After finishing the game on Nightmare (100% run) and Classic mode, which is no Akumu from the first game, The Evil Within 2 is an appreciable improvement in mechanics and focus on trauma through psychological horror, but the clear absence of Mikami from the director's seat finds much of the predecessor's sparks missing in this ramped up, semi-open world sequel. Matches, distinctive survival horror, and potato aim (due to Sebastian's inherent human error, which some will complain about because if a game isn't 100% efficient to the player's skill it must be bad [this is explicitly directed to people like CarcinogenSDA who have expressed horrid opinions about this game]) are abandoned for half-baked exploration and an expanded story whose formulaic foundations can only be saved by the series' great environmental and creature designs, particularly Camera Obscura. This is still a highly entertaining experience throughout to say the least. Enemies are less janky to deal with, and the gunplay/stealth, while easier, are more fun in general. Nevertheless, The Evil Within will remain one of survival horror's defining successes in a decade where no one else was really making them until Capcom's faithful return in 2017. The Evil Within 2, on the other hand, is only a somewhat successful tweaking of modern game design to fit over what were deemed "flaws" by critics of the first game.