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. 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.
  2. Odogreviews
    Dec 5, 2016
    5
    The Evil Within is a survival horror game made by the legendary game creator Shinji Mikami who created The Resident Evil series and published by Bethesda. After reviewing the PC version of this game and giving it a zero people told me that I should give the game a second chance due to the fact the game is notorious for its poor PC port. I decided to pick up the PS4 version and give it aThe Evil Within is a survival horror game made by the legendary game creator Shinji Mikami who created The Resident Evil series and published by Bethesda. After reviewing the PC version of this game and giving it a zero people told me that I should give the game a second chance due to the fact the game is notorious for its poor PC port. I decided to pick up the PS4 version and give it a try. I found the experience on the console version much better compared to the awful train wreck that the PC port was and managed to finish it all the way through. I overall found The Evil Within a mediocre experienced that suffers from many technical shortcomings and lack of focus.

    The Evil Within suffers in its presentation and delivery. The game is locked at 30 frames which makes the game feel slow and sluggish. The Evil Within looks graphically last generation and even looks like a PS2 game at times. The horror games that came out the same year(2014) as The Evil Within had much more impressive graphics such as Alien: Isolation and P.T. The game also experiences frequent texture pop in, very low resolution textures and slow load times. The Evil Within also uses a very dated and old engine which may explain these technical problems. Closed in dark areas of the game look and load better compared to open areas this maybe also connected to the engine which was used for shooter games where much of the action is in corridors. The character models look ugly and dated and look last generation. The Evil Within is inspired by many horror movies which can be in the art style the game uses. The game visually appears to be inspired by gore themed horror like Saw and other slasher flicks. The gore effects are well done in the game but can be overdone and ridiculous. The Evil Within is also inspired by many horror games such as Silent Hill and Resident Evil. The game looks almost like if Silent Hill and Resident Evil had a baby. The game does use too many allusions from the Resident Evil series such as the village scene from Resident Evil 4 and the head turning zombie from Resident Evil 1 just to name a few. The sound design in the game is also not very impressive and sounds like it come out almost 10 years ago at times. The game does feature a solid music score except for the credit song which sounds like an awful JPop band. The Evil Within features many horrid awful looking monsters that you will have to fight and overcome throughout the game. The game features zombie like enemies called “the haunted” that stalk you throughout the game along with other grotesque enemies. The game features many visually interesting and freaky bosses that will keep you interested in playing more. I found some of the bosses uninspired though such as “the keeper” which is pretty much a pyramid head clone. The Evil Within offers interesting monsters but fails when it comes to polish and visuals.

    The Evil Within has a disconnected and confusing story. You play Sebastian Castellanos a detective who has been sent to Beacon Mental Hospital with his Partner Joseph Oda and a new recruit Juli Kidman from there the story takes off. The game seems to be trying to tell a more physiological story but falls flat on its face. The back of the game says that you are trapped in a crazy scientist's mind which sounds unoriginal but I felt could be told well. The game’s focus on disconnected areas that have little in common made it hard to be immersed in the game’s story and ruined the pacing.The game’s character are also boring, cartoonish, and one dimensional. Sebastian is a genetic gritty detective who I found no interest in the entire playthrough. The voice acting is especially awful as well especially Sebastian's voice actor who uses a generic gritty monotone voice throughout the entire game. The game ends at a predictable note full of plot holes. Knowing that the game was made by Shinji Mikami the creator of Resident Evil I was not expecting a good story at all but I still feel the story must be criticized. Bethesda released a concept book that shows how the game was developed and shows that the game was originally going to go for a more grounded approach. The game was going to focus more on the creepy mental hospital than the disconnected areas the game presents..The Evil Within tells a weak forgettable story.

