The Evil Within 2

Now three years old, The Evil Within left me conflicted.

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In "The Evil Within 2," detective Sebastian Castellanos searches for his missing daughter within a nightmarish, virtual city. Using stealth and strategic combat, navigate grotesque horrors and unravel conspiracies while trying to save your daughter and escape the illusion. This survival horror sequel offers a more open-world experience with diverse challenges, striking the balance between tension and exploration.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,629 reviews

story1,726 positive mentions

optimization155 negative mentions

The game features a tear-jerking story that resonates emotionally with players.
Improved gameplay mechanics, including a more fluid combat system and the introduction of crafting, enhance the overall experience.
The semi-open world design allows for exploration and side quests, adding depth to the gameplay.

The game lacks the intense horror atmosphere of the first installment, feeling more like an action game.
Some players experienced performance issues and bugs, which detracted from the overall experience.
The story can feel predictable and cliche, with some characters lacking depth.

story
4,697 mentions
37 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story of "The Evil Within 2" is generally regarded as a significant improvement over its predecessor, offering a more coherent and emotionally engaging narrative centered on protagonist Sebastian Castellanos's quest to rescue his daughter, Lily. While some players appreciate the deeper character development and personal stakes, others criticize the plot for being predictable and filled with clichés. The game balances horror and action elements, with side missions that enrich the story, though some feel the open-world design detracts from the overall tension and pacing. Overall, the narrative is seen as compelling, with a satisfying conclusion that ties up many loose ends from the first game.
- “The story is one long but satisfying journey to the end as Sebastian fights tooth and nail to get his daughter back no matter what.”
- “The story unfolds through beautifully crafted cutscenes and environmental storytelling, pulling you deeper into the game’s lore.”
- “The story is deeply engaging, weaving a tale of redemption, loss, and the human spirit's unyielding resolve.”
- “The story is a little all over the place with multiple villains, and the mid-portion feels a bit tacked on.”
- “The story is technically there, but I never felt invested.”
- “The story is easier to follow, but it lacks the depth and complexity that made the first game intriguing.”
gameplay
2,164 mentions
34 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay in "The Evil Within 2" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its improvements over the first installment, particularly in terms of fluidity, stealth mechanics, and the introduction of semi-open world elements that encourage exploration. Players appreciate the balance between combat and stealth, as well as the crafting system that enhances resource management, although some criticize the AI behavior and occasional clunky controls. Overall, while the game offers a more engaging and varied gameplay experience, it has been noted that it lacks the intense horror atmosphere of its predecessor.
- “The gameplay is a significant step up due to features such as being able to sneak kill your enemies, which is essential in nightmare difficulty where stealth is necessary in many situations. The game design excels in resource management and how to approach various scenarios.”
- “The gameplay is challenging in the best way, making you utilize all the mechanics, and sneaking around gets incredibly intense!”
- “The evil within 2 takes everything that was loved from the original and expands upon the mechanics while adopting an altered version of early id tech 6 build, which they state as being powered by id tech.”
- “The gameplay is a letdown too.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are rather clunky and the game itself comes off as a sloppy, lazy mess.”
- “The gameplay is nowhere as tight as the original due to the open world making resources a lot harder to come by but the mechanics have been adjusted where you can get really creative if you know what you're doing.”
graphics
1,062 mentions
48 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics in "The Evil Within 2" have received widespread praise for their significant improvement over the first game, showcasing stunning visuals, detailed environments, and impressive character models. While many players appreciate the game's atmospheric lighting and artistic design, some have noted issues with optimization and occasional graphical glitches. Overall, the game is considered visually appealing, effectively enhancing the horror experience, though it may not reach the technical heights of other contemporary titles.
- “With its stunning visuals, engaging gameplay, and haunting narrative, it stands as a benchmark in the survival horror genre.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, and I love the entire gameplay.”
- “The graphics are stunning, and really create a dystopic, psychotic sense of horror.”
- “The graphics are not very good.”
- “Sadly can't recommend, graphics look like 2012 at best, game is very quickly boring and a bit of nonsense.”
- “The graphics could be a bit better, but the game more than makes up for it.”
atmosphere
593 mentions
50 % positive mentions
46 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "The Evil Within 2" is a point of contention among players, with many praising its immersive and eerie design, particularly in the game's early chapters. However, several reviews note that it lacks the oppressive horror and tension of its predecessor, often feeling more open and less frightening. While the game excels in graphics and sound design, some players feel it sacrifices the intense atmosphere for a more action-oriented experience, leading to mixed feelings about its overall effectiveness in delivering a true survival horror vibe.
