The Evil Within 2 is the Terrifier 2 of video games.

Allow me to explain.

In both instances, the previous incarnations of these franchises were, at best, middling to downright awful. The first Terrifier film, and I say this as an independent artist who doesn't like criticizing people doing their best to make their work seen, is pretty bad. It's not even bad in a "so bad it's good" kind of way, it's just plain kinda bad. Aside from a few rather impressive practical visual effects, and a fantastic performance by David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown, it's an extemely low tier C budget (it's that bad, it's not even a B level movie) indie splatter horror one might've seen air in the mid 2000s late at night on some obscure cable channel.

The Evil Within is much the same way. The first game, while being relatively enjoyable to play and works pretty well mechanically - it's only saving grace, really - is so incoherent and convoluted that it borders on outright nonsense at times. Even by the end, when everything is explained and the DLC goes even further to shed light on things, it's still an absolute mess of a story. I do believe there was a way for them to tell that story in a far more palatable and comprehensible manner, especially seeing how they handled the story in the sequel, but alas, there's nothing we can do about that. The damage is done. In a lot of ways, it almost feels like the first game only exists as a way to explain the technology, Sebastians past and his ties to it all. But despite all its cons, the game is enjoyable. It's just got narrative dementia.

BUT, both sequels build on their predecessors so much that they completely validate the outright existence of them. Terrifier 2 managed to create an entire lore, not just for Art but for the lead girl, and tying them together, while The Evil Within managed to take what little thread of plot the first game had and weave it together in an actually believable (well, as believable as something so outlandish like this can be) way that makes it not feel like it's forced in any way. In a way it kind of reminds me of the narrative jump in quality between Portal and Portal 2. Valve somehow managed to take a game with relatively no plot and one joke, and turn its sequel into a surprisingly heartbreaking story with real stakes at play. The Evil Within 2 is doing the very same thing.

This is rare, by the way. It's not only rare for a sequel to outperform its original, but even rarer to truly validate the existence of an original that, by all standards, wasn't that great to begin with. I'm fully impressed, and The Evil Within 2 is easily one of my favorite games of all time, much like how Terrifier 2 is one of my favorite films of all time.

The Evil Within (both the first and the second) are also prime examples of transitions in gameplay. The first was released right at the cusp of the new gen of consoles, so it plays fairly old style. Linear, basic, straight forward. The second, however, released a few years later, knee deep in the next gens life cycle, fully embraces the new way people make games. It's open world, it's exploratory, and while it keeps the upgrade tree that was present in the previous, it feels like it matters this time around, and for once crafting doesn't feel like an afterthought or a burden. I've never seen such a rift in play style between two games in the same franchise released only a handful of years part. It's kind of wild.

But The Evil Within 2 is leagues above its predecessor, no question. The plot is actually understandable, and even engaging, making you genuinely want to see Sebastian succeed now, whereas before one couldn't really relate to his rather accidental inclusion in a story that wasn't even his own. On top of that, the gameplay feels better, and for once an open world isn't a detriment but an improvement. The game is also, and I rarely say this because frankly I don't care or find it important, absolutely gorgeous to look at, especially for 2017. The visuals are beautiful. And, perhaps I'm wrong here but...it feels like this game inspired a lot of other stuff, particularly Remedy's "Control", in regards to being set in essentially one large shape shifting world where hallways will change on a whim, just depending on what angle you're standing at. I don't think this game gets enough credit for really envisioning techniques now being used in a lot of other games.

The Evil Within 2, much like Terrifier 2, builds upon its prior incarnation to such a degree that the first now feels like it has a right, a reason even, to exist, even if that's merely just as set up for what comes next. Frankly, if there's never an Evil Within 3 (and I don't see a reason why there should be, narratively), then this was an incredible wrap up to something that started out rough as sandpaper, and that's worthy of applause in and of itself.

It's one hell of a ride.

Если вы считаете эту игру частью вселенной The Evil Within и/или достойным продолжением, то вы те, кто вредят игровой индустрии.

