E3ODUS [E3 2017 Preview]: The Evil Within 2 / Vampyr.

There are creepy fun games, like Left 4 Dead. There are terrifying fun games,

THE EVIL WITHIN 2 (Tango Gameworks/Bethesda – PS4, Xbox One, Project Scorpio, PC – TBA 2018) – There are creepy fun games, like Left 4 Dead. There are terrifying fun games, like Dying Light. Then are games that are just plain terrifying, Like The Evil Within. You don’t really play The Evil Within for “fun”; you play it to be scared shitless and brutally murdered time after time; you don’t play to feel the joy of victory; you play to feel the relief of survival. So this year, one of my favorite #E3 rumors is the return of pure horror at the Bethesda presser: The Evil Within 2.

The price of the first Evil Within has been slashed on Steam, and there are job openings for game testers for “Psycho Break” — the Japanese title for the game. Developer Tango Gameworks has even updated their website with password protected content after what seems like a lifetime of silence. So there’s a really good chance of seeing something new and evil this year at E3 (especially with the lauded praise of this year’s Resident Evil 7 behind us). They original took me a while to greally get into — hell, I only gave it a 2.75 Bible score — but once I got familiar with the controls, this Deacon was immersed in the world and felt my life was in true danger with every monster and every puzzle. That said, The Evil Within was definitely one of the best horror games I’ve ever played. Dear Lord, I just hope they’ve added the ability to jump.

Bethesda’s 2017 E3 press conference is taking place on Sunday, June 11 at 9 p.m. PT.

VAMPYR (Dontnod Entertainment/Focus Home Interactive – Xbox One, PS4, PC – November 2017) – I’m a sucker for a good vampire story, so this obviously caught my eye. If you love a good scare as much as I do, Developer Dontnod (best know for the episodic Life is Strange) has the great alternative to your little sister’s Twilight — with a brand new cinematic trailer, to boot…

Vampyr takes place in 1918 London, with the city ravaged by an outbreak of influenza. This dark and violent tale follows protagonist Jonathan Reid, and his struggle of being a man of science who wants to heal–but, also, a creature of death and darkness who must kill to survive! There are some very cool elements at play here, like the ability to sense whether someone is sick (or dying), and whether you should kill (or not kill), both of which weigh heavily into how the game unfolds. We’ve seen an early demo showcasing basic exploration and fighting mechanics, but it’s too soon to tell if this game will have the polish and depth that Dontnod intends. Hands-on time at The Big One this week? Suck you very much.

Check out our other E3 2017 previews:

***-E3 2017 [Preview Show] – 6/8***

–South Park: The Fractured But Whole – 6/9

–Uncharted: The Lost Legacy – 6/8

–Super Mario Odyssey – 6/8

–Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell – 6/8

–Days Gone / Evangelion VR – 6/7

–Far Cry 5 – 6/7

–Detroit: Become Human – 6/6

–WWE 2K18 – 6/6

–FIFA 18 – 6/6

–Need For Speed: Payback / F1 2017 – 6/5