Layers of Fear
It’s Halloween, and that means hundreds of unique streamers will soon band together to enter the ever-twisting haunted house that is Layers of Fear. Why? Because Layers of Fear builds a dark, brooding, immersive atmosphere that clutches tightly and doesn’t let go. Featuring an engaging world of dark fairy tales, disturbing mental illness, tragic events, and so much neon paint — it’s truly a journey into the mind of a madman. Layers of Fear epitomizes what makes atmospheric horror so unique, and so, so very perfect for video games.
Get it on | Steam | PS4 | Xbox One | Nintendo Switch
Aspyr is proud to partner with Rely On Horror to bring you a list of the Best Modern Atmospheric Horror games. And as a reward for reading, we’ll be giving away some exclusive collectibles only ever before seen in the original press kit. Just leave a comment below, and we’ll pick a few lucky winners! (US residents only.)
( ^ You could win this. Wouldn’t you love it to be the first thing you see every day when you wake up?)
Amnesia: The Dark Descent
I marathoned Amnesia with a friend. We hid in closets, ran like hell, and ultimately survived the dark descent. Amnesia forces you to be wary of looking at monsters. Looking at a monster makes it aggro faster. Cowering could save your life.
There’s also the infamous “water level” where the monster is only made visible by footsteps in the water, with tiny splashes that come rushing after you. Yet somehow you have to cross this flooded hallway. Incredibly intense and suspenseful, your imagination takes care of the rest..
Five Nights at Freddy’s
Five Nights really stresses the player by focusing their attention on resource management—plate-spinning. Every action you take has consequences as you try to survive the night at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. A few seconds of hesitation can leave you defenseless before the night is over. That alone is fascinating game design, but when you add in the story element, things really get dark.
You don’t interact with people directly, only via phone messages —each seemingly cryptic and a bit off. You’re doing a job, but you’re alone, and things keep getting a bit stranger. You’re stuck in one room, with grainy security cameras as your only windows outside the office. You’re trapped in a nightmare, and you’re almost out of power.
With stressful gameplay, a disturbing narrative, and incredibly creepy animatronics, the only way to succeed is by remaining calm.
PT
Also known as Silent Hills, PT was (and is) revolutionary. You weren’t playing a character; you were you. Dropped in a seemingly random garage, you walked through an endlessly repeating, photo-realistic hallway. With each repetition of this walk, something would change. A radio pops on to tell you about a horrible crime. The bathroom door is no longer locked. A picture shifts just enough to catch your eye.
PT is a mind-game and a test of will. It proved that gameplay could be cinematic and incredibly disturbing. The player had to face their fears to move forward — or forever be enveloped in the darkness around them.
If you missed out on your chance to experience this gem, don’t worry — you can watch a YouTube walkthrough. (We suggest you turn the lights off, first. It’s worth it.)
>observer_
And last but not least, we have >observer_, another title from Bloober Team, the creators behind Layers of Fear. Similar to Layers and PT, expect a lot of hallways and minute details. Subtlety is the art of great atmospheric horror. Check out Rely on Horror’s review here.
The apartment complex is crowded, malfunctioning, and snaked with cables connecting everything to screens. Neon lights, augments, organ farms, VR pigs, and more lie within each of the dozens of apartments. Stories, notes, emails, and people telling stories coil around the player, breathing dystopian life into the very corridors you navigate.
>observer_ locks you inside this cyberpunk dystopia, where each turn is more dire and depressing than the last. The technology to connect everyone has only led everyone to misery.
Layers of Fear Collectibles Giveaway
Don’t forget — if you’re interested in winning some exclusive Layers of Fear swag, leave a comment below and we’ll select winners by October 30, 2018 – 7PM EDT! (Again, US residents only — sorry non-US residents!)