    The Evil Within delivers a solid gameplay experience but suffers from the fact that it is dated. The Evil Within controls and plays much like Resident Evil 4 though a little smoother. The game feels more like a 3rd person shooter than a horror game at times which takes away from the experience.The game arms the player to the teeth with a pistol, shotgun, crossbow, sniper rifle, and a magnum to name a few. One feature I did like which was added to the game was a match burning system that allowed the player to use matches to burn downed enemies from coming back up. I liked this system and it reminded me of the zombie burning mechanic for the Resident Evil Remake. Head shots in The Evil Within are very satisfying and gorey and if not shot properly can lead to the enemy losing a chunk of its head. The game uses limited ammo and healing items and “brain gel” which can be used to upgrade the main character. I found the upgrade system unneeded and poorly implemented. Sebastian has ridiculously low sprint meter and inventory which was done to accommodate the upgrade system. The game has an imbalance of resources you gives more gel than bullets and healing items which are far more essential. The enemy A.I. is extremely dumb and so is the partner A.I. if not worse. The segments where you are with Joseph are not fun at all because you are forced to babysit him instead of taking care of yourself. The game also features boss fights throughout the experience. The boss fights are tedious, sometimes frustrating and boring. Essentially you just waste all your ammo and items in one big splurge until the boss is defeated. Bosses also have cheap one hit instakills that force the player to redo the fight from the beginning over and over again. I found this extremely frustrating whenever these would happen and would take away the fear and turn it into anger instead. The game seems to be taking cues from Dark Souls a game I particularly dislike for many reasons which can be checked out in one of my other reviews. The game over screens also have the same similar jingle to them that the ones in Dark Souls have. The game also hides in the environment annoying traps that greatly hinder progress. I found these traps unenjoyable and extremely frustrating. The traps are not scary at all and builds no tension. The game features interesting puzzles that have that are visually interesting and striking that give the player a break from the nonstop action. The end segment of the game is also atrocious and throws Sebastian into an arena where he is forced to fight off all the enemies from the game and is forced to fight a boss two times before being allowed to face the final boss. I found this cheap and unfair and the game difficulty suddenly escalates for no reason in this segment. The Evil Within has a solid combat and puzzles but suffers when it comes pacing and boss fights.

    The last question you maybe asking me is did you find the game scary? Sorry no I found the game not the scariest in the slightest. Horror needs to be grounded in some sort of reality and The Evil Within does not do that by telling a confusing story, arming the player to the teeth, and making the areas disconnected and pulling the rug under the player too many times.

    I found The Evil Within a messy game with many flaws that took away from my experience. I was not impressed by the presentation, graphics or gameplay. Resident Evil 7 is coming out next month and I am excited to play it. Capcom the creators of Resident Evil have given out a survey asking players which games they like and found this game among the ones asked and made sure not to include it. The Evil Within was dated the day it came out. It proves that game’s are not always defined by their creator. The new direction most horror games are taking now are superior than the titles of old. The third person horror game is officially dead and is now going to be replaced with first person atmospheric horror games instead. Horror games are not defined by their gameplay but should be instead defined by their presentation and story which are the most important in freaking and immersing the player. I believe The Evil Within is a flawed game no doubt but is more average than terrible.

