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The Evil Within 2 sees you return as cop Sebastian Castellanos, looking for your daughter, Lily. Is she dead, or just resting?
Well, she’s trapped inside STEM, a system where you physically enter a pod, but your consciousness is transported to another ‘world’ called Union, where you have to go in and rescue her. In fact, not only her, but a team of four Mobius agents who were sent in beforehand. Their bodies are still in the real world, but dontchaknowit, if they unplug them, their minds will be electronic mush and they’ll never return to being fully-functioning human beings.
Just how do they use the loo during this time? That isn’t explained.
Anyhoo, the scene is set for madness, the type of premise being the sort of thing we’ve seen numerous times in films and games, but it’s always a fascinating premise. When I began, I was instantly pooing my pants… but that’s an unconnected medical issue, for which I should seek urgent treatment.
Along the way, you’ll pick up files and other documents, plus experience a number of bizarre flashbacks to what happened earlier in time at specific locations, which you can pinpoint with your communicator device. All of this is with a view of finding out what happened to Lily and the Mobius Agents…. and that’s made me think that ‘Lily and the Mobius Agents’ is like the name of some weird ’70s prog-rock band.
There’s also the ability to craft items, such as making medical syringes from herbs, or new bullets and crossbow bolts (I did like the electrocution ones). This takes place at a workbench, so it’s very much like The Last Of Us, in that respect; and while it’s not as good, it’ll tide me over until The Last Of Us Part II eventually comes out (come on, Sony, pull yer finger out!)
In addition, at a safe house, you can save your game, and drink coffee to regain health, whilst picking up dead zombies’ gloopy green gel also makes you feel better.
Random observations and irritations:
- The game takes over too often with mid-scene FMV-type sequences (they’re rendered in-game, but you get the colloquialism), so it feels like you’re not having to put a huge amount of effort into the game. Also, it feels a bit ‘on rails’, in that you’re being guided from A to B.
- Graphically, there’s a fair amount of clipping, showing that the draw distance can’t cope with the graphics, so it’s like playing a game from a few years ago. Okay, so we had the prequel in 2014, but it’s like things haven’t progressed… since about 2011. My PC was misbehaving when it came to game capture through nVidia GeForce Experience, so when I get that sorted, I’ll put a video online.
- Early on, I was surrounded by a few zombies, earlier, and I only had a few bullets, so kept dying. It respawns you in the same place, but it’s still blo -ody annoying.
- Sometimes when zombies are after you, climb over a gate, or make like George Michael and turn a different corner! Well, just duck out of the way anyway you can!
To that end, you can also walk through hedges and tree bracken, which is a bit unfeasible, but kinda welcome.
- And I’m repeating myself, but I hate that from time to time, zombies can just rush out from nowhere and kill you. There’s a bit of a Resident Evil-feel with these, but less a feel of fear, and more a feel of annoyance, as they bite your head off and there was nothing you could do about it.
Overall, The Evil Within 2, is passable, but not essential. It often looks cool and supernatural where it counts, but the lack of draw distance – and how the graphics are filled in (and it’s not to do with the fact you’re in some sort of a weird world) is really disappointing.
I found the Noel Fielding-type monster, early on, rather impressive, though.
The Evil Within 2 is out now PC, Xbox One and PS4, and click on the packshot for the full-size version.
The Evil Within 2 – Red Band Trailer – Bethesda Softworks UK
Important info:
- Developer: Tango Gameworks
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Players: Single player campaign
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GRAPHICS SOUND GAMEPLAY ENJOYMENT |
6 8 7 6 |
| OVERALL | 7 |
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.