What Is Layers of Fear VR?
Layers of Fear has returned to PlayStation with a stand-alone VR offering. Do we have a new PSVR horror contender to topple the likes of the mighty Resident Evil 7? This VR version of the 2016 psychological and psychedelic horror game comes from Bloober Team, the team behind the mainline series as well as other pant-wettingly scary titles like The Medium and Blair Witch. They even gave us the Sci-Fi Dystopian thriller Observer System Redux, proving they have plenty of experience in dropping players deep into their disturbing creations.
Game Snapshot
Developer: Bloober Team / Incuvo
Publisher: Bloober Team
Release Date: 2019 (PSVR)
Platforms: PSVR, PC VR
Genre: Psychological horror / VR
Gameplay
Layers of Fear VR drops you into the shoes of a troubled portrait artist struggling to finish one final piece of work. You will find yourself in the ground floor entrance of a lavish home with many rooms to explore and items to investigate which may help to piece together the painter’s life as well as their current mental state. The game is played using 2 move controllers only. Items can be picked up, drawers and cupboards can be opened and doors can be swung open.
Where the use of the move controllers lets things down is in its lack of a joystick. Moving around consists of having to hold the Move button on the right controller to walk forward and the Circle button to walk backward. It is simple enough to get used to this but it does feel that having the option of DualShock 4 support would have been beneficial for some players.
Where the gameplay comes into its own nicely is when the house starts changing of its own accord. After you go to the artist’s studio on the ground floor and pull off the sheet that covers the unfinished painting you leave via the door you entered, but the hallway you enter is nothing like the room you stepped out of previously. Layers of Fear VR gives you a real sense of disorientation and a feeling of being trapped in a maze of lavish decor and spooky paintings. There are even times later in the game where you will walk through a room, find no way through and turn around only to find that the room is not as it was just a second ago.
Presentation and Atmosphere
The team at Bloober really put in the effort with the audio side of things. Starting simply with the sound of thunder outside the windows and adding increasingly ominous music which can only add to the scary atmosphere. The best thing about the audio is the use of the VR headset’s 3D audio. Playing a game like this using the PSVR in-ear headphones, or better yet plugging a headset into the audio jack, is a must. Creepy sounds can come from any direction, whether that’s simply a door slamming by itself or a painting flying overhead to crash into the opposite wall. The audio will keep you on edge even when you can’t see anything particularly spooky.
A big part of VR gaming is having accessibility for players of all experience levels. The game offers plenty of options from allowing the visions imagery to be turned off, having a cone of vision available at different levels when walking, and even allowing click turning speed to be increased or decreased.
Is It Scary?
Layers of Fear VR does an excellent job of lulling you into thinking all it has to offer is the odd creepy sound or notes written in blood with some infrequent yet well-executed jump scares. The atmosphere builds up a brilliant sense of uneasiness and disorientation. Without offering any spoilers on a port of a game from 2016, there is a portion of the game where you can in fact die, and trying to get past this will have your heart pumping. The big selling point is of course the added VR element. If you are a fan of horror games but have yet to try one in VR then you may be surprised by how immersive the game becomes with an added layer of depth perception and increased field of view.
Scoring
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Gameplay | 6/10 |
| Graphics | 7/10 |
| Audio | 8/10 |
| Scares | 9/10 |
| Average | 7.5/10 |
Final Word
This is a stand-alone purchase and the previously released DLC is not included. As much as being in VR adds to the experience it may be a difficult sale for those that have bought and completed the standard game already. However, if you haven’t played the game before or for some time there’s a very good VR horror game to find here. The main story can be finished in around 3 to 4 hours but for the completionists out there who want to find all collectables and see all potential endings, you could possibly double this. Layers of Fear VR achieves what it sets out to do, making for one of the better horror experiences on the PlayStation VR platform.
FAQ
Is Layers of Fear VR available on PSVR2?
Layers of Fear VR was originally released for the original PSVR headset and is not natively available on PSVR2. The original PSVR version can be played on PSVR2 via backwards compatibility, though this varies by region and setup.
How long is Layers of Fear VR?
The main story can be completed in around 3 to 4 hours. Completionists seeking all collectables and alternate endings could spend closer to 6 to 8 hours with the game.
Is Layers of Fear VR suitable for newcomers to VR?
It can be challenging for those new to VR due to its free movement mechanics, though the game offers accessibility options including adjustable turning speeds and a cone of vision to help reduce motion sickness.
Useful Links
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