The Evil Within

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2497 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,894 out of 2497
  2. Mixed: 337 out of 2497
  3. Negative: 266 out of 2497
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  1. DSX714
    Oct 15, 2014
    5
    Really disappointing. Combat is horrible, Melee is useless half the time, You can waste all your ammo on one enemy and take multiple head shots to kill. There's no hit detection with the bullets alot of the time. Camera is very cramped, Hard to tell where enemies are. Stealth is very slow and requires alot of patience and if you have to keep reloading a checkpoint due to the broken combatReally disappointing. Combat is horrible, Melee is useless half the time, You can waste all your ammo on one enemy and take multiple head shots to kill. There's no hit detection with the bullets alot of the time. Camera is very cramped, Hard to tell where enemies are. Stealth is very slow and requires alot of patience and if you have to keep reloading a checkpoint due to the broken combat you will keep doing these slow stealth segments ALOT. Save points are scarce. Saving the game is very outdated save points take a bit to come across which once you find one can take you a good 30 seconds or more just to begin overwriting the data because of the process you have to go through. Story provides very little detail and the cast isn't too in depth. Screen is very fuzzy which is a filter that just makes the resolution look worse than it is. All in all a very 'meh' game. Was really disappointed as I was looking forward to this one.… Expand
  2. EchoBlack
    Oct 14, 2014
    5
    Hardly a return to classic survival horror, this game feels more like a modern, action-focused TPS with some cliché "hollywood" scares railroaded as part of set pieces. The game utterly fails at generating horror or even tension from its (abundant) combat and exploration scenarios. The survival aspect is also highly ineffectual, as consumables such as ammunition and healing items are amplyHardly a return to classic survival horror, this game feels more like a modern, action-focused TPS with some cliché "hollywood" scares railroaded as part of set pieces. The game utterly fails at generating horror or even tension from its (abundant) combat and exploration scenarios. The survival aspect is also highly ineffectual, as consumables such as ammunition and healing items are amply replenished between major encounters. The only semblance of game-long resource management is in the form of ability upgrades.

    This game has more in common with the Tomb Raider reboot or The Last of Us than Silent Hill or Resident Evil. It could be an interesting gateway game for people new to horror games, but long time fans can easily skip The Evil Within. However, fans of TPS or just action games in general are likely to find things to enjoy.    … Expand
  3. Lizarraga
    Oct 14, 2014
    6
    I didn't play many chapters but the first ones were enough for me to return this game. Many people are complaining about the black bars but I didn't mind. I'm not a graphic enthusiast but the graphics are just horrific in my opinion. It's actually the first time where I complain about graphics. The story is neither bad nor good. Its gloominess can be compared to games like "The Last OfI didn't play many chapters but the first ones were enough for me to return this game. Many people are complaining about the black bars but I didn't mind. I'm not a graphic enthusiast but the graphics are just horrific in my opinion. It's actually the first time where I complain about graphics. The story is neither bad nor good. Its gloominess can be compared to games like "The Last Of Us".

    What I really liked about this game was the enemy design.. but that's it. I have never played Resident Evil before and this is actually the first game by Shinji Mikami that I played.
    I really like this genre but it didn't shock me at all.

    I'd borrow this game from a friend or a rental shop before buying it, especially because it has no MP or Co op.    … Expand
  4. Ramiro1992
    Sep 5, 2017
    7
    This game is kind of a dissapointment, since the lack of emotional moments, to the uninspired characters ever, sometimes is not scary at all, the team that made the first resident evil games is not working in this game, Mikami was not the only person who made the old resident evil games, there was a team of designers and creators that made the old resident evil games a masterpiece, i haveThis game is kind of a dissapointment, since the lack of emotional moments, to the uninspired characters ever, sometimes is not scary at all, the team that made the first resident evil games is not working in this game, Mikami was not the only person who made the old resident evil games, there was a team of designers and creators that made the old resident evil games a masterpiece, i have several doubts about this title, all that i see is very far to even look like an old survival horror game. I really don't understand what they have made with the argument, one of the worst and weird plots ever made. The game, technically, deserves a 4, but i am giving it an extra point just for Mikami. Another failed attempt to bring back the survival horror, this game fails just like Deadly Premonition, most uninspired characters ever, the main character has no personality whatsoever, he did not react to the enviroment, buildings falling and other things, what the hell is going on? Too much fantasy in an "horror" game. So yes, like i said, this game is very far to even look like a survival horror game, it's too repetitive and boring. One of the worst things is the stealth system, man, one of the worst IA i saw, the enemies are incredibly stupid! i think the enemies in Resident Evil 4 are most clever than this one, ENEMIES NEVER SEE YOU, AND THE GAME BECOMES TOO EASY. there's no challenge at all, the difficulty in this game is way too easy. The RPG elements ruin the whole experience (SINCE WHEN THE "HORROR" GAMES HAVE RPG AND STEALTH ELEMENTS), **** no. There's nothing new about this game, there's nothing fresh, no innovations, they took the elements from previous resident evil games, the open door mechanics from RE 4, burn the bodies, from RE 1 remake, the general mechanics, from the awful deadly premonition, and the general rpg elements and traps disarming from Last of us.

