Transfer house owners have already got get right of entry to to Layers of Concern: Legacy and its sequel, however Bloober Group is again with a brand new port for Transfer 2. Utilising Unreal Engine 5 to reach some actually spectacular visuals, Layers of Concern: The Ultimate Masterpiece Version is neither a sequel nor a remake, however quite the definitive imaginative and prescient of the sequence thus far, packaging each titles into one enhanced enjoy.
The result’s combined. Even if that is new for Transfer 2, it introduced in different places in 2023, prior to the studio considerably upped its recreation (in my view) with Silent Hill 2 and Cronos: The New Break of day. As such, what you’re getting right here is an ideal illustration of what I’d name ‘previous’ Bloober; one that specializes in scripted, linear occasions with minimum participant company.
There’s indisputably a spot for that, however Layers of Concern feels just like the online game an identical of a haunted area experience. A number of issues occur round you and it’s all very lovely, however hardly does anything else in truth occur to you. The result’s a way of detachment from the widespread scares, which come so thick and rapid that there’s slightly any time to soak within the surroundings.
You have got 3 primary tales right here: The Painter from the unique recreation, The Actor from its sequel, and The Creator, a brand new body narrative that ties the entirety in combination. DLCs previous and new can also be accessed thru The Creator’s tale, making this a complete retelling of the sequence. Each and every tale options some glorious voice performing, regardless that I do assume this has in truth been overused. Just about each and every be aware discovered within the surroundings (and there are a lot) options an unseen narrator, and it’s just a bit over the top – fortunately, muting it completely is an possibility.
Gameplay is a case of meandering thru detailed environments to select up paperwork, letters, and items that step by step make clear the overarching narrative. Mysterious sounds puncture the air, furnishings strikes of its personal accord, and corridors that would possibly appear completely customary to start with look shift in new instructions while you give them a 2d glance. That is lovely cool for the primary couple of hours, however the novelty wears off.
Exacerbating this, navigating the sector is a bit more difficult than it must be. You open doorways via keeping ‘ZR’ then pulling ahead or again at the proper stick. This works advantageous 90% of the time, however there are moments when it simply received’t serve as as meant, so that you’ll wish to let cross completely and take a second to recalibrate what your arms and thumbs are in truth doing. Non-compulsory mouse controls alleviate this quite and really feel nice for probably the most section.
And what a good-looking recreation! The lighting fixtures is especially spectacular, and it runs neatly on Transfer 2, showing to try for 60fps when docked, regardless that the 30fps and over the top movement blur can glance a marginally jarring in hand-held. In the event you’ve but to enjoy the 2016 unique or its direct sequel, that is the easiest way to take action, however when you’re after a in point of fact forged horror enjoy, Cronos is the simpler possibility.
