The Sinking City 2, the long-awaited sequel from Ukrainian developer Frogwares, launches on Steam today. The third-person survival horror drops players into a 1920s Arkham drowning under a supernatural flood, and it brings a dramatically different combat system and a more structured approach to investigation compared to its predecessor.
Where the original Sinking City leaned heavily on detective work in an open-world setup, the sequel tightens the formula into a more deliberate survival horror experience. Frogwares has described it as “resource-lean,” meaning ammo and supplies are scarce and every encounter demands a cost-benefit analysis. The inventory system forces hard decisions about what to carry, and shortcuts unlocked through exploration create a metroidvania-like loop through Arkham’s flooded districts.
The setting remains one of the game’s greatest strengths. Arkham is rendered as a Roaring Twenties port city buckling under eldritch forces, with tide-stained Art Deco avenues, a hospital where science hides its face, and a fish market where the merchandise bites back. Players travel between districts on foot and by skiff, navigating collapsed seawalls and boarded parlors packed with secrets.
Combat has been overhauled from the first game’s awkward gunplay into something closer to a proper third-person shooter. Players face the Slither, which animate the dead, Deep Ones surging from dark water, and shadows that bend space. Some fights can be avoided entirely by retreating to rearm and upgrade weapons through investigation-driven side missions. That optional-investigation loop ties exploration directly to power progression, rewarding players who poke into every corner of the city.
The narrative follows a personal rescue mission: a ritual gone wrong has trapped a loved one’s soul in the Dreamlands while malevolent forces have stolen her body. That thread drives the player through the main path while optional investigations add depth and context to Arkham’s collapse. Frogwares has leaned into environmental storytelling, scattering readable clues and environmental puzzles throughout.
For Steam players, The Sinking City 2 launches at $49.99 USD, with a Premium Edition available for pre-order that includes 24-hour early access, bonus weapons, outfits, and a haunted mansion side mission. Full controller support is included, making it viable on Steam Deck as well.
The original 2019 release earned a cult following despite rough edges, and Frogwares has spent years refining the formula. Early impressions suggest the tighter scope and improved combat have addressed many of the first game’s frustrations. If you enjoy atmospheric horror that rewards patience and curiosity over twitch reflexes, The Sinking City 2 is worth checking out on Steam today.
Lena Nakamura begins every review with one question: what is this game doing that nobody else would attempt? She covers roguelikes, narrative experiments, striking art direction, and games willing to risk failure in pursuit of something original. Familiar ideas do not bother her, but safe execution does. If a game is beautiful, strange, and slightly impossible to explain, Lena is already interested.
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