    Positive(+):
    - The attempt (failed) to bring survival horror back, what a shame this game is not a good one.
    - Some interesting moments
    - Horror atmosphere and eerie feeling (but still action focused)
    - Rewarded exploration
    - Good variety of weapons and objects

    Negative(-):
    - This game is focused in action, not in exploration or puzzle solving.
    - The characters are very uninspired, their lack of personality is the worst thing i noticed.
    - The graphics are very outdated, it looks like a ps2 or an early ps3 game.
    - The music is not good or memorable.
    - The game is too easy, not challenge at all.
    - No new ideas, nothing fresh, this game took elements of previous games, like trap disarming from last of us, burn bodies from resident evil remake, some details like kick doors, or the knife use from Resident evil 4, there's nothing new in this title, every aspect is recycled from other games.
    - The melee combat system is mediocre, no strategy when facing enemies unarmed.
    - The stealth system just idoes not work, the executions are all the same and the enemy AI seems very dumb.
    - The lack of personality in the characters! They have no special personality, take resident evil 2 for example (a good game), Leon is an amateur cop, a very ambicious man, a very protective one, he is confident and well prepared. In evil within, all characters have the same boring personality.

    Greetings to real gamers.    … Expand
  5. ThePSButton
    May 6, 2020
    6
    The Evil Within es un survival horror competente con ciertas dolencias en su jugabilidad: mecánicas aventadas a la mezcla para hacerlo “diferente” que lo único que logran es mermar la experiencia -como el sistema súper básico de sigilo. Cuando saca su lado más psicológico y japonés funciona y da miedito, y la mayoría del tiempo es disfrutable, pero su manufactura general es muy promedio.The Evil Within es un survival horror competente con ciertas dolencias en su jugabilidad: mecánicas aventadas a la mezcla para hacerlo “diferente” que lo único que logran es mermar la experiencia -como el sistema súper básico de sigilo. Cuando saca su lado más psicológico y japonés funciona y da miedito, y la mayoría del tiempo es disfrutable, pero su manufactura general es muy promedio. Ah, y tiene un final bastante vomitivo que daña el producto final.… Expand
  6. JrDouble
    Mar 20, 2023
    5
    The scariest thing about this game is the controls. I liked the atmosphere and the graphic style. Story was ok, but the things that totally ruined the game for me were the awful controls and camera. Instead my character using the mele attack with the weapon in hand it would keep trying to curb stomp enemies and miss. The other issue is when you aim the camera zooms in way too much andThe scariest thing about this game is the controls. I liked the atmosphere and the graphic style. Story was ok, but the things that totally ruined the game for me were the awful controls and camera. Instead my character using the mele attack with the weapon in hand it would keep trying to curb stomp enemies and miss. The other issue is when you aim the camera zooms in way too much and causes you to miss shots constantly. Not a good game at all due to the poor mechanics.… Expand
  7. Octavianus
    Oct 22, 2014
    5
    Should you buy it? If you're a fan of Resident Evil, I would say "yes, but wait for it". The graphics for the environments are great, and at times this game feels honestly terrifying, with level crafting that makes you feel a powerless and impending sense of dread at progressing. Some of the area designs are quite familiar - mental hospitals and dark jungles and such - but they manage toShould you buy it? If you're a fan of Resident Evil, I would say "yes, but wait for it". The graphics for the environments are great, and at times this game feels honestly terrifying, with level crafting that makes you feel a powerless and impending sense of dread at progressing. Some of the area designs are quite familiar - mental hospitals and dark jungles and such - but they manage to be executed so well that it doesn't quite matter that they're not the most unique.

    Having said that, though, while I feel this game excels in creating atmosphere, it excels yet more so in ruining that atmosphere by over the top cinematic scenes that would fit right in alongside Michael Bay-like explosions. Almost 10 minutes into the game, and a man with a chainsaw blunders around screaming after you, destroying any sense of subtle dread I felt, and not 5 minutes after that, the entire city begins collapsing in a catastrophic earthquake, with no immediate or adequate justification. Then, we morph into a level up area that fills so many horror cliche checkboxes that I'm less creeped out and more bored by how nondescript the black-and-white not-really-a-dream creepy-mental-hospital.

    The enemies themselves aren't conducive to a horror, either. Zombies in all but name-only, they resemble the cartoonish bosses of Resident Evil more than the oddly unsettling variants found in Silent Hill and Forbidden Siren. They're also introduced in the familiar dramatic way - the first one I encountered sparked a cutscene, which already removed my immersion, in which barbed wire exploded all over their bodies - and about an hour or two into the game, I stopped feeling the tenseness that I had during the hospital scene at the start. I began to recognise that this game wasn't out to frighten me, it was out to make me jump. The scares became predictable in the same way Resident Evil's were.

    The gore engine isn't properly applied, either. This game takes an approach that I would find more appropriate in the mind of a 13 year old teenage boy - the more guts, the better! It doesn't fit with the tense and subtle aura of terror the game is trying to create? Who cares, severed heads and people exploding into barbed wire, woo!

    Similarly, the story is hanging by a thread. Like most Japanese survival horror games, it is sustained mostly by in-game documents that provide less in the way of exposition and more in the way of filler text, there to give the illusion of depth or gravity to the situation, only to fall flat with me. It never feels properly woven into the narrative, instead coming off as a cheap tacked-on aside that they added when someone pointed out that games have to actually have a plot. The characters are thimble-deep, only existing as an avatar for you to maneuver around the spooky landscape, a far cry from the fleshed out James Sunderland, whose psychological troubles are reflected even in the town itself. There's no connection or mystery: start at point A, go to point B, get jump scared by some zombies, arrive at point B, find teammate, lose teammate, repeat.

