E3 2017: The Evil Within 2 Story and Gameplay Details Emerge

The Evil Within was incredibly bonkers and unpredictable, but it's these attributes that made it the bizarre, tense horror game that we loved. With appropriately scarce resources, deliberately hampered movement, and terrifying enemies, we've been hoping that Shinji Mikami wouldn't cave and turn the sequel into something like the action-packed Resident Evil 6. Even though the reveal trailer confirmed that the story would retain its weird pacing and imagery, subsequent information provided by new trailers and directly from Bethesda have allayed our fears that we won't be terrified playing The Evil Within 2.

In a two-minute trailer that's exclusively in-game footage, one of the most noticeable changes is how the "cinematic" widescreen ratio from the first game has been scrapped, but perhaps this will return as an optional feature. As we go from dark mansions to abandoned cities, there are a surprising amount of gruesome enemies that Sebastian encounters, ranging from the typical zombie fodder to four-legged monstrosities that call Resident Evil 2's Lickers to mind. There are many bosses presented in quick shots that look as memorable as its predecessor's, and by the looks of them, it's safe to say that Tango Gamework's hasn't lost its touch for wonderfully disgusting enemy designs. You can check out the extended gameplay below.

In a separate trailer covering the premise, we get a clearer idea of why Sebastian "Am I going crazy?" Castellanos has seemingly reentered the twisted world of someone's mind through STEM. This time, he has connected his conscious to a mental universe his daughter has created. Indeed, she was supposed to be dead, but it's revealed that the corporation Mobius staged her death and kidnapped her to begin another STEM project separate from the one involving Ruvik. While double agent Juli Kidman is powerless to fight against the company she serves, she offers Sebastian as much as she can by giving him the chance to save her. Will the strong-willed detective finally break this time? We'll have to wait and see as we watch the story trailer over and over in the meantime.

In addition, Bethesda's Content Manager Anne Lewis spoke with the developer to extract more details about the story. Sebastian is not only haunted by his family's murder before the first game, but also scarred by the events he went through in STEM. Nevertheless, he pursued answers about it and Mobius for three years. Meeting dead ends and being fired from the KCPD, he immerses himself in his hunt and reverts to his struggle with alcoholism. It's not until he meets Kidman that he has a chance to find hope again by saving his daughter Lily, and throughout the story, he'll be helped by her and discover her "true motives for working as a Mobius agent" as he fends off nightmares left and right.

Lastly, there are some meaty crumbs to pick up on from an interview that IGN hosted with Bethesda VP Pete Hines. Mikami is not the Director of this entry but an Executive Producer this time, but his involvement is just as strong and influential. The name of the city that Lily's mind has constructed is called Union, and issues of linearity are being addressed throughout its levels by expanding them and providing optional paths and buildings to explore for additional resources. These resources can then be put toward crafting, which will be far more personal this time around. While trap parts could only be put toward crafting different types of bolts in the first game, collected materials now play a part in crafting other types of ammo and items.

Are you thrilled to be thrilled by The Evil Within 2 on Oct. 13? What weapons do you hope you'll get to use? Descend into madness in the comments section below to tell us your thoughts.