Second chances are rare in any context. From undoing a poor first impression to being allowed to go back in time and right the wrongs of the past, these opportunities tend to be more common in fiction than in reality. However, in the case of Frogwares’ The Sinking City 2, the very existence of this long-awaited sequel feels like the universe itself admitting that the studio deserved another shot at bringing their unique vision for interactive Cosmic Horror to life.
That’s not to say that 2019’s The Sinking City was a bad game, but the first attempt at a moody investigative thriller set in flooded environment was clearly marred by budgetary issues, overambition and even a prolonged legal battle between Frogwares and the title’s initial publisher. These problems resulted in fans receiving a decidedly worse version of the experience at launch, though a much improved (but still flawed) remastered edition of the game was finally released last year.
Yet, for all its missteps, the original game still contained all the hallmarks of a legitimately great Frogwares production, from excellent writing to faithful recreations of Lovecraft’s eldritch mythology as well as a genuinely kick-ass premise.
Fast forward to 2026 and in spite of a myriad of real world issues interfering with the sequel’s release. including a literal war that put the Ukrainian developers at risk, copious amounts of fan support coupled with good old-fashioned perseverance resulted in a brand new game that completely overshadows its janky predecessor.
In The Sinking City 2, which is a standalone adventure set during the roaring 20s, players take on the role of Private Investigator Calvin Rafferty as he refuses to evacuate the flooding city of Arkham, Massachusetts in order to try and save his catatonic lover, Faye. Faye’s body has been lying dormant since a mysterious incident that occurred while exploring the mystical Dreamlands, and Calvin’s only hope of waking her up lies in conducting an occult ritual that may very well be connected to the disaster currently destroying the city.
Flooded Arkham Is the Real Star of the Show
In gameplay terms, this results in the player having to explore flooded sections of Arkham while scrounging for supplies and fighting eldritch threats brought on by the rising tide – threats which include dead bodies reanimated by slithering eel-like creatures as well as the occasional waterlogged monster. Along the way, you’ll also solve intricate puzzles and investigate the secrets behind Faye’s predicament, all the while learning more about the city’s ill-fated inhabitants and their own attempts at escaping the flood.
Compared to the first game, the biggest difference here is in the overall approach to the material. Despite the surface-level similarities in the third-person traversal and combat, The Sinking City 2 is much more of a traditional survival horror experience than the proto-open world RPG hybrid we saw in the original.
This means that the new title feels much more linear, though it also results in a much more focused and tightly-paced experience.
Even then, Arkham feels even more massive and imposing than the previous game’s Oakmont despite your exploration being limited to a handful of ruined buildings and neighborhoods. While part of this is due to the apocalyptic scale of the conflict here, as the flood takes the form of an ongoing (and oddly beautiful) cataclysm rather than a passive element of the setting, the meticulously-crafted level design also makis this world feel much more alive than the procedurally-generated Oakmont and its generic NPCs.
A More Focused Survival Horror Experience
This time around, the gameplay here borrows heavily from more recent takes on survival horror rather than trying to feel like an RPG. In fact, the title wears many of its influences on its sleeves as you progress through an experience that could very well have been made into a Lovecraftian-themed DLC for titles like Alan Wake 2 and even the Resident Evil 2 remake.
The Sinking City 2 isn’t quite as polished as these aforementioned titles, especially where gunplay and enemy variety are concerned, but this is still the first Frogwares release I’ve played that could possibly be referred to as a AAA production. Sure, some of the janky cut-scenes and infrequent visual hiccups can occasionally break the illusion and reveal that this isn’t a blockbuster production, but these rare blemishes pale in comparison to the quality of the overall narrative.
Frogwares has always excelled at Lovecraftian intrigue, and their latest release marks the first time that one of their carefully crafted yarns isn’t locked behind frustrating deduction mechanics and antiquated exploration. That makes it much easier to appreciate the genuine pathos behind our protagonist’s quest.
There’s something undeniably compelling about a lone hero who decides to defy nature itself during a hellish catastrophe so that he might save the person he loves – no matter the cost. In classic Cosmic Horror fashion, things turn out to be much more complicated (and terrifying) than that, but I love how the title grounds speculative ideas from classic tales like The Shadow Over Innsmouth and At The Mountains of Madness with a deeply resonant emotional core.
And while you don’t necessarily have to be an expert on H.P. Lovecraft’s expansive mythology to keep up with the narrative here, hardcore mythos fans are sure to enjoy the many references and Easter eggs that help to flesh out Arkham and its inhabitants.
Final Verdict: A Love Letter to H.P. Lovecraft Fans
At the end of the day, The Sinking City 2 doesn’t quite reinvent the survival horror wheel with its familiar attempts at inventory management and desperate combat, but that doesn’t make it any less entertaining. While some players may be put off by the old-fashioned backtracking and repetitive combat encounters, I’d argue that these retro elements only make the game seem more like the ideal Lovecraftian survival horror title that I’ve been dreaming of ever since playing Bethesda’s Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth all the way back in 2005.
That’s why I believe your overall enjoyment of the game will likely depend on your existing fondness for its source material, especially since the story hits the ground running and expects you to be familiar with concepts like the Dreamlands and the fishy children of Dagon.
However, it’s precisely details like these that make me appreciate The Sinking City 2 as a horrific love-letter to all-things Lovecraft.
Review code provided by publisher. The Sinking City 2 launches August 18 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
