Horror, much like any other genre, comes in many different forms. In the infamous Outlast and Amnesia series, it's enveloped in the black cloak of the unknown compounded by the player's utter helplessness. In more action-oriented franchises like Dead Space, the constant assault of violent, alien creatures delivers an intense, if distinctly less frightening experience. In others still, horror seeks to blind you with the obscenely nightmarish; monsters take unimaginable forms that, for all their deformities, frighten their audience with an otherworldly-yet-familiar visage.
Such was the case with psychological horror game The Evil Within when it launched in late 2014. The player's frequent encounters with the game's antagonists were disturbing and violent, and if the latest gameplay footage for The Evil Within 2 is any indication, there's plenty more to come. Take a look:
It's all there, of course. The strange, physics-defying environments, the grotesque monsters, and Sebastian himself, who has been forced to pursue the enigmatic Mobius in a desperate attempt to his apparently-still-living daughter. An earlier post from Bethesda summarizes the character's motivation in the words of the game's producer, Shinsaku Ohara:
"'Kidman, Sebastian's former partner, shows up out of the blue and tells him that the daughter he thought was dead is actually alive,' says Ohara. This is just the catalyst for new nightmares that will unfold in The Evil Within 2. 'Not only has Lily been alive all along, but Mobius has her and is using her as the main test subject in their renewed attempts to create a STEM world. But she has gone missing in STEM, and the only way to save her is for Sebastian to go in after her and track her down.'"
"STEM" is referring to the technological marvel from the first game that, through unexplained means, tightly wound the minds of its users together in a type of virtual reality space. In The Evil Within, the plot revolved around solving the mystery of STEM and eventually destroying its creator. In the sequel, Sebastian will be returning to the same system, only this time it will be to retrieve his missing daughter.
RELATED: Check out the Story trailer for The Evil Within 2
The Evil Within 2 is set to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in October on Friday the 13th. Pre-ordering the game will net the player a selection of special in-game rewards, including a burst handgun, crafting supplies, and a medical case.
For more information, check out Bethesda's blog post, or follow the official Evil Within Twitter account.
