This page contains tips, tricks and survival strategies for The Evil Within 2.

Whether you’re making your way through the story of TEW2 or just hunting for collectibles, there’s more to surviving your stay in Union than just picking up the best guns. Use these tips to keep your head – both literally and figuratively – while exploring The Evil Within 2.

This might seem obvious, but don’t forget to regularly check your Communicator – not only will it help guide you towards objectives and collectibles, but it will also point you in the direction of ammo and helpful supplies. Your communicator is a great way to find objectives and other points of interest around Union, but don’t forget to use your map and set waypoints as well. A waypoint is easy to spot even when there’s chaos happening all around you. There’s no shame in running for your life, even if it means abandoning your well-laid plans.

You’ll undoubtedly find times during The Evil Within 2 that you may feel like you’re not able to defeat a particular foe or group of enemies – and you’re probably right. If you find yourself in a tough spot, follow the three ‘R’s: Retreat, Regroup, and re-engage.

You’ll find all manner of crates and boxes lying around the world – and as in any good video game, it’s up to you to smash them to bits.

Consider yourself Link in a pot store – those crates often contain ammo or helpful Crafting Supplies, so be sure to reduce any box you see to splinters. The contents may change depending on what difficulty you play on, but a good rule of thumb is to break any box you come across.

Every Mobius operative you meet has their own safe house, and they’re stocked with all kinds of necessities for weathering Union’s impending doom: ammo, crafting supplies, you name it. But did you know that every safe house also has a coffee machine? Make sure to have a cup of joe before you leave to refill your health! Coffee not your speed? More of a soda drinker? All over Union you’ll find Fiji Dew vending machines. Make sure to stop and interact with every machine you see. You can get all kinds of crafting supplies out of them, or at least a little green gel to help ease the cost of those upgrades. Speaking of upgrades, invest in the Bottle Break skill as early as possible. Union is full of litterbugs, apparently and bottles are all over the place. Being able to smash a handsy enemy over the head with one really comes in handy!

Before jumping blindly into a fight, take a few moments to explore and evaluate the surrounding area. You may find a better vantage point, some extra supplies, or even a way to avoid entering combat all together!

In your weapon wheel you’ll see the option to craft in the field, and it’s a tempting option, but your resources are limited and you’ll use twice as much gunpowder to craft bullets in the field. So if you can, make sure to fill up on ammo in safe rooms. If you end up fighting a foe you can’t handle, make use of the stun or smoke bolts on your crossbow to disorient them and make a hasty retreat.

Hide somewhere nearby and attempt to use this newfound stealth to your advantage moving forward.

Keep an eye out for various traps around the world, both to use to your advantage or to avoid taking extra damage.

Spilled fuel or oil will ignite when shot, and you can electrocute enemies standing in a pool of water. Explosive barrels are less common, but are still incredibly helpful in dealing with a group of enemies.

Your crossbow’s explosive bolt can be set up as a mine or with a tripwire (providing the wire doesn’t need to stretch too far). Guide enemies over the trap, but use caution – your traps can’t tell the difference between friend or foe.

If you need a moment to pause the action and rethink your strategy, pull up the weapon wheel. This will pause in-game time for as long as the menu is up.