The Sinking City 2 review roundup: a solid survival horror pivot from Ukraine's Frogwares

The Sinking City 2 launches August 18, 2026, and early reviews confirm that Frogwares' decision to abandon the slow detective formula of the 2019 original was the right call. The Kyiv-based studio — more than 90 people who kept developing through Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine — has scored 79–84 on Metacritic depending on platform and 81 on OpenCritic, with 69% of critics recommending it. That puts it in respectable, if not genre-leading, company.

The genre shift

The sequel trades Lovecraftian mystery-solving for survival horror combat. Set in the flooded 1920s town of Arkham, players follow detective Calvin Rafferty searching for his partner Fey Bennett, whose soul has been trapped in a dream realm after a failed occult ritual. Gameplay leans heavily on early Resident Evil: tense exploration, environmental puzzles, scarce ammo, and monsters you sometimes can't kill at all. A "Dream Essence" currency, earned through quests and puzzles, funds a skill tree that opens up new abilities as you progress.

Critics highlight the atmosphere as a genuine strength — the Lovecraftian dread kicks in immediately, the monster designs are grotesque in the best way, and the combat feels noticeably tighter than anything in the first game. The story, too, pulls players forward. Frogwares clearly studied Resident Evil and Silent Hill closely; the familiar mechanics are borrowed but implemented competently.

The caveats

This is a AA title, not a AAA one, and the budget shows in places. Facial animation is rough, voice acting is uneven, and enemy variety is limited. PC players in particular should brace for optimization problems — frame rate inconsistencies and general technical roughness are recurring complaints.

Compare that to Metacritic scores for Resident Evil Village (87) or the Silent Hill 2 Remake (83), and Frogwares is close but not quite at that level of polish. That gap is largely a function of resources, not ambition.

Price and availability

The Sinking City 2 is out August 18 on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG), PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Three editions are on offer: Standard at $49.99 (£46.74), Deluxe at $54.99 (£51.24), and Premium at $59.99 (£55.99). Premium holders get 24-hour early access starting August 17. There's no Game Pass version at launch.

The pricing sits below the current $69.99 AAA ceiling, which feels appropriate for what the game is. For fans of Resident Evil's pacing or the atmosphere of the original Sinking City, it's worth a look — just maybe wait a patch or two on PC.