Bethesda has a staggering line up for the end of 2017 and one of these titles is the sequel to 2014’s The Evil Within. I personally loved the original Evil Within and admire it still to this day for its intense gameplay and gripping horror elements. However I know there was much criticism towards the first game and I understand why. The tank like controls didn’t match the modern day survival horror design along with some overused horror tropes and fragile lateral elements weren’t an ice breaker.
But there was more to enjoy about The Evil Within and now with the sequel coming out in just over a months’ time, there seems to have been some major advancements. The main change is a new director taking the lead on The Evil Within 2. John Johanas has been quoted by Shinji Makami (director of Resident Evil and The Evil Within) as a very talented and ambitious designer with plenty of fresh and engaging ideas. So we’ve been reading up on what new features The Evil Within 2 will have and decided to share them with you lucky people!
Refined Presentation
Let’s face it, the original Evil Within while harbouring many great qualities did indeed have many problems on a technical level. Aside from the choppy frame rate and crude visuals that looked as though someone smeared colourless Vaseline all over the camera lens. But the main issue from the original game was the awful sense of control, feeling like Sebastian moved in the same manner as a rusty tank.
These features did put off a lot of players as the game's combination of classic and modern survival horror elements didn't blend well. Thankfully we see Tango gameworks implementing vast improvements throughout making the game look crisper in detail, clear on visuals and no more cinematic bars. But the main improvement voiced by those lucky enough to play the game is that the controls have been vastly changed, flowing better in comparison and complimenting the faster, enthralling nature to The Evil Within.
Venturing into a darker world of STEM
STEM has grown over the last 3 years and now Sebastian will venture into it once again to save his long lost daughter Lilly. However this time STEM is under the control of Lilly's fractured mind and all manner of horrors are trying to break out. There's also a new villain in the form of a menacing serial killer that's attempting to take full control over STEM and Lilly.
The new themes incorporated in The Evil Within 2 focus on identity, abuse and corruption of power which manifest in all the worse ways possible. We’ve got new monsters that stun us with their horrific appearances and the worlds within STEM are corrupted and decaying as Lilly's mind becomes worse. There are a lot of darker elements at play in The Evil Within 2 to unnerve you to breaking point. One such encounter will see players trapped in a room filled with hanging dead bodies covered with white sheets. Lovely...
Expanding the game world
One of the most interesting new features in The Evil Within 2 is a Hub-World, which is an area within a game that players can explore before missions and collect resources or engage in other aspects of the narrative. Sebastian will have free roam of this small American styled town and can access all major encounters and missions through her. However this is not a safe place as all manner of evil lurks in the darkness and while Sebastian is resting his feet slightly, players can also engage with a number of side quests and additional objectives to help him secure more rewards and gear for the main missions.
There'll also be a ton of new locations that look compelling and utterly creepy for us to venture into. Many of these locations are inspired by a beautiful art decor theme that could be related to our new Antagonist.
Glorious gore and mayhem
Now the original Evil Within brought us some terrifying moments involving complex death traps, twisted realities and of course some of the most sinister creatures in video games. The box head Keeper and demonic spider like form of Ruvic's sister Laura, still haunt our nightmares and there's plenty more nightmare fuel coming in the form of the Guardian, a new frantic 7ft ghost of a deformed woman and a new creature that stalks Sebastian that's composed of flesh and camera parts.
Plus there's going to be tons of gore and blood to make your eyes curl up into their sockets. One moment early in the game sets up a possessed mother force feeding her son a bowl of bloody chow, only to have his head smashed into the table when he refuses. It’s sicking, disturbing and absolutely brilliant for this horror game.
New mechanics and game-play features
Sebastian is a detective and it's about time we experience his day time job during this nightmarish venture. As mentioned before, Sebastian will have free roam of a small American town as the game's hub-world, a section that links all major encounters and missions together in the game. In this area we see Sebastian with a new gadget that allows him to track paranormal activity and locate side quests, earning him extra loot upon completion.
The new gadget may also play a vital role in various puzzles, encouraging a stronger lateral sense in the gameplay that the original had some issues with. Aside from his new feature, we also know there will be a Mobius technician within STEM, who's aid Sebastian by crafting new weapon upgrades and the ability to craft ammo for other weapons and not just the awesome agony crossbow.
That’s it for now people. But we’re sure to have more updates and news on The Evil Within 2 leading up to its release on Friday the 13th of October.
