The Evil Within Reviews
It may not be for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for a hardcore and pure survival horror experience then look no further than The Evil Within.
This game is not what was originally promised, but that's not a bad thing. While many were hoping for the next Silent Hill 2, it became the next Resident Evil 4, instead. With The Evil Within, Mikami has taken the highlights of a number of his other games and combined them into one terrifying amalgamation of gore, horror and action. The Evil Within is a great game. Survival horror fans will find it a great addition to their collection, and even for those with little experience of the genre it's well worth a play.
I've been a fan of the horror genre for the majority of my life. From books and comics, to movies, video games, and board games, I'm always on the lookout for something to give me a good scare. However, I've never been a huge fan of the survival horror style of video game. Don't get me wrong, they're good fun, but I've always enjoyed those games that attempt to balance horror and action set pieces more. 'Dead Space 2', in my opinion, is nearly perfect. I was even a fan (albeit, in the minority) of 'Resident Evil 6'. While 'The Evil Within' walks a tightrope that straddles these two types of horror games, it occasionally leans a bit more toward the survival horror side of things. By mixing in some frustratingly difficult boss battles, the games veers off in the other direction. Although both styles of gameplay can be exceptionally fun and exciting, I would have ultimately preferred the game remain exclusively focused on one or the other. The gore and violence reaches a boiling point very early on and people who either take offence or have a weak stomach for such experiences should avoid 'The Evil Within' at all costs. Those looking to test their skills and enjoy an all-out blood bath need look no further.
For all the games' narrative themes of consciousness-probing, identity-subsuming science, the reordering of the psychic self for a greater application of the flesh, I needed to look no further than my own pathological gameplay in its honour. The rage quits, the restarts, the late nights, the infinitesimal adjustments to my thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth attempts, all part of my drive to survive to the end, no matter how many hours of hell it took. That is the essence of survival horror. Those are the roots around which The Evil Within is so expertly entwined.
The Evil Within takes the survival horror genre back to its roots and executes it in an extremely cinematic fashion with great atmosphere. Slightly jarring bugs and frustrating camera angles can be totally overlooked as you bask in Mikami's excellence.
The Evil Within is a firm bet with details that attribute to it the succession of nostalgic moments experienced with the first titles of the Resident Evil series.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
The Evil Within is an enjoyable horror experience that ultimately suffers from lack of confidence. While it boasts many original moments of psychological suspense other sequences like the early village raid feel ripped straight from Resident Evil 4.
The Evil Within is, deep down, the work of an old industry master who has achieved a high skill in his art, but who cannot surprise us and catch us like his previous works. It's a cleanly executed game that will certainly give nightmare moments to those who aren't used to the countless series of stereotypes that make up it, but that doesn't bring something really new or memorable to survival horror veterans.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
The Evil Within is a fine example of classic survival horror, but it's held back a little by some stiff characterisation and flat story beats.
While this may not be the scariest game you will have played, it will probably be up there in terms of suspense as it definitely provides an ample amount of it throughout its entire play through. It is a game with evident flaws, but not enough of them that it will deprive you of the solid, survival horror-filled entertainment.
If you loved Resident Evil 4 and you're looking for more of that style of game, The Evil Within will probably push the right buttons for you. The game is a clear success in a throwback sense to that earlier title, though its lack of innovation, strategic depth, or an engaging story are all marks against it.
While The Evil Within never quite terrifies, it has plenty of moments early on where it threatens to wrap you up in its gory world. However, it never really delivers a completely engaging experience and by the end goes totally off the rails.
Despite letting some of its most compelling aspects die off, The Evil Within is still worth a shot for bringing some unique ideas in the first place, and giving us a new way to think about survival horror.
The Evil Within is a captivating return to the glory days of survival horror whose various issues keep it just short of greatness.
The Evil Within is Shinji Mikami's return to the survival horror genre, but that return is muted. Overall, the Evil Within is solid and it definitely has some great moments, but poorly-implemented mechanics and a bland story bring down the overall package. Survival horror fans should pick it up, but others may want to wait until the price drops a bit.
If you like old-school third-person action games with horror elements, I'd recommend picking up The Evil Within on a console, possibly at a price cut. It will definitely scratch the itch of someone who has been pining for a return to the older days of gaming, but everyone else who has come to expect that certain layer of polish likely won't be amused.
The Evil Within definitely delivers a survival horror game that will scare the s*** out of you, but some may find a few of the combat mechanics to be a bit more terrifying for the wrong reasons.
There are some genuinely terrifying, nightmare-inducing moments in this game. Unfortunately they are few and far between, which is frustrating because the concept here is solid. A little restraint would go a long way here. Stop throwing hordes of enemies at me and just let the game be scary.
At its controller clutching best, The Evil Within evokes memories of Silent Hill's high points – but it's the Resident Evil comparisons that are most consistent throughout. Unfair difficulty spikes swap out the title's pervading sense of fear for outright frustration at times, while technical issues undo the developer's outstanding art direction. Thankfully, legendary director Shinji Mikami doesn't disappoint in the gameplay department, forcing you to get creative with your plentiful combat options due to an unending absence of resources. It's here that developer Tango Gameworks finds the breathless brilliance within.
A throwback to survival horror's heyday, The Evil Within's story is daft and convoluted, featuring a mad scientist who might as well be Krieger from Archer. Frustrating and entertaining in equal measure, The Evil Within falls short of offering any proper scares.