The Sinking City

I don't care what people say about the mechanics. Yeah, it's annoying sometimes, but it's actually a really good game worth checking out if you like Lovecraftian horror.

I almost got put off from the start by slightly wonky combat, but decided to power through and see what this game is really about - because killing things clearly isn't the main attraction here. I'm very glad I did, because it turned out to be one of the most atmospheric, chilling horrors/thrillers I've had the pleasure to play.

There's an omnipresent sense of dread in it, which is why I find the name so fitting - it's a "sinking feeling" of things going from bad to increasingly harrowing levels of "WORSE". Fear of the Unknown is the strongest of them all, according to Lovecraft - and this game capitalizes on that pretty damn well. It doesn't shock you with predictable gore or jump-scares. Instead - it seeps into your being as something you can't quite identify, yet find delightfully terrifying.

Unraveling the threads of its story while playing detective is the core gameplay thing here, and is quite gripping, just because of how original and unpredictable the writing is.

This was an entirely random find which turned out as a hidden gem !

This game has been kicking around on my bucket list for a few years, now. It looked really interesting, but I was in the middle of other games at the time and it slipped my mind. Now that SC2 has been announced it's high time that I get the kick in the ass, that I deserve, for not playing it yet. :P
Anyway...
I really enjoyed game. I've always wanted an open world lovecraftian game. Also having guns in the game felt appropriate since there's monsters in it. Oh noes :O, monsters what ever should I do? Run around, screaming in circles? No, shoot the bastards already!
The solving of mysteries to get places was a fun angle too. Being the only one to know something feels kinda special, in an already mysterious world. I also like how sometimes the only answer in the whole city is a tiny piece of text found in a books at a library or found in an archive. As they say: the devil is in the detail.
As far as the story and atmosphere goes, they too were satisfying. It's your basic lovecraftianism at its best. You have a gloomy end of the world, that is yet still intriguing and only YOU can change things but always at a sacrifice.
The graphics are a bit dated, but who cares. The lovecraftian themes still look cool. I've seen worse.
I can't wait for the next game now.

The Sinking City is a fevered plunge into a nightmare city, drenched in noir and interesting kind of horror. Not fear, exactly—more like revulsion, a deep-seated unease at the sheer wrongness of things. The city is damp, swollen, festering. The kind of place where the walls sweat and something with too many limbs might be waiting just around the corner. It's Lovecraft way of body horror: mold, mucus, slick organic growths spreading over brick and flesh alike.
The game channels The Shadow over Innsmouth and At the Mountains of Madness, with its grotesque hybrid creatures straight out of The Call of Cthulhu. For my wife, the fish-headed monstrosities were a dealbreaker, too unnerving to continue. For me, however, the grotesque hybrids and other zootropic NPCs were a plus — the essence of Lovecraftian terror, the kind that disturbs without ever fully revealing itself. I’m not a huge fan of the writer himself, but I do appreciate his cultural influence.
The gameplay, though, is a little bit mess. Combat is clumsy, and the open-world mechanics feel shallow, leaving the city more like a forgotten diorama than a living place. The story hits familiar detective beats, but lacks the depth of its Lovecraftian inspirations. It’s a game that struggles to live up to its potential but still offers a raw, unsettling atmosphere that will haunt the right kind of player — if they’re willing to endure its flaws.

Pretty good lovecraft game, atmosphere is great, the lovecraftian weirdness is on point, here and there a little janky and lacks some polish but nothing you can't get over if you want some crazy outer gods stuff

Yeah, I get it *sigh*
Yes , the game sure is not a technical masterpiece.
Yes , the 2019 version (still playable) is more stable than the remastered version.
Yes , the 2019 version's graphics on default look better than the remastered version's.
Yes , the remastered version missed the opporunity to get rid of some bugs.
BUT
I still love this game. Let me explain why. Lets start with the technical perspective.
You can decide whether you play the 2019 or remastered version.
With some easy tweaks in the .ini file(s) both versions can become quite goodlooking.
On my last playthrough the remastered version only crashed once.
The autosave feature is pretty usefull. Never experienced a true setback when the game crashed.
Now it does not sound that bad anymore, does it?
But what is far more important (to me): the story & setting!
I am pretty sure the story will appeal to anyone who at least has a somewhat positiv affiliation to HP Lovecraft's universe. Even if you don't and are just looking for a detective shooter in an eerie and weird setting, you wont be disappointed by it's lore. It fits right in. Sometimes gives you the chills. Sometimes makes your brain go "WTF?!". Sometimes makes you shiver. Ans sometimes even lets you make some (not so easy) choices. For game developers Lovecraft and his works still seem to be pretty niche. Thus it is hard for us Lovecraft fans to get supplied with videogames that fit his mind (and ours). When it comes to egoperspective we have Dagon, Still Wakes The Deep, Sherlock Holmes: The Awakend, Darkness Within that are pretty damn close to be considered authentic and immersive. And it is right this authenticity and immersion that makes me come back to it from time to time. As for now I just have started another playthrough again.
Sure, the game definitely is NOT free of flaws. It has it's bugs and quirks. But it sure is far away from an unplayable state. Further it is not like there is a truckload of great Lovecraft games that catch the vibe and give it back to the player. I dont need (and dont want!) a AAA game to get sucked into Lovecraft's world. With that in mind, my oh my, The Sinking City truely is a great game to love(craft)!

