The Sinking City 2 review

The Sinking City 2 is a survival horror game set in H.P. Lovecraft's 1920s Cthulhu Mythos, developed by Frogwares and published by Frogwares. It is a sequel to the 2019 game The Sinking City, which received mixed reviews for its ambitious but flawed execution of a detective horror game set in a flooded world. The Sinking City 2 attempts to address the issues of the previous game by focusing on pure survival horror in a series of constrained locations, similar to the Resident Evil series.

The game features a new protagonist, Calvin Rafferty, who is searching for his partner Faye Bennett, who is in a supernatural coma after a trip to the Dreamlands. The storyline takes place in the flooded city of Arkham, where the player must boat around, solve puzzles, scavenge for supplies, and fight off zombie-like creatures. The combat system has been improved with a dodge move and enemies that are desperate to bait the player into charging so they can melee attack and save ammo.

One of the significant changes from the original game is the removal of the stealth mechanics, which were considered janky and unnecessary. The sanity meter has also been removed, and the investigation side of the game has been downplayed, with most of the detective work being replaced by solving combination-lock codes and other puzzle solutions.

The inventory system is now a grid that fills up with weapons, consumables, quest objects, and crafting items, which can be frustrating as players may need to leave behind larger guns or crafting materials to make space for other items.

The game's structure is linear, with the player traveling to various staple survival horror locations such as a hospital and other sites. However, the player never returns to the flooded streets or has the opportunity to complete sidequests or explore additional areas. The story ends abruptly, and a New Game Plus mode is available, but upgrades to inventory are not carried over.

Overall, The Sinking City 2 is an improvement over the original game, offering a solid survival horror experience that is mostly enjoyable. However, the lack of diversity in locations and the rushed storyline may leave players feeling that the game could have been more substantial. It would be interesting to see if the next installment in the series can build upon these improvements and offer a more satisfying conclusion to the story.