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The Evil Within 2 Review Thread

Meia

Member
You have one review saying that because you can craft anything anywhere, there's little reason to give thought about how you handle a situation beforehand.....and then another review happens to mention that doing so really kills your resources since it costs so much more to do so.


How does someone list ease of crafting in the field without that massive negative against doing so, which is a gameplay balancer? Does the game just throw massive amounts of resources at you at all times I wonder?



Really on the fence about this one. I liked a lot of 1, but it was also a hodgepodge mess of ideas, and some reviews say the same for this.
 

Skulldead

Member
You have one review saying that because you can craft anything anywhere, there's little reason to give thought about how you handle a situation beforehand.....and then another review happens to mention that doing so really kills your resources since it costs so much more to do so.


How does someone list ease of crafting in the field without that massive negative against doing so, which is a gameplay balancer? Does the game just throw massive amounts of resources at you at all times I wonder?



Really on the fence about this one. I liked a lot of 1, but it was also a hodgepodge mess of ideas, and some reviews say the same for this.

Like i mention before most the reviewer seem to have play the game on survival difficulty, this the normal difficulty, and Bethesda mention if you want the game to be as challenging as the first game for harder resource management, scarce ammo, play on nightmare. I heard it was way better in this mode and you have to be careful with resources.

This is why i'm having a hard time to believe most review that complain about that aspect.
 

Karak

Member
You have one review saying that because you can craft anything anywhere, there's little reason to give thought about how you handle a situation beforehand.....and then another review happens to mention that doing so really kills your resources since it costs so much more to do so.


How does someone list ease of crafting in the field without that massive negative against doing so, which is a gameplay balancer? Does the game just throw massive amounts of resources at you at all times I wonder?



Really on the fence about this one. I liked a lot of 1, but it was also a hodgepodge mess of ideas, and some reviews say the same for this.

Well look at all the reviews. Tons of different ideas and thoughts about whats going on. This is just one of them. And people play different and its open world and the different difficulties adjust things. Also your skills would matter. For example I played with a great deal of stealth which left me without any issues crafting in the field even in my time with nightmare. The 4 other reviewers I know also had no problems regardless of difficulty played. But I know 2 others who never crafted in the field. 1 Because they thought it MIGHT bite them in the ass. The other because they didn't like it.(the idea I think)

Its more complicated than just difficulty. Because you can have a low difficulty and if you don't explore you could easily end up with few resources. And the opposite. Then you have smashing boxes or not, grabbing everything or not, exploring everything or not, and the gun range which gives some stuff.
 

silva1991

Member
Like i mention before most the reviewer seem to have play the game on survival difficulty, this the normal difficulty, and Bethesda mention if you want the game to be as challenging as the first game for harder resource management, scarce ammo, play on nightmare. I heard it was way better in this mode and you have to be careful with resources.

This is why i'm having a hard time to believe most review that complain about that aspect.

Source? where did they say that?
 
Well look at all the reviews. Tons of different ideas and thoughts about whats going on. This is just one of them. And people play different and its open world and the different difficulties adjust things. Also your skills would matter. For example I played with a great deal of stealth which left me without any issues crafting in the field. The 4 other reviewers I know also had no problems regardless of difficulty played. But I know 2 others who never crafted in the field. 1 Because they thought it MIGHT bite them in the ass. The other because they didn't like it.

Its more complicated than just difficulty. Because you can have a low difficulty and if you don't explore you could easily end up with few resources. And the opposite.

I'm really surprised by your wait for a sale(possibly deep sale)review. Really thought you'd like this more. I'll know more in an hour, but it seems everything was I hoping for. Still has great atmosphere, really awesome gore, and fun to shoot monsters. Story...well...I'll have to get to it lol
 

Karak

Member
I'm really surprised by your wait for a sale(possibly deep sale)review. Really thought you'd like this more. I'll know more in an hour, but it seems everything was I hoping for. Still has great atmosphere, really awesome gore, and fun to shoot monsters. Story...well...I'll have to get to it lol
well ya...an hour:)
I mean I would say that if I was doing a quicklook my ideas would have been different versus playing all the way through, even 2 or 3 hours in. But remember Wait for a sale just means it has some issues and you have too judge if they are or aren't yours, it does NOT mean I didn't enjoy it. Which is one of the reasons I label fun-factor. The issue for me was over the long time period of the game things began to drag more and more.
 

