Badpsychometry
Member
anyone who has finished game, without spoiling anything:
are collectibles missable within chapters?
They most certainly are
anyone who has finished game, without spoiling anything:
are collectibles missable within chapters?
Only halfway through, but it appears so. That being said, a New Game Plus option unlocks at the end, so if you feel so inclined you can find them on a second playthrough while retaining all of your upgrades, etc.anyone who has finished game, without spoiling anything:
are collectibles missable within chapters?
Look, I agree the pacing was a problem, and I also didn't like how the game so heavily "borrowed" from pretty much every horror game in existence, throwing everything at the wall to see what stuck. It felt like it was too interested in being everything but its own thing or simply throwing splatter/gore everywhere to be "edgy". I felt like it started out extremely strong, then went downhill, kind of picked itself up later again and then turned into total shit during the last three chapters.
Despite that, it had a lot more interesting set pieces and creature designs than almost everything in this game. That makes chapter 14 a big "Haha fuck you" too.
It's just shots in general, not specifically to the head. Cascade is decent enough, but it seems like it really only shines with two different weapons, one specifically. Now Synaptic Focus on the other hand is godlike. It's like playing a Soldier with a Widow in ME2.
I can't agree with that. I just don't think throwing cool different shit on screen without thinking about how it would fit into the overall vision, making it actually cohesive and something that is fun to play makes it memorable.
So the controls feel "heavy" right? It's not just me?
Nice writeup. I share some of your nitpicks, although I really like the game as a whole (so far — just reached Ch. 9).Had a nice long chat last night with NeoGAF's very own Net Wrecker to parse out thoughts on the game. I think the game is really good overall, but goddamn it isn't what I wanted. I'm a huge fan of the "Mikami rollercoaster shooter", so to speak, and the first Evil Within accomplished that to a decent degree. The framework was all there, but the execution was significantly botched with tons of jank and poor performance on console. Instead of polishing it up for an iterative sequel, Evil Within 2 forgoes the propulsive and scripted formula of the original for more methodical, emergent gameplay. That isn't a bad thing, and the result is a sequel that's generally more consistent than the original in quality. The gameplay is also polished up significantly, though a bit of wonkiness can be found if you look for it. It also has the best headshots in any game ever - topping the first game.
A few pages back the city section of TEW1 came up, and I brought up the gondola encounter as being some "Mikami-ass Mikami". Last night I tried to drill down what a "Mikami" encounter really means to me and why I love them so much, so here's what I got. I believe many of the best encounters in both RE4 and TEW1 are recognized as such because they would make a reasonable player say "oh, you GOTTA be kidding me!". The encounters tend to accomplish this by one of two ways: 1. Immediately placing the player in a compromised or otherwise disadvantaged position by way of a unique twist or gimmick; good examples would be the confined space of the RE4 cage match or gondola in TEW1, and the poison gas threat of the Keeper encounter in TEW1. 2. Unexpectedly escalating the threat mid-fight; examples would be RE4's Dr. Salvador shattering the player's sense of comfort in the village's two-story cabin, the one-two punch of the rain of harpoons and subsequent Sadist appearance in TEW1's chapter 6, or going back for Joseph's glasses. Also, defending Kidman in the water trap where first it's a wave of regular enemies, then dynamite guys flooding in, then finally having to make a mad dash to the control panel to frantically input the right code.
The Evil Within 2 doesn't really go for this stuff. There are brief flashes of it in sections like chapter, but generally encounters are clearly telegraphed, mostly emergent, and don't significantly escalate once initiated. The combat survives because of how damn fun it is, but there's little actual encounter design that impressed me.13's escort
TEW2 also leans harder into horror sequences when compared to the first game. The obligatory opening walking simulator section is longer than before, and nearly-entire chapters such asare devoted to this stuff. It was neat on a first playthrough, but the hampered pace makes it a bit rough on replays. The game also leans too hard into a story that I really didn't care about, with even more forced walks and some repetitive dialogue.5Yeah, I get that Seb's family loves each other. Pls stop saying it.