    The gameplay, too, is lackluster. I would often find that controls stuck and the camera whizzed around into awkward places, sometimes ending up in an unfair death. However, I feel as if this issue isn't really game-breaking. It certainly isn't new; even Silent Hill 2, the father of all horror games, had beyond appalling camerawork and tank-like controls that got me killed more than a few times. The Evil Within is much more navigable than that, even if a little frustrating. In fact, it could even contribute to the sense of fear you feel when being chased by whatever cookie-cutter monster of the week locates you.    … Expand
  8. spacepup13
    Oct 21, 2014
    6
    This game has some really good spots, but so far the melee of the game is useless, the story is pretty much the anime version of Resident Evil. The use of gore seems more important than suspense. The fail of this game comes from pacing and the sluggish way they create a sense of suspense. You have to do more than limit a persons ammo and use gore to create a suspense. Bethseda as usualThis game has some really good spots, but so far the melee of the game is useless, the story is pretty much the anime version of Resident Evil. The use of gore seems more important than suspense. The fail of this game comes from pacing and the sluggish way they create a sense of suspense. You have to do more than limit a persons ammo and use gore to create a suspense. Bethseda as usual gives up great graphics and great sound but that is not enough to rate it higher. For suspense I would go with Alien Isolation.… Expand
  9. Jellybean15
    Feb 28, 2015
    7
    After leaving past projects behind, Shinji Mikami creates his own team and strives to make another great installment in the survival horror genre, and what we get is a good but flawed experience that doesn't live up to the expectations many fans had. However, that doesn't mean that the Evil Within is not an enjoyable experience.

    The Evil Within stars Detective Sebastian Castellanos and    After leaving past projects behind, Shinji Mikami creates his own team and strives to make another great installment in the survival horror genre, and what we get is a good but flawed experience that doesn't live up to the expectations many fans had. However, that doesn't mean that the Evil Within is not an enjoyable experience.

    The Evil Within stars Detective Sebastian Castellanos and his colleagues, Joseph and Kidman, who arrive on the scene of a massacre at Beacon Mental Hospital. Very quickly, everything goes to hell and Seb is forced to survive in a new twisted reality. Ultimately, the story is the weakest part of this whole game, by far. Seb’s bland reactions, lack of common sense and weak responses hardly do anything to make the story compelling, and while the voice acting is good across the board, dialogue is not. Seb is transported from area to area and he brushes it off without a second thought. Events happen where people try to kill each other, causing mistrust and drama, only for said events to be completely forgotten the next time these characters meet. There’s not even any semblance of plot until the game’s ninth chapter, but at that point, the story becomes so complicated just for the sake of being complicated, only for you to reach the end with so many questions unanswered. The subplot that builds up concerning Seb’s family ultimately builds up to nothing, and the story ultimately doesn't make much sense by the end.

    Overall, the story is a complete fail, so it’s up to the rest of the game to hold it up, and it succeeds in that regard. Inventory management in a world with limited resources is key to surviving, and it’s up to you to be smart and tactical to get through the journey, relying more on stealth and conserving ammo rather than go guns blazing. It’s a sure fire way to get killed. Aside from this, there’s also some light crafting and even an upgrade system, allowing you to upgrade your health, sprint, and even your firearms.

    The combat is a mixed bag. As fun as it is, it’s no secret that the aiming isn't very good. It zooms in too close and feels stiff, and the crosshair doesn't accurately represent a bullet’s trajectory. It can make scoring a headshot more difficult than it should be, especially with the pistol. Luckily, there’s a good variety of weapons; shotguns, sniper rifles, and my favorite, the crossbow, which has multiple types of bolts, letting you freeze enemies, set them on fire, and even electrocute them. The crossbow is that weapon you’ll rely on when you're cornered and need an out.

    Another new mechanic is using matches to burn bodies, instantly killing prone enemies and possibly burning adjacent enemies as well. It’s always satisfying to burn a body just as an enemy runs at you, but it’s also just as frustrating when it fails to work. Although fun, the inconsistency with the matches actually working makes it a fun, useful, but ultimately an unreliable mechanic at best.

    The game’s number one strength is the vast amount of different level designs. Along with the sections that are centered on horror, there are plenty of small puzzles, action sections, and even a few stealth sections. The vast and varied amount of levels are impressive, and I often marveled at the different obstacles and boss fights the game threw at me. There are a few cheap bosses here and there, but for the most part, they're fun.

    There are a few small complaints like the bad AI for your partner Joseph, but the game’s worst sin is easily when an enemy attacks you. Never have I found a game that actually immobilizes you just to watch an enemy hit you with their weapon. It’s completely asinine because it prevents you from defending yourself and opens you up to all enemy attacks around you. It’s easily the most frustrating mechanic of the game, by far.

    Nowhere are the game’s flaws more prominent than in Nightmare mode. Essentially hard mode, all the mechanics and flaws in the game’s design become even more noticeable, constantly hitting you with cheap, unfair shots. The epic boss fight against Laura becomes a frustrating bullet sponge that one shots you and the game spams bear traps during the action sequences which is the absolute worst decision because you can’t keep an eye on bear traps and your enemies at the same time. A true testament to the difficulty is the game’s death counter. On my first playthrough on Normal I died 17 times, but on my first run on Nightmare, I died a record 64, not including the deaths that caused me to quit out of frustration.

    Despite the game’s many frustrations, the Evil Within is a game I look back at fondly, with memories of the boss fights and many of the awesome level designs I loved to play through. If you’re expecting a terrifying scare fest, the lack of horror sections might turn you off, but the game is ultimately a good survival horror game. Just don’t play on Nightmare, or your experience might be ruined.    … Expand
  10. marco88
    Feb 24, 2015
    7
    the game is pretty creepy in somehow, does give you that feeling you want from a survval horror game, i found the gameplay is not much special, it could be fun with lights off and couple of friends that want get scare. Shame everytime you die u have to restart and take to much time to load. is still a nice game if u have nothing else to play. i give it a 7
  11. SpongyTwinkies
    Oct 27, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Rough. That one word sums up how I feel about this game. The director tried to pull off a horror game that borders between action and survival, but I don't believe he accomplished his goal.

