LAYERS OF FEAR (2023): THE PAINTING STARES BACK

7.0 of 10 bananas. Bloober Team rebuilds its walking horror series in Unreal Engine 5, bundling both games, the DLC, and new chapters into one story. Gorgeous and full of clever room tricks, but there is almost no threat, and the scares grow predictable.

By the Alpha. Steam listing. Updated Oct 25 2026.

Honest note: This is not a fresh hands-on playtest. I built this verdict from launch reviews, critic consensus, update history, and what is known about the game today. If I put real hours in on stream, I will update the score and say so.

Platforms: PC on Steam, plus PS5 and Xbox Series X|S (Bloober Team, released June 15 2023). This is the 2023 remake that bundles Layers of Fear, its Inheritance DLC, and Layers of Fear 2. The button on this page is the Steam store page, 29.99 dollars at my Oct 25 check. On Amazon US the only PS5 discs were a Limited Run Games print at 49.99 dollars and a UK import at 50.00 dollars, so there is no Amazon button.

Sit with me a moment. Some horror chases you. Layers of Fear just waits for you to turn around. Then the room you came from is gone, and the painting on the wall has changed its face.

What It Wants To Be

You walk through the minds of tormented artists: a painter obsessed with his masterpiece, an actor lost in a film set, and a writer in a lighthouse who ties it all together. It is a first person horror adventure. You explore, read notes, and watch the world rebuild itself behind your back. The 2023 version adds a flashlight that pushes back some threats and new chapters, including one called The Final Note.

What Works

The room tricks are the star: doors that open onto the wrong place, corridors that loop, art that shifts when you look away. Unreal Engine 5 makes the mansion and the ship look stunning, with ray tracing on supported hardware. Having both games and the DLC in one package makes it the best way to experience the series.

What Breaks

Listen well. There is very little danger. Most scares are staged and predictable once you learn the pattern. The story is told through heavy notes and voiceover, and it can feel pretentious. The flashlight adds a little action, but not enough to make it tense. It is long for a walking horror game, and the second half repeats tricks.

Who Should Play

Play it if you love atmosphere, art, and haunted house walks with no combat. Skip it if you want real threat, puzzles, or a tight story.

Related: SOMA, Silent Hill 2, Little Nightmares.

Sources: Steam store page, Layers of Fear (2023) on Wikipedia.

Store note: the troop still needs an Amazon referral for this one. At my Oct 25 check the only PS5 discs on Amazon US were a Limited Run Games print at 49.99 dollars and a UK import, which I will not push on the troop. Steam is the only button until a fair listing is real. This is not an affiliate link.