The more-open sections are when TEW2 is at its strongest imo. These levels are well-designed, very dense, and filled with rewarding interactions. Stealth killing a group of enemies with clever tactics is endlessly satisfying. Still, the linear sections lack the urgency and setpieces of the original game, and The Marrow sticks out as a pretty boring environment with not a whole lot going on; it has a few moments, but they're mostly fleeting. Boss fights aren't as numerous or memorable as the original for me, with many enemies presented as bosses feeling like glorified mini-bosses instead (Guardian, Harbinger). Final boss was pretty great, though.
A major nitpick I have with the game is that it's just overanimated. It takes too long to perform simple actions like drinking coffee, rummaging through trash cans, and scavenging from dead bodies. Sitting in the upgrade chair also takes a while, since the nurse has to settle in before any options can be selected. A lot of this stuff could have been cut down without harming the experience.
This post might seem really negative on TEW2, but I honestly like it a lot. I think I'd give the edge to TEW1 since its scripted, rollercoaster design is more to my tastes. Both games have flaws - TEW1 often devolves into a janky mess, though the sequel is less memorable and impressive to me overall. I'm glad the games exist because there isn't a ton out right now with spooky atmosphere and frantic, backfoot-oriented survival combat, and I really want a TEW3 to happen.
Cool ok. It gets a little annoying when I'm searching for items indoors.Pretty heavy, yeah. Sprinting has a startup, and changing directions has some weight to it.
Nice writeup. I share some of your nitpicks, although I really like the game as a whole.
I do think that if your first blind playthrough was on Nightmare, you might've had more of those "oh you gotta be kidding me" moments you mentioned from TEW1 and RE4. I have them routinely as at this point since I pretty much only have three shotgun shells or a couple handgun bullets at any given time (which is why me finding these ammo pouches feels like some sort of cruel joke, lol).
I think the best "you gotta be kidding me" moment from TEW1 is having to carefully shoot the ceiling switches in the last Laura fight. Especially when the game first came out and the black bars were mandatory, it was like a mental egg-timer going off as you try to shoot something while Laura approaches offscreen. Absolutely terrifying.No doubt that resources would be scarcer, but the encounters would play out similarly. Many encounters in RE4 and TEW1 are carefully scripted to make the player feel that way, regardless of inventory. The design is just a huge shift from mostly scripted encounters to those that are more emergent.
The thing the best "you gotta be kidding me" moment from TEW1 is having to carefully shoot the ceiling switches in the last Laura fight. Especially when the game first came out and the black bars were mandatory, it was like a mental egg-timer going off as you try to shoot something while Laura approaches offscreen. Absolutely terrifying.
They most certainly are
Only halfway through, but it appears so. That being said, a New Game Plus option unlocks at the end, so if you feel so inclined you can find them on a second playthrough while retaining all of your upgrades, etc.
Snip
One thing TEW2 does that I appreciate is something not discussed very often when talking about horror games: comfort.
Areas that feel safe and cozy are important for contrast in a horror games. TEW1 was devoid of them even its safe room equivalent (the hospital ward) felt bleak and unnerving with its strange occurrences, etc. And then the levels themselves were soul-crushing in their darkness and depravity. It was a very "cold" game. I loved it, but it rarely gave you any semblance of safety or comfort, and so the tone became numbing after a while.
TEW2, by contrast, presents an idyllic American town Union with cozy homes you can explore and nicely furnished business interiors. After sneaking past a horrifyingin Ch. 7 and reaching the hotel, I just relaxed in the lobby while the abomination continued to patrol the streets outside; I enjoyed looking at the crackling fireplace and the tacky furniture and the varnished wood floor and the stained-glass lamps. It felt safe in the hotel lobby, and it felt comfortable.Guardian
The same goes for many of the safe houses. They're more spartan and utilitarian in terms of furnishings, but there's always a nice hot cup of coffee, and Seb's drinking animation, while protracted, gives me a moment to imagine what he's feeling, which is some measure of relief from the cold windy lightning storm outside, where an ominous eye stares down from the sky and monsters prowl the streets and alleyways.
