The Evil Within 2

While the original The Evil Within developed more of a cult following, it still sold well enough to warrant a sequel, The Evil Within 2, released three years later in 2017 to generally positive reviews from critics. However, while Shinji Mikami was still involved, he stepped down to a supervisor role and let John Johanes take over as the director. Whether or not the change in director works depends on who you ask, but I personally found it a dramatic improvement over the original in several areas, especially since I played it immediately after finishing the original, though the writing still bugged me for a different reason.

The Evil Within (+ DLC)

When The Evil Within first released in 2014, it drew some attention as the first survival horror game that Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil, had directed since Resident Evil 4 from all the way back in 2005. Although it received a mixed reception from critics upon release and had relatively low sales numbers, the game still gained a cult following that it maintains to this day. With little knowledge of the game apart from its existence, I picked up both The Evil Within games on a whim, though I wouldn't get around to them until the COVID-19 pandemic gave me a lot more free time. Once I finished the original and all of its DLC, I was glad that I played it and I have a better understanding of why it has a cult following. However, it wasn’t necessarily the most enjoyable survival horror experience I’ve had, especially since I felt the best content was locked behind a paywall.