- “The attention to detail creates an atmosphere thick with tension, making every corner you turn feel like a potential threat.”
- “The atmosphere is nothing short of masterful.”
- “With its engaging story, flexible gameplay, and terrifying atmosphere, it stands as a testament to the survival horror genre.”
- “The atmosphere is completely ruined due to the world design of the game.”
- “This game neutered the atmosphere, enemy design, story, and gameplay of the first for an awful repetitive semi-open level design.”
- “The atmosphere is all over the place, going from haunting, to farcical and then to dull throughout.”
optimization
479 mentions
17 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
32 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, frame rate drops, and poor resource utilization, even on high-end systems. While some users noted improvements over the first game and found it playable at decent frame rates, others experienced frustrating technical glitches that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that the game is poorly optimized, making it difficult for many players to achieve a smooth gameplay experience.
- “The game is very well optimized.”
- “Much better and more optimized than the first one, worth the 60 dollar price tag.”
- “The optimization was actually incredible compared to the first one, I'm pretty positive the frame rate is locked at 100, but that's plenty.”
- “This could be one of my favorite survival horror games if it wasn't for the horrendous performance-related issues.”
- “The game has poor optimization and memory leaks; those who don't know can fix it by clearing the cache on their PC.”
- “I have most of my settings either disabled where possible with most other settings put to low or medium; even with all this, the game struggles to perform consistent frame rates above 30, often stuttering for one or two frames.”
music
288 mentions
51 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in "The Evil Within 2" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and horror elements through haunting soundscapes and effective use of classical pieces. While some players found the soundtrack to be memorable and emotionally impactful, others criticized it for being forgettable or repetitive, particularly during combat sequences. Overall, the sound design is often highlighted as a strong aspect, contributing significantly to the game's tension and immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack elevates the title quite a bit and sets it apart from the first one.”
- “The music, although I don't think is a step down, is different from the original, but still enjoyable.”
- “The music and sound design is beautiful and appropriately atmospheric.”
- “The soundtrack is weak, without achieving its goal of stirring up a spine-tingling feeling.”
- “I am so stressed out with the sound design and the background music as well as the enemies growling really increases your stress levels.”
- “The music is beyond forgettable.”
emotional
268 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "The Evil Within 2" is widely praised, with many players highlighting its deeply personal narrative centered around Sebastian's quest to rescue his daughter, which evokes themes of loss, guilt, and redemption. The game features a rich story that resonates emotionally, particularly in its final chapters, leading to moments of genuine connection and even tears for many players. Overall, the emotional depth and character development significantly enhance the gameplay experience, making it a standout in the survival horror genre.
- “The narrative is rich and emotionally driven, exploring themes of loss, guilt, and redemption.”
- “The emotional and mental journey of Sebastian as he tries to rescue his daughter from the horrifying world of STEM left me nearly in tears by the end.”
- “The story is very emotional, and your will really care about Sebastian and his family and allies.”
- “Instead we get an 'open world' that feels like a cheap asset flip, annoying new mechanics ('communicator') and an even more annoying and boring story with characters I really don't care about.”
- “Boring storyline, forgettable characters.”
- “All in all, hours of dull zombie stalking and of course that boring story about a covenant, because how can't we hint at Resident Evil 4.”
stability
172 mentions
9 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
91 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches, including frame rate drops, character animation issues, and control problems. While some users experienced smooth gameplay with minimal issues, others described it as a "buggy mess" that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game appears to have significant stability concerns, particularly on certain platforms, though some players found it playable despite these issues.
- “I ran the game smoothly with no glitches or bugs, contrary to what many are saying in the reviews.”
- “This is such a well-optimized game and also appears to be bug-free at launch and very polished overall.”
- “The game also runs flawlessly at high settings with no glitches or bugs that I saw.”
- “A buggy mess of a game.”
- “The frames can suddenly drop to around 7fps, and the screen freezes.”
- “There are so many glitches and crash sections of the game it's ridiculous.”
replayability
105 mentions
31 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that "The Evil Within 2" generally offers high replayability, with features such as multiple difficulty settings, unlockable content, and a new game plus mode enhancing the experience. Many players appreciate the variety of gameplay options and secrets to discover, although some feel that replay value diminishes after a few playthroughs. Overall, while there are mixed opinions, the game is often regarded as significantly more replayable than its predecessor.
