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Layers of Fear 2 (2019)

PC (Microsoft Windows) • 2019

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Quick resume

Layers of Fear 2 is a first-person psychological horror game with an emphasis on exploration and story. Players control a Hollywood actor who heeds the call of an enigmatic director to take on the lead role in a film shot aboard an ocean liner. Beware, for all may not truly be what it seems.

Global score

72/100

Genres

Adventure, Casual, Indie

Similar games

    Pros

    • Stunning visuals and art direction
    • Strong atmospheric and psychological horror
    • Complex, symbolic narrative with multiple endings
    • Immersive sound design and voice acting
    • New game+ mode and collectibles enhance replayability

    Cons

    • Short game length
    • Some players find story confusing or pretentious
    • Chase sequences can be repetitive and frustrating
    • Limited gameplay depth and puzzle challenge
    • Some pacing issues and slow early acts

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Expression, Fellowship, Cooperation, Competition. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Creativity. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Strategy, Expression.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players have some freedom to explore and make choices affecting endings, but gameplay is mostly linear with preset story progression."

    • Competence
      1

      "Gameplay involves light puzzles and some chase sequences that require timing, but overall low skill demand."

    • Competition
      -5

      "No competitive elements; focus is on personal experience and story exploration."

    • Continuation
      2

      "Multiple endings and New Game+ encourage replay, but game length is short and some find pacing slow."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single-player experience with no cooperative or multiplayer features."

    • Creativity
      4

      "Highly creative environments, visual effects, and storytelling with cinematic and surreal elements."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No elements of exerting control or superiority over others; purely individual experience."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Strong psychological horror and surreal narrative provide immersive escape from reality."

    • Expectation
      -3

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest in psychological horror and story; no obligation reported."

    • Experimenting
      2

      "Players explore environments and story paths, including multiple endings and collectibles."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Exploration of diverse, shifting environments on a ship with hidden items and story clues."

    • Expression
      -4

      "Limited customization; focus on experiencing preset narrative and environments."

    • Fantasy
      4

      "Strong surreal and psychological horror themes with cinematic and supernatural elements."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "Solo game with minimal social interaction or community involvement."

    • Growth
      2

      "Players learn story details and puzzle solutions; some personal insight through narrative."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay typical of walking simulators; no physical activity involved."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires focused attention; some slow pacing but continuous engagement needed."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No close social relationships formed; solitary experience."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management elements."

    • Progression
      3

      "Progression through story, unlocking collectibles, and multiple endings."

    • Relaxation
      -1

      "Tense atmosphere with moments of suspense; not primarily relaxing."

    • Sensation
      4

      "Strong sensory stimulation through visuals, sound design, and atmospheric effects."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social status or recognition mechanics."

    • Story
      4

      "Narrative-driven game with complex, symbolic story and multiple endings."

    • Strategy
      0

      "Light puzzle solving present but minimal strategic or planning depth."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Chase sequences and jump scares provide moments of suspense and tension."

    • Value
      1

      "Mixed opinions on value; short length but good replayability and artistic quality."

    • Violence
      2

      "Includes chase and death sequences but no combat; some violent imagery."

    • Survival
      2

      "Avoiding death from monster chases adds survival tension to gameplay."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026