User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1960 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Nov 3, 2020
    10
    This is my ranking:
    Graphics: 10 / 10
    Story: 7 / 10
    World design: 8 / 10
    Bosses : 11 / 10
    PC Performance: 9 / 10
    Side notes: One of the most underrated, amazing horror games ever.
  2. Oct 29, 2014
    9
    Well today the game got a ( 1.5 GB ) patch, it now runs at 60 fps and the cinema mode can be removed . I played the game at launch and thought it had potential but would not play at 30 fps with the bars but after the patch that's no longer an issue .
    I have not finished the game but have played for long enough to form an opinion of it ( chapter 4 ) even though my play-through is still in
    Well today the game got a ( 1.5 GB ) patch, it now runs at 60 fps and the cinema mode can be removed . I played the game at launch and thought it had potential but would not play at 30 fps with the bars but after the patch that's no longer an issue .
    I have not finished the game but have played for long enough to form an opinion of it ( chapter 4 ) even though my play-through is still in the early part of the game I can safely say its great . Its a very good survival horror and has a wonderful atmosphere about it, great areas/settings and all the elements you would expect in a survival horror, traps, puzzles, danger, low ammunition levels and cool and original enemies. plus you are tense as hell while playing .
    My approach to the game is to use stealth as much as possible but the game changes gears in a split second so its not an option a lot and that's cool with me .

    Haters gonna hate but I would recommend this game highly and its cheap on PC at only £34.99 compared to £50 on console .
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  3. Nov 20, 2020
    9
    PS: This rating is by 2014 standards.

    Story: 7/10
    Gameplay: 9/10
    Graphics: 9/10
    World design: 9.7/10
    Enjoyability: 10/10
    Conclusion: 9/10
  4. Nov 2, 2014
    10
    Excellent game! Purchased on launch day for the PC and have not encountered any major glitches at all. Agreed - the roundabout way of overcoming the aspect ratio and the fps cap are awkward but have not given me any issues or technical glitches - its nice that the option has been considered for us PC gamers. Love the story line so far instant classic.
  5. Nov 3, 2014
    10
    I just finished the demo and I consider this game ONE OF THE BEST survival horror I've played in my life. I'm looking forward to buy this title sooner!
  6. Nov 4, 2020
    10
    This game is extremely underrated. Might be one the best horror games ever made alongside silent hill 2 and dead space. I literally can't believe something like resident evil 3 remake has higher metascore than this.
  7. Oct 19, 2014
    9
    Done. 12:31:45 with 56 deaths. Despite it's shortcomings, this is one of my favourite Mikami games. But Chapter 15 is so anti-climatic. As a set-piece, it's awesome and exciting, but as an actual boss fight it's terrible. It's like they couldn't figure out a way for you to properly fight it, so they said **** it" and just threw it out. And then there's no memorable dialogue or exchangeDone. 12:31:45 with 56 deaths. Despite it's shortcomings, this is one of my favourite Mikami games. But Chapter 15 is so anti-climatic. As a set-piece, it's awesome and exciting, but as an actual boss fight it's terrible. It's like they couldn't figure out a way for you to properly fight it, so they said **** it" and just threw it out. And then there's no memorable dialogue or exchange between Ruvik and Sebastian which is wasted potential.

    That said, I'm pleasantly surprised by the story. It's deeper than I thought it would be, and it clicks nicely.

    All in all, 9 or so/10 for me. My gripes are mainly on the tech side, which I have a feeling is due to id Tech 5 and them not knowing what to do with it. In many ways it surpasses RE4, and in some ways it also falls short. But The Evil Within is better than RE4 in my eyes. That may change in subsequent playthroughs, but I love the creative effort put into this game.
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  8. Oct 16, 2014
    0
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME ON PC!

    It's a great game and a true successor to RE4. But this game should not have made to the pc platform in its current state. The controls are clunky and unresponsive, you can't bind keys properly and the default keybinding doesn't make any **** sense. If you have a next gen console like the PS4 or the XBONE. Buy this game on one of these and enjoy. On
    DO NOT BUY THIS GAME ON PC!

    It's a great game and a true successor to RE4. But this game should not have made to the pc platform in its current state.

    The controls are clunky and unresponsive, you can't bind keys properly and the default keybinding doesn't make any **** sense.

    If you have a next gen console like the PS4 or the XBONE. Buy this game on one of these and enjoy.

    On PC however, stay AWAY from this garbabe port.