    The game is closer to action than survival and this has probably confused some people, raising complaints about low ammunition supplies, awkward camera angles, and rather boring play. Yet, the player character's pacing is not quite action. Gamers looking for a survival experience might not like the uninteresting usage of playable elements to accomplish goals. Both sides of the complaint are probably correct.

    Then there are story and character credibility issues, which I can usually overlook for the sake of gameplay. I found them too annoying in The Evil Within. In the beginning, your character's leg is injured and you limp along. Not much later, you are running around and it's never explained how except we might assume it's all just a bizarre dream. Or something. A monster quickly scales fences like an angry spider, hops around with springy agility, and tears apart metal chain link as if it were warm butter, yet it can't seem to jump across some piping to attack you or break down checkpoint and cutscene doors.

    Occasionally, you experience a WTF moment, like going back for Joseph's glasses after escaping a zombie dog mini-boss, or whatever it was. Afterword, your character comments how ridiculous that was - so why include it? I won't go into more of these moments because they are too painful to reconsider.

    Top this game off with a somewhat confusing story and you've got a mess of a game. The story starts confusing and only begins to make some sense as you progress. Sometimes it's interesting, if not a little angsty and cliche. (Great! another black haired monster that looks like it crawled out of the movie "The Ring".) I give the director credit for trying a disconnected plot structure but he can get away with this immediate confusion only because the player might be compelled to continue playing out the action first, hoping the story eventually makes sense. If this had been a book and your focus was on just the story, the reader probably would have quit after the first or second chapter.

    I'm not even sure I find the game scary or fun to play. I can think of a number of horror games, such as Fatal Frame, that I enjoy much more than this title. Many of them on the PS2; so, sometimes I go back and play them. I don't think I will do the same for this title    … Expand
  12. foxviewchannel
    Jan 7, 2015
    7
    Sadly, we don’t see a lot of good horror games coming out these days; however, after hearing that creator of the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil 4 Shiniji Mikami was behind The Evil Within, it instantly became one of my highly anticipated games.

    The Evil Within is a 3rd person survival horror video game. Our hero protagonist detective Sebastian Castellanos along with his    Sadly, we don’t see a lot of good horror games coming out these days; however, after hearing that creator of the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil 4 Shiniji Mikami was behind The Evil Within, it instantly became one of my highly anticipated games.

    The Evil Within is a 3rd person survival horror video game. Our hero protagonist detective Sebastian Castellanos along with his partners receives a call to investigate a mass murder at a mental hospital. He is shocked at the horrific bloody scene but is then knocked out by a mysterious person who appears from behind him and drags him into another unknown world. Sebastian wakes up and finds himself hung upside down.

    The introduction is strong as you are quickly immersed in an Evil atmosphere. Your first encounter is with a disfigured butcher who will stop at nothing to kill you. It is a psychological horror and your main goal is to escape from this nightmare.

    The world of The Evil Within is dark with rich environments that are detailed and varied from mansions to deserted farms. Graphics in general don’t use the next gens full potential and I did notice some frame rate drops during my gameplay. The sounds are creepy and done well giving you the feeling that you are never alone. Light effects are immersive especially when Sebastian is carrying the Lantern which creates a truly eerie experience.

    The creatures are varied and encounters with them are tense. One type of creature worth noting is the invisible kind because you can only know where they are, from moving objects. Focusing in the game is important because the environment is filled with traps and deadly dangers. Thankfully, you will have a lot of options to approach each fight.

    Ammo is scarce so you will have to rely on the environment to use to your advantage by luring the creatures into traps. Playing stealthy and sneaking behind an enemy for an instant kill will save you a lot of precious bullets and burning their bodies by using matches will insure that they don’t get back up. There are various weapons that can be found from a sniper, to a powerful shotgun and grenades; however, my favorite weapon was the agony crossbow that has different bolts such as the explosive bolts which is useful for large groups of enemies, freeze bolts that can freeze enemies for a short period of time and flash bolts that blinds them for a while. Bolts can be crafted from trap parts or found in the environment.

    The overall stealth mechanics could have been better, you are able to hide in closets and under the bed but I found myself rarely using them. You can run and if you reach your limit Sebastian will just stop running to catch his breath instead of slowing down. This was a nice touch as it added tension especially if a monster was chasing you.

    There is an eye on top of the screen that lets you know if enemies see you, but I faced cases where they would see me before the eye opening. There are auto saves and manual saves. In the manual saves, you will come across save mirrors which transport you back to your asylum room for a few minutes of relief to save your game; however, it also doesn’t feel very safe with dark rooms everywhere and a creepy nurse walking around. I didn’t find the auto saves well balanced and since you will die so many times during the game, repeating some set pieces all over again is frustrating. In your Asylum room, you will also be able to upgrade your abilities such as health, ammo capacity and weapon power. This is done by collecting green liquid on corpses and jars scattered throughout the environment that gains you points that will be used to upgrade.
    Choosing wisely on what skill to focus on is key because the green liquid isn’t very common to find.

    The well designed bosses in the game are tough and unique. Little clues are provided so you will have to find out your own strategy by using the environment to take out the bosses. This will lead to a lot of trial and error as it will take some time to figure out how to kill them.

    There are 15 total chapters which will take you around 19 hours to complete. The pace of the game is made well and I did not feel any repetitive gameplay during the main campaign because of the many different set pieces that it throws at you. Sadly, the overall story is weak and forgettable. Nothing seems to be clear right from the beginning. Main character Sebastian is a very dry character that you won’t relate too and little is known about the remaining cast as well which leaves little reason to care about any of them.

