The Evil Within 2 Review - Mozy flirt with open world

No genre is safe for the popularity of open-air games, also survival-horror. In the case of The Evil Within 2, it's only a jump in the deep, but rather a cautious kid in the children's pool. Nevertheless, it shows a promise of a beautiful mix that would be remarkable enough to match the series; Tango Gameworks just does not work out perfectly.

In the opening hours, those problems are not yet clearly visible. While exploring the STEM simulation of the once sleepy town of Union, where recurring protagonist Sebastian Castallanos seeks his lost daughter, you do not miss the linear approach from the original. The first steps in the open area are nevertheless untidy. For example, linearity has been redeemed for a small hub world, including waypoints that you can put on a map, you get quests of (superficial) npcs with your dialog options, and you can also pick up crafting material in several places. The impression that the open environment actually has something to offer is still very strong at that moment.

You will find new weapons, being robbed by unexpected and exciting moments and the danger of the old-fashioned save system - only possible in safe houses - seems to weigh too much. You often have to make the difficult decision to explore another home or to retreat tactically and make the dangerous walk back to a safe haven. Indeed, the trouble of walking on the streets is extremely dangerous with even weapons.

Nervous Fight

The third person action is best described in the original as a logical evolution of the fight in Resident Evil 4, and it remains virtually unchanged in the future. Fast and supple enough to provide solid resistance, but with enough challenge, which can lead a small majority of enemies to nerve-raising situations. Especially in view of the scarcity of ammunition, you often prefer the direct confrontation if you look at it. It makes the moments that you are dependent on your firearms - without a flight opportunity in sight - the more exciting.

You vary frequently because of the small amount of weapons you initially hold, moving on, turning a trap here and there and trying to stay calm. Although upgrades make your shots more stable, panic continues to be a definite head shot taking an immense challenge. And every missed bullet is one that could have helped you out of an emergency. The role played by the scarcity of bullets and health resources in the game's challenge is thereby slightly reduced by the ability to craft them; not only in your safe house, but also during the fight.

This prevents the famous frustration that you suddenly find yourself in a battleground without options, but later in the game (thanks to more materials), you'll also get some of the stress away. Or that weighs against each other, it is mainly how ruthlessly you prefer the survival horror genre.

Surrealistic highlights

The first cracks appear when you become aware that the open world has little to offer; It's just a fairly standard survival horror environment where you can only find some materials and ammunition. As you explore more of the city, the environments are becoming increasingly smaller and consequently uninteresting. The distance from point A to B may be shorter, but there is less to experience. Then it's the challenge to get to the locations as soon as possible, where the game is at its peak: the places where the story prevails and brings you to surrealistic places.

Just like the original, the game convinces the game effortlessly when it's under your skin by playing with your perception. You always wait for stress for what lies behind the next door, or at the end of a long hotel walk. Not for fear of a monstrous figure, but rather for distressing environments that make you uncomfortable. Here, the layout of a building does not conform to our earthly rules, but it stirs around you until you become dizzy. It is in stark contrast to what you find in the open world, where behind a door is no portal to the deeply rooted fears of the human brain, but only a weakly exposed room.

Although that psychological tension continues to end up, it is not always as effective. The psychological effects are dependent on the person she drives. In the original, Sebastian's fears continue, in the end, several antagonists draw on the ropes of reality. They thus follow their own theme, which may cause more variation, but are not consistent with the same high level. In this area, especially the first half of the game is the most memorable, where an eccentric figure leads you in his artistic but murderous brain, resulting in a horrific morbidly exhibited exhibition. A creative process in which the later (for the genre) predictable helvuursezeet with medieval tortoises in comparison makes quite little impression.

Ultimately, the first half of the game is the most appealing in other areas. Where a mercilial attempt is made to give the open world a meaning, let the studio go to the end. Again, the again weak story is beginning to gain control over the actual gameplay, which has a serious impact on the once-fast pace of the game. The story may have been a conclusion this time, but the much too melodramatic way around Sebastians family leaves to be desired. The various boss fighting and the variation in enemies are not creative enough to save the game from the pendulum that eventually ends up in the berm.

Conclusion

The first flirt with the open genre is difficult for The Evil Within 2. It is clear that it is ever a blossoming relationship, but it is still too superficial and, at times, not worked out enough, as it seems that the studio did not even try to make it anymore. As a psychological horror, the game also fluctuates between surreal perfection and typical genre clichés. There is a fantastic game in The Evil Within 2, thanks to the excellent gameplay base, which makes it all the more painful.

➕ Combat still nerve-raising and challenging
➕ Has amazing surrealistic moments
➕ Craft of ammo prevents frustrating moments
➕ This time actually has a conclusion

➖ The open world has been superficially elaborated
➖ Not as memorable as its predecessor
➖ Submarine story gets out of line

Thanks for reading.

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