The Evil Within 2 Review (Kate27)
Reviewing (mostly) every game (or DLC) in my library, part 241:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (10/10)
The Evil Within 2 is one of the most underrated horror games out there. Shinji Mikami’s twisted influence is still here, but the sequel finds its own voice—balancing action, dread, exploration, and player freedom in a way that just clicks. Whether you're sneaking past grotesque horrors, scavenging for supplies, or sprinting in pure panic from something you should not have looked at, this game delivers that special flavor of survival horror that feels both modern and classic. It’s slick, it’s scary, it’s fun and it never overstays its welcome.
📸 Pros:
Combat is slick, tense, and fair. Every encounter is a little dance between panic and precision. The shooting feels weighty and responsive. Headshots matter. Limited ammo forces you to make smart decisions—should you snipe that abomination, sneak past, or trap it? The stealth system works well without being too forgiving. This game wants to make you nervous, but it’s never cheap. When you die, it’s usually because you made a mistake, not because the game cheated you.
Upgrade and crafting systems are addictively fun. The green gel is back, and now it’s even more fun to spend. You get upgrades for weapons, stealth, health, stamina, and so on. There’s a real sense of progression as you invest in your build, and the choices feel meaningful. The workbench/crafting mechanic is also incredibly satisfying. You can craft mid-level, but it’s riskier and more expensive, or wait until you're safe.
The semi-open world is a brilliant evolution. Union is broken into zones that feel just big enough. The hub areas offer you freedom without feeling empty, letting you approach objectives from multiple angles, stumble into side stories, or go completely off the beaten path to scavenge a creepy house. Exploring is genuinely rewarding and sometimes terrifying—you never know if you’re going to find supplies or walk into a nightmare. This game nails that Resident Evil-style loop of tension, exploration, and progression.
The horror is wildly creative and atmospheric. It’s not just jump scares—it’s dread. You’ll go from blood-drenched galleries to warped school hallways to cold, sterile labs, and each place has its own flavor of nightmare. The imagery is nightmarish, surreal, and deeply psychological. It’s spooky as heck, but in the most fun way. The game knows how to build atmosphere, and then absolutely destroy your sense of safety.
Art direction is top-tier creepy. The monsters are disturbing in the best way—twisted, screeching things that feel pulled from nightmares. The “Obscura” and “Guardian” are iconic.
Multiple styles of horror, all done well. The game moves from slasher horror to psychological dread to body horror to straight-up cosmic horror without ever feeling disjointed. It’s a rollercoaster of mood and tone that somehow works. You never know what kind of terror you’re going to get next.
You actually care about the story. Sebastian Castellanos may have been a generic cop in the first game, but in Evil Within 2, he’s a grieving father on a desperate rescue mission. It gives the game emotional weight, as you see him battle his own personal demons and the very real, very dangerous ones around him.
🩸 Cons:
A couple late-game enemies feel like bullet sponges. By the final chapters, the game shifts more into action-horror and throws tougher enemies and bosses at you. While it’s not a huge deal, some of the encounters can feel more tedious than tense—especially if you didn’t upgrade the right gear. But that’s minor compared to how strong the rest of the game is.
Can be pretty slow paced. Lots of sneaking, waiting, backtracking, etc. To me, this adds to the atmosphere, but it can be frustrating for other players.