The Evil Within - Review

"Will you be able to live with yourself knowing what I'm going to make you do?" – A review of The Evil Within. 

If you give me a game directed by Shinji Mikami, the absolute visionary behind Resident Evil, I'm going to be excited, and my standards are going to be very high. I was absolutely thrilled when I discovered The Evil Within, a survival horror developed by Tango Gameworks, as it promised psychological terror full of unexpected twists and scares. Would the game live up to the hype?

Eh, kinda.

Set in a nightmarish world where reality continuously distorts, The Evil Within follows detective Sebastian Castellanos as he investigates a gruesome murder at a mental hospital, only to be plunged into a surreal and horrifying landscape. The story weaves elements of psychological horror, mystery, and survival, and the story's progression is marked by unpredictable shifts in setting and tone, drawing you deeper into a web of intrigue. The game relies on environmental storytelling and fragmented memories to create a sense of unease and curiosity, and it does a decent job at creating a creepy atmosphere.

In fact, I would say that atmosphere is the strongest aspect of The Evil Within. The game is full of flickering lights and grotesque imagery that creates a real sense of dread which I loved. There's a gritty, decayed aesthetic, enhancing the feeling of vulnerability and isolation. There are unpredictable jump scares, lots of oppressive darkness, and unsettling soundscapes, all of which contributes to constant tension. You never feel truly safe, which I really enjoy.

Enemy design is genuinely pretty good. From slow, undead creatures to things that can only be described as nightmarish, the monsters are both obstacles and gameplay devices. Each enemy is creepy and unsettling, and each needs a unique approach, which I appreciate.

My issue with this game lays with the gameplay. Sure, the enemies are varied and genuinely pretty good, and I enjoy the fact that you can often find puzzles to be solved, but there's a lot that frustrates me too. There's a lot of crafting, resource and inventory management and weapon upgrading to do, and it feels a bit much sometimes. There's also a hell of a lot of stealth, which I don't mind as a general rule, but it did start to feel repetitive. The pacing isn't terrible, but it does fluctuate a lot, and a lot of the gameplay felt very trial and error, which I found frustrating.

This is by no means a bad game. The atmosphere, design, audio and enemies are good. The story is fine. I just wish the gameplay had lived up to the high standards I'd set for it.

Written by Tam Page

Posted by Mr. Tomney

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