    My rating is based on the pc version alone, not the game overall.
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  9. Oct 14, 2014
    0
    30 fps ? pathetic. Game is frustrating, repetitive or held back by technical issues and poor, dated games design. Don't make games if u don't know how.
  10. Oct 14, 2014
    0
    Do not buy this game if you like to rebind your keys to those around the arrow keys instead. The key binding is much like that of the last Wolfenstein game. We can bind multiple buttons to the same function, but the numberpad is not separate from the Insert, End and Delete keys. I use the keys above my hand and to the side. So when I use End above my hand, the one on the numberpad is boundDo not buy this game if you like to rebind your keys to those around the arrow keys instead. The key binding is much like that of the last Wolfenstein game. We can bind multiple buttons to the same function, but the numberpad is not separate from the Insert, End and Delete keys. I use the keys above my hand and to the side. So when I use End above my hand, the one on the numberpad is bound simultaneously and this gives me less of the keys I use.

    The game is also badly optimised for PC! Moving the cursor around feels very much like I'm using an analog on a controller. It's not so bad when I'm "looking" in game. But when I go to aim it's like I'm using a controller.

    I can't bind "interact/confirm" to the enter key. I can't even bind sneak and sprint to my side mouse buttons which is what I would use by default.

    I was really looking forward to this game but I am seriously disappointed in what's been done for those that play it on PC.
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  11. Oct 14, 2014
    0
    One of the biggest disappointments of the year. Certainly one of the worst games I've played in a long time. The cut scenes are 10 years behind, the controls can not be remapped properly, forcing you to use a control. But that is the least of the problems in this turgid mess. The camera is set so you can not see ANYTHING, at almost all times, making combat utterly pointless. It is not, inOne of the biggest disappointments of the year. Certainly one of the worst games I've played in a long time. The cut scenes are 10 years behind, the controls can not be remapped properly, forcing you to use a control. But that is the least of the problems in this turgid mess. The camera is set so you can not see ANYTHING, at almost all times, making combat utterly pointless. It is not, in the slightest scary. It's just frustratingly tedious. A poor stealth game with terrible graphics, a camera angle so bad it will stop you from playing the game entirely, and a convoluted , rehashed and frankly embarrassing waste of time and money. Do your selves a favor, AVOID AT ALL COSTS. This is not the Resident Evil 4 you were looking for... Expand
  12. Oct 14, 2014
    2
    If you want to ask about the quality of such PC port, this game only worth a zero. Many reviewers already mention the reasons, I won't repeat these.

    The graphic quality of this game is sub-par. Do you still remember the Wolfenstein New World Order? Yes, the game has the same engine as this game. So, what's the problem? Bulky game size with a blurry and low quality texture in game even
    If you want to ask about the quality of such PC port, this game only worth a zero. Many reviewers already mention the reasons, I won't repeat these.

    The graphic quality of this game is sub-par. Do you still remember the Wolfenstein New World Order? Yes, the game has the same engine as this game. So, what's the problem? Bulky game size with a blurry and low quality texture in game even with all graphic settings maxed out.

    The game play elements bring nothing new to the table, e.g. some collectibles to collect for upgrading player ability, stealth-oriented game play with insufficient ammo. Generally the game play style is just like the last of us, but with a dull and boring plot. If the terror elements of the story was on par with those classic Silent Hill, then this game could be great. However, the plot element is so thin and the atmosphere is so weak due to repetitive environment and lack in story depiction. So players are left with WTH is going on here most of the game.

    Finally, the game play time for this game is short. Some chapters may only last around 15 to 30 mins. If you are experienced gamer and good at stealth, you probably can beat the game within 5 hours.
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  13. Oct 15, 2014
    0
    Don't waste your money on this broken excuse for a horror game.

    It is a broken product so i can't really give it anything above 0,even after you uperformancenlock the FPS and make it full-screen the game runs like crap and there is no visual quality to justify the horrible .