Я ненавижу эту игру. На ней закончилась великая вселенная и это понимал сам Синдзи Миками, который дропнул эту обросшую хипстерами контору. Никакой, нахуй, ваш "хай фай раш" мне в душе не всрался после такого осквернения.

Самое обидное, что а ведь могло получится хорошо.. но когда отец основатель отвлечён от творческого процесса и ответственность падает на некомпетентных людей, то стоит понимать - добром это не закончится.

Синдзи Миками сделал правильное решение и ушёл. Сейчас, у него новая студия и кто знает, может быть, он подарит нам The Evil Within 2.

OBJECTIVELY nerd glasses emoji with finger up the game is better than the first, I just don't like the direction of the story and voice acting.

I'm that much of a baby bitch that since they couldn't get the original dude (which is fine but get someone who sounds at least similiar to him plz for the love of god) which irked me but the story focusing on him more and connecting him to stuff from the original game kinda sucks, I liked it when Sebastian was just some random poor detective who got caught up in everything (like every resident evil character ever) and not when his actual wife and daugther have a connection to the original and main story

This is certainly a successful sequel that well reflects the spirit of the first game, adding some freshness and, of course, higher graphic quality. Once again, I am delighted by the dense atmosphere, intriguing plot and charismatic main character. However, despite everything, in my opinion, the creators failed to top the first one. From a certain point I felt they could have done more and certainly could have created a more satisfying ending. But it's still a game perfectly suited to my tastes and its horror layer works wonderfully here again.

O jogo é ótimo, uma historia legal, bons personagens e um protagonista brabo demais, o desenvolver dele demorou um pouco para fluir, mas quando chegou o momento foi bem interessante, os vilões foram genéricos, só o primeiro que teve algo melhor para desfrutar. O combate do jogo é muito bom, os gráficos são lindos para a época, as expressões faciais deixam a desejar. A dificuldade é bem moderada, dito tudo isso é um ótimo game mas não uma ótima sequencia, o primeiro game se destaca bem mais em qualidade. RESUMO:
RESUMO:
Gráficos: 9/10
Jogabilidade: 9/10
Enredo: 7/10
Dificuldade: 7/10
Trilha Sonora: 6/10
NOTA FINAL: 8/10

Far more polished than the original but lacks the chaotic and thrilling gameplay that made the original so special.

Level design in this game is very different from that of the original. The evil within 1 is a very linear and fast paced game. The entire game is a non stop thrill ride through expertly scripted and designed encounters and set pieces. The evil within 2 on the other hand is much more open and slower paced - trading the linear thrill ride for several open levels that can be explored or largely avoided at your leisure. Because of this, avoiding encounters via stealth is much more possible in this game than it was in the first. This sounds like a positive since it allows for more viable playstyles but it ends up getting rid of one of the best qualities of the first game. The evil within 1 is a surprisingly challenging game and one where combat is often unavoidable. Because of this you had to learn how to take full advantage of every element of Sebastian’s toolkit. In the evil within 2 it’s very easy to use stealth for the majority of the game, which ends up being not nearly as engaging as the gameplay of TEW1. Resources are also far more plentiful in this game making it possible for players to only use 1 or two weapons when they do decide to fight. Granted, the combat mechanics in this game are just as deep as they were in the first game, and there certainly are interesting playstyles to adopt in TEW2, but the game doesn’t require you to utilize them to survive, which lessens the tension and leads to an overall less interesting gameplay experience.

This is a bit of a unique problem since it feels very specific to the survival horror genre. In immserive sims for instance, I dont mind players having the option to adopt overpowered and somewhat boring playstyles since those games are all about player freedom and experimentation. In the survival horror genre, which is primarily about creating tension for the player, the option to utilize somewhat boring and overpowered mechanics breaks that tension. On standard difficulty, the player has to actively opt into a play style thats conducive to creating tension, which I think is a problem for this kind of game.

Visual design is quite different from the first game but just as excellent. The abandoned suburban landscape often accented by bright lights and an otherworldly blue hue reminded me a lot of Gregory Crewdson’s photography. Given the presence of photography in the narrative of the game I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this was a conscious influence on the visuals of the game.

