Layers of Fear (2016): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Gamicality score 78 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 5

Runs today5 / 5
Design today4.5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

26,616 reviews89% positive
Steam store page

Released: 2016
Developer: Bloober Team SA
Genre: Adventure, Indie
Best version today: A 2023 Layers of Fear remake rebuilds this game in Unreal Engine 5 with revised and added story material, so this 2016 release is mainly for those who want the original as it first shipped, ideally as the Masterpiece Edition with the Inheritance add-on.
Runs on: Windows, macOS, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does Layers of Fear run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	Expected to work. It is sold for Windows today and no problem is on record. SourceNo player reports yet
Mac (Apple Silicon)	Steam sells a Mac version. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon. SourceNo player reports yet
Linux	Yes, there is a native Linux version. SourceNo player reports yet
Steam Deck	Playable, as rated by Valve: it works, but may need some manual configuration. SourceNo player reports yet

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Synopsis

A short first-person psychological horror game set in a Victorian mansion that rearranges itself whenever you look away. You play a troubled painter trying to finish his masterpiece, piecing together his family's story from letters and keepsakes while the house turns on you.

What people say

Critics split sharply at release: some praised the gothic atmosphere, the shifting rooms and the storytelling, with one outlet giving it a perfect score, while others found it rarely scary, with telegraphed jump scares and ideas that run out well before the end. Reviewers also noted a short running time, fiddly manual door and drawer opening on a gamepad, and checkpoints that are not generous. Players today still single out the art, the sound design and the rooms that change behind them, but many call the scares cheap and the plot clichéd.

Playability today

Playability runs from 1 to 5. It is the average of two parts. Each part starts at 1 and climbs to 5 as more of its checks pass. Read the method.

Runs today: 5 / 5

✓Sold today from an official store
✓Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
–Single-player works without an internet connection
–All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
–Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
–Full controller support or remappable controls
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
–No known game-breaking bugs in the current version

Filled in from the Steam store and Valve’s Steam Deck rating. Checks marked – are unknown and do not count until someone checks them.

Design today: 4.5 / 5

✓Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboardMoving and opening things by hand works well with a mouse, though critics found it clumsy on a gamepad and some players call the controls only passable. Source: destructoid.com, steamcommunity.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screensThe game has almost no interface and supports widescreen and ultrawide resolutions, though evidence on this point is thin. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, destructoid.com.
✓Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progressFailing rarely costs progress since danger changes the ending rather than forcing a reload, though one critic found the checkpoints stingy and evidence is thin. Source: steamcommunity.com, destructoid.com.
✓It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progressSound cues and doors that lock and unlock keep the path clear, with only a few puzzle moments that critics found unclear. Source: destructoid.com.
✗Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtrackingCritics widely felt the scares were front-loaded and the game exhausted its ideas early, and players mention recycled rooms and repetitive jump scares. Source: opencritic.com, destructoid.com, steamcommunity.com.
✓Camera and movement never fight the playerThe first-person camera has an adjustable field of view and draws no specific complaints, though evidence on this point is thin. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.

Judged against games made today, from complaints that recur in recent Steam reviews and discussions, forums, PCGamingWiki and community wikis. Each reason links to where it comes from.