The Sinking City 2 – 10 Details That Should Be on Your Radar

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Frogwares is well known for its Sherlock Holmes games, which have ranged from excellent to just okay. But the studio also enjoys exploring supernatural mysteries, as seen in The Sinking City. While their first attempt at cosmic horror felt a bit ambitious, early gameplay of The Sinking City 2 suggests they’ve really nailed it this time. Here are ten key things you should know, starting with…

The Premise

The first game followed detective Charles Reed as he investigated Oakmont. The sequel introduces Calvin Rafferty, who finds himself in the flooded city of Arkham. He’s on a desperate search for a book that can save his comatose companion, Faye, after a failed magical ritual. The game begins at Miskatonic University’s Annex, overrun with bizarre creatures, though Calvin manages to keep his cool. Later, he explores the more dangerous, but drier, Akeley Memorial Hospital. Despite making some progress, his actions attract the attention of powerful, incomprehensible cosmic entities.

A Moody Atmosphere

Compared to the updated version of the first game, The Sinking City 2 really benefits from the power of Unreal Engine 5, especially when it comes to creating a genuinely creepy atmosphere. You can see it in everything – from the unsettling, worm-like creatures that slither around (and sometimes even point you in the right direction) to the realistic water Calvin navigates. Even small details, like books scattered around and the decay of the streets, feel authentic. The cutscenes are a huge step up, particularly those featuring a linguist and the disturbing changes happening to him. Frogwares has clearly mastered the game’s visual style, though the PC version still needs some performance improvements.

Survival Horror Bent

With its over-the-shoulder view, limited ammunition, claustrophobic hallways, and ability to stomp on enemies – similar to Dead Space – The Sinking City 2 is clearly focusing on creating a truly terrifying survival horror experience. This emphasis on atmosphere and suspense is key to the game’s pacing and level design, keeping you on edge as you explore. Players familiar with the Resident Evil remakes will recognize these elements. However, because investigations are now less required, fans of the first Sinking City game might need some time to adjust.

Rewarding Exploration

Frogwares didn’t create a completely open world for this game, but instead a semi-open one, and this varies depending on the area. The Arkham section is a good example – once you get a speedboat, you’re free to explore the flooded streets in almost any order. In the demo, I was limited to one main area, though other locations hinted at more freedom in the full game. Even in areas crucial to the story, it’s worth taking the time to explore. You can find Emergency Relief Crates (ERCs) that contain useful weapon upgrades and extra inventory space. You’ll need an Activator Pen to open them, and finding them can be tricky, but the effort is worthwhile – they might even give you extra clues about the environment.

Compact Environments and Backtracking

While some areas are more expansive, the levels generally feel tightly designed. Buildings frequently contain unlockable shortcuts, and you’ll find items that require you to revisit places you’ve already been – the map conveniently highlights these. These revisits often come with a catch, like new enemies appearing, which increases the tension and emphasizes the strategic risk and reward of combat. And that leads us nicely to talking about…

Locational Damage

Okay, so I’ve been playing The Sinking City 2, and the shooting feels really different than something like a Resident Evil remake. Forget aiming for headshots – this game wants you to pop the gross, bubbly boils on the enemies, which are everywhere on their bodies! It does a ton of damage and even staggers them, giving you a chance to escape. If you manage to knock them down, you can really go to town on them. Later on, the enemies get tougher, especially in Akeley, and start throwing stuff at you to match your upgraded weapons. And watch out for those little creepy crawlies! They’re fast and will rush you, but a couple of stomps will usually do the trick if you can catch them.

Dodging and Environmental Traps

The game gets much more action-packed as it goes on – later on, Calvin has access to powerful weapons like a Thompson and shotgun, and plenty of ammo. However, skillfully dodging attacks and using your surroundings are still crucial for survival. Dodging is a simple way to deal with the skitterers, who can also be caught in bear traps (though be careful – those can hurt you too!). Don’t hesitate to use exploding canisters to your advantage, even if Calvin takes some damage in the blast. While there’s more combat than in the first game, you’ll still need to conserve ammunition and be resourceful.

The Runes Have It

Runes give you passive abilities that enhance your character. These talents can do things like speed up weapon reloading, reduce damage from human-like enemies, or briefly boost your damage after switching weapons. I especially like a Rune that makes you hit harder when you’re playing in the dark – it encourages you to take risks! At first, you’ll have limited space for Runes, and their shape also matters. You’ll unlock more powerful Runes as you progress, with the very best ones only appearing after you’ve finished the game. You’ll need Dream Essences to unlock these Runes, and they aren’t always easy to find. But let’s move on to the next helpful feature…

Building a Case

You don’t have to complete every investigation, but finding clues is always helpful. These investigations aren’t just about solving simple puzzles – they’re actually quite complex – and they reveal a lot about the game’s story. Connecting related clues earns you Dream Essence, which lets you unlock more abilities. While the rewards are nice, the best part is discovering how the investigations unfold. After experiencing one optional investigation, I’m really excited to see what other mysteries the full game holds.

Crafting

One thing I was really curious about in the demo was crafting, and it wasn’t fully shown off yet. They have all the ingredients – chemicals, scrap metal, gunpowder, herbs for healing – but how you actually combine them is still a mystery. From what I played, it doesn’t seem like you can craft things instantly, but I’m guessing there will be crafting stations in the safe rooms, probably right next to where you store items. Speaking of storage, it’s pretty limited, so you can’t just hoard everything! You’ll definitely need to use up some materials to free up space eventually.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Sinking City 2. While it still needs improvements – particularly fixing bugs and running more smoothly – the demo was immediately more engaging than the first game, with better combat and overall gameplay. It’s too early to say if the story will be good, but the potential for a compelling narrative, centering on Calvin’s encounter with The Great Dreamer, makes this game a promising survival horror title for 2026.

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2026-05-14 16:43