    it is not even a horror game it is as horror game as is Dead Space 3 is a "Horror" game
  14. Oct 14, 2014
    0
    No lip sync, poor graphics, some awkward moments, and I don't know why but some animations are missing or don't appear. It tries to be a mix of Silent Hill and Resident Evil and was clearly influenced by those horror games, but isn't ashamed to point it out. I really can't take this game seriously. Some of the jump-scares are good and sometimes the atmosphere is good but it is quicklyNo lip sync, poor graphics, some awkward moments, and I don't know why but some animations are missing or don't appear. It tries to be a mix of Silent Hill and Resident Evil and was clearly influenced by those horror games, but isn't ashamed to point it out. I really can't take this game seriously. Some of the jump-scares are good and sometimes the atmosphere is good but it is quickly ruined by pretty much any encounter. Zero polish, clearly a crappy port. Expand
  15. Oct 14, 2014
    0
    Poorly unoptimized piece of **** The fact that an xbox360 and PS3 versions of this game exist is proof that the bloated PC specs are a load of platypus **** Review embargoes especially for a hyped game like this is a bad sign. Might as well buy this when it goes on sale! This game does not deserve full price.
  16. Oct 14, 2014
    1
    Although our expectations of "The Evil Within" were low, they turned out to be even too high for this disaster of a game. Not only does this game have the 30fps lock that Bethesda did say (which I might add you can change with some console commands), but the aspect ratio is messed up to begin with, also fix-able, but it should be a setting, not something you have to "fix" per-say. I willAlthough our expectations of "The Evil Within" were low, they turned out to be even too high for this disaster of a game. Not only does this game have the 30fps lock that Bethesda did say (which I might add you can change with some console commands), but the aspect ratio is messed up to begin with, also fix-able, but it should be a setting, not something you have to "fix" per-say. I will say that the graphics did look nice, though the brightness slider in the beginning wasn't accurate at all, even after I "cheated" a bit and made it a bit brighter than was suggested, I still couldn't see anything in some scenarios.

    The gameplay, however, was drab, and boring. Not much fun at all, nor t he least bit scary. It seems to have tried to take the sneaking aspect from games like Outlast or Amnesia, but the AI doesn't function well enough to make the game scary. I'd often find myself hiding out under a bed for five minutes, only to get out when the killer walked away, but have to return to my hiding place when he turned right back around and resumed the same post.
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  17. Oct 14, 2014
    3
    30 fps locker and "movies black stripe" for better playing? Really? It isn funny. This **** is so bad as the first version of Dark Souls on pc. I try to play with K+M and result? Terrible...Moving the cursor is the same as using analog on a contoller. This game on pc i so bad. In year 2014 we have graphic from year 2009, fps lock and other "feature"....If you want play it, buy it on30 fps locker and "movies black stripe" for better playing? Really? It isn funny. This **** is so bad as the first version of Dark Souls on pc. I try to play with K+M and result? Terrible...Moving the cursor is the same as using analog on a contoller. This game on pc i so bad. In year 2014 we have graphic from year 2009, fps lock and other "feature"....If you want play it, buy it on console. And if you want good horor game. Buy new Alien, Outlast or play older games from Resident series. Expand
  18. Oct 15, 2014
    5
    There is no optimization, camera is awful, gameplay is boring. Main character is so weak, story is too slow and it's not original at all. At first it seems that game is interesting, but when first enemy shown, and you try to fight with him - all became so unprofessional. Because of weird camera you can't see half of the screen and you step at dangerous trap every 5 second.
  19. Oct 15, 2014
    3
    The real horror of this game lies in how scary bad the PC port is. Just incredible.

    Keybinding is a mess, and it feels like a constant fight against the games desire to be played with a controller. The frame rate is a joke at 30fps. Yes, it can be unlocked, but we shouldn't have to do that, it should be an option in the game, instead of a lazy port which requires you to be a techie
    The real horror of this game lies in how scary bad the PC port is. Just incredible.

    Keybinding is a mess, and it feels like a constant fight against the games desire to be played with a controller.

    The frame rate is a joke at 30fps. Yes, it can be unlocked, but we shouldn't have to do that, it should be an option in the game, instead of a lazy port which requires you to be a techie to get the best out of it.

    The controls are outright bizarre. It's a difficult enough game as it is, but when you combine that with having to drag your mouse around like it's stuck in tar and it's a recipe for disaster, and you simply have to use a control to get anywhere close to the meat of the game.

    The game doesn't look too impressive either, certainly for a 2014 game. It feels like a game from the PS3 era. Frame rate drops are persistent too, camera angles throughout vary between making little sense to being utterly stupid in their placement, and this is one of the only games to give me an acute feeling of motion sickness throughout; when a game literally makes you feel like you're going to vomit, you know you've done something wrong.

