Diving into The Evil Within 2: What You Need to Know

As a survival horror fanatic and creator, one of the most common questions I get asked is: "Can I play Evil Within 2 without playing the first game?"

Many newcomers to the series want to jump right into the latest nightmarish installment of detective Sebastian Castellanos‘ adventures. But they worry about missing important backstory and connections.

Well, I‘m here to quell your fears! While playing Evil Within 1 does enrich the experience, you can absolutely enjoy the creepy world of Evil Within 2 as a standalone game.

In this deep dive strategy guide, we‘ll cover:

• Key story and gameplay differences between the titles
• What background knowledge will help from previous games
• Speculation around an Evil Within 3
• And finally, my recommendation on playing order

Let‘s face the horrors together, new recruits. This is no nightmare you have to face alone.

evil within 2 Welcomes Newcomers

First and foremost, developer Tango Gameworks designed Evil Within 2 to make sure newcomers aren‘t left in the dark.

The game recaps critical moments from the first title so that new players can follow along. Of course, actually experiencing those scenes yourself in the original game helps them resonate more. But the sequel finds a nice balance to avoid confusing new players.

For example, Sebastian clearly still suffers trauma and alcoholism stemming from past run-ins with supernatural villain Ruvik and his STEM machine. And secondary characters like Sebastian‘s ex-partner Juli Kidman play important roles again.

Without spoiling anything, Sebastian‘s personal motivations revolve around saving his daughter Lily from the nightmarish STEM world he thought abandoned in the first game. This makes it easy to empathize with Sebastian‘s determination right from the opening scene.

So while the games share connective tissue, Evil Within 2 sets the stage properly. Similar to legendary franchises like Dead Space and Resident Evil reinventing themselves between installments, you can easily join the Evil Within storyline from this sequel.

Playing Evil Within 1 Adds Depth

However, those who do play the original Evil Within first will get more out of the experience. Let‘s analyze some of the key differences and connections.

Returning Characters and Villains Hit Harder

Along with Sebastian and Juli Kidman, influential villains like the haunting Ruvik continue to leave their mark on the sequel. These characters have more impact if you already experienced their initial introduction and clashes with Sebastian.

For example, Sean Saves the World notes that Ruvik still "[casts] a shadow over events" in the sequel. So by actually witnessing that initial shadow yourself in the first game, his presence leaves a deeper imprint.

Feel Sebastian‘s Evolution More

By seeing Sebastian as a cynic turned reluctant hero in Evil Within 1, his emotional arc to a grief-striken father risking everything for Lily feels more real.

Without that baseline, Sebastian‘s desperation and character evolution doesn‘t hit quite as hard. It risks feeling more like a generic horror plot rather than a personal crusade.

Appreciate Subtle Series Nods

On the gameplay side, things like safe houses making a return or recognizing a reoccurring monster his far more delightfully if you have prior knowledge of them. The reasonable assumption is more references like these are sprinkled throughout the sequel as rewards for veteran players.

The safe houses provide as comforting refuges from the horrors just like in the first game – Source

So ultimately, veterans of the first will better appreciate subtler worldbuilding moments and evolution of characters compared to newcomers. You‘ll miss some impact without that intimacy with Sebastian‘s initial perilous STEM journey.

Speculating on Evil Within 3

Now, with two compelling survival horror titles in this cerebral series under their belt, many fans wonder: will Tango Gameworks release an Evil Within 3?

Signs Point to Yes…Eventually

So far, the studio hasn‘t officially confirmed a threequel. However, certain signs make it seem hopeful:

• They continue rolling out DLC for Evil Within 2 years after launch, showing ongoing support and content for fans
• Creative director Shinsaku Ohara expressed interest in returning to the series on next-gen consoles
• Compared to blockbuster franchises like Resident Evil or Dead Space, The Evil Within has more unexplored potential left from a gameplay and story perspective

Additionally, the critical reception to Evil Within games hovers in the solid 70% range on PC and consoles:

So while not award-winning masterpieces, they clearly did enough right to please survival horror aficionados.

But Lack of Commercial Success Worries Fans

The counterpoint is that despite reviews, the Evil Within games were commercial disappointments sales-wise. Each title only moved around 1 million units. That likely falls well below publisher Bethesda‘s lofty expectations.

So while Tango likely wants to continue evolving the story of detective Castellanos, the company may hesitate to invest in a third title unless they can guarantee larger returns. We‘ve seen other acclaimed horror franchises like Dead Space sputter partially due to diminishing profits.

Let‘s hope critical and fan support can override financial concerns! Personally, I feel Ready at Dawn studios has built an eerie, cerebral world too compelling to fade away after just two games.

Should You Play Evil Within Titles in Order?

With all that in mind, what order should newcomers play Evil Within games? Here is my expert recommendation:

If possible based on time/system restraints, play Evil Within 1 first. The initial terrifying descent into the STEM machine lays the groundwork for everything afterwards. Experiencing Sebastian‘s first confrontation with mastermind Ruvik yourself will make their rivalry so much sweeter.

However, if you only have access to Evil Within 2 or are craving modern graphics/gameplay, starting there works too. The development team did an admirable job welcoming series newcomers. The self-contained story means you can always go back to the original afterwards as a prequel.

Think of it like watching the Star Wars original trilogy versus prequel trilogy first. Sure, release order provides more cohesiveness. But sometimes accessibility trumps chronology! Both paths into the story lead to the same nightmare realm loaded with horrendous creatures and lethal encounters.

Embrace the Nightmare!

Hopefully this guide brought you up to speed on the eternally intriguing question: should I play Evil Within games in order? We covered notable connections between titles, speculation about the future, and optimal play strategies for hair-raising horror.

While starting with the first game enhances backstory appreciation, newcomers can quite comfortably begin their disturbing STEM journey with the excellent Evil Within 2.

What do you think? Are you itching to join Sebastian Castellanos in confronting psychological and visceral monstrosities? Let me know your play plans and thoughts down below! This descent into the abyss thrives on community. We‘ll make it out together…probably!