    The Evil Within could have been a great game if it weren’t for the boring story and uninteresting characters. It is a challenging game even on casual mode and horror fans will enjoy the fun ride because it brings back memories from Resident Evil 4.    … Expand
  13. casualad
    Dec 29, 2014
    7
    The Evil Within is a survival horror brought to you by Shinji Mikami, the same man who brought the survival horror to a brighter light through his work on Resident Evil. In the Evil Within you play as Sebastian Castellanos, a detective whom is called to the scene of a crime at Beacon Mental hospital, by his side is his fellow officers Juli Kidman and Joseph Oda. Once at the hospital, anThe Evil Within is a survival horror brought to you by Shinji Mikami, the same man who brought the survival horror to a brighter light through his work on Resident Evil. In the Evil Within you play as Sebastian Castellanos, a detective whom is called to the scene of a crime at Beacon Mental hospital, by his side is his fellow officers Juli Kidman and Joseph Oda. Once at the hospital, an assailant (Ruvic) is seen killing police, which then turns his attention to Castellanos. From here Castellanos must piece together what has been happening and ultimately find out what Ruvic is doing to put a stop to this nightmare. To begin with the game took me around 13 hours on the hardest difficulty called survival difficulty. This was me taking my time with the game but not getting all the possible collectibles.

    The Evil Within does do a good job of being a good survival horror for the first half of the game. What helps the experience dramatically is the atmosphere. The atmosphere and feel that is presented here is brilliant. The world that you venture in is a nightmare filled with grotesque creatures and unnerving scenery. All these culminates to a really horrific experience due to these elements being combined. The best presented experience was the hub world where you can save and can upgrade Castellanos’ attributes and weapons. This hub world was the place I found the most unsettling, the atmosphere here has been nailed causing this supposed safe place to become a nightmare in itself. The upgrades that are available are pretty standard; bigger stocks, bigger inventory, more health recovery, and increasing damage of weapons. One weapon in particular is a nice addition, being the ‘agony crossbow’. This crossbow is extremely useful when you have no ammo for your other weapons. Throughout the game you’ll encounter traps that can be deactivated which will reward you with parts, these parts can be used to craft ammo for the crossbow into varied types; explosive bolts, electro bolts, and standard bolts. This can be very useful when no ammo is available for your normal handgun, shotgun etc. A huge positive with the game is the essence of dying. Specific enemies will take huge portions of life from you or instantly kill you on the spot if they are within reach. Within the game you will die numerous amounts of time, some might find this frustrating but I have found it as a way to reinstate what type of game this is. The Evil Within strives of the player dying reconfirming that your there to survive with whatever items you have, adding to the tense atmosphere and improving the overall experience.

    On the other hand The Evil Within does have some weaknesses about itself which may deter players from the full experience. It can be very easy to lose the story altogether and may resort into some internet searches to fully understand what’s going on especially towards the end of the game. For those looking for puzzles, there are next to none present here so there isn’t a break from the horror gunplay. There are some segments that don’t do the atmosphere any good, mainly towards the end of the game. During these they seem to be more run and gun rather than saving ammunition and calculating the best move. These parts turn down the atmosphere greatly, decreasing the tense aspect of the game. Speaking of the ending, the final boss fight is very poor and increases the action side aspect rather than the horror side. I feel like this is a missed opportunity and feel a lot more could have been done to change the gameplay for the final battle to make it more memorable rather than having a cop out big action battle.

    The Evil Within is a game of two halves. The first half is great at reinstating the survival horror with a brilliant atmosphere brought together by the environments you visit, the enemies you encounter, and the danger of the antagonist that can one touch kill you. This all reinstates the survival horror aspect. The second half starts becoming more of an action game with ammo to spare and the enemies rushing towards you knowing where you already are. By doing this the tension drops and the survival aspect becomes less important. In all the The Evil Within does do some justice to the survival horror game and I was fully immersed within this dank world, however later levels can seem to be more action rather than survival. It is worth a purchase when it is at a lower price.    … Expand
  14. DirtyBird13
    Nov 13, 2014
    7
    It is definitely true to the Survival Horror genre. Th ammo doesn't come by easily and the boss fight require intellect. It heavily reminds of Resident Evil 4 with the gritty atmosphere and some what similar enemies. The game wasn't really scary, but it was an intense feeling almost throughout the whole game.

    Pros: The game play is great. The shooting is a little challenging at first,    It is definitely true to the Survival Horror genre. Th ammo doesn't come by easily and the boss fight require intellect. It heavily reminds of Resident Evil 4 with the gritty atmosphere and some what similar enemies. The game wasn't really scary, but it was an intense feeling almost throughout the whole game.

    Pros: The game play is great. The shooting is a little challenging at first, but an average gamer will get used to it. The beginning of the game is intense and one to remember.

    Cons: The biggest problem I had was the story. The story is almost incoherent for the first 7 chapters. You will be confused. It does start making sense later, but I seemed to lose interest because I really didn't know what the hell was going on. I was basically trying to just survive not knowing why in the hell these things were happening. I know people are probably going to call me dumb, but I would consider myself an expert gamer. As for me, this game was more confusing then a damn silent hill game....and that's saying a lot! Other than that, the graphics still looked like they were for the last generation. These weren't really a big deal for me, but I had to be honest.