    5/10: Average    … Expand
  3. drnik
    Dec 7, 2014
    5
    The best I can say about The Evil Within is that it was a noble but disappointing effort.
    I was happy to hear that Mikami was creating a real Survival Horror game, as opposed to the crappy last 2 releases of Resident Evil. Unfortunately, the game falls flat
    Graphics: They are OK. If this was a PS3 game, I would have been pleased with the graphics, but there really isn't anything "next    The best I can say about The Evil Within is that it was a noble but disappointing effort.
    I was happy to hear that Mikami was creating a real Survival Horror game, as opposed to the crappy last 2 releases of Resident Evil. Unfortunately, the game falls flat
    Graphics: They are OK. If this was a PS3 game, I would have been pleased with the graphics, but there really isn't anything "next gen" about the graphics. They aren't terrible though, I would say on par with Last of Us
    Sound: Mikama needs to realise that annoying =/= creepy. I literally had to turn the "music" off at the options because the constant screeching of metal was making the game unplayable
    Gameplay: Here's where it goes to hell. The camera spins, at random times, but its extra special when you are trying to run from something (aka always). Bullets occassionally go through enemies. Enemies grab you through solid walls. I had a zombie decapitate me with an axe through a wall.
    Difficulty: Survival horror is supposed to be hard. But its called SURVIVAL horror. On the first play through, you will die between 200 and 400 times. Most times being you step into a room and bomb explodes or sniper shoots you in the head. Literally unpredictable deaths that you must die so you can change behavior next try. Also, in survival horror you should be able to kill some stuff. On the first playthrough, you pretty much cannot kill anything. Just shoot it and run. All game long. On the second playthrough, weapons and ammo carry over, making the game playable and almost enjoyable. But there is NO reason they couldn't have given you weapons and a bit more ammo in the first place. Inexcusable
    Glitches: The game crashes. As in, the PS4 goes to an error screen and turns the game off. This happened 5 times on my first playthrough.
    On my 2nd playthrough, on at least 3 occassions, I would enter a room, and my character would fall through the ground. I would be in limbo, a pitch black environment with nothing loaded. impossible to advance the game. And the best part, if I try to re-load that game (even from a significantly earlier save point), it did this glitch every time, meaning that entire save file was corrupted and you better hope that an earlier save file on another save slot wont do the same.
    Those are unacceptable problems that should have delayed the game release.
    tl;dr
    Great game idea (old-school survival horror) but game breaking glitches and painful difficulty and camera problems make it almost unplayable    … Expand
  4. lilwillard57
    Dec 13, 2014
    9
    This is the first review I have ever wrote on here and a large part of it is how much I love this game, it reminds me of Last of Us because of the way you have to spare ammo and resources and use stealth and force to take down your enemies. The big difference in this game is the boss battles which are frustrating considering you have to throw everything you have at it but the result ofThis is the first review I have ever wrote on here and a large part of it is how much I love this game, it reminds me of Last of Us because of the way you have to spare ammo and resources and use stealth and force to take down your enemies. The big difference in this game is the boss battles which are frustrating considering you have to throw everything you have at it but the result of killing them is very satisfying. Overall this game is prob one of the best single player games of the year and has me on the edge of my seat through the whole campaign… Expand
  5. Muzzle131
    Dec 21, 2014
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The game is pretty much a giant disappointment in terms of story, gameplay is pretty much RE4. The story is pretty bland and boring, character's are unlikable with little to no backstory to them, all the while the main antagonist get's the entire story to himself as everything revolves around him. The story isn't complete either as they announced DLC to explain parts of the story (pay to have your questions answered). The game is also a complete lie as to what it is; stating that it's a survival horror game and at first yes it seems that way with a stealth mechanic that would of been helpful, but after the first chapter they hand you a crap ton of weapons and being spotted is almost a guarantee with upgrades only affecting weapons not sneaking, this is at first forgiven Mikami has always been known to make a game have a little action but it becomes clearer of where the game is going as fights or encounters become repetitive and annoying with encounters usually being that you get discovered and there's no way to sneak.

    But back to story it's pretty badly written as the entire game is devoted to the main antagonist and his backstory, while our character get's a few pages of stereotypical backstory that only gives us a vague understanding of why we're here in the middle of the game. This along with clearly nothing to go on as for some reason the main antagonist and main character hate one another for no actual reason, the main character does at first have it out for Ruvik (main antagonist) but later discovers he was not responsible but in the late game they treat each other as nemesis's. There's also the dreadful ending that's obvious sequel bait and asking more questions then answering (until DLC) with it having no closure what so ever, and in fact the entire game is a giant waste of time since nothing was accomplished, in fact you made the situation worse by (spoiler) letting Ruvik escape into the real world (your in his mind but he's trapped and trying to find a way out by body jacking a little kid) which we don't even know is the real world and could be another layer of dream. The game also lacks what it wants to be as it makes dozens of homage's to other horror games/movies without providing anything for itself, trying to be Silent Hill 2 ends up being RE4 mixed with the two quests of Fallout 3 of saving your father from a simulation and going to the DLC to fight a brain in a jar, which guess what is exactly what happens in this game; Ruvik is a brain in a jar and it further proves that there's no reason for Sebastian and him to hate each other since Sebastian thought Ruvik killed his kid and kidnapped his wife but that entire time Ruvik was a brain and incapable of doing anything. The game also like I said lacks what it wants to be, take RE4 it was hell of fun and was self aware going between humor and horror easily, Evil Within however wants to be all serious and dark and executes it poorly by being un-fun which is ok in Survival horror and is suppose to substitute gameplay for story, except it does it the other way around of making gameplay fun as RE4s but still tries to pass itself off as survival horror making it boring.

