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Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: Survival Horror / Action Adventure
Release: 2017
The Evil Within 2 is a confident evolution of the original game, refining its survival horror foundation into a more flexible, semi-open structure. It trades some of the rigid, oppressive linearity of the first game for exploration, crafting, and player choice, resulting in a more approachable but less relentlessly tense experience. Its a sequel that improves almost everything mechanically, even if it slightly softens the pure horror edge that defined its predecessor.
The gameplay blends survival horror with action and light open-area exploration.
Core systems include:
Third-person shooting and stealth
Resource management (ammo, crafting materials, healing items)
Weapon upgrades and customization
Crafting system using scavenged components
Optional stealth-based encounters
Combat is:
More fluid and responsive than the first game
Built around limited resources and tactical decision-making
Encourages stealth when possible, but allows direct confrontation
The game introduces semi-open areas (not full open world):
Large zones with optional exploration
Side objectives for resources and upgrades
Encouragement to risk exploration for better supplies
This structure:
Adds freedom and pacing control
Reduces the constant claustrophobia of the original
However:
Some tension is lost due to more open environments
Enemy encounters can be avoided too easily in some sections
Still, the overall gameplay loop is more refined and flexible than before.
Instead of tight linear corridors, the game uses the town of Union as its central setting.
Strengths:
Semi-open structure encourages exploration
Optional side missions expand world-building
Resource scavenging adds tension and strategy
Environmental storytelling is strong
Union feels:
Unstable, eerie, and fragmented
Like a corrupted simulation rather than a real town
The level design shifts between:
Open exploration zones
Scripted horror sequences
Boss encounters and chase sections
Weaknesses:
Some open areas reduce horror intensity
Occasional pacing issues between story beats and exploration
Repetitive traversal in certain sections
Still, its a bold shift that modernises the series structure.
The narrative follows Sebastian Castellanos, a broken former detective drawn back into a nightmare simulation to rescue his daughter, Lily.
Key themes:
Grief and guilt
Parental love and redemption
Psychological trauma
Corporate control and artificial reality
The story is:
More focused and character-driven than the first game
Emotionally grounded, especially in Sebastians arc
Structured around a personal rescue mission
Villains like Stefano and Father Theodore add psychological horror elements, each representing different forms of madness and control.
However:
Some antagonists feel less memorable than the original games
Story pacing can be uneven due to exploration segments
Certain plot elements lean into familiar survival horror tropes
Even so, the emotional core is stronger and more coherent than its predecessor.
Audio design is a key strength:
Minimalist, tension-building soundtrack
Strong ambient environmental sound
Distinct enemy audio cues that build anxiety
Solid voice acting, especially for Sebastian
Sound is used effectively to:
Signal danger before enemies appear
Build dread in exploration segments
Emphasise psychological horror moments
The game is a single-player focused experience, but with solid replay value:
Multiple difficulty levels
New Game+ options
Upgrade system encourages different builds
Exploration rewards alternative paths and secrets
Replay value comes from:
Trying stealth vs combat-focused approaches
Discovering missed side content
Higher difficulty survival runs
However:
Core structure remains largely unchanged on replay
Some sections feel less impactful once story surprises are known
Improved combat and controls over the first game
Strong psychological horror atmosphere
Semi-open world adds freedom and exploration
Emotional and more focused story
Great creature design and environments
Excellent sound design and tension building
Less consistently scary than the original
Some open areas reduce tension
Uneven pacing between exploration and story
Certain villains are less memorable
Occasional performance issues
The Evil Within 2 on PS4 is a refined and more accessible survival horror experience that improves nearly every mechanical aspect of the original while shifting toward a more exploratory, emotionally driven structure.
It may sacrifice some of the raw claustrophobic intensity of the first game, but it compensates with better gameplay flow, stronger character focus, and a more flexible design that makes it one of the more underrated survival horror titles on PS4.
Score: 8.5 / 10