    Overall, the game was good and was worth the buy.    … Expand
  15. jstanothergamr
    Oct 29, 2014
    6
    The Evil Within = (ResEvil 4.5 - Horror - Difficulty) / Bad Story = 6

    Unfortunately, The Evil Within is a re-skinned RE 4 without the difficulty. There are definitely some interesting techniques at play with the framing, camera movement, and seamless set changes, but all in all, the story and scares fail completely. The story is also so poorly developed it can't support the weight of    The Evil Within = (ResEvil 4.5 - Horror - Difficulty) / Bad Story = 6

    Unfortunately, The Evil Within is a re-skinned RE 4 without the difficulty. There are definitely some interesting techniques at play with the framing, camera movement, and seamless set changes, but all in all, the story and scares fail completely. The story is also so poorly developed it can't support the weight of its ideas and falls into hilarious absurdity.
    When I heard that this was going to be a difficult game, I was extremely excited, but after 16hrs of playtime I only died a total of 30 times (a majority of those times from when the cutscenes randomly ended and something squashed/ shot/ filetted/ disemboweled, etc, me simply because I had no idea I was back in the game). I also ran out of ammo in only two instances, but that was quickly negated by the fact the game always has bolts ready for you.
    RE4 had a lore to back up the absurd story, insanely memorable moments (that damn cabin), and an unmatched intensity. TEW just ends up being a bore.
    I'd suggest checking it out as a rental or if the price drops to $30 or less.    … Expand
  16. Dal_ReviewedDat
    Feb 19, 2015
    7
    I recently picked the Evil Within Ltd Edition new for £25 in store, and felt as a horror game fan I would enjoy it. And so far, so good.

    The game isn't all that scary, nothing like the P.T. demo that made me lay an egg a few times, but it does relish in gore, and moments of horror that you'd expect from your favourite B-movie. The game play is smooth and while targeting and actually    I recently picked the Evil Within Ltd Edition new for £25 in store, and felt as a horror game fan I would enjoy it. And so far, so good.

    The game isn't all that scary, nothing like the P.T. demo that made me lay an egg a few times, but it does relish in gore, and moments of horror that you'd expect from your favourite B-movie. The game play is smooth and while targeting and actually killing things can become frustrating, it actually adds to the beauty of it. I found myself dying about twenty times in the opening scene trying to attack the lurcher in the room, and its this guess work and desire to complete that makes you want to get that little further.

    The story will fry your brain a little, but the world and themes are pretty cool. I don't understand how anyone can rate this game as a 0 or 1 ... it's not the best game I've ever played, but for £25 it was a bargain really, and I'd suggest any horror game fan to give it a whirl as they wont be disappointed.    … Expand
  17. kris2fur
    Jan 5, 2015
    5
    This game is broken, hard, glitchy, horrible and has a horrible ending.
    Finally finished it today glad it's over with.
    So the main character is pretty funny he would rather be picking up bottles than climbing out of the monster infested water and impending death. You will see things like this more and more the more you play. Like hung up bodies that you waste matches on that don't    This game is broken, hard, glitchy, horrible and has a horrible ending.
    Finally finished it today glad it's over with.

    So the main character is pretty funny he would rather be picking up bottles than climbing out of the monster infested water and impending death. You will see things like this more and more the more you play.
    Like hung up bodies that you waste matches on that don't burn. There's more than this though.

    The controls switch to type C mediately, prevents the constant incursion of the menu during battle. There is also a one second latency so don't just mash melee as after two melees the enemy automatically counter attacks.

    P.S. EVERYONE who gave this a user score of ten is INSANE.

    There are some frame rate issues and I'm not talking about when they are pulsing the screen to build drama.

    I liked the game early on and welcomed the challenge, that is what this game is a challenge. The hunting for parts and ammo is great a real survival horror game, but that's about where it ends.

    Buy this if you loved RE6 and other glitchy poorly storylined horror games.    … Expand
  18. The_Game_Doctor
    Mar 24, 2015
    7
    The Evil Within was a Roller Coaster of a game for me. Initially, I was really uninspired by it. The first few hours were spent getting used to the game's unusually dark settings (literally dark, not thematically). After the first main box, the game really started to grow into its own and show its true colors.

    Survival horror at its core, it reminded my a lot of the original Dead Space.    The Evil Within was a Roller Coaster of a game for me. Initially, I was really uninspired by it. The first few hours were spent getting used to the game's unusually dark settings (literally dark, not thematically). After the first main box, the game really started to grow into its own and show its true colors.

    Survival horror at its core, it reminded my a lot of the original Dead Space. The feeling of helplessness is nearly tangible. After a few attempts at running blindly to get from point A to point B, and quickly learning that was a very bad idea, the game become much more about stealth and cunning rather than brute force. A few of the mechanisms are lost as the game progresses. Hiding from your enemies, while effective, seemed to become a less common practice about halfway through.

    The world the game is set in is the main focus. The protagonist himself is undeniable forgettable. His storyline is revealed through little journal entries preceding save points as the game progresses, making it even more forgettable for those who refuse to read for story depth.

    There are a few mechanical flaws that carry over due to the console base. Framerate drops, while not common, are expected. There are two black bars along the top and bottom of the screens to simulate a wider scope of view. While these were not game-breakers for me, many people were extremely agitated by their presence.

    Despite its flaws, I was drawn into the world. The game is not overly long, but the atmosphere is infectious! For any survival horror fan, this is a must play. Same goes for horror/gore nuts. For those just looking for the next game, would not recommend picking it up without playtesting first.    … Expand
  19. Diesel_Fox
    Jan 22, 2015
    5
    I don't understand the critical acclaim and love for this game. It tries to be a combination of The Last of Us, and Resident Evil 4, but comes up terribly short on both accounts. The visuals are just OK, the gameplay on all accounts, from movement to combat are just terrible and clunky, and feel unfinished. The voice acting, and dialogue are completely deplorable. Also, there is virtuallyI don't understand the critical acclaim and love for this game. It tries to be a combination of The Last of Us, and Resident Evil 4, but comes up terribly short on both accounts. The visuals are just OK, the gameplay on all accounts, from movement to combat are just terrible and clunky, and feel unfinished. The voice acting, and dialogue are completely deplorable. Also, there is virtually no ammo, even on easy the enemies take an obscene amount of ammo to kill, so you spend most of your time just running away, not necessarily my idea of a good time. I've had to push myself to finish this game, it just simply isn't fun. I can safely say that this was the biggest gaming disappointment of 2014 for me.… Expand
  20. Axlyss
    Oct 15, 2014
    5
    The game is so so while it has good story telling elements in some spots it suffers heavily on others. Scares are almost non existent the 'scary' element of this game is one big cliche. The characters are fun but lack depth. The game does take some time to beat which is a plus, The game has awesome camera effects stellar even.

