Frogwares' newest game, The Sinking City 2, has finally been released, and it's been a couple of years since it was announced at the XBOX partner showcase in March 2025. It was also followed by a Kickstarter campaign launched on March 6, 2025, to make the best version of the game it could be. I think that plays a massive role in how I approached this project and this game. Before I talk about the game and review it, I want to include a screenshot of what the player sees when starting the game.
I loved seeing this because humans make video games, and we wouldn't have them without the developers who make them day in and day out. We tend to forget that sometimes; I do, anyway. With all that said, let's talk about the 1920s Lovecraftian survival game that is The Sinking City 2.
The Story:
The Sinking City 2 is set in the roaring 20s in Arkham, Massachusetts, where the whole city has been flooded and evacuated. You play as an Indiana Jones-type character named Calvin Rafferty, who is on an adventure to save his romantic partner named Faye Bennett. Faye is unconscious at the beginning of the game after performing the Ritual of Dreaming that happened off-screen before the game starts. Calvin figures out a way to wake up Faye by learning a ritual called “The Call,” but Cal must find a specific dagger named the “Recitations of the Tenebrous Soul.” This is what gets the almost swashbuckling adventurer to get off his feet and go out into the Lovecraftian world to save your lover. As a player, you'll meet very unique characters in this world, and trust me, they are VERY unique. A plague called the Slither has taken over Arkham, and the player has to fight their way through the nasty creatures. You will also visit some cool locations I don't want to spoil, but if you like a dark, rainy, grimy setting, you will not be disappointed.
Gameplay:
The Sinking City 2’s gameplay is very reminiscent of recent games like the Resident Evil Remakes or the Silent Hill 2 remake. It is an over-the-shoulder, 3rd-person action-adventure survival horror game. It is pretty standard here, not innovating anything, but that isn't always a bad thing. You will have to craft, fight, conserve ammo, loot specifically placed containers, and heal yourself the entire time while fighting the slither. As I previously stated, though, this isn't always a bad thing, especially when the whole thing is set in a Lovecraftian setting. In fact, it sometimes works wonders here.
Weapons and Enemies
The weapons are somewhat standard and didn't blow me away, but they were fun. You have five guns to choose from as you adventure through the world and find them at different times throughout your adventure. You start with the Equalizer MK. II (pistol), Field Surgeon (the shotgun), The Minuteman (submachine gun, a Tommy gun), Black Reef Longshot (bolt-action rifle), and lastly, Linguist’s Folly (a Grenade Launcher).
I ended up using the pistol, shotgun, and the rifle the most throughout my playthrough. You can also find parts to upgrade each weapon as well as improve minor stats on the guns. I never felt much incentive to seek these parts out, though, since they didn't change how I approached different enemy encounters. I typically found these attachments by luck because I was exploring every nook and cranny. Hopefully, with future installments, the weapons will feel different enough with these attachments.
With these weapons, of course, come the Slither (enemies). You will use these weapons to fight enemies. The Slither are pretty much zombies in The Sinking City 2, and each has weak points. The weak points are orange and give the player a bit of a challenge instead of just shooting one place, which is typically the head in other video games. The player will also encounter a wide range of monster types, which is really appreciated. The designs are very unique and draw from different ranges of H.P. Lovecraft lore!
Puzzles
The World
Before I wrap up this gameplay section, though, I do want to talk about my favorite part of this game: the world design. I believe that the best part of this game is the environment. The world oozes care and is LITTERED with unique posters and ads that I was oddly fascinated by and ended up screenshotting many of them. It also helps that there is a lot of water in this game, which means reflections. Reflections always tend to help world design for me, but especially when paired with this weird world that the player is teleported to. There are many details in this world that get overlooked here, and sometimes I would just walk around slowly to read the books on the shelves or just look at the little things on tables. Living in this world was truly something special. I highly doubt anything will overtake this setting in games releasing this year because of the handcrafting here!
Should you play it?
The Sinking City 2 doesn't innovate in the third-person survival horror genre, but that's okay because of its unique world design. This handcrafted setting is fun to explore; it is full of distinctive characters, straightforward puzzles, and standard enemies. It also helps that the story is engaging enough if you are interested in H.P. Lovecraft, pulling from lore that is very cosmic-heavy and sometimes taking turns you do not expect, even if saving your unconscious lover isn't your cup of tea. I cannot wait to see what Frogwares works on next because they are only getting better with this franchise. Once they start innovating on the systems placed here, like the weapons and puzzles, I believe they have a magnum opus in the making. Overall, The Sinking City 2 will be joining my list of favorite survival horror games and possibly the best survival horror of the year!
VERDICT: Recommended
Reviewed on PC
Review Copy was Provided
Available On: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
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