Halloween is getting closer and closer. It’s that time of the year where you dress up as your favorite monster or character and go from house to house to score some free sweet candy. Of course, Halloween is a lot more than just that. I know a lot of people traditionally hold Halloween nights where they watch their favorite scary movies or play that one game that will leave them behind suffering from a sleepless night. This year, the twisted ‘The Evil Within 2’ might be the perfect game to play during a Halloween night or any other evening, to be honest.
How far will you go to save your daughter?
The Evil Within 2 takes place three years after the events in the mental institution of the original game. Once more, we take control over Sebastian Castellanos who still hasn’t recovered from the events of the previous game. That makes sense, of course, Sebastian lost his wife and daughter during the last events. As if this isn’t bad enough already, he also lost his police job and nobody seems to believe what happened to Sebastian, meaning Mobius and the mysterious STEM-device remain a secret for the rest of the world. Trying to figure out what happened to him, Sebastian thought alcohol could be a solution, it’s at a bar where he meets a familiar face.
Juli Kidman, his former partner checked in on Sebastian because she has some important news to share. She reveals the shocking fact that Sebastian’s daughter is still alive but fell into the hands of Mobius. Lily (the daughter) is used in a the STEM-device to create a virtual town called ‘Union’. The problem here is that Union is under attack by monsters and Lily is in grave danger. As if this wasn’t bad enough already, there’s a serial killer running loose in the STEM-device, taking down a lot of people to transform them into ‘interactive’ photographs. Needless to say, Sebastian ignores the danger and jumps straight back into the STEM-device, hoping he’ll save his daughter.
A true survival horror experience
Sebastian doesn’t just jump into the device, save his daughter and gets away safely. No, nothing is what it seems, especially since Union is created with Lily’s thoughts. Everything you see isn’t real and that’s something you’ll often forget. The Evil Within 2 is master in making you believe the things you’re seeing. If you’ve played the first one before, you’ll know what to expect. If this is your first contact with the franchise, be prepared for some mindblowing moments.
Right from the start, you don’t really know what you can expect from the game. The story is extremely mysterious, especially since you’ll meet the other ‘visitor’ in the STEM-device pretty soon. He likes to kill his victims and transforms them into full 3D canvases, resulting in a dark form of photography. Right when you think you’re finally understanding the story, there will happen something that will change everything you thought was real. Everything about The Evil Within 2 breaths survival horror so it’s no surprise it will remind you of games like Resident Evil or Silent Hill from time to time. Being on the same list as those games is a huge compliment for sure.
Face your inner demons
What would a horror game be without the monsters? That’s right, nothing! During the first half of the game, the game really forces you to the edge of your seat. Ammo is extremely limited and you’re trying to get used to the dark corridors and the streets filled with blood. The monsters aren’t really dangerous just yet, especially when you compare them to the ones you’ll meet later but that doesn’t mean you’ll feel at ease. The Lost, are the main enemies during the first half of the story and can best be described as ‘The Evil Within’s’ take on the zombies. Indeed, nothing really special but the dark streets and strange noises only add to the dangerous atmosphere you’ll constantly feel. I often ended up firing one of my precious bullets into the dark without ever hitting a target, all thanks to some strange noises I heard or a slight change in the environment. Oh yes, this game likes to manipulate you.
The more you advance, the crazier the enemies get. Fans of the franchise will already understand what’s waiting for them during boss battles but even outside of those epic battles, it isn’t always safe. The game offers you a wide variety of enemies, all with their own strengths and weaknesses. Getting to know how to tackle them is crucial for your own survival. Without going into spoiler territory here, it’s easy to say that this game has some of the best enemies that ever appeared in horror games.
Discover everything there is
New in The Evil Within 2 is the freedom. The game flirts with a more open world approach, enabling you to step away from the path from time to time to discover secrets and collectibles. It’s never as good as in true open world games but I liked this change of pace a lot. Wandering around in a world as beautifully crafted as this one could never be a punishment. These trips can eventually lead you to some of the secrets or new weapons. I like the way the team handled this, they give you a certain amount of freedom without ever going overboard with it. The Evil Within 2 still is a rather linear game where you go from point A to point B in order to advance in the story. It’s nice to know that during your travels, you’ll be able to discover a lot of extra content while you’re on your way to your next target.
Conclusion:
The Evil Within 2 is the perfect game to play during your annual Halloween night and it’s far more than just that. The franchise belongs on the same list as the big survival horror games and that’s something to be proud of. The atmosphere, the music, the difficulty, it all adds up to this twisted and brilliant gaming experience. Don’t expect to sleep easily after this, you’ve been warned!