    At the end of the day I could not bring myself to like the    The game is so so while it has good story telling elements in some spots it suffers heavily on others. Scares are almost non existent the 'scary' element of this game is one big cliche. The characters are fun but lack depth. The game does take some time to beat which is a plus, The game has awesome camera effects stellar even.

    At the end of the day I could not bring myself to like the characters or the plot.    … Expand
  21. Setandugal
    Oct 30, 2014
    7
    In general this is a good with a great premise: The return of pure survival horror by legendary game designer Shinji mikami for next gen consoles, and the results are actually almost there, but control is a bit mess, the graphics are so last gen and some bosses will give you either stupid cheap deaths or specific how-the-heck-i-know-i-must-do-that- pattern tasks to beat him/her, seriouslyIn general this is a good with a great premise: The return of pure survival horror by legendary game designer Shinji mikami for next gen consoles, and the results are actually almost there, but control is a bit mess, the graphics are so last gen and some bosses will give you either stupid cheap deaths or specific how-the-heck-i-know-i-must-do-that- pattern tasks to beat him/her, seriously it's almost an insult. Nevertheless i still enjoy the game i just wish Mikami had executed better… Expand
  22. middelagedgamer
    Jul 19, 2015
    5
    I was expecting more from this game than I ended up with. From the get go I just found the game mechanics of The Evil Within to be beyond frustrating. I mean the guy is so slow, in everything he does. I found myself continually shouting at the screen "MOVE!, WHY WONT YOU MOVE!", all of this accompanied by choice profanities and insults.. The main character is also lackluster and has zeroI was expecting more from this game than I ended up with. From the get go I just found the game mechanics of The Evil Within to be beyond frustrating. I mean the guy is so slow, in everything he does. I found myself continually shouting at the screen "MOVE!, WHY WONT YOU MOVE!", all of this accompanied by choice profanities and insults.. The main character is also lackluster and has zero personality. The other supposed main characters in the game make sporadic appearances, often disappearing for chapters on end, only to re-appear again having seemingly no connection to the overall story, a story which even when I came to the end made no sense to me.

    Some of the boss fights were insanely difficult, made harder with the clunky controls and a protagonist that runs out of puff almost immediately. Upgrading this ability early is essential as later in the game it would be impossible to get through some of the chapters if he is still running out of steam after 3 seconds..again, very frustrating..more shouting at the screen.

    Melee is useless..you could thump an enemy 15 times and it wouldn't do anything..

    The graphics were okay but not quite as refined as some other games out there.

    The chainsaw monster is straight out of Resident Evil, here by special invitation.

    Ammunition...there is not a lot of it around and enemies take a lot of it to be killed. Some of the main boss fights will literally take multiple attempts to get through as memorizing the process or method in which they can be defeated is required, and all while trying to get the main character to actually move with some semblance of fluidity..

    I didn't hate this game , it was generally okay but usually I would play a game on an easy or moderate setting the first time around to get a feel for it and then go back and immediately play it again on a hard setting, picking up and collecting things that I may have missed out on the first time around..I have no desire to do this with The Evil Within..Once was enough for me.    … Expand
  23. Tedmoez
    Oct 22, 2015
    7
    As a survival horror game, this game did an excellent job making you feel on the edge of your seat. I have not had those feelings of impending doom since the old resident evils and silent hills. The story was just okay, but my one major gripe is as follows. I should have heeded the warning of the gamestop employee when they said that this game was extremely frustrating. There are alot ofAs a survival horror game, this game did an excellent job making you feel on the edge of your seat. I have not had those feelings of impending doom since the old resident evils and silent hills. The story was just okay, but my one major gripe is as follows. I should have heeded the warning of the gamestop employee when they said that this game was extremely frustrating. There are alot of mechanics where you die from one shot, I found my self dying many times throughout the game and almost just gave up on the game completely. Although i had the difficulty settings on casual, it was still very difficult. for me, this aspect took alot of the enoyability out of the game. how it been easier, i would have given the game a 9.… Expand
  24. D3tonator
    Oct 18, 2014
    6
    This is a quick first impression review- The ambiance, atmosphere and violent horror vibe is approached very well, I felt on edge during my enemy encounters, exploration of the map is critical as crafting components are hard to come across and necessary for character upgrades. However, for me, this is where the fun had stopped. Clunky controls and camera issues hinder your most basicThis is a quick first impression review- The ambiance, atmosphere and violent horror vibe is approached very well, I felt on edge during my enemy encounters, exploration of the map is critical as crafting components are hard to come across and necessary for character upgrades. However, for me, this is where the fun had stopped. Clunky controls and camera issues hinder your most basic movement, melee combat is very plan unlike the creative "combo" melee hits in "The Last of Us".

    Its also worth noting the very constant texture popping and bad frame rate drops- personally, I would have expected better performance, especially on the next generation consoles.

    On first impressions - The Evil Within is not the most outstanding game ever made but if you are a die hard survival horror fan, this one is for you.    … Expand
  25. Maguro
    Nov 5, 2014
    6
    The Evil Within: A ridiculous, directionless mess of random horror.

    Mikami, the master of survival horror? Well, this game proves something everyone should have known already: It’s not Mikami who makes the brilliant games, it's Mikami AND his team. And clearly, his current team isn't the best! Let's start with the good things though. Some of the environment designs are really    The Evil Within: A ridiculous, directionless mess of random horror.

