How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (Metacritic) | – | 72 | 20 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 50 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | – | – | 0 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 76 | 252 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | – | – | 0 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 0 reviews sampled · 0 total reviews in window · weighted 0 up / 0 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (44)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 50
“Layers of Fear is well made, but commits a potentially greater sin than a game that’s simply bad. It’s dull. It’s dreary. It’s got as much bite as a beach ball.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“The game that will make you genuinely uneasy, Layers of Fear uses more subtle scare tactics to induce paranoia into the player, building a heavy atmosphere during its rather short runtime.”
read full review ↗ - 40
“More an incoherent collection of jump scares than a horror game, Layers of Fear occasionally spooks but doesn’t make much of a lasting impression.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Layers of Fear is a linear game that is a few steps behind the horror titans. The 4 hours needed to see the ending couldn't be considered wasted time but I had some doubts during. The game can scare you pretty well - unfortunately after a while the pattern becomes too repetitive (at the same time this is the moment where the rooms become more interesting). Layers of Fear takes some stuff from the P.T. demo - but when you copy, you should do it from the best source possible.”
read full review ↗ - 89
“When flesh is the only adequate canvas and blood runs the color of regret, you will discover that the most horrifying monster is the one within. Layers of Fear will make you scream into the empty room time and time again, even though you think you know what is coming. It will make your every hair stand on end and keep you playing, helpless, lost in the throes of deepest nightmare. One of the most intense horror experiences of recent years.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A superb atmospheric horror experience, Layers of Fear succeeds in taking terror videogames to the next levels in terms of immersion, but fails to deliver little else than another artistic walking simulator.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Yes Layers of Fear has a ton of jump scares yet everything else comes together as well to offer players a feeling of truly descending into madness. Sometimes a game comes along that sees a team of people coming together to create something unique and scary all the same. That’s Layers of Fear in a nutshell and it scared the living hell out of me.”
read full review ↗ - 100
“The true masterpiece is the endless struggle to create art. Jump scares and predictable tricks in horror games won't work anymore. The story of the artist is intriguing while still making you feel tense and uneasy about what you see. Layers of Fear made story, gameplay, and atmosphere work together in harmony.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Layers of Fear is a great horror. Could've been even better, but it's still a fresh genre for Bloober Team, making it easy to forgive some controversial solutions that don't affect the gameplay in a hugely negative way. Fans of terror should and suspense should not miss this dark adventure.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“On the surface, this is a simplistic horror game with a claustrophobic atmosphere and plenty of creepy moments. The straightforward puzzles and unusual visuals give it wide appeal. Beneath that there are secrets to uncover and the subliminal pleasure of playing as the monster. For those that want to probe deeper there are angles of art and psychology to ponder. Stacked up like the rickety tiers of a gothic building, Layers of Fear proves aptly named.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Sparse with its controls, Layers of Fear nonetheless delivers a rich, immersive, and - most importantly - really bloody scary game. [Issue#249, p.60]”
- 64
“Layers of Fear is an intriguing experimental haunted house, but without a proper sense of pacing, it fails to scare.”
read full review ↗
The Jimquisition
PLAY Zine
GRYOnline.pl
LevelUp
ZTGD
The Escapist
Eurogamer
GameSpot
PC Gamer…and 32 more tracked reviews.