Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One
Tested on: PC
The Evil Within 2 – Preview
Ever since Resident Evil 4 amazed the world by showing a ”new type” of horror game, it spawned many games that adapted to its original features: the third person over-the-shoulder camera, the weird variations in horror and exemplary bad guys to defeat. The Evil Within is one of those game series, and the first part scared and shook the world back in 2014. Now, fans and people new to the game get another chance to visit the twisted horror corridors in the sequel.
We continue to follow Sebastian Castellanos, our detective from the first game in The Evil Within 2. It seems that the poor guy who lost it all might have found a way to get his daughter back and he’s going to try and do anything he can to make it so. Before long he’s greeted by an adversary who seems to know a bit more, and a wild chase ensues into darkness. Trying to find Lily (his daughter), a lot of reminiscent freaky stuff starts to happen that throws the detective into a blast from the past, and of course, it’s up to you to once again try to survive any ordeal that’s headed your way.
One of the first aspects of the horror survival genre that’s interesting in this game is that, where the first game was mainly surprising because of its creatures and story, the second one kind of gives more of the same. However grotesque the bosses may seem, the true horror normally lies combined with storytelling, which so far, has not been that scary at all. Perhaps it’s because you are a desperate dad who wants to have his daughter, making no obstacle too large, or perhaps it’s simply because you know what to expect. The survival horror part that’s way scarier so far is finding your way around a bunch of undead bodies with only five bullets in your gun, knowing you will need at least three head shots to properly take a single one out. When a creature spots you and you go hide in a bush while it’s sniffing its way past you, those are the true moments you will clench your butt cheeks together while praying to digital Jesus.
The real world is being mixed with the world of STEM, a nightmarish world that’s known from the first game. and it takes the form of some kind of glitches where old meets new and anything is possible. Sebastian suddenly finds himself in weird locations or shifting through walls that were solid before, and sometimes it just seems too organized, like a haunted house. You end up in a long hallway, run to the end, a door opens behind you so you run back, a message is written on a mirror, another door opens.The paths you need to take sometimes just seems a bit too linear and organized. There is no real threat, no haunting, no goosebumps. You would expect the character to be surprised or something else in the environment to freak you out, even with just sounds or sudden movement, but this does not happen so far.
Granted, the graphics look great and the gameplay is actually really fun when you are being kept on your toes because anything is possible. It’s a good thing that you feel the need to search for supplies to feel safer, more prepared. It’s a strong aspect of the game that brings some bonus appreciation to the survival part. Also, there is always something to upgrade or produce. You can upgrade yourself, your guns, create ammo and more. The overall atmosphere is also well done. Maybe not even because of all the apocalyptic, Lovecraftian scenery that’s been set up, but more because of being lost every now and then. Where at some points the pathways are a bit too linear, other times the game has a bit of a sandbox feeling to it. Not sure where to go, open fields, multiple directions. And all you know is that you are all alone most of the time, and you got an entire world standing between you and your daughter.
Conclusion
So far, The Evil Within 2 seems to deliver what fans would be expecting. It looks like it’s more of the same where players at one point need to choose their steps wisely, and at some other point need to run for their lives or figure out proper tactics to overcome a giant monster. The atmosphere is great but maybe does not hold up to the high expectations of horror because the gameplay and environmental elements have not been optimized everywhere in the game yet. The game has nice graphics in-game and nice cinematics, but perhaps it’s a bit too much of a haunted house run to become amazing. Eventually, only the final version can give us a proper perspective on the game, but for fans, it will probably be a welcome addition nonetheless.
The Evil Within 2 - Preview,
No Comments