Layers of Fear (2016)
Hooks you almost right away
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 5 reviews are negative (19%); after 5h it's 1 in 14 (7%).
- Fully opens up by hour 5.
- The opening is criticised less than in 75% of games we track.
- At least 43% of players who start reach the ending.
- Only 52% of owners have even the first achievement — the rest barely played.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 28,145 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 286 reviews: 4h for positive, 3.4h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (51.9% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
- Started playing 100%
- Finishing touch Complete a painting ≥43% −57
story milestone ending (most common ending) biggest drop-off
Story milestones were labeled by AI from achievement names and descriptions; mistakes are possible.
All achievements (27)
story milestone ending side
- It's covered up for a reason Get working on your Magnum Opus 100%
- It rings a bell Discover an echo from the past 95%
- Wanderer Take a thousand steps 95%
- Scraps of love Find a memento of your family 91%
- The artist's impression Collect a rat sketch 87%
- Inspired OCD Search 100 drawers and cabinets 75%
- Artist's struggle Embrace death for the first time 62%
- Finishing touch Complete a painting 43%
- Sketchbook of the damned Uncovered the developers' faces 30%
- Instinct of self-preservation Heeded the warning 30%
- I know what I want Reach a conclusive ending 16%
- It was worth a try Dialed 911 12%
- Let Bygones Be Bygones Accepted your father's apology. 11%
- I Remember It Like It Was Yesterday Recalled all your childhood memories. 11%
- Too Little, Too Late Refused to forgive in the end. 11%
- Preferred Parent Stuck to one parent's side through the entirety of the quarrel vision. 9.8%
- Those eyes can pierce a man's soul Marveled at the Furboy's portrait for a total of 5 minutes 9.4%
- Whispers long forgotten Recall every word you said 9.1%
- Art Connoisseur Gaze at paintings for a total of an hour 8.9%
- The Big Picture Assemble all the puzzle pieces. 8.7%
- Immortalized in my heart Gather all family mementos 8.7%
- You might have a problem Gather all drawings of rodents 8.7%
- Once Upon A Time Watched the entire Little Red Riding Hood story. 8.3%
- Omniscient Witnessed all outcomes 8.3%
- Sword Of The Serpent Slayed the evil serpent roaming the land of the fables. 8.1%
- This could be important Read every note in the game. 7.9%
- The Tree and the Apple Discovered your true inheritance. 7.9%