10 Reasons The Evil Within 2 Is The Best Survival Horror Of The Decade

By far the biggest feature that marks The Evil Within 2 out as a revolutionary horror experience is its occasional open world design. Although it initially looked as though the franchise was only adopting sandbox gameplay elements because every other major title is doing the same thing these days, the sequel more than justifies such a change in direction.

Offering players a handful of different environments for them to openly explore, The Evil Within 2 is at its best when it lets you off the leash. Scouring these wide open locations is amazing, and they're just big enough to feel like genuine sandboxes, yet restricted enough to make sure that everything you find is still detailed and memorable.

Going off the beaten path isn't just rewarded by more loot or collectibles, but brand new stories and narratives that make the world of Union feel like a cohesive and complex place. There's horror to be found everywhere you look, and by opening up the level design just enough to inspire cautious exploration, the game has pushed the genre in a direction that will no doubt become the new template going forward.