THE EVIL WITHIN 2: A WONDERFUL SURPRISE

VERDICT: 8.0/10

Gran Turismo 6 came out four years ago on PlayStation 3. Strangely enough, it was released after the launch of the PlayStation 4, which meant that fans would have to wait a long time for the first “next generation” title in the series. After getting delayed by almost a year, Gran Turismo Sport is finally out. For better and worse, it represents that next generation ambition in more ways than we imagined.

Gran Turismo Sport may as well be considered as an online only game. You can still race without being connected, but everything from your save file to progression is tied to its Today sequels are an obvious decision for publishers, with most doing fairly well so there’s nothing really wrong. However, it’s a rare treat when a sequel manages to stand out on its own while outdoing its predecessor. The Evil Within 2 came as a wonderful surprise in the horror survival genre as it builds on the foundation set by the first game and the development of the plot and growth of the characters really stands out as a defining feature of the game.

The Evil Within 2 follows in the footsteps of the original with protagonist Sebastian Castellanos once again jumping into the fray but this time he’s a much more evolved and matured figure. The former detective is once again inside a STEM machine created by the shadowy organisation MOBIUS, but this time the stakes are much higher. He isn’t stuck or lost, he’s on a mission to find his daughter who is actually still alive and being used as ‘the core’ to power this mind sharing device.

So with the stakes much higher, our protagonist returns with much more conviction and his surprise and fear from the first online component. Only Arcade mode is available offline which consists of single races, time trials, drift trials as well as support for split screen and VR.

In addition, it does not have a standard career mode. That is replaced by a series of trials and missions that are essentially an assortment of activities with the aim of making a better driver. Retrying these challenges for a better final time can get addicting and there is a lot of variety in what the game asks you to perform. This collection of activities is in no way a replacement of a standard campaign, but you can lose hours trying to get gold on each of the missions. game is replaced by determination and his experience from the first game is constantly referenced and he learns and acts through The Evil Within 2.

What I enjoyed about The Evil Within 2 is how the developers have given themselves the freedom to experiment with open world and hub-based setup that works much better with the new setting in the small town called Union. The game throws you into the town and with that comes a lot of freedom in terms of what you want to do and how you want to do it. There are a lot of houses

While you can create and join online lobbies at will, the new Sport Mode feels most coherent with the game’s vision. It’s a selection of three races that are on rotation that take place at regular intervals. The process of following a schedule, qualifying and then giving it all in the actual race forms an extremely satisfying loop. In addition, championships and tournaments will be coming in November.

Gran Turismo Sport handles incredibly well. Its also surprisingly easy to pick up and play for newcomers, regardless of whether you are using a controller or a wheel. The campaign helps in fine tuning your driving skills. The game encourages fair and safe driving by implementing a Sportsman Rating. Easily visible to everyone, this rating aims to reward clean driving and will go down every time you perform rash manoeuvres.

The that can be explored, a lot of side missions that pop up; gamers can weigh the pros and cons of exploring new and mysterious signals in hopes of getting new ammo but must ration what little supplies they do have. A new sort of teleportation system also opens up new regions with loot and of course a bunch of enemies guarding it.

The combat too provides a lot of flexibility with stealth a very viable option for gamers who want to avoid troublesome situations, however, given the great combat and upgrade system makes you want to get into those fights. Because the upgrades to gear and abilities require a hefty amount of resources, unlike most horror games you will most likely find yourself moving towards danger and not away from it. Overall, it is a great game in its own right, regardless of whether you’ve played the original and a solid buy for fans of the survival horror genre. aspect of the game is the selection of cars and tracks available to you. When combined with the lack of dynamic weather, it means you will be seeing a lot of the same locations on a regular basis with the same driving conditions. This is one key area where GT Sport lacks in comparison to its competitors. GT Sport’s differences do not mean its necessarily worse, nor do they devalue the quality of its mechanics. Even without a proper campaign or career mode, there is a lot to do for fans of single or local play. Its focus on online might be off putting, but paves the way for a new bold new direction for the franchise.