Layers Of Fears - What We Know So Far
When it comes to horror-themed video games, few games have had the effect and reach of "P.T.," a playable teaser for what would've been the Hideo Kojima-headed "Silent Hills" project. When "Silent Hills" was canceled and the "P.T." demo was removed from the digital marketplace, it left a hole in the psychological horror video game genre that many companies have since tried to fill. 2016's "Layers of Fear" was one of those attempts from Bloober Team and, all things considered, it succeeded. Though some people are still caught up in its confusing ending, "Layers of Fear" is regarded as one of the creepiest games in recent memory and did well enough — critically and commercially — to warrant a sequel in 2019.
Moving into a new generation of gaming, it seems Bloober is wishing to introduce the "Layers of Fear" IP to an audience that either missed it the first time around, or just wish to re-experience the first two games in a new light. This project was announced at the 2022 Summer Game Fest and will be called "Layers of Fears," a remake of the first two games in Unreal Engine 5. However, there will be some differences from the versions of "Layer of Fear" and "Layer of Fear 2" that gamers might have played previously. Here's everything we know about "Layers of Fears" and what you can expect from it when it finally releases.
What is the release date of Layers of Fear?
"Layers of Fears" was unveiled at the 2022 Summer Game Fest. A specific release date wasn't shown in the game's trailer, but it seems that "Layers of Fear" will arrive sometime in early 2023. While this is a vague release window, "early 2023" could point to a release in the first or second fiscal quarter. Because "Layers of Fear" is built in Unreal Engine 5, it will be a next-gen exclusive and will be available on the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and the PC via Steam.
When it comes to why Bloober wants to remake the games despite them not being all that old, it seems that a new vision of sorts is at play. "We are bringing back a franchise that is really special for us, in a new form that will give players a truly fresh gaming experience and that will shed new light on the overall story," Bloober Team CEO Piotr Babieno said of the new project (via PC Gamer).
Is there a trailer for Layers of Fears?
A reveal trailer for "Layers of Fear" was released as part of the 2022 Summer Games Fest. The trailer shared a lot of the imagery closely associated with the "Layers of Fear," like dark, atmospheric rooms and suspicious paintings. The trailer runs at a little under 2-and-a-half minutes and features narration from the in-game characters regarding the family's history of insanity. Some of the games' gnarly scares are featured front and center, such as an elderly lady seemingly removing the head of a young boy.
Apart from select parts of the trailer, most of it seems to show off the beautiful new environments Bloober has been able to create using Unreal Engine 5. Small glimpses of the game's characters are also shown, though their faces and features are mostly obstructed due to the clever use of lighting.
Judging by the comment section of the game's trailer, it seems many are excited to play "Layers of Fears," even if it isn't a sequel, per se.
What is the gameplay like in Layers of Fears?
Due to the reveal trailer's high fidelity and impressive visuals, it's hard to discern what is gameplay footage and what is CGI created for the purpose of conveying the game's atmosphere. However, given the presence of some shots that are taken from a first-person perspective, it can be concluded that there is indeed gameplay presented in the trailer. In the official description of the game, "Layers of Fears" is defined as being "a first-person psychedelic horror chronicle focused on tense exploration and immersive storytelling[.]"
"Layers of Fears" is said to expand upon the story told in the first two games and will also introduce new gameplay elements. Judging on certain shots seen in the trailer, one Redditor believes one of these gameplay features will be combat, something that wasn't present in the original experience. Until more expansive details are released by Bloober in terms of what exactly these new changes will be, fans will likely have to use their imaginations to fill in the gaps.