The Sinking City 2 received warmer reviews than the original
- Metacritic 79, OpenCritic 81, recommendation 70%
- More linear design and enhanced survival-horror
- Lack of detective tasks, budget constraints
- Release on August 18, without Russian localization
Developer Frogwares, known for its Sherlock Holmes games, has lifted the embargo on final reviews ahead of the release of The Sinking City 2. According to verified publications, the sequel has been received significantly better than the first part, which was released in 2019.
At the time of publishing the news, the game received an average score of 79 on Metacritic (PlayStation 5 version) and 81 on OpenCritic, where the recommendation stood at 70%. These figures place The Sinking City 2 among the more successful projects of the studio.
What has changed in gameplay
Critics praise the more linear approach to level design, which they believe makes the exploration process more focused and dynamic. Special attention is given to survival-horror elements reminiscent of classic Resident Evil series games: the atmosphere of horror has been intensified, new survival mechanics have been added, and the threat from enemies is more palpable.
Nevertheless, some reviewers noted that the detective element, characteristic of previous Frogwares projects, has become less pronounced. Players accustomed to deep investigations may feel a lack of clues and logical puzzles.
Technical and visual aspects
Among the drawbacks mentioned in the reviews are the limited budget, which affected the quality of character facial animations and sometimes leads to technical shortcomings, such as texture artifacts and minor bugs. However, the developers have tried to fix one of the most discussed issues from the first part — the shooting system. In the demo version, it was almost non-functional, while in the final game, more realistic recoil and visual feedback upon hitting have been implemented.
The game launches on August 18 simultaneously on PC (Steam, GOG, Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. There is no Russian localization at release, which is related to current supply restrictions and the publisher's policy. Those who pre-ordered the premium edition have been given early access, allowing them to try the game before the official release.
Overall, The Sinking City 2 is an attempt by the studio to correct the shortcomings of the original, focusing on a more organized gameplay and enhanced horror elements. Despite some remaining technical roughness, the game has received positive feedback and may attract both fans of the first part and new players looking for an atmospheric horror.
Source: StopGame