    Mikami, the master of survival horror? Well, this game proves something everyone should have known already: It’s not Mikami who makes the brilliant games, it's Mikami AND his team. And clearly, his current team isn't the best!

    Let's start with the good things though.

    Some of the environment designs are really good, especially the idea of the asylum with the light that results in very cool vistas and a nice and original atmosphere. The color palette of green and yellow early in the game is also very cool. The game is playable, it's not boring and somewhat challenging, and does show some potential, especially in the later chapters.

    ....However, the game has so many serious and obvious flaws that are impossible to overlook.

    It is a huge mess of gameplay, characters, scenes, colors, interface elements etc etc. There is no buildup in tension or story, nor any character development. Instead, you go from random area to random area in high succession. Meanwhile, the characters are generic, boring and lack development. Why do I care about the doctor and the (badly voice-acted) mental patient, or the Kidman-girl with the most plastic generic face I have ever seen? Or the main character for that matter? Why are his clothes so 1920? Why do a lot of characters have Spanish names yet don't look Spanish at all? Why is there such a contrast in Ruviks design, being so anime-ish? Was he designed by somebody else? Where is the consistency?

    And the dialogue is ridiculous! The main character, after encountering zombies, doorway mirrors, brain devices, waking up in the same room over and over again, traps, a monstergirl with excessive limbs, invisible enemies, states after 2 hours in the game something like " Maybe we should get out of here, this place is strange". Wow, really? You didn't notice earlier? One of many, many examples.

    The interface elements are a mess of styles (sometimes sort of realistic, sometimes in color, sometimes portal style icons). The eye that is constantly on screen to show if enemies see you is sometimes ridiculous. They are trying to tear of my head, of course they see me, I really don't need that icon there to remind me.

    The black bars that cut off half your vision would not have been such an issue, if the developers would have adjusted the player size to the now smaller screen size. But they didn't and now it feels like you are playing the game squinting your eyes. Why did they put those bars in anyway?

    The lighting and textures in the game look dated, they are sometimes overly lit or the contrast is too high. The wood in some areas has so much contrast it looks like painted plastic. The fog is very white as if constantly lit by bright lamps. There are lights everywhere, which ruins any mysteriousness or scariness of the scenes.

    The framerate drops often and there are a lot of LOD issues.

    It all feels very "gamey" (with random, unexplained ammo everywhere, level design with obvious traps and keys and doors, interface icons etc). That gamey-ness makes the game lean towards an almost comical atmosphere. The P.T. demo for instance is so scary because of its realism, as is the Last of Us. You can sort of imagine being there. Yet this game reminds me constantly that it's nothing more than a game. Like the effect of the main character blowing apart when triggering a trap. That's not scary, that is really over-the-top ridiculous.

    The dated "you die and have to start at a checkpoint a while ago" mechanic annoys greatly. Playing the same part over and over again is bothersome enough as it is, but passing that jump-scare moment again and again (like that guy that randomly crashes down from the sky in the village) is absolutely ridiculous.

    I could go on.

    The game feels like a thousand random horror ideas thrown in to one, without any selection at all. It really is as if no one was directing this game, such a mess of random ideas, quality and styles.

    Really, Mikami?    … Expand
  26. doodlerman
    Feb 13, 2017
    5
    After a pretty brilliant, tense intro things take a complete 180 and the game goes from horrific intrigue to garbage. That's not to say there aren't shining moments in the muck that is The Evil Within, but all in all, it's a glitchy mess that controls sloppily. It's odd to think that the same director of Resident Evil 4, one of the greatest and tightly designed games of all time, wouldAfter a pretty brilliant, tense intro things take a complete 180 and the game goes from horrific intrigue to garbage. That's not to say there aren't shining moments in the muck that is The Evil Within, but all in all, it's a glitchy mess that controls sloppily. It's odd to think that the same director of Resident Evil 4, one of the greatest and tightly designed games of all time, would stoop to this incoherent level of mediocrity.… Expand
  27. ChristianDiaz
    Oct 24, 2014
    6
    The Evil Within succeeds at bringing back the enjoyment of survival horror with it's well crafted atmosphere, but struggles as an enjoyable video game experience with it's horribly frustrating combat.
  28. Andynokills
    Nov 28, 2014
    7
    This game has some interesting levels, fun action and a cool level-up system so it should score relatively high but the story makes no sense and the graphics are like a ps2 or xbox. Graphics are so bad its funny and the protagonist is like one of the characters in an Expendables movie. Terrible one-liners. Very very cliché. Its also super gory without being scary which comes off as weak.
  29. Lewster1234
    Nov 20, 2014
    7
    Good game but not great let down by the scripted story and bland characters. OUT OF AMMO..............................................................
  30. andrecritic
    Dec 3, 2014
    5
    I'm sure if it were made by Tornado Corporation SA would be much better. After marketing invested in the game I bought in advance and I was very disappointed with the result. Median graphics, meaningless game no.
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Awards & Rankings

67
#67 Best PS4 Game of 2014
10
#10 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
7
#7 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 65 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 65
  3. Negative: 1 out of 65
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Dec 28, 2014
    80
    It's lean, with few repeated ideas, and boasts one of the best save rooms you'll ever experience. [Christmas 2014, p.88]
  2. Games Master UK
    Dec 21, 2014
    81
    Bold and brutal, it has the guts to stay true to its horror roots without feeling outdated. [Christmas 2014, p.58]
  3. Edge Magazine
    Dec 6, 2014
    70
    After a clumsy opening, The Evil Within hits its stride towards the end and the fist act and the tension rarely lets up. [Christmas 2014, p.114]
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