The Evil Within games are known for their exciting monster design, adding an exciting twist to the horror game genre. The second installment of this franchise polishes the first game's formula. It improves the survival horror setup's vital features, like stealth mechanics, that allow you to pass through Evil Within bosses using stealthy moves.
Whether you're a long-time player or someone who just discovered this game series, boss fights are always something to look forward to, but they can discourage even the best of players. To make things easier for you, here's a ranking of all the Evil Within bosses you'll encounter during the second game and where their weak spots are.
Updated June 8, 2021, by Miguel Amaro: Recently, news broke that The Evil Within IP was re-registered for continued use. While this doesn't officially mean anything, it leads to speculation that the franchise could be expanded with a third game. After all, it's been roughly five years since The Evil Within 2 was released, so a third installment makes sense when you look at the timeline. Either way, while we wait for any update on the matter, let's look at the terrifying Evil Within bosses the second game brought to this universe and how to deal with them.
Liam O'Neal
Liam isn't a bad guy, just kind of a coward. Still, he aids Sebastian via radio. At some point during the game, Liam is transformed into a Harbinger by Father Theodore, and Sebastian will have to face him.
This boss behaves a lot like typical Harbinger, which means he'll use his flamethrower all he can. The best you can do is aim for the head or stun him by blowing out the tank on Liam's back. You can also try and take him down with stealth attacks (if you have the patience for that). After Liam is defeated, you'll get his flamethrower. While it is broken, you can repair it to gain access to one of the most powerful weapons in the game.
Effigy
Effigy is a mini-boss Myra will summon during chapter 15. This one looks like two humanoid bodies merged (and fused with a telephone post for some reason). However, that same post gives Effigy its most dangerous feature — this monster can manipulate the post's wires and harness its electrical power to use against its enemies.
This boss has several attacks it will use against you. It can crush Sebastian with its hands or create a temporary area of effect that inflicts electrical damage. It can also jump towards you, knocking you down.
However, like all the Evil Within bosses, Effigy has a weak spot. Just go ahead and aim for the glowing part that's in the monster's midsection. On the same note, this particular creature is weak against freeze or explosive Warden Bolts (however, it's better to use these as traps rather than firing them directly to the monster).
Anima
Anima is as mysterious as she is terrifying. She seems to roam the streets looking for people to attack, although she seems especially interested in Sebastian. You'll notice Anima is close because it gets cold and fog starts to appear — she also sings in that "non-hostile" mode, so you can use her voice to ascertain how far she is from you.
While playing The Evil Within 2, you'll encounter Anima three set times:
1. During chapter 3, appearing behind Sebastian when he tries to leave the house at 336 Cedar Avenue.
2. During chapter 7 in the Juke Diner.
3. In chapter 11, when she ambushes Sebastian while he is trying to escape from the Restricted Labs of the Marrow.
While those are the three scripted moments in which you'll see this creature, players can also encounter Anima randomly as they explore around (however, after chapter 11, she'll be nowhere to be found). Either way, if you want to avoid her every time, make sure to study her movement pattern, listen to her humming, and try not to break any glass as this will expose your location.
The Watcher
This creature looks like a floating skull covered in a white goo similar to wax. While that might sound silly, you shouldn't underestimate this boss as the slimy substance covering him slows down your character.
Sebastian will first encounter The Watcher in chapter 6 and then briefly in chapter 8. During its boss fight, you'll have two options, either try to sneak past it or shoot your shot and kill it. The stealthy route will be really difficult as this boss slows you down and can summon hands anywhere. Still, it will save you tons of ammo.
If you want to attack this creature, go for the weak spots, like its red eyes. While doing so, try to avoid stepping on the goo and dodge The Watcher's hands or spit attacks. Keep repeating this process of hitting the eyes and avoid the rest until the boss is defeated.
Guardian
As terrifying as Guardian looks, it has a sad back story. This tall creature was created from the mutilated pieces of the women Stefano murdered. That's why it looks like a bunch of heads glued together. If that isn't scary enough for you, this boss' right arm has a large buzzsaw blade ready to tear you apart.
You'll encounter this type of creature three times in the game, during chapters 2, 5, and 7. This enemy doesn't have a particular weak point, so to defeat this boss, use shock bolts since the Guardian has a low tolerance to their effect. A fully upgraded explosive bolt could also do the trick.
