"The Sinking City 2" marks a radical genre shift for developer Frogwares, moving away from a focus on detective work towards classic survival horror in the style of Resident Evil. The sequel trades the sprawling, often seemingly empty open world of its predecessor for a tighter, more atmospheric Arkham set in the 1920s, where resource scarcity and battles against Lovecraftian monstrosities take center stage.
Frogwares is thus departing from the familiar path of Sherlock Holmes mechanics and is noticeably taking its cues from modern examples like "Alan Wake 2". Current hands-on previews show Arkham as a dark, flooded wasteland that, thanks to Unreal Engine 5, is visually far superior to the original.
The new protagonist Calvin Rafferty Searching for his beloved Faye in this ruined city, he quickly finds himself in a fight for survival against the so-called "Slither" – slimy masses that reanimate corpses.
Mechanics before mystery
The investigations, a hallmark of the first game, are still present, but according to previews, they have been drastically reduced. Instead of pursuing complex cases across the entire city, puzzles now serve more as minor obstacles within the levels. The focus is clearly on resource management. Ammunition is scarce, and the inventory system forces players to carefully consider which healing items or quest items they carry.
The new combat system is described as particularly striking. Enemies have visible weak points that, when hit, inflict massive damage. Players looking to conserve ammunition can use dodging maneuvers to knock enemies to the ground and finish them off with a stomp attack. While this system is mechanically sound, it diminishes some of the Lovecraftian horror's intangible threat and moves the game closer to a classic action-horror title.
Technical leap and playful balance
Technically, "The Sinking City 2“Probably a massive leap forward as well. Based on these initial impressions, the lighting and the level of detail in the environments perfectly capture the dilapidated aesthetic of the 1920s. The character animations in cutscenes also appear significantly more vibrant than in previous Frogwares products. Arkham itself acts as a character: flooded streets must be navigated by boat, while magically secured “safe rooms” with gramophones serve as retreats – a clear homage to the save rooms in the Resident Evil series.”
An intriguing progression system complements the everyday horror gameplay. Runes allow players to equip talents into a mysterious mask called the "Nightshade." This grants bonuses such as faster reloading or improved healing. Additionally, there are rare resources that allow for a one-time resurrection directly at the scene of death.
The reorientation sounds like a necessary step. The first installment suffered from its ambition to fill a vast world with weak mechanics. "The Sinking City 2" seems more focused and mechanically more refined. The danger, however, lies in the fact that the title will lose its individuality amidst its major inspirations.
For Lovecraft fans, the design is a feast, but purists of psychological horror might find the constant action and the talkative protagonist distracting. Those looking for Resident Evil in Cthulhu's clothing should keep an eye on the planned 2026 release.
Interesting, reminds me of the Alone in the Dark remake, which was awful.
Let's see, this time I'll let the others go first. Requiem raised the bar even higher, not necessarily in terms of horror, but the gameplay and animation were superb; not many can compete with that.