The Sinking City Remastered is a moody, atmospheric revival of Frogwares’ ambitious Lovecraftian detective game, delivering both visual and technical improvements that reframe the entire experience in a more modern light. Built in Unreal Engine 5, the remastered edition doesn’t simply upscale textures or improve resolution—it completely overhauls the aesthetic quality of Oakmont, the game’s decaying, rain-soaked city at the heart of its cosmic horror narrative. Buildings rot with more texture, alleyways drip with more menace, and shadows dance eerily under ray-traced lighting. These enhancements create a significantly more immersive environment where every corner feels oppressive and alive with mystery, amplifying the emotional weight and dread that defines the game’s tone.
The improvements go far beyond the surface. Frogwares has taken the opportunity to polish many of the technical shortcomings that plagued the original release. The addition of DLSS, FSR, and TSR upscaling support allows for smoother performance across a variety of hardware configurations, making the remaster more accessible and stable. Quality-of-life changes are subtle but impactful: revamped controls, smarter enemy AI, rebalanced combat sequences, and a more intuitive interface for navigating investigation mechanics make the game feel more coherent. The inclusion of a Photo Mode is a welcome bonus, especially for players who want to linger in Oakmont’s unsettling vistas, capturing the grotesque beauty of their surroundings without the pressure of incoming horrors.
The narrative foundation remains largely untouched, which for many is a good thing. Players once again step into the worn shoes of private investigator Charles Reed, a man tormented by otherworldly visions who arrives in the isolated city of Oakmont seeking answers. The storytelling leans heavily into psychological horror, exploring themes of madness, identity, and unknowable cosmic forces. Reed’s descent into insanity is mirrored in the city itself—its partially submerged streets, its unnerving citizens, and its constant sense of decay. Clues are scattered in the form of documents, spoken conversations, crime scenes, and hallucinations, and players must piece them together using a deduction-based system that rewards observation over handholding. It’s a refreshingly cerebral approach that invites players to think like a detective, although it may prove too obtuse for those looking for a more guided experience.
Combat remains the weakest aspect of the game, even in this remastered version. While slightly improved in responsiveness and pacing, it still lacks the finesse and intensity expected from a modern action-horror title. The weapons feel clunky, aiming can be inconsistent, and enemy encounters sometimes interrupt the rhythm of the investigative flow. Thankfully, combat is never the primary focus; it’s treated more as a necessary evil, something to survive rather than relish. The psychological tension built through exploration, case-solving, and creeping dread remains the primary draw.
What makes the remaster especially noteworthy is the context of its release. The original version suffered not only from bugs and performance issues but also from a messy legal battle that prevented Frogwares from updating or even supporting the game properly for a time. With the remastered edition, the developers have regained full control over their work and offer this new version free to existing owners, a rare move that speaks volumes about their commitment to the player base. It’s not just a visual upgrade; it’s a redemption arc for a game that was once full of potential but held back by external issues and internal imperfections.
Even with all the improvements, The Sinking City Remastered won’t be for everyone. The pacing is slow, the tone relentlessly bleak, and the investigation-heavy gameplay can feel overwhelming or opaque to those unaccustomed to piecing together narratives from subtle environmental clues. Yet, for fans of Lovecraftian horror, detective stories, and immersive world-building, this remaster represents the most complete and haunting version of the game to date. It’s not just about what the game shows you, but how it makes you feel: isolated, insignificant, and desperate to understand a reality that’s slipping through your fingers. In that regard, the remaster fulfills the promise the original only hinted at—it pulls you deeper into the madness, and dares you to look away.
Rating: 8/10