Skulldead

Member
Source? where did they say that?

Nightmare

In-Game Description
For those who enjoy a challenge, and for experienced Survival Horror players. Resources are limited, and enemies hit much harder. Careful item management and strategic play are an absolute must to survive. *Recommended for players who enjoyed the difficulty of the previous game. *

on bethesda.net.
 

Karak

Member
The other ones and I think the soft language might be what confused some buyers maybe.

Survival

”Are you a fairly regular gamer but not very accustomed to the ins and outs of survival horror? Or, are you a fan of the genre, but not in the mood for a crushing experience? This will probably be the difficulty for you. You won't have to completely micromanage your inventory – but if you get careless, you can run out of resources when you need them. Enemies are many, and you probably won't have the resources to gun them all down. It would be smart to take things slowly and carefully as you strengthen Sebastian to take on whatever challenges await. And, just in case you need it, Aim Assist is also available in this mode."

Classic(after you beat game 1 time)

”Classic is a twist on the difficulty of the game. Gameplay-wise it's the same as Nightmare, however...

There are no autosaves. Die and you will be returned to the title screen.
There are a limited amount of saves. You can only save your game 7 times throughout the entire game, so you'll need to plot your course and only save when essential.
Sebastian will be unable to upgrade his weapons or himself. You'll have to make it all the way to the end of the game with Sebastian's base parameters and effectively use every weapon and item in his arsenal to survive until the very end.
It's a difficulty with some real risks and any slight mistake could cost you dearly."
I can say that there was some rumblings and confusion about this prior to folks getting deep into the game too. If I remember right one of the difficulties you can't raise once you start. Maybe thats all of them. I played through on one then played time on others.
 
I will be streaming this on my youtube channel (GameStreamMachine) in about 15 minutes. No commentary but I will definitely look to the comments for advice, help, thoughts
 

silva1991

Member
Nightmare

In-Game Description
For those who enjoy a challenge, and for experienced Survival Horror players. Resources are limited, and enemies hit much harder. Careful item management and strategic play are an absolute must to survive. *Recommended for players who enjoyed the difficulty of the previous game. *

on bethesda.net.

Weird. I read it when started the game, but somehow I didn't comprehend it

I guess I'll start a new game(good thing I was still very early)
 

synce

Member
80% seems fair, but if you were expecting classic survival horror you won't find any here. TEW2 is to TEW what MGS5 is to MGS. Could compare it to BOTW too. A lot of crafting, but it doesn't feel "tight" and the story elements are extremely weak compared to the original
 

Mr. Tibbs

Member
IGN's Lucy O'Brien gave it an 8.0.

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.

The reviewer also reviewed TEW 1 for IGN and gave it an 8.7, so it's clear they consider the sequel a noticeable drop in quality. :(
 

Mr. Tibbs

Member
Eurogamer has some strong reservations with The Evil Within 2.

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 thrills and chills enough here to sate most patrons of the bloody arts. Whether a third game is warranted at this point is another matter.
 
Just read the Eurogamer review. From it sounds like the game is more design-by-committee than the first which is a shame. The first may have been a bumpy ride, but it had a lot of nuance and character to its systems. I'd hope the same is true with 2, but I'm already saddened that matchsticks are out. I guess they don't make much sense in a game with open environments rather than individual areas like Resi 4.
 

rtcn63

Member
I feel bad for Tango. People complained that the narrative in the first game was too confusing/weak, wanting to be spoon fed something a lot more bland. Even RE7 took shit for having its characters not "react" like teenage marks on a throwaway episode of Scare Tactics.

Although the PC performance issues and altered difficulty levels (seemingly for the worse) don't deserve a pass.
 

Majora

Member
the story elements are extremely weak compared to the original

Eh, the story in the first game was convoluted nonsense. It had promising aspects to it but in the end it went nowhere very interesting for all the time they spent on it.
 

