The Evil Within 2 Review Roundup

Friday the 13th fittingly marks the release of The Evil Within 2, the latest horror game from Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami's studio, Tango Gameworks. Like the previous Evil Within, the game stars former detective Sebastian Castellanos, who gets another opportunity to rescue his daughter from the nightmarish world of Union.

While the gameplay will be largely familiar to anyone who played the original, The Evil Within 2 offers players a much greater degree of customization, as well as a more interconnected world to explore. GameSpot critic Alessandro Fillari called the greater emphasis on exploration "consistently enjoyable" in our Evil Within 2 review and said the game "leaves a strong and lasting impression after its touching conclusion."

Reviews for The Evil Within 2 have begun appearing online, and the consensus among critics is that the new horror game is an all-around improvement over its predecessor. You can find a sample of other Evil Within 2 reviews below. For a wider look at what critics think of the title, be sure to visit GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: The Evil Within 2
• Developer: Tango Gameworks
• Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
• Release date: October 13, 2017
• Price: US $60 / £50 / AU $100

GameSpot -- 8/10

"Though there's some occasional technical hiccups that result in some particularly frustrating moments and weird pacing issues, this horror sequel elevates the tense and impactful survival horror experience in ways that feel fresh and exciting. What this cerebral horror game does isn't totally new, but it rarely feels routine, and offers plenty of surprises. Coming in at a lengthy and surprisingly packed 15-hour campaign, the sequel does an admirable job of ratcheting up the tension and scares when it needs to, while also giving you the freedom to explore and proceed how you want. It's a tough thing to balance, but The Evil Within 2 does it remarkably well, and in a way that leaves a strong and lasting impression after its touching conclusion." -- Alessandro Fillari [Full review]

IGN -- 8/10

"The Evil Within 2 gives you more options to play your way in a much bigger survival-horror playground than the original. Although a disjointed plot and weak protagonist make it slow to get started, being pursued through an intriguingly bizarre world by plentiful and disturbing monsters kept my palms sweaty and my heart in my throat thanks to a strict adherence to the most important survival horror rule: you should always be on the back foot." -- Lucy O'Brien [Full review]

Eurogamer

"The original Evil Within was hailed as a sort of alternate-history exercise, a game from a timeline in which Shinji Mikami carried on working with Resident Evil after shipping the revolutionary fourth instalment, released when Resident Evil itself was deemed to be at low ebb. Though far from a deranged new breed of monster it was an intriguing mutation, blurring Resi 4's pace and direction with the cerebral menace of a Silent Hill. The sequel is another curious outgrowth, but its changes and additions often feel more wayward than fascinating, and in key respects--the story, certain levels, those niggles in stealth and combat--it falls rather flat. Still, there are chills and spills enough here to sate most patrons of the bloody arts. Whether a third game is warranted at this point is another matter." -- Edwin Evans-Thirlwell [Full review]

Polygon -- Review-in-Progress

"I don't know if The Evil Within 2 will be able to work this magic right up until the credits--which seem a lot further off than they did in the first game--but for now, I'm extremely impressed. The game just keeps tossing everything it has at me, and every time I think I've seen it all, it gives me some unique revelation, some dreadful apparition I've yet to encounter. That push and pull, between wanting to see what the game has in store next and being terrified to find out--that delightful feeling is why I play horror games, and so far this one is nailing it." -- Philip Kollar [Full impressions]

Game Informer -- 7.75/10

"The Evil Within 2 is a solid horror game that expands the scope of the series to extend out of the shadow of a titan in the horror genre, even if it sometimes leans heavily on borrowed ideas. Its progression and difficulty curve create a satisfying loop that repays resourcefulness and strategy, but its set pieces and structure don't build enough on the many ideas they borrow to make them feel new or interesting. The result is a ride that offers some fun thrills in the moment, but I don't think I'll lose too much sleep over these particular nightmares." -- Suriel Vazquez [Full review]

US Gamer -- Review-in-Progress

"I haven't finished the game, but it feels like it's right around the corner. From what I've played so far though, The Evil Within 2 is everything I wanted from the first game. Every major complaint I had about the first game is at least addressed in some manner, though the tweaks aren't always perfect. It's a unique psychological horror title with Resident Evil 4's action combat. Tentatively, for those folks who weren't a fan of Capcom's reboot with Resident Evil 7, The Evil Within offers something that you might like, while blazing its own trail." -- Mike Williams [Full review]