    Recommendation: wait for DLC see how everyone sees it and if it does deliver then by all means purchase the game (hopefully not at full price).    … Expand
  6. Joker92
    Dec 26, 2014
    9
    This is apparently a game you'll either love or hate. I for one loved it. I recommend taking the risk of picking this one up. You just might, like I, end up discovering a new favorite to add to your collection. Be warned- this game will not hold your hand throughout the entire game (like most modern games) with both game play and story plot. I would not recommend this for people that areThis is apparently a game you'll either love or hate. I for one loved it. I recommend taking the risk of picking this one up. You just might, like I, end up discovering a new favorite to add to your collection. Be warned- this game will not hold your hand throughout the entire game (like most modern games) with both game play and story plot. I would not recommend this for people that are not good at survival horror nor those that do not possess good story concept understanding skills. I for one am off for a second play through on nightmare to get an even more gratifying survival horror experience.… Expand
  7. the_8bit_kingdo
    Dec 29, 2014
    6
    What a sorry excuse for a horror game.
    "Scary" for all the wrong reasons.:
    - Horrible, basically non-existant story. ---> To y'know, keep you interested. - Next to no character development. ---> to y'know, make you care about the characters and what you're doing. - Shoddy, decade old style of play / ripoff of much better games. (I.E., RE4, Last of Us...) ---> But never really    What a sorry excuse for a horror game.
    "Scary" for all the wrong reasons.:

    - Horrible, basically non-existant story. ---> To y'know, keep you interested.

    - Next to no character development. ---> to y'know, make you care about the characters and what you're doing.

    - Shoddy, decade old style of play / ripoff of much better games. (I.E., RE4, Last of Us...) ---> But never really doing anything good with them. (read: pointless, blatent rip-off)

    - Overly difficult in all the wrong ways. ---> I like a challenge, but after the 18th time getting slaughtered by a knockoff chainsaw guy or even "accidentally" by some dime-a-dozen, wandering like a lost dog zombie guy and forced, beginning of the level restarts (think megaman 1 minus a method to the madness) pretty much forced me to reconsider buying games without trying them before I buy, like ever again.

    - And on, and on, and on.

    --------------------------------------------------

    Reserved a copy and got the "fighting chance pack".
    More like, the "something to blow your nose with pack" cause wow, an extra shotgun with 4 rounds, extra couple of viles of green liquid and whatever else, little thingies that basically become useless after you piss them away trying to figure out just what the hell you're supposed to be doing.

    Don't get me wrong, I really, really wanted and really, really tried to like this game.
    BUT, it became very aparent after day after day trials and errors, that this was just not a well thought out game, nor worth sticking around for to find out if it actually did get any better after level 3 or 4...

    Waste of valuable resources.
    The graphics could have been something great, but felt (and looked) like a sub-par, last gen, bargain-bin title.
    Bethesda should be ashamed of themselves.

    Someone over there should be performing hara-kiri for such a travesty.    … Expand
  8. Claudio23
    Jan 8, 2015
    10
    Great game. It is kind of difficult and frustrating sometimes but that s the way it should be when playing a horror survival game. What I like most is the atmosphere and the simple story. I know that most of you mentioned this before but in a bad way. To me it does not always have to be confusing and complicated. When I play games i want to relax from reality without 12 hours of dialogues.
  9. Darko84
    Jan 20, 2015
    7
    It is not the best game you will ever play but it is definitely a survival horror game that had not been available for quite some years. This could have been much better if the graphics and game play had offered something new and fresh. It took a lot of elements from other games and movies.
    The first two/three chapters were more dark and intense (RE4 atmosphere), however after you gain    It is not the best game you will ever play but it is definitely a survival horror game that had not been available for quite some years. This could have been much better if the graphics and game play had offered something new and fresh. It took a lot of elements from other games and movies.
    The first two/three chapters were more dark and intense (RE4 atmosphere), however after you gain more weapons and get to know the tricks, this becomes something more like The last of us.

    Positive Things:
    + Survival Horror atmosphere (in most of the game).
    + Story is interesting and leaves a window for a sequel (good chance to make something better).
    + Interesting enemies (for me it is a plus to get enemies which are not predictable, you never know if you need to run or to fight).

