What classic song is featured in the trailer for The Evil Within 2? Shinji Mikami is a legend in the survival horror video game genre, having directed the original Resident Evil in 1996. He would produce and direct several further entries in the series, including taking the helm for 2005's Resident Evil 4. The latter entry would put more emphasis on action and setpieces than building suspense or dread, however, which led to both the Resident Evil franchise and other titles like Dead Space becoming increasingly action focused.
Shinji Mikami would return to the survival horror fold with 2014's The Evil Within, which employed traditional gameplay elements found in old school survival horror games, including limited ammo and puzzle solving. The plot found Detective Sebastian Castellanos (Anson Mount, Star Trek: Discovery) sucked in a virtual world dubbed STEM, which is home to a number of nightmarish creatures. The final game was something of a mixed bag, with gameplay and design elements that never fully gel. That said, it was something of a breath of fresh air for those looking for a sturdy horror challenge.
Mikami would take a step back for a supervising role on 2017's The Evil Within 2, which was instead directed by John Johanas. The sequel would refine and expand upon what worked in its predecessor and overall made for a tighter experience. It featured a more emotional story too, with Sebastian returning to STEM to rescue his presumed dead daughter. The Evil Within 2 trailer set the tone for the game, which featured a melancholy cover version of Duran Duran's classic song "Ordinary World" by The Hit House.
The Evil Within 2 initially finds Sebastian having to deal with a particularly artistic serial killer inside of STEM, before becoming something of an open-world experience. Like the first game, players are constantly foraging for ammunition and upgrades, and there's never really a moment where Sebastian feels completely equipped for the task ahead. Enemies are also relentless in their pursuit when they spot him, though the environment rewards experimentation when it comes to dealing with bloodthirsty hordes of monsters.
While The Evil Within 2 was greeted with a warmer reception than the original, it didn't sell quite as well. There's currently no word on The Evil Within 3 as a result, though with fellow survival horror franchises like Resident Evil back in vogue, there's always a chance fans will see more of the nightmares that STEM has to offer.