    But for all that, there's a decent game lying underneath the problems. For PS4/XB1, this could very well be a good title on a platform which obviously demands controller support and therefore doesn't feel gimped by ONLY offering you that option, but PC gamers have different expectations and this title doesn't meet them in pretty much any way.
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  20. Oct 14, 2014
    3
    Is this how you treat PC gamers? There is no way of playing this game in fullscreen if you have a ultrawide cinema display. You guys force 2.35:1 aspect ratio yet when I run the game on my 21:9 monitor I get black bars all around even when I have the resolution at 3440x1440 in settings. Removing the black bars with the console only remove the top and bottom bars. The game is still stuck atIs this how you treat PC gamers? There is no way of playing this game in fullscreen if you have a ultrawide cinema display. You guys force 2.35:1 aspect ratio yet when I run the game on my 21:9 monitor I get black bars all around even when I have the resolution at 3440x1440 in settings. Removing the black bars with the console only remove the top and bottom bars. The game is still stuck at 16:9 aspect ratio. Points lost.

    Why on earth would you cap the game to 30fps. I almost puked 20 minutes into the game. Not because of the gore but the motion sickness and low fps. Can be fixed in the console. The game should run at 60fps by default. Points lost.

    The only reason why I gave this game 3 points is because its a good game. I was really excited when I saw the trailer for this game. I love survival horror games but I have to be able to play it on my ultrawide monitor or it will lose its immersion.
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  21. Oct 14, 2014
    9
    Exactly what I expected from the beginning and what they showed in the trailer other than 30 fps and the black bars. can not ask for a 10 the first game of this study, over time failures iran polishing his future works.
  22. Oct 14, 2014
    10
    You can unlock 60 fps and gg this game is **** awesome !!!! one of the best horror games in years so go and buy it now!!!!! or the evil will kill you!!
  23. Jun 26, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. As a fan of the classic survival horror games, I enjoyed a lot playing this one. The story is intentionally confusing and made me interested in understanding it fully. The sound design is quite good and the level design is very well done. There is a lot of different enemies, so it never gets boring. Gameplaywise, it presents a good challenge, especially in the highest difficulties. Only cons for me were the clunky maniability of the character and the final boss fight, which was a bit disapponting to be honnest. Expand
  24. Nov 5, 2020
    10
    Another horror masterpiece that was literally ahead of it's time. Now in 2020 it has pretty high ratings on steam and seems like people have finally discovered it. I have personally liked it from day 1. It has one of the better boss rosters of any horror game, super unique level design and tons of character upgrade options.
  25. Nov 14, 2020
    9
    Very good horror game if you like big scary bosses and good upgrading system for weapons.
  26. Nov 8, 2014
    9
    I've just completed the game, and it was great! This game is the true successor of Resident Evil 4, Shinji Mikami at his best. The Evil Within is a old-school horror, with stunning atmosphere and nicely balanced gameplay. The graphic is well done, very detailed, especially the environments. The music is unsettling and the the sound effects are creepily good. Level design is really wellI've just completed the game, and it was great! This game is the true successor of Resident Evil 4, Shinji Mikami at his best. The Evil Within is a old-school horror, with stunning atmosphere and nicely balanced gameplay. The graphic is well done, very detailed, especially the environments. The music is unsettling and the the sound effects are creepily good. Level design is really well thought, every chapter have some unique characteristic, never repetitive or boring. The lacking of ammunitions keeps the difficulty to a good level, never frustrating, but challenging. The longevity is also quite good, it took me about 19 hours to complete the game. Once cleared, the game will unlock some new weapon such as the rocket launcher and the machine gun. Also the Model Viewer will unlock in the main menu, so it's possible to look closely to all the characters and creatures of the game.
    My only negative note is that sometimes you encounter some hidden track that kills you inevitably. But fortunately there is an abundance of checkpoints, so the player doesn't really need to redo very long parts of the tevel.
    I really recommend this game to all Resident Evil fans and whoever likes classics horrors.
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  27. Nov 10, 2014
    9
    after dead space best horror survival title and not for just a game as a mind story and movie style. if call of duty action peaced storytelling titles score 9 or 8 this game simply 20. I loved its hard for casual gamers.
  28. Oct 26, 2018
    9
    NOTE: I played this awhile after release when all the bugs were ironed out. 60fps, no black bars etc...

    This game has Shinji Mikami's hallmarks stamped all over it just as Resident Evil 4 did. In fact, after a slightly wibbly start with a couple of stealth set pieces, I found this game to just get better and better. For me, it's a fantastic combination of RE4 (one of my fav games
    NOTE: I played this awhile after release when all the bugs were ironed out. 60fps, no black bars etc...

    This game has Shinji Mikami's hallmarks stamped all over it just as Resident Evil 4 did. In fact, after a slightly wibbly start with a couple of stealth set pieces, I found this game to just get better and better. For me, it's a fantastic combination of RE4 (one of my fav games mechanically speaking) and Silent Hill (one of my fav games in terms of disturbing imagery and horror).