    Negative Things:
    - Characters development / dialogues are poor.
    - Graphics / frame rate is not next gen quality.
    - Camera is not friendly (in addition to the freaking black bars).    … Expand
  10. AnimatedOtaku
    Feb 11, 2015
    8
    Graphics/Sound: Okay I have heard before that the graphics in this game are not very good, I have no idea where that is coming from I personally thought the graphics were beautiful. Dark, dank, and disgusting yes but beautiful as a horror game should look. The textures, resolution, and frame rate (at least during game play) are all great on the PS4 version at least the PS3 version has someGraphics/Sound: Okay I have heard before that the graphics in this game are not very good, I have no idea where that is coming from I personally thought the graphics were beautiful. Dark, dank, and disgusting yes but beautiful as a horror game should look. The textures, resolution, and frame rate (at least during game play) are all great on the PS4 version at least the PS3 version has some frame rate dips now and again. Now I will say that the cut scenes at least on the PS4 and PS3 versions of the game have issues, from popping in textures to the occasional stutter. That aside like I said the game looks and runs great and the visuals along with the sound design definitely made me pretty tense during some parts of the game.

    Story/Characters: Yeahhhhhh this is where the game kinda falls short. The story is not really bad but is pretty cliched and the pacing is really all over the place but I will say that I did want to see where everything was going so I have to at least give it that. The characters I have to be honest did almost nothing for me, I did kind of like Sebastian because of his almost not giving a crap attitude throughout most of the game and the dynamic between him and Joseph when it was allowed to be explored (which doesn't happen often) was kind of charming but besides that I just didn't care about what happened to any of them.

    Game Play: This is honestly kind of a mixed bag, I know this has been said before but think Resident Evil 4 meets Silent Hill and you'll be on the right track. The game is mostly a lot of shooting because melee combat is pretty much useless and the gun play is really fun and tense. You will find yourself looking around a lot for ammo and health items which in some parts of the game can be pretty scarce leading to some panicked moments especially against bosses. You can also find what I called Brain Juice throughout the game which can be used to upgrade yourself and your weapons in the save area. There are some things that got on my nerves like some kind of cheap invisible enemies and some segments that felt a bit to much like action shooter set pieces which would be fine if ammo was more plentiful but over all the game play is very solid.

    Verdict: While the game isn't everything I hoped and it does fall seriously short in some areas, the things that really matter in a horror game such as atmosphere and solid game play are a really good return to form for Survival Horror from the guy who revolutionized it in the first place Shinji Mikami and its great to see him return to what he does best with one of the best games in this genre I have played in a long time.    … Expand
  11. PhilosophyRex
    Oct 16, 2016
    9
    Tensión constante, ambientación de 10, una duración más que aceptable, un guión interesante y un diseño de enemigos cojonudo! La gente que critica su control o el echo de que se canse rápido no entienden que es parte de esa tensión que crea el juego, el saber que no puedes recorrer 15 metros corriendo. Un juegazo!
  12. JacobR
    May 15, 2016
    10
    If you're looking for a survival horror experience, this would be it. It is also one of the most difficult games I've played, and it is very tense throughout as a result. Death is always hunting you.
  13. Digipunk-X
    Dec 25, 2016
    5
    Could be be one of the best 3rd party games out there, I liked the sotry, the creepy sick environment, and the old-school survival horror scene, but the developers made a half a** job with the game by optimizing and polishing it. The graphics looks like 2007, and even that can barely run at 30fps on the ps4. Most of the time when attacked by monsters, the frames drop down to a few perCould be be one of the best 3rd party games out there, I liked the sotry, the creepy sick environment, and the old-school survival horror scene, but the developers made a half a** job with the game by optimizing and polishing it. The graphics looks like 2007, and even that can barely run at 30fps on the ps4. Most of the time when attacked by monsters, the frames drop down to a few per second,. so you will have to struggle and learn how to kill them with a sluggish system like that.
    The d-pad sometimes works in the context menu, sometimes not, I couldn't really figure out what it depends on. I also noticed that the sound the main character does with his shoes is not in sync when he actually makes the steps.. Some of these bugs are laughable, and could be prevented by the developers.    … Expand
  14. Theninjagecko
    Apr 2, 2018
    9
    A rare blast from the past in a modern package. This series has become one of my favorite post golden era games. If you liked Resident Evil, Silent Hill or are from the golden era of gaming then you will enjoy this. I doubled dipped and got it on both PC and PS4 with the DLC, and the DLC just improves upon what is already a enjoyable story line.
  15. Clinthulhu
    Apr 18, 2016
    9
    The Evil Within might not be for everybody but personally I enjoyed the unique nature of the game play and mechanics. Almost immediately The Evil Within reminded me of another Bethesda title... The Call of Cthulhu, Dark Corners of the Earth with few weapons and restricted ammo placing more emphasis is on running and hiding than really going toe to toe with bad guys which most likely willThe Evil Within might not be for everybody but personally I enjoyed the unique nature of the game play and mechanics. Almost immediately The Evil Within reminded me of another Bethesda title... The Call of Cthulhu, Dark Corners of the Earth with few weapons and restricted ammo placing more emphasis is on running and hiding than really going toe to toe with bad guys which most likely will end with you getting killed... horribly and often. For me that made the horror of the game much more frightening and the sense of dread loomed over me the entire time I played the game.

