opinion) with Silent Hill 2 and Cronos: The New Dawn. As such, what you’re getting here is a perfect representation of what I’d call ‘old’ Bloober; one that focuses on scripted, linear events with minimal player agency.
There’s certainly a place for that, but Layers of Fear feels like the video game equivalent of a haunted house ride. Lots of things happen around you and it’s all very pretty, but rarely does anything actually happen to you. The result is a sense of detachment from the frequent scares, which come so thick and fast that there’s barely any time to soak in the atmosphere.
You’ve got three main stories here: The Painter from the original game, The Actor from its sequel, and The Writer, a new frame narrative that ties everything together. DLCs old and new can be accessed through The Writer’s story, making this a comprehensive retelling of the series. Each story features some wonderful voice acting, though I do think this has actually been overused. Nearly every note found in the environment (and there are a lot) features an unseen narrator, and it’s just a little excessive – thankfully, muting it entirely is an option.
Gameplay is a case of meandering through detailed environments to pick up documents, letters, and objects that gradually shed light on the overarching narrative. Mysterious sounds puncture the air, furniture moves of its own accord, and corridors that might seem perfectly normal at first glance shift in new directions when you give them a second look. This is pretty cool for the first couple of hours, but the novelty wears off.
Exacerbating this, navigating the world is a little tougher than it needs to be. You open doors by holding ‘ZR’ then pulling forward or back on the right stick. This works fine 90% of the time, but there are moments when it just won’t function as intended, so you’ll need to let go entirely and take a moment to recalibrate what your fingers and thumbs are actually doing. Optional mouse controls alleviate this slightly and feel great for the most part.
And what a handsome game! The lighting is particularly impressive, and it runs well on Switch 2, appearing to aim for 60fps when docked, though the 30fps and excessive motion blur can look a touch jarring in handheld. If you’ve yet to experience the 2016 original or its direct sequel, this is the best way to do so, but if you’re after a really solid horror experience, Cronos is the better option.