Survival horror has gone through many changes over the years, but with the Evil Within 2, we have a true return to form for the genre. This is a game that will not only test your mettle, but will in fact scare you, or at least make a you a jump a few countless times. Created by the great Shinji Makami, this game is certainly one that you will enjoy if you the genre, and playing this game in the month of October will certainly help in making your Halloween time that much more horrifying.
In this game you play as a man named Sebastian Castellanos who is out looking for his daughter Lily who was abducted years before. He tracks her down to this crazy place called the Union, where things are definitely not what they seem. Sebastian has a lot of baggage concerning his daughter as clearly he wasn’t always the best dad, and he just wants to find her now, but really has no idea where she could actually be. With this idea in his head, he must also face villainous monsters who want nothing more than to kill him. There is also the threat of Lily not being all that happy to see him when he does find her.
This game, is great because it allows you to play as you want. You can of course go in guns blazing and kill all the enemies on sight. Which isn’t always the best way to go about it, because some of your foes will be quite sneaky. You can also of course, if possible sneak around. Being careful always has its advantages as you don’t want to go in to hot and waste ammo. You can also craft in this game, which is an interesting and modern addition. In the game you can craft anywhere, and make things to assist you on your journey. Or you can use a workbench, which while harder to come by, will lessen your use of crafting items. It is a good balancer for crafting as you will have to use your own judgement. While it might be easier to craft anywhere, if you know it will use too much you’ll be forced to strategize and wait for the work bench.
There are also side quests in which you can gain other items which are scarce. This is another solid mechanic as you can always use more items to take on the foes you may come across. Plus, who doesn’t like taking on quests to hold off completing the main story. There is even customization for your character through the use of Green gel. There is a skill tree which is broken into five sections or health, stealth, combat, recovery, and athleticism. Putting your points to the right skills will make your game your own, and customization always is a good thing. You can even upgrade weapons with parts you may find, adding to further increase your firepower.
Sebastian is an excellent character to play as, and you really feel for him. Having to lose your daughter at any age is difficult and knowing that she is actually still alive makes it all the worse. He knows that deep down he wasn’t there for her as much as he could have been and that he lost her mother too. Losing both wife and daughter in one fell swoop would make any man go the distance to find his lost but living daughter. Playing through this game, I really felt that if he could turn back time, he would change his ways and be there for his family.
This game is a great one, and is packed with at least three playthroughs of content. Casual mode, which is what the creator of the game suggests, is actually the best one to start with as it will ease you in. Though I’m sure there will be many who will jump right in with Survival or Nightmare. This game really has something for all who dare attempt it, anyone who loves this type of game should find a difficulty setting perfect for them.
This game certainly is horrifying in a way that I have not experienced since I played Resident Evil 4. Now, I don’t play many Survival Horror Games as often as I’d like. This game has me feeling exactly like I did when I first played Resident Evil 4. Feeling totally lost and all alone, not knowing what was coming. My blood pumping as I walk through derelict places and have to hold my own, not knowing if I’d find bullets soon. This game is something that puts me back to the time, where I was trying out my first survival horror game, and the true fear that I experienced back then. While I may have improved in my gaming, there is something apparently integral to this genre that will always scare me shitless and for that I am so thankful.
Though this game is infinitely also much more improved than Resident Evil 4, as there is true stealth. Now, not only do I feel like I can be a ghost and dodge enemies if need be, I also fear that I will be detected and immediately killed on sight. The enemies are fantastically frightening in their own rights as are the bosses. This game is one that keeps me on the edge of my seat as I roam its land, and that is a great part of this genre.
Evil Within 2, is an awesome game and one that will really test you wits. Heading around the Union, completing side quests, killing monsters, and maybe getting a little freaked out are all par for the course. Will you help Sebastian find his daughter, or will this all turn out for naught? Find out when you play Evil Within 2 for Playstation, Steam, and Xbox One!
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Reviewed on PS4
Disclaimer: Bethesda provided a review code