    A nice change of pace was the the stealth aspects of this game. While they don't seem to be as fine tuned as a true "stealth" game it adds a much more tense aspect to the game play and has you on the edge of your seat when you are attempting to sneak up behind something horrible and drive a knife into its skull.

    Another interesting feature is the use of environment traps. Every area seems to have a wide variety of traps that are incredibly deadly to the main character. The first few chapters of the game I would creep around and disarm these to make things a little easier on myself. However by chapter 4 or 5 I got wise to the fact that you could use these traps to your own benefit by leading the mobs through them and thinning the herd a little with trip wires and proximity bombs. Using these traps to your advantage takes a little bit of work but at the end of the day it's rewarding and in some instances probably the only way you are going to kill whatever it is that is after you.

    There are a few issues with some of the controls in the game. I've noticed a lot of strange clipping taking place with the camera which can be really annoying when you are trying to look around and your camera ends up inside a wall or other part of the environment making it impossible to really see. I would have liked to see the camera snap back to the over the shoulder view automatically rather than having the player control it all the time because there are many instances where you are forced to turn and quickly run away but end up with the camera facing the wrong direction making it nearly impossible to avoid objects and mobs that might be in front of you.

    Overall if you are a fan of survival horror this one is worth picking up. I give this a solid 10 in the atmosphere department and a 7.5 or 8 in the game play category. It's not perfect but it's damn good.    … Expand
  16. TookieReview
    Sep 13, 2016
    7
    Something that's not as good as what it tries very hard to be, but is all the same, a very good horror game. The Evil Within was one of the first games that I personally picked up on the PS4 and I enjoyed it a heavy amount when I played it. The story doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me by the end of it, but I enjoyed the implications and some of the characters. The main characterSomething that's not as good as what it tries very hard to be, but is all the same, a very good horror game. The Evil Within was one of the first games that I personally picked up on the PS4 and I enjoyed it a heavy amount when I played it. The story doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me by the end of it, but I enjoyed the implications and some of the characters. The main character himself is a boring piece of wood, and so is both of his partners that you barely see in small bits throughout the game. The game didn't run perfectly throughout my playtime and as an overall experience it's very clunky and with many quirks. But I liked it, and it was a fun game that I enjoyed my time with while it lasted.… Expand
  17. filiptairi92
    Mar 1, 2017
    9
    I didn't expected this game to be like this,especialy beacuse of not so good reviews.I finished it in 19 hours on Survival difficulty.All i have to say is you need to buy this if you like good single player games with a long story.Graphics are ok,but it really doesn't matter,because the game is good in general.Chapters are very long,but far from boring.You really need to take itI didn't expected this game to be like this,especialy beacuse of not so good reviews.I finished it in 19 hours on Survival difficulty.All i have to say is you need to buy this if you like good single player games with a long story.Graphics are ok,but it really doesn't matter,because the game is good in general.Chapters are very long,but far from boring.You really need to take it slowly,conserve your ammo and make tactics to defeat enemies..Game is challenging and hard,but you will feel like a boss when you finish it.Speaking of bosses,every boss is scary,hard and interesting.Also,i can see Bethesda did not rushed this game to market.It is finished,with variety of great places and lots of good time.If you doubt if you should buy this game,i would say - Go for it! If you like long and good single player games,you should have it... P.S. Beware of the Keepers ;)… Expand
  18. KittyWhisky
    Oct 21, 2017
    8
    The Evil Within is a game in the genre of survival horror from cult developer Shinji Mikami (aka, the man is impossible to imagine without the hat). He is the Creator of the cult series Resident Evil, he also in his time made the revolution game Resident Evil 4, when it reinvented the genre of survival horror. Within the walls of Bethesda, he founded his own Studio - Tango Gameworks andThe Evil Within is a game in the genre of survival horror from cult developer Shinji Mikami (aka, the man is impossible to imagine without the hat). He is the Creator of the cult series Resident Evil, he also in his time made the revolution game Resident Evil 4, when it reinvented the genre of survival horror. Within the walls of Bethesda, he founded his own Studio - Tango Gameworks and started to develop The Evil Withi (original title - Psychobreak). Naturally the expectations were large, all waiting for a new revolution in the genre. Received we not revolution, but evolution.