Story and writing are fleshed out and more character centered in this game which is done surprisingly well. Maybe it’s just me preferring the gameplay of the first but I kind of missed the bewildering plot of the first game where Sebastian was just some random detective thrust into an unimaginably strange situation and mostly reacted to the world around him with some expertly voice acted “what the fuck”s. The story and writing in TEW2 is good, however, and I did find myself invested in the characters and outcome up until the very end.

Overall this is a really solid survival horror experience and one that I think most fans of the genre will enjoy. There’s a good story, surprisingly deep and creative combat, and a lot of tense moments. However, it’s far less focused and unique than the first game, which I found myself enjoying much more on a moment to moment basis.

Depois de quase 15h, estando no capítulo 14, decidi que simplesmente não dá mais.
A gameplay do jogo, pro estilo action/stealth não tem nada demais, mas pode até ser divertida pra quem é fã do gênero (me incluo nessa). A ideia de semi mundo aberto é interessante, porém, muito mal executada. Não tem motivo algum pra esse jogo ser assim, se ele segue uma linearidade maçante e as side quests são horríveis.
Tudo desanda mesmo com as atuações merrecas que pioram uma narrativa que já não é lá essas coisas. Essa verborragia relacionada à STEM, Mobius e Lily é, no mínimo, desinteressante.

First I want to mention that you dont have to start with The Evil Within 1 to play the sequel, however I'd recommend to start with the first one cause you might end up confused over some fragments of lore or some characters.

I like the half-open world in this game, most of the locations are pretty solid, they are kinda linear but it was fun and scary to wander around. There are scripted events, I would prefer to change them to random events. There arent many ammo around and there are no dodges so you often have to be unconventional. Many weapons, most of them are typical fe.: shotgun, ar, pistol, flamethrower etc.. Crossbow is intriguing because its different bolts can interact with area.
Crafting system is really nicely done in this game, and rpg elements like buying new "perks" and upgrading weapons are a cool addition.
Story is pretty soppy? Typical good vs bad story with loads of playing on players feelings, they want you to get emphatic. Plot is kinda predictable, there are a couple of plot twists, a one or two side plot and that's it.
Main character is a father who wants to rescue his daughter, he will do anything to achieve his goal. He evolves as the plot progresses from a depressed, addicted and lost person to a confident and strong emotionally father, he is pretty charming but tbh I didnt really get involved with his character, he is decently written tho.
Kidman is a side character who seems to played an important role in the prequel, here she is barely seen, cant say much. Important character in the world but not important for the story.
Main character's kid- Lily is nothing more than a plot device.
Main character's wife- Myra is a character that we mostly hear about or see in the flashbacks, she is a major character in the late game, but she isnt interesting at all, she just wants to protect her child and she is willing to do as much as sacriface herself for the sake of Lily- her daughter.
Sound design is cool, it captures the psychedelic atmosphere of the game. Soundtracks are nice aswell, especially in boss fight with Stefano or when the "Ghost Lady" appears.
Graphic is fine, havent had any glitches and cutscenes looked pretty solid aswell.
Mechanics such as walkie-talkie are immersive and that is something I really approve.
Fun factor: I had fun depending on the locations, loved the open ones. Plot was dragged and it didnt get me involved, had some fun shooting to the enemies. Exploring system wasn't fun but it was neceserry to survive on the hard level. Overall I can say I had fun playing this game.
Summarizing:
If you like survival horror games with the half open world and a solid combat system topped with good sound design The Evil Withing 2 is definitely for you.
Nevertheless if you are looking for a great story with interesting characters and captivating lore, you won't find it here.
This is survival horror game so, when I launch it I prioritize good gameplay, audio and mechanics. however plot in this game is really important so I can't ignore it.

Imported from my Backloggery:

The Evil Within 2 is so close to greatness. At points, the survival horror elements really shine, with expertly done ammo scarcity and shooting mechanics. Sadly, those mechanics unravel as the game goes on, with the introduction of the fire monsters and increased prevalence of shooting galleries. The art direction for the most part is superb, with some really evocative set pieces and environments. The story however, leaves a lot to be desired. Sebastian as well as the story become generic.