Last updated on October 10, 2026
I did not expect much from The Sinking City 2, and I felt no rush to play it. That changed after about two hours. The passion the developers at Frogwares put into this survival horror sequel is obvious, and it slowly won me over. Here is my full The Sinking City 2 review after more than 10 hours on PS5 Pro, covering combat, performance, sound and a story that borrows from some very famous names.
Scary, but I can cope
I did not play the first game, so I have no direct comparison, but this sequel made me curious enough to go back to the original. The main attraction is the Lovecraftian atmosphere, and it fits the survival horror genre perfectly. Flooded streets, strange whispers and creatures from the deep all work together to build a constant sense of unease.
Combat that gets the job done
Expectations for combat in survival horror are usually low. Only the Resident Evil series is truly strong in that department. Silent Hill 2 Remake, Silent Hill f and Alone in the Dark (2024) are weaker in combat but shine in other areas. The Sinking City 2 belongs to that second group, and it sits quite close to Alone in the Dark.
Gunplay is clunky and dodging feels sluggish. Even so, combat is good enough, especially considering the launch price, and I give the developers credit for not being greedy.
The Sinking City 2 graphics and performance
It has been a long time since I played anything Lovecraft themed, so exploring a partly sunken city and fighting off leeches felt oddly familiar. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5. Visual fidelity is not top tier, but it holds up well against similar titles, and the sunken Venice style gives it real character.
Visual bugs are frequent. I saw lip sync mismatches and textures vanishing. The worst problems were wall clipping bugs that forced me to quit the game and lose progress. On the bright side, performance on PS5 Pro was good across 10 hours of play, with no serious frame drops, even in demanding areas.
Sound design and music
The sound design suits the Cthulhu and sunken city theme very well, and the soundtrack exceeded my expectations. I felt fear at every step as creatures emerged from the depths. This is not a zombie game. It leans on personal, deep seated fears instead.
Leon S. Sunderland and the search for a cure
Because I skipped the first game in the duology, the story was hard to follow. The feel reminded me of Alan Wake 2, though with a simpler plot. The premise is familiar, a rescue story built on classic tropes, and it draws more from Silent Hill 2, with a sick wife and a desperate search for a cure. Several characters also reminded me of figures from Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Alone in the Dark.
Final verdict
The Sinking City 2 is decent but flawed. It was made with passion by a studio that has been through real difficulties, and it delivers a solid AA experience in a very crowded generation. I had frustrating moments that pushed me to take breaks, yet I still recommend it, especially to fans of Lovecraft’s universe.
Final score: 7.5/10
I’m passionate about books and video games. These two great passions represent, for me, a boundless universe where I can “escape” from reality whenever I need or want to. There are so many stories, worlds, and landscapes where I can instantly teleport that I don’t think a whole lifetime would be enough to explore them all (though it would be my greatest dream to be able to).