    The Evil Within is a survival horror with a complex plot. And this is the case when you dig into it and think is really interesting. Our controlled character Sebastian Castellanos. Together with him we were in a psychedelic hell. To dilute our lonely adventure will be his partner Julie Kidman and Joseph ODA as well as rare doctor Jimenez and Leslie. The plot of the game, though good, is twisted, but the problem is that it just a little. Approximately from 2 to 9 Chapter, the plot does not develop and we have all this time, in fact, just a gameplay adventure. Ongoing survival, which is poorly supported by the plot. But Chapter 9 begins the normal flow of the plot and max included psychedelia. We also find notes on the family of Sebastian, which in the end just be an interesting story, which is not developed (although we already know that the second part will be in fact his personal story, and there may we all know).

    In terms of gameplay it really is survival. cartridges and lacelock always in the shotgun, all you need to save, and shoot accurately. The game does not forgive mistakes. Even normal enemies can kill the main character with a few strokes, bosses and did the same fierce, some even vanscott you. The game has stealth, but we will not use very often. This is not a stealth game and more of a third-person shooter. sometimes the game stops being horror and becomes just a shooter, which is not always pleasant. I wish the game was designed in the same tempo-rhythm. At the locations there are traps that we can defuse, and can lure them into enemies, which is very useful. If we can disarm traps, will give us details which we will spend on bolts for the crossbow (bolts of different types). As for locations, you can find the "gel", which is the pumping of the protagonist. In upgrading all standard.

    The locations are varied and beautiful. Will visit in the devastated city, and in the catacombs, and in the village. The game looks cinematic (not even taking into account strip that can be switched off), and also quite beautiful. From graphics to spit not want to. That's just the game itself is technically not done very well. At the start, it was lag, but now everything is fixed. You can also notice frequent pogrugenie textures (thanks to id Tech 5 engine).

    The enemies in the game look cool, repulsive and a bit scary. If ordinary opponents can be overcome without too much skill, the bosses require special tactics.

    The game went 3 DLC: 2 story and 1 meat just for entertainment. In story DLC "The Assignment" and "The Consequence" we play for Julie Kidman. The gameplay for it is different, because now that we have stealth (shoot too give, but a little). These additions do the plot and reveal the history from a different perspective. It is evident that they, the developers tried to listen to player feedback. The third DLC "The Executioner" not the plot, and meaty, bloody entertainment. We play for the Keeper - Catgroove. We destroy the enemies with extreme brutality.