    Has it got a few rough edges here and there? In some ways yes. Like the early RE games, the voice acting and script are hammy. I found the story hard to follow, although one could argue it adds to the weirdness. Luckily for me, these elements are a very low priority in a survival horror game.

    The game intentionally makes you vulnerable in a way that few games do these days and at first it can seem a bit too archaic. You can't run for too long, your movement slows when shooting, monsters hit really hard, you field of view is narrow and melee is simply there to buy you some time to turn and run in order to get some distance. However, it's still more modern in its controls and feel when compared to RE4 and 5 and it's all deliberately tuned to make a great survival horror experience. There are also a handful of QTE's (as in RE4) that sometimes catch you by surprise in an irritating way and a couple of on rails bits which, while competently done and mildly enjoyable, don't match the quality of the other levels. At least it changes the pace though.

    Aparts from these things, everything is beautifully crafted. There's just so much variety and imagination. Take the environments. Just when you think you're going to be doing several levels in an open air forest village, you're whisked away to a completely different type of enclosed, modern area. These sort of changes happen regularly and keep the places you explore fresh and interesting. Just when things seem too oppressive, dark and hemmed in, you'll find yourself outdoors and in open spaces. There are ruined areas, plush areas, modern, old, surreal. There are mansions, sewers, hospitals, city streets, abattoirs, factories, dream scapes etc...There's often a lot of verticality too. It's rare for the game to be one corridor after another. Regardless of the setting though, the tense feeling of horror or apprehension is almost always present, only giving way now and then to let you relax in order to start ramping it up again. Also, in true RE fashion, you'll find yourself breathing a sigh of relief when you find a save room, despite the fact the game also uses checkpoints.

    Monsters are varied too. Just when you think you're gonna face another room of basic enemies, you'll face a mini boss, or a specially crafted arena where you'll fight a smaller group of unique enemies. You might be on the run from an indestructible creature (nemesis style) or maybe fighting ordinary enemies but with some sort of environmental challenge to deal with at the same time. For example, you might have to fight while avoiding rotating blades or being stuck on a small moving platform. There is obviously deliberate purpose behind virtually all the steps you take to get from A to B, it all feels handcrafted and thoughtfully put together.

    I could go on and on but suffice to say that the other things the game offers all enhance the experience. Upgrade trees are interesting, feel meaningful and are rewarding. Ammo and health conservation matter. Finding the statue collectibles has actual impact since it provides the chance for much needed ammo and health kits. Weapon selection is important too depending on your situation and the arms at your disposal all have very specific attributes which are fun to learn. The graphics are very good in terms of the ambience they provide and there's a lot of attention to detail in the environment. Sound is used to good effect and music often increases the feeling of dread and fear. Stealth is handled well and is necessary in order to save ammo and avoid confrontation. Clearing a room of enemies without being seen, collecting all the XP and items knowing you wasted nothing is very satisfying.

    Anyway, I would urge anyone who likes survival horror and, in particular, RE4 to give this a shot. Btw, although I enojyed EW2, I found this game to be superior in every way except story, cutscenes and voice acting.
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  29. Jun 19, 2020
    8
    A good game with an exciting plot, interesting twists, good gameplay, normal graphics and an interesting visual component.
  30. Oct 28, 2020
    8
    Интересный и чертовски сложный сурвайвл хоррор, созданный руками японских творцов, что обуславливает наличие всякой шизы в огромном количестве. Сюжет интересный с харизматичным главным героем Себастьяном, который задает тон всей игре, но с финалом, конечно, облажались сильно, ну и из минусов еще наличие этих тупых полосок и сильный блюрИнтересный и чертовски сложный сурвайвл хоррор, созданный руками японских творцов, что обуславливает наличие всякой шизы в огромном количестве. Сюжет интересный с харизматичным главным героем Себастьяном, который задает тон всей игре, но с финалом, конечно, облажались сильно, ну и из минусов еще наличие этих тупых полосок и сильный блюр
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 18
  2. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. CD-Action
    Jan 9, 2015
    50
    It seems the developers were not entirely sure what they wanted to achieve and got caught between traditional and innovative approach, properly employing neither. [13/2014, p.56]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Nov 30, 2014
    70
    Borrowing heavily from past survival horror games, The Evil Within still manages to create fear in its players despite some clunkiness. [Dec 2014, p.58]
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Nov 15, 2014
    82
    As the Japanese survival horror genre goes, The Evil Within feels a bit old fashion but in a good way. It certainly has the potential of becoming a cult classic. [Nov 2014]