The Evil Within 2
MODERN SURVIVAL HORROR THAT EVOLVES THE GENRE IN SUBTLE WAYS. $99.95 | PC, PS4, XO | www.theevilwithin2.bethesda.net DIRECTED BY LEGENDARY horror icon Shinji Mikami ( Resident Evil), the original Evil Within suffered all of the problems you’d associate with a survival horror game indebted to the past. It was petrifying, psychologically draining, but it was also a pain in the arse — difficult, clunky and frustrating, in all the ways old Resident Evils can feel to modern players. The Evil Within 2 shares the same protagonist with that first game but sheds a lot of what made that first instalment mediocre, resulting in what’s probably the best survival horror game since Alien: Isolation.
You play as harried ex-detective Sebastian, kidnapped by dodgy organisation Mobius to enter its strange alternate reality in pursuit of his daughter, allowing TEW 2 to abandon the logic of reality. You’ll be exploring small townships that have crumbled to pieces, whole avenues and blocks floating in the sky, and common household variety of scary mansion, too, though they’re rarely traversed in a straightforward manner. This sequel switches between linear, traditional survival horror proceedings and a handful of mini sandboxes, while managing to retain the tension needed to keep a game like this ticking.
It’s a lengthy game, though it doesn’t get taxing because it’s not as punishing as other modern horror games. Sebastian has a variety of skill-trees that advance his abilities in meaningful ways, and while the combat is hardly as snappy as, say, Gears of War, you’ll rarely feel like the odds are entirely against you. Ammo can be scarce, but it’s usually because you’ve not scoured the areas for resources, and not because it wants you to feel disempowered.
And while the original game will likely shine for those adamant that survival horror should stay true to its roots, The Evil Within 2 manages to walk the tightrope between horror and action, successfully mixing adventure with despair in a way that’s actually fun.