- “The Evil Within 2 offers significant replayability.”
- “What's more intriguing and adds to the replayability of this title is the difficulties you unlock, and the recently introduced 'first person' mode.”
- “Replayability: this game takes a leaf out of the classic survival horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill, with tons of replayability options, new game +, additional weapons, new costumes, additional difficulty settings, and lots of achievements to hunt the second time around.”
- “Replayability: the game's replayability is limited, with little incentive to play through the game again after completing it once.”
- “In terms of replay value, this game has zero to none which makes it a waste of potential.”
- “The game doesn't have much replayability.”
humor
93 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as unintentional and quirky, with players finding amusement in glitches, awkward animations, and cheesy dialogue. While some moments are genuinely funny, such as Sebastian's one-liners and absurd enemy behaviors, others highlight a disconnect between intended horror and comedic outcomes. Overall, the game balances humor with its darker themes, leading to a mix of laughter and frustration among players.
- “It's got really bad dialogue (which is just about rubbish enough to be funny - but only just), and there are some loose ends that don't get resolved at the end.”
- “The cut scenes are too funny to be taken seriously.”
- “Some of Castellanos’ dialogue in this game is hilarious and totally awesome.”
grinding
88 mentions
3 % positive mentions
19 % neutral mentions
77 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive farming for resources and upgrades. While some appreciate the dopamine moments and the challenge it presents, others criticize the repetitive nature of grinding, particularly in the context of side quests and enemy encounters, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game is seen as needing significant grinding, which can detract from the enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Stealth, aggressive, tactical, etc. they give just the right amount of tools to make it challenging but not tedious.”
- “The achievement hunting is fun and not too tedious also, if that matters to you.”
- “Story isn't tedious, well structured, well played game, 9/10 as nothing can ever be perfect.”
- “This game actually had some dopamine moments, but the lackluster half open world is just for high difficulty grinding and shit.”
- “In terms of game design it's a total disaster: the mechanical design of the game is centered around farming so you can craft, so you can farm, so you can upgrade.”
- “You will go through the journey of grinding levels which you will not really enjoy, only to realize at the end there is nothing enjoyable waiting for you.”
character development
73 mentions
44 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received widespread praise, particularly for the protagonist, Sebastian, whose journey is described as compelling and emotionally resonant. Many reviewers noted significant improvements over the first game, highlighting deeper narratives, well-rounded characters, and rewarding exploration that enhances the overall experience. While some characters may not receive the same level of development, the overall storytelling and character arcs are considered a standout feature, making it a must-play for fans of the genre.
- “Sebastian's character development is compelling, adding depth to the harrowing journey you undertake.”
- “The character development is way better than in the first game; the collectibles deliver a lot of background story, and you are rewarded for collecting and exploring.”
- “And accompanying the horror is something the first game really lacked - carefully written and genuinely touching character development, and emotional sequences that had me close to tears, especially during the brilliant final chapters.”
- “Sebastian Castellanos has fallen victim to 'edgy sequel character development syndrome', and with the addition of a beard, he's completed his transition into that one alcoholic washed-up detective that's only capable of speaking in breathy mumbles that plagues games that are too lazy to actually write an interesting continuation of their main character's development.”
- “The attempts at giving him character development and personality mainly have him going 'huh?'”
- “While the first game had its faults (it was heavily rushed, had no character development, and had a bullshit running system), this game improves on nearly all of them.”
monetization
44 mentions
5 % positive mentions
82 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The game has received widespread praise for its lack of microtransactions, DLCs, and season passes, which many reviewers see as a refreshing change in an industry increasingly focused on monetization. Players appreciate the complete and cohesive experience without the typical cash grab tactics, highlighting the game's commitment to delivering a full product without additional costs. Overall, the absence of monetization pitfalls is viewed as a significant positive aspect of the game.
- “There is a lot of content here, a cohesive narrative and gameplay loop, zero microtransactions.”
- “It's nice to see a single player survival horror experience with no microtransactions in sight.”
- “Pretty solid game but jesus christ the intro ads make me wanna thumbs down the game.”
- “Finally, the game closes with an allusion to a third entry, but the open ending is completely meaningless, and really, it's just a blank check for another cash grab.”
- “In a world plagued by microtransactions and loot boxes, this game does not have any of that garbage, the game is complete and games like this should be supported.”