A Lovecraftian Survival Horror Sequel That Changes Course
A lot has happened since the original The Sinking City first came out in 2019. Not only was there a release of an Xbox Series X|S-optimised version of the game, but there was also The Sinking City Remastered. However, one of the biggest concerns for the developers, Frogwares, would be the ongoing war in Ukraine.
As you load this game up, there is a stark reminder of the circumstances the developers have had to endure when making this latest game. Developers were drafted, homes were destroyed, there were power cuts and water shortages, but still, they got to make The Sinking City 2. I was excited to see what they had done with the sequel, as I enjoyed the first game very much. And this one takes things in a new direction – a direction that does a lot of favours.
The Sinking City 2 changes things up a bit from the initial game. Firstly, there is a new protagonist called Calvin Rafferty, who is a sort of Indiana Jones-type adventurer. Then we have a new location in Arkham, which has been hit by a supernatural flood. But the big change this time is the focus of the gameplay. I believe the first game’s focus was much more of an open-world investigative adventure, using Frogwares’ Mindscape investigative system. In The Sinking City 2, we get something that feels much more like a Resident Evil game; more focused, full of puzzles, locked doors, and, of course, the infected trying to kill you. Some will decry the dampening down of the first game’s gameplay, but I think it’s a much more focused, enjoyable romp.
A Flooded Arkham
The survival horror story still pays homage to Lovecraft’s world, as the main city is one of his in the stories. Set in the 1920s, Calvin and his beloved partner in crime, Faye, performed a reckless occult ritual which led Faye to be trapped in the dreaming world. Calvin awakens her spirit, but her body is stolen by a huge sea creature called The Slither. It’s all about trying to rescue her body while discovering the secrets of Arkham and the reason behind Faye’s special attention. Locations take us across the city, through hotels, hospitals, houses, fish markets, and churches.
I liked the story a lot. Its DNA is full-on with the Lovecraftian roots, but it does one of the best jobs of tackling them with intrigue, horror, and humour at times. I think the two lead characters, Calvin and Faye, are great, and you really do care about their plight. The dialogue is good, and the environmental storytelling, both with its period setting and its supernatural world, works perfectly in tandem.
Survival Horror At Its Best
Gameplay is straight out of the survival horror playbook. Inventory management, tick. Over-the-shoulder action, tick. Scary creatures coming at you, tick. Strange puzzles, tick. And The Sinking City 2 puts you straight into the action from the beginning. You have your weapons, starting with a pistol and then ranging up through a shotgun, rifle, and machine gun. Ammo is limited, and you have to decide whether to shoot everything you encounter or run at times to safety. And those enemies come in the form of little worms that infect dead bodies and reanimate them. Kill a host, and the worms will go off to get the next one. It must be said, combat is a tight, messy affair that works well and is fun to play.
Exploring Arkham And Solving Its Mysteries
Exploration is entertaining, but very much comes in two parts. You travel the sinking city itself in a small boat, jumping off every now and then to open gates blocking your route. Then you have the larger maps, which throw you into other locations, like a hospital or a hotel, and you have to slowly navigate yourself around them, normally trying to complete a bigger task. This is the most Resident Evil part of the game, with different keys required to open up areas, small puzzles to solve, and a lot of backtracking back and forth. If you’re a fan of the genre, it’s like going for cocktails in your favourite bar.
The detective element that Frogwares have kept in takes cues from their previous game, as well as the Sherlock Holmes games and their investigative ideas. Clues pop up in the various environments, from documents to items. You then go into a mind board and can place those clues down on it. From there, it’s a case of linking the clues until they form completed groups. The results can give you solutions to puzzles and vital information about progressing, but they also give you points that can be used to unlock and upgrade charms. These charms might give you the opportunity to load your weapons quicker or provide greater melee strength in a tight corner. Perhaps The Sinking City 2 is a little lacking in the more detailed detective aspects, but rarely does it miss them.
The Sinking City 2’s visuals are very good, with the city itself looking amazing, semi-submerged in water. There are some cracking weather effects that play out too, and being outside in the upcoming storm is amazing. And of course, creatures are grotesque and interesting throughout, especially when it comes to the more Lovecraftian-inspired creations. Personally, I really enjoyed exploring the interiors and seeing the attention to period detail, from a chalkboard full of fish prices to the interior of the library devastated by the flood. Character models of the two leads are very well designed as well.
Sound design is neatly done, complete with a score that does a good job of keeping you on your toes throughout. The voice work by Andrew Wheildon-Dennis (Baldur’s Gate 3) and Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones) does a superb job of bringing the characters alive and giving them some heart and passion.
A Confident Survival Horror Sequel
You’ll have a blast with The Sinking City 2 and its survival horror reboot. The atmosphere, the narrative, and the characters are all of extremely high quality, whilst it plays with genre ideas in confident and exciting ways. It’s a solid adventure with some good scares and surprises along the way, complemented by some exciting combat.
Important Links
The Sinking City 2 Is Now Available On Xbox, PlayStation And PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/the-sinking-city-2-is-now-available-on-xbox-playstation-and-pc/
Head back to Arkham as The Sinking City 2 is Announced – powered by Kickstarter | Gameplay revealed! – https://www.thexboxhub.com/head-back-to-arkham-as-the-sinking-city-2-is-announced-powered-by-kickstarter/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/the-sinking-city-2-pre-order/9mtjnbhvgfr2
Grab a Deluxe Edition – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/the-sinking-city-2-deluxe-edition-pre-order/9p0n59wq7zq2
There’s a Premium Edition too – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/the-sinking-city-2-premium-edition-pre-order/9nh7j9l5pgtm
