The Sinking City 2 review: Resident Evil in a fedora

The Sinking City 2 is Frogwares' Lovecraftian survival horror sequel, and it wears its influences openly — this is essentially Resident Evil in a 1920s New England coat, drawing most heavily from the 2019 RE2 remake in structure and feel. That's a compliment. What lifts it above imitation is the richly detailed, personality-packed setting of Arkham, Massachusetts, drowning under an apocalyptic flood in 1929.

You play as Calvin Rafferty, a hard-edged occultist who wakes up to the end of the world and sets out to save his comatose partner Faye — a victim of a half-remembered expedition to Lovecraft's Dreamlands. The story is a who's who of the Cthulhu mythos, with eldritch guest appearances that will delight Arkham-heads, and it manages to engage seriously with Lovecraft's heavier metaphysical ideas while quietly sidestepping the parts that haven't aged well. The plot stays coherent throughout — no YouTube explainer required — and delivers a handful of genuine twists along the way.

Arkham itself is the real star. The texture work and sound design are exceptional, building an atmosphere that feels genuinely damp and oppressive. Each chapter drops you into a distinct locale: flooded city streets navigated by boat, an abandoned hospital with its own unkillable stalker in the vein of Mr. X or Nemesis, and an Arkham Fish Market that pushes things further still. Every dilapidated room feels lived-in and disaster-ravaged. Cutscenes and facial animations don't always match the environmental quality, but strong voice acting carries them through.

The review notes the first half of Chapter 1 runs a little slow, but the emotional stakes established early — Calvin's drive to save Faye — provide enough momentum to push through. For fans of the recent Resident Evil games looking for something with more cosmic dread and a pulp-fiction aesthetic, The Sinking City 2 delivers a confident, atmospheric package that goes well beyond surface-level homage.