I remember my first experience with *Evil Within*, and honestly, I walked away feeling a bit let down. The game had too many moments where I had to hide from enemies, which made it frustrating for me. Because of that, I was hesitant to give *Evil Within 2* a chance. But after seeing a few rave reviews, I decided to pick it up during a sale, and wow-I couldn't have been more wrong. This game absolutely deserves to be bought at full retail price, and I regret not doing so from the start.
The game drops you back into a dream world, where your mission is to save your child. You traverse a small town filled with houses and larger buildings to explore, adding a semi-open-world vibe that makes exploration engaging. The original director from *Resident Evil 4* helmed this project, and it really shows in various segments of gameplay.
I'd describe the survival horror aspect as a blend of *Resident Evil 4* and *The Last of Us*. The enemies, or "minions," feel like a hybrid of the zombies from *Resident Evil 4* and the infected from *The Last of Us*. It's not just about hiding anymore; you'll be dealing with grotesque foes that explode when killed, revealing their true sinister forms. You're not just facing the typical undead horde but also diverse enemies like old crones and larger semi-bosses, adding layers to the combat.
Another cool feature is the optional quests scattered throughout the game, including haunted houses where you investigate what happened. You also encounter human soldiers and other agents trapped in this dream world, making the experience feel rich and varied. The game incorporates save points that take you to your office for upgrades, akin to elements from the *Resident Evil* series, but here, the focus is much more on your character's development. You can improve your sprinting capability, stealthiness, weapon power, and health, which is a great touch that elevates the overall gameplay experience. The upgrade system is arguably better than what you find in *Resident Evil 4*.
Weaponry consists of pistols, shotguns, crossbows, and scoped rifles, all of which you can upgrade to enhance their effectiveness. The stealth mechanic is well-implemented, allowing you to sneak up on enemies for satisfying takedowns, which ramps up the tension beautifully.
The midboss encounters are particularly memorable, featuring oversized witches reminiscent of a mix between the creatures from *The Thing* and classic horror tropes. Some levels throw in traps that remind me of tense moments from *Resident Evil 4*, such as being trapped in a cabin with oncoming hordes-it's that sort of design that keeps you on edge.
As for the difficulty, I'd say it leans slightly harder than *Resident Evil 4*, with an overall playtime of around 20-22 hours. I found myself exploring not out of necessity but because I genuinely wanted to see what else the game had to offer.
The storyline might seem a bit silly-it's a dream world scenario, reminiscent of the *Resident Evil* universe-but it's engaging enough. The voice acting is decent, fitting the chaotic atmosphere of the game, and the audio effects are spot on. Graphically, though it dates back to 2017, it still holds up well, and with the Series X upgrade available, it could look even better.
The downsides are minimal. If you haven't played the first game, you might find some confusion in the storylines, but for anyone else, this game is a horror gem.
Overall, I rate *Evil Within 2* a perfect 10/10. It's clearly one of the best survival horror games released in 2017, and it exceeded all my expectations. If you're into horror, this is a must-play.