Fady K

Member
Rely on Horror - the best gaming site when it comes to horror gaming that consists of gamers who love horror games with a passion - said the Evil Within 2 is everything a sequel should be and more. They ended their review, which was a 9.5/10, with this great paragraph:

The Evil Within 2 is everything I wanted from a sequel to The Evil Within, and it surprised me at every turn. Strong pacing, rewarding progression, and innovative level design set a solid foundation for the franchise’s future, and underneath a few layers of cheese and grit is a story worth experiencing for its creativity and strong emotional core. If The Evil Within was a modern take on classic survival horror, then The Evil Within 2 is the next step for the genre. It’s everything a sequel should be and has earned the series a place next to names like Silent Hill and Resident Evil.

Here's the full review:
http://www.relyonhorror.com/reviews/review-evil-within-2/
 
Just read the Eurogamer review. From it sounds like the game is more design-by-committee than the first which is a shame. The first may have been a bumpy ride, but it had a lot of nuance and character to its systems. I'd hope the same is true with 2, but I'm already saddened that matchsticks are out. I guess they don't make much sense in a game with open environments rather than individual areas like Resi 4.

That's sadly the sense I've getting from TEW2 this entire time and stuff like that isn't helping.

I don't want eccentric games to iron out its eccentricities to be more normal, but rather hone those aspects to deliver something unique and tight the next go round. I was hoping for that with TEW2, not TEW1 + generic "is this more like it guys?" elements in favor of polishing its unique, yet flawed, aspects.
 

Se_7_eN

Member
Does anyone in the US have special goodies? Shirts, posters, etc with purchase?

If not, I am just running down to best buy this afternoon and will grab it there.
 

KDC720

Member
My copy arrived earlier, just have to wait till works over to play it.

Liked the first a lot even though it was flawed, so if this turns out to be the Dead Space 2 to TEW's DS1 I will be a very happy camper.
 
See some complaints about the story. To that I say meh it's a video game. I feel I am way more forgiving of stories in games than say books or movies.

Makes sense I think.
 

rtcn63

Member
See some complaints about the story. To that I say meh it's a video game. I feel I am way more forgiving of stories in games than say books or movies.

Makes sense I think.

Yeah. And if somehow after the first cutscene, you still think the writing is going to turn out anything but awful...
 

Granjinha

Member
That's sadly the sense I've getting from TEW2 this entire time and stuff like that isn't helping.

I don't want eccentric games to iron out its eccentricities to be more normal, but rather hone those aspects to deliver something unique and tight the next go round. I was hoping for that with TEW2, not TEW1 + generic "is this more like it guys?" elements in favor of polishing its unique, yet flawed, aspects.

The Evil Within 2 is eccentric as fuck, i really don't get where this notion is coming from. As far as i have played, it basically fixes a lot of problems from the first one (especially that horrible pacing) and puts in new mechanics and a structure that greatly fits the survival horror motif.
 

Mr. Tibbs

Member
3.5/5 from Hardcore Gamer.

The Evil Within 2 is a more coherent and purposeful journey, strengthened by its voyage into non-linear level design, while at the same time reinforcing the foundation with which the original’s gameplay often shined through on. That’s not to say the sequel doesn’t throw up a few too many unfair fail states — be it in and out of stealth mode — not to mention the occasional performance mishaps that show up. It’s during combat where the biggest flaw unfortunately shows itself, ultimately preventing the sequel from achieving a higher level of success. Where it may falter on making combat feel fair, it’s the visual side of things that impress and surprisingly so. It’s this degree of careful approach to design that does just enough to salvage The Evil Within 2 as a fulfilling step-up deserving of a second visit.
 

Gin-Shiio

Member
See some complaints about the story. To that I say meh it's a video game. I feel I am way more forgiving of stories in games than say books or movies.

Makes sense I think.

The story being weak aside, another problem is the game's strong focus on its narrative, which brings with it long cutscenes and forced walking sections. There is much more dialogue than was the case in TEW1, and as a result it's hard not to feel it distracts from the game at hand.
 

bob_arctor

Tough_Smooth
The story being weak aside, another problem is the game's strong focus on its narrative, which brings with it long cutscenes and forced walking sections. There is much more dialogue than was the case in TEW1, and as a result it's hard not to feel it distracts from the game at hand.