Moving from a cozy environment like the hotel lobby or a safe house back out into the streets with their unpredictable monsters makes the outside world feel suitably hostile, and that contrast is exciting to me. I like that contrast in horror games, moving from cozy areas to uncomfortable ones and back again.
I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well, but for me I think it's part of what makes this game so immersive and allows me to play for eight hours straight without growing weary.
Was really looking forward to this until I heard the PC port was bad. Does it really not manage to maintain a locked 60fps for the most part?
So is there any ability that allows you to knife dudes out when they've been smoke arrow'ed? Just end up running and in and then can't do anything?
snip
So is there any ability that allows you to knife dudes out when they've been smoke arrow'ed? Just end up running and in and then can't do anything?
So is there any ability that allows you to knife dudes out when they've been smoke arrow'ed? Just end up running and in and then can't do anything?
I finally got the time to start this. The constant "What the fuck is happening" was a bit weird since.. uhm.. Seb.. you know what you went through before?
Mine was locked at 1440p, I have a dated cpu with gtx 1080ti.
Level 3 upgrade for smoke bolts.
Great post.One thing TEW2 does that I appreciate is something not discussed very often when talking about horror games: comfort.
Areas that feel safe and cozy are important for contrast in a horror games. TEW1 was devoid of them — even its safe room equivalent (the hospital ward) felt bleak and unnerving with its strange occurrences, etc. And then the levels themselves were soul-crushing in their darkness and depravity. It was a very "cold" game. I loved it, but it rarely gave you any semblance of safety or comfort, and so the tone became numbing after a while.
TEW2, by contrast, presents an idyllic American town — Union — with cozy homes you can explore and nicely furnished business interiors. After sneaking past a horrifyingin Ch. 7 and reaching the hotel, I just relaxed in the lobby while the abomination continued to patrol the streets outside; I enjoyed looking at the crackling fireplace and the tacky furniture and the varnished wood floor and the stained-glass lamps. It felt safe in the hotel lobby, and it felt comfortable.Guardian
The same goes for many of the safe houses. They're more spartan and utilitarian in terms of furnishings, but there's always a nice hot cup of coffee, and Seb's drinking animation, while protracted, gives me a moment to imagine what he's feeling, which is some measure of relief from the cold windy lightning storm outside, where an ominous eye stares down from the sky and monsters prowl the streets and alleyways.
Moving from a cozy environment like the hotel lobby or a safe house back out into the streets with their unpredictable monsters makes the outside world feel suitably hostile, and that contrast is exciting to me. I like that contrast in horror games, moving from cozy areas to uncomfortable ones and back again.
I'm not sure if I'm explaining this well, but for me I think it's part of what makes this game so immersive and allows me to play for eight hours straight without growing weary.
Anyone else have the bug that when you load your game upIt seems to be happening on every save file of mine now, it only lasts for about 3 to 5 seconds. But it is fucking creepy as I am always in the safehouse when it happens and it should not be happening in there.you hear the creepy children singing voices coming out of your PS controller that only happen when that ghost appears?
What is Mikami working on? Or he's done directing games for good?
I think TEW1 would've really benefited from some cozy areas, though. I'm usually burned out by the time I reach Ch. 10 (which is actually my favorite chapter in the game, but also the most grueling chapter in a game full of grueling chapters).I can see it both ways. Comfy areas are nice because they give you that contrast between tension and safety. I think there's some merit to keeping the player in a state of unease, though. By never making the player feel safe, you're compelling them to continually push forward. I think that's consistent with the rollercoaster design of TEW1, while TEW2's increased coziness works with the overall methodical and slower pace of the game.
Thanks. Just trying to be a bright spot on the internet. :-3Neiteio makes the coziest posts and always makes me excited to play games ☕
I'm on Ch. 9, but only Ch. 3 and Ch. 7 have been hub worlds so far.Hey Gaf. I'm at chapter 3. Is the whole game centered around this semi-open world/objectives based gameplay? Because right now I'm not really feeling it (and I'm having fears that Resident Evil 2 Remake might look like this).