Moreover, go for weapons like Sawed-Off Shotgun and the Sniper Rifle since those two deal significant damage to the Guardian's heads. Finally, one of the best ways to fight against this one is to use the environment to your advantage. For example, you can lure the Guardian into a gasoline puddle and then shoot at it to catch the monster on fire. You could also use oil barrel traps and camera stasis traps to slow down the creature and shoot at its heads.
Obscura
Obscura has the grace of a ballerina, a zombie's skin, and a camera in place of its head. You'll face this monster during chapter 5 and chapter 7 — Stefano created her, and it's believed to be his ultimate masterpiece.
This creature attacks with its camera head and will stun Sebastian with her flash. She can also stop time, stopping the 90-second countdown from the Emitter during chapter 5.
The first time you fight Obscura, don't try to kill it — your job here is to let the countdown get to zero. To fight Obscura's time-stopping abilities, go for her weak spot, the camera. The second time you fight her, you can either choose to sneak past her or go ahead and try to kill her, which will grant the player 7000 Green Gels.
Theodore Wallace
Theodore is the game's main antagonist, so you better bet his boss fight will be a tough one. This particular enemy won't fight you directly; instead, Theodore will summon three Evil Within bosses from the previous game — a fitting strategy for a cult leader.
This fight will happen during chapter 14, so brace yourself. The first boss that'll come back is The Sadist, a huge man covered in blood wielding a large chainsaw as his main weapon. Like the first game, you must outrun this boss and not get caught in its one-hit kill.
Next up is The Keeper, a tall humanoid-like man that has a safe for a head. His chosen weapon is a meat tenderizer, which he'll use to... well, tenderize you in a most violent manner. This enemy relies on strong blows, so it's wise to use long-range weapons against him. Also, The Keeper bangs on its head whenever he spots Sebastian, take that as a cue that he's about to attack. Keep in mind that this phase of the boss fight will have you fighting not one but three Keepers.
Finally, it's Laura's time to shine. She will gracefully come out of the Keeper's safe-head, and the final phase of the boss fight will begin. To eliminate this spider-lady, you must open the valves to power up the incinerator. However, this takes time, so in the meantime, use freeze bolts to slow down the monster.
Stefano Valentini
Stefano is a twisted person, corrupted by his obsession with finding beauty in death. He was once a war photographer who lost an eye but gained a new fascination with killing people and converting them into "art."
While Stefano appears throughout the game, his boss fight takes place during chapter 8. He has numerous attacks he can use against Sebastian, like:
- Teleportation
- Knife-throwing attack
- Dash attack
- Explosives attack
There are a few tricks when it comes to defeating him. For example, paying attention to what he is saying will help you a lot. It turns out Stefano's quotes will give you a clue about what kind of attack he will perform.
Aperture
While Stefano's boss fight is challenging enough on its own, this boss also has a humongous sub-boss aiding him during battle. Meet The Aperture, a gigantic flying creature created by Stefano. This one looks like someone inserted a human eye inside a camera lens and then attached tentacles all around it. This makes sense, considering that this enemy represents the eye Stefano Valentini lost during his time as a wartime journalist.
You'll encounter this monster several times during chapters 5 to 7, and luckily, it only has one type of attack: attacking your character with its tentacles, smashing him in the process. To avoid being kill by Aperture, use walls to hide from its line of sight.
Matriarch
This one is the final boss in the game — she looks human enough, but her body and face are very deformed. You'll encounter the Matriarch during chapter 16, and while the fight consists of four phases, each one has the same objective: shoot the glowing parts.
Phase One
The Matriarch's weak spot is her abdomen (which will glow an orange shade). Find opportunities to shoot this part of her body; however, she is aware of her weakness, so she will try to cover up this part of her body from time to time.
Phase Two
This time around, the weak spot is located in her shoulder blades. The problem? These parts are hidden and will only be accessible after the Matriarch performs a fist slam attack. Not only that, but during this phase, the boss will spawn spiderlings to make things harder for you; still, if you manage to kill the creatures, they will drop resources.
Phase Three
You'll know you've reached phase three because one of the Matriarch's severed arms will grab your character. You'll have to shoot the glowing spot at the end of the limb. This feels more like a quick-time event than a phase in a boss fight but don't worry: the combat isn't over.
Phase Four
Finally, during phase four, you'll have to try and shoot the remaining arm while trying not to get smashed by the new limb this boss grew out of her body or getting grab by one of the gooey hands the appear from the floor. Once the Matriarch falls to the ground, just hit the final weak spot located in her mouth.
Use a long-range weapon, like an upgraded Assault Rifle, for this fight and go for the weak spots (the stomach, the two shoulders, and the mouth).