And Sebastian's "What the..." or "What the hell?" basically everytime some weird shit happens, which is plenty. Corny as fuck delivery and totally unneccessary after, say, one or two of them. Dude been through all type of craziness, still surprised like its new. Sigh.
 

tonypark

Member
And Sebastian's "What the..." or "What the hell?" basically everytime some weird shit happens, which is plenty. Corny as fuck delivery and totally unneccessary after, say, one or two of them. Dude been through all type of craziness, still surprised like its new. Sigh.

Yeah that was a bummer. After going thru the first game sebastian shouldn't even be surprised at anything anymore...
 

Shauni

Member
And Sebastian's "What the..." or "What the hell?" basically everytime some weird shit happens, which is plenty. Corny as fuck delivery and totally unneccessary after, say, one or two of them. Dude been through all type of craziness, still surprised like its new. Sigh.

But I mean, literally everything in the game is new, including the enemies, from the first.
 
That's sadly the sense I've getting from TEW2 this entire time and stuff like that isn't helping.

I don't want eccentric games to iron out its eccentricities to be more normal, but rather hone those aspects to deliver something unique and tight the next go round. I was hoping for that with TEW2, not TEW1 + generic "is this more like it guys?" elements in favor of polishing its unique, yet flawed, aspects.

That's a real shame. Listening to focus groups or design by committee can work well depending on the genre or the series, but it really didn't make sense for TEW2. The first game had many hallmarks of auteur-directed design, so like you said I was hoping more of that would return, while refining what unique mechanics and design elements were already established the first time round.
 

Mr. Tibbs

Member
3.5/5 from We Got This Covered:

When compared to other games in the horror genre, The Evil Within 2 seems a few steps behind its contemporaries, both in terms of storytelling and execution. However, what it lacks in genuine scares and creepiness it makes up for in atmosphere and gore, especially during the final chapters.

7/10 from Push Square:

The Evil Within 2 has fine-tuned its solid mechanical base and visuals, and even crafted some big improvements to areas such as exploration and character direction. Yet it lacks creativity and diversity with its level design and bosses. The game may be more presentable and refined than its predecessor, but it's also lost some substance in the process.
 

Gator86

Member
The story being weak aside, another problem is the game's strong focus on its narrative, which brings with it long cutscenes and forced walking sections. There is much more dialogue than was the case in TEW1, and as a result it's hard not to feel it distracts from the game at hand.

Forced walking and extensive storybeats in a game with a bad story is the worst. The solution to a bad story in TEW1 isn't simply a higher quantity of bad story in TEW2.
 

Mr. Tibbs

Member
6/10 from Shacknews: A cut above its predecessor, but still haunted by its past.

The Evil Within 2 is a better game than the original. While I feel that no part of the game close to the excellent opening moments of the chainsaw man chase that opened the first game, the sum of those parts makes for a better overall experience. That said, I did not really fancy any of it. My aforementioned gripes and PC port issues leave me feeling indifferent towards the scattered high points. In classic horror fashion, the game ends with a hint towards another sequel. Hopefully it will try breaking new ground in gameplay systems and offer a more compelling story. 6/10 Green Herbs
 
While I feel that no part of the game close to the excellent opening moments of the chainsaw man chase that opened the first game, the sum of those parts makes for a better overall experience.

That is like, literally, the worst part of TEW1. Hope Bethesda doesn't misunderstand where to go with the franchise from bad opinions like this.
 

TGO

Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
Does anyone in the US have special goodies? Shirts, posters, etc with purchase?

If not, I am just running down to best buy this afternoon and will grab it there.
I have the Steelbook + T-shirt + Metal Poster
But I'm from the UK and I'm not sure if that's available in the US.
 

Jyester

Member
Really glad to see that it's reviewing better than part 1. I'm still on the fence on whether I wanna get it at full price, but I'm getting itchier by the day.

That is like, literally, the worst part of TEW1. Hope Bethesda doesn't misunderstand where to go with the franchise from bad opinions like this.

The people that loved the opening probably got through it on their first try. These kinds of scripted sections only work if you don't die, because the immersion is shattered if you do. The imagery in the scene was cool, but from a gameplay perspective it wasn't very good.
 
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