Shinji Mikami may be the mastermind of The Evil Within, however, as Fraser pointed out yesterday, its survival horror sequel appears to have more in common with Silent Hill than Resident Evil. With themes of introspection, failure and self-doubt again central to its narrative, it's hard not to feel for beleaguered protagonist Sebastian Castellanos.
And the latest story trailer from Bethesda serves to underscore Seb's suffering further still. Carrying on directly from the events of its first outing, The Evil Within 2 kicks off by dropping a pretty significant story-related bombshell.
Naturally, spoilers tied to the original game to follow:
"Sebastian Castellanos is a former detective, but more importantly this time around, he’s a man struggling with loss and desperation," says game director John Johanas via the Bethesda website. "No one believed his story, and Sebastian was let go from the police department and threw himself deeper into his hunt for the truth. Unable to find any solid leads, Sebastian has become emotionally broken and has fallen back on his old habit of drinking."
Game producer Shinsaku Ohara adds: "Kidman, Sebastian’s former partner, shows up out of the blue and tells him that the daughter he thought was dead is actually alive. 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."
So as if dealing with bereavement, alcoholism and the trauma wrought by the first game's events, Castellanos must also decide if double-crosser Kidman can be trusted. Sheesh, rather you than me, mate.
The Evil Within 2 is due Friday, October 13, 2017.