The first hour was pretty good but then it just became Dead Island.
(Haven't really read the rest of the thread so sorry if that's been discussed already)
Evil Within 2 is very like Silent Hill 2 in that respect. That game does a great job of breaking up its hellish environments with quiet and mournfully beautiful locations. It casts a unique spell that way, and I definitely feel that in EW2 as well.I think TEW1 would've really benefited from some cozy areas, though. I'm usually burned out by the time I reach Ch. 10 (which is actually my favorite chapter in the game, but also the most grueling chapter in a game full of grueling chapters).
In general, I'm not sure making players feel uneasy is the best way to compel them forward when the result of moving forward is... another uncomfortable area. TEW1 could be a bit suffocating in this respect, as much as I loved the game. A stronger motivation is the feeling that there will be comfort along the way.
Cozy moments like TEW2's hotel lobby, Italian restaurant, colonial homes and coffee breaks provide some relief from the tension and the dread. Similar to how rollercoasters need bunny hills to break up the long drops.
I think TEW1 would've really benefited from some cozy areas, though. I'm usually burned out by the time I reach Ch. 10 (which is actually my favorite chapter in the game, but also the most grueling chapter in a game full of grueling chapters).
In general, I'm not sure making players feel uneasy is the best way to compel them forward when the result of moving forward is... another uncomfortable area. TEW1 could be a bit suffocating in this respect, as much as I loved the game. A stronger motivation is the feeling that there will be comfort along the way.
Cozy moments like TEW2's hotel lobby, Italian restaurant, colonial homes and coffee breaks provide some relief from the tension and the dread. Similar to how rollercoasters need bunny hills to break up the long drops.
I agree there is some redundancy when, say, a workbench is absent from the safe house, requiring you to use the mirror to reach Seb's office.TEW1 did have a "cozy" area: the room you accessed through the mirror. TEW2 seems rather redundant here. Like you enter a safe house, but it doesn't have a workshop, so I'm warping from one safe place to another and back for little reason. TEW1 did something really cool (by my own count one of the only times either game really got under my skin) when it made that office area pitch dark and spooky, turning it into something scary and uncertain.
I guess TEW2 is a little more comfy though, reminds me of Dying Light which had really cozy hideouts to wait out the night (the game reminds me of DL a lot, actually).
Does the double barrel shotgun you get later in the game use 2 shots of ammo up at once?
Just want to knwo before I fire it off and burn through ammo... Seems like a waste if it does.
When I think of comfy areas in RE4, some that come to mind are the belltower safe room in the village, with the trapdoor leading down to the tunnels; the house where Leon wakes up on the opposite shore of the lake in 2-1 (feels cozy hearing the wind and rain outside, but being warm and dry inside); and certain areas of the castle, like the red room with the cool cutscene where Ada drops her sunglasses. I feel like there are many more that are eluding me at the moment, but RE4 definitely has its cozy areas. Like I said with 2-1, some of them are made cozier by the inclement weather outside, i.e. howling winds and pouring rain. Very atmospheric and immersive.Been mulling this over for a few minutes, and I'll agree that TEW1 could have used a bit less griminess. I don't think it's all doom and gloom, though - the warm hues of chapter 6, sunflower field of chapter 9, and daytime destroyed city of chapter 11 are much less oppressive than chapters like 5, 7, and 13, for example. But there's probably too much of an imbalance there.
I'm also thinking about RE4 - imo the best-paced action game ever, and one I can easily finish in one sitting, time willing. Neither the village or island are what I'd call "cozy", but the castle is almost all good vibes (well, for a RE game ). RE4 definitely doesn't have the emotional lows of TEW1, though; played through chapters 3-7 last night, and my god is chapter 5 grimy. You can nearly taste the grime walking through that place.
came to ask the same question about 13, how the fuck do I stealth kill these dudes? They're bugged or something, always magically break out if their animations and spot me right before I get to them.