Tango Gamework’s The Evil Within 2 was just released last October 12. Said to be the latest evolution of survival horror, the game brings back the protagonist Sebastian Castellanos as he travels back into the dark and nightmarish world of the STEM to save his daughter.
In an interview with IGN, Game Director John Johanas and Producer Shinji Mikami revealed the films, games, and books that inspired The Evil Within 2 series. Here are 11 of them:
The Resident Evil Series
John Johanas has mentioned his love for horror and weird games like The Silent Hill, Dino Crisis, and especially The Resident Evil Series. He was fascinated by the fact that these games allow players to freely explore a large area making them feel like they are really inside the gaming world.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
For Shinji Mikami, the scene in Chainsaw Massacre where Leatherface kills someone with his hammer has become a vital influence on the creation of the character “The Keeper” also known as “Boxhead.” As we all know, Chainsaw Massacre tells the story of a psychotic family who kills but follows a list of rules. And for Shinji, this makes them even more terrifying.
Uzumaki
Uzumaki is a famous horror manga series by Junji Ito. It tells the story of the city of Kurozu-Cho, which is plagued by a supernatural curse, and its citizens struggling to fight against a mysterious force much stronger than them — a theme that significantly resembles with what The Evil Within has.
Sadako
Sadako and its version of yurei, a female ghost with long black hair that obscures her face, has played a role in the creation of Laura. Shinji said that the portrayal of such supernatural creature brings people a kind of gut fear.
The Cell
The Cell is a sci-fi horror film that was released in 2000. Its story focuses on a riveting mind trip into the dark and dangerous corners of a serial killer’s psyche to save the killer’s final, trapped victim who is still alive. Its artistic vision was used to create the visuals for the game’s nightmarish world called the STEM.
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle is a novel written by Japanese author Haruki Murakami, which deals with a protagonist surreal life. It gives the feeling that they are skidding into the surface of what’s real and what’s not.
Aku No Kyouten
Aku No Kyouten is a 2012 Japanese slasher film by Yusuke Kishi that tells the story of a young and good-looking teacher named Mr. Hasumi, who has a dark past and homicidal urges. Shinji Mikami said that although the movie doesn’t have monsters, it looks at the evil inside the heart of a man.
Prisoners
Prisoners is a 2013 American drama film which stars Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover, who faces a dilemma when his 6-year old daughter Anna goes missing with her friend. The plotline serves as a great inspiration to build Sebastian’s torment as he struggles to save his daughter.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead presents a world overrun by zombies, where a few survivors trying to survive. According to Shinji Mikami, he loves seeing the good and evil that occurs in the human interactions. And the fact that some of the humans happen to be more terrifying than the zombies.
Inception
It was revealed by Shinji Mikami that the first game was inspired by the movie Inception. He also mentioned that he wanted the backgrounds of the game to fold in on themselves like in the film. However, it was too hard to implement, so they decided to drop it.
Doom II: Hell on Earth
One of the most notable weapons found in The Evil Within is the double-barrel shotgun. The gun is actually inspired by the same weapon in Doom II: Hell on Earth. John Johanas admitted that it is because he was a big fan of Doom, so he felt the need to give the same weapon to the protagonist, Sebastian.
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You can download The Evil Within 2 in Steam for Microsoft Windows gaming PCs and laptops.
Sources: https://www.ign.com/videos/2017/10/12/13-influences-of-the-evil-within