Critics Share First Reviews for Lovecraftian Horror The Sinking City 2

On August 17, gaming outlets published their first reviews for The Sinking City 2. The title debuted with a 79 out of 100 on Metacritic, while its OpenCritic score sits at a solid 81.

Reviewers praised the game's shift in direction, though opinions remain split on certain mechanics. Critics particularly highlighted the decision to drop the original's open-world and heavy detective focus in favor of a tighter, more polished survival-horror experience. Many journalists compared The Sinking City 2 to the Resident Evil 2 remake and the original Dead Space. That said, investigation elements haven't vanished completely; players still need to piece together clues and evidence. The atmosphere received standalone praise for its environmental storytelling, with Arkham itself described as one of the sequel's most terrifying elements. Thanks to this, Frogwares' latest project feels much more cohesive and tense than its predecessor.

However, the game isn't without its flaws. The press pointed out clunky controls, tedious combat encounters, weak facial animations, sub-par voice acting, and a rather shallow bestiary. Ultimately, the media's verdict is mostly positive but comes with some heavy caveats. Interestingly, the developers openly acknowledged several technical issues ahead of launch, including stutters, visual bugs, level-of-detail pops, broken DLSS in Performance and Ultra Performance modes, slow texture streaming, and freezing enemies. If players encounter these issues, the studio simply recommends restarting the game.

The Sinking City 2 launches on August 18 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Do you think a stellar atmosphere can outweigh technical hitches and weak combat? Let us know in the comments below!