    The Evil Within - it's this squeeze of creativity Sensi Mikami. It is felt that this game did it. Even unused demo for RE4 found their application. References complete: from the first appearance of the possessed to destroy the main guy. And it's not bad. The game is really about survival, but unfortunately it's not horror. The game pumps, and there are scary moments, there are many gallons of blood and dismemberment juicy, the authors often play with reality, but do not take this game as a horror movie. This third-person shooter with elements of survival. The story was interesting, but it was too rough, and a lot of things to thinking the most, besides most of the game we have the bare gameplay mechanics, which, of course, still interesting, but it would be nice to spread the story throughout the game. A revolution in the genre didn't happen, but came out great development. This is the good old Resident Evil, but more psychedelic and bloody. Can't say that TEW is my most favorite game, also is not to say that it is the most terrible of its horror brethren. But I passed it 2 times (second time with DLS) and want to go third, followed by probably still. The game is addictive, makes her return in this terrifying world.    … Expand
  19. REHome
    Aug 26, 2017
    10
    I love the game in the third person with a lot of gore, blood, mystery. Note. 10 / 10. Waiting for the GOTY version of the pirmer "The Evil Within" for PS4 in physical format.
  20. madmonkey00
    Oct 27, 2017
    1
    While everybody else is super exited I am not. The gameplay is just boring and bad implemented. Most of all it's ridiculous slow, especially when sebastian is in danger you can move around like a drunken snail. Sometimes it is just frustrating, for example there are enemies you cannot fight and only flee or the game is just too buggy or to slow so you simply die because of nothing. TheWhile everybody else is super exited I am not. The gameplay is just boring and bad implemented. Most of all it's ridiculous slow, especially when sebastian is in danger you can move around like a drunken snail. Sometimes it is just frustrating, for example there are enemies you cannot fight and only flee or the game is just too buggy or to slow so you simply die because of nothing. The story looks good in the beginning but this is only teasing, after a few capter's you realize its just cheap. Animations and graphics are pretty bad as well.… Expand
  21. Pecha_Vaztex
    Apr 11, 2018
    10
    The Evil Within is easily the best Survival Horror game to be released in years.
  22. mmarko433
    Feb 23, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I love this The Evil Within 1 like resident evil game i giving rating 10/10… Expand
  23. PSGaming
    Aug 25, 2021
    9
    It is a great horror game.One of the best cinematic experience's I've had in a video game.The only downside I didn't like is the camera angle was to close to the character and the sprint ot was like running 5 meters and Sebastian was out of breath.The upgrade system is also to slow.Overall its a game everyone must play.
  24. sergio123456
    Jan 15, 2022
    8
    Un survival horror espectacular, con una historia muy entretenida, tiene momentos bastante estresantes ya que algunos de los jefes son complicados pero es muy divertido, estilo muy "Resident Evil", con la escasez de munición y la indefensión que eso provoca, sistema de mejora del personaje muy interesante.
  25. MMDFN79
    Nov 22, 2021
    10
    one of the best horror games i played . i can't wait to play the evil within 3 ....
  26. Biizz
    May 4, 2021
    10
    Very underrated survival horror game. Intriguing story, well-designed bosses and amazing atmosphere. Sure it's difficult but when you finally beat the game you will feel overwhelmed, because you survived the beautiful nightmare. This game was way better than the bland second game.
  27. Yakumo178
    May 8, 2021
    10
    One of the most underrated horror games. This game is like a mix of psychological horror and hack-and-slash. The Evil Within does a lot of things better than The Evil Within 2. Both story and gameplay are more interesting than the sequel. If you want to try Evil Within series, just play the first game. and Kidman DLCs.
  28. Aztottiz
    Aug 30, 2021
    9
    The Best horror action game in past decade
    The vibe in the evil within is uniqe pure scary game
  29. 158_cogi_to_
    Sep 15, 2021
    10
    Currently re-played this one and it's definitely way better than the second game. pretty enjoyable and has great replayability. Akumu is really tense challenging everyone should try
  30. JAKEJACOBJORD
    Sep 18, 2021
    10
    GOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOODGOOD
  31. 02450ephiz
    Sep 20, 2021
    10
    Great game, severely underrated. The atmosphere, the story and the storytelling are so good, far better than the second game. Also this game's Sebastian is the best Sebastian.
  32. aandrade81
    Feb 22, 2022
    8
    Jogo de terror muito bom, lembra em tudo resident evil, o 4 para ser mais específico.
  33. Halo4Forever
    Nov 30, 2021
    10
    One of the best Horror Games of all time, PC version is better tho. Sadly second game was awful.
  34. DarkRahnne
    Dec 3, 2021
    8
    I enjoyed playing The Evil Within, looking forward to playing part two soon
  35. Cloudz
    Jan 21, 2022
    9
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  36. chevelle1989
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    A new unique experience from the master of survival of horror shinji mikami.the graphics and the atmosphere are dark and awesome but with some flaws sometimes,the gameplay is strong in the level of resident evil 4 and better,but the exploration part for keys,locked doors, and puzzles are in some level few,you have to move on and on every time in the way of resident evil 4.the story is notA new unique experience from the master of survival of horror shinji mikami.the graphics and the atmosphere are dark and awesome but with some flaws sometimes,the gameplay is strong in the level of resident evil 4 and better,but the exploration part for keys,locked doors, and puzzles are in some level few,you have to move on and on every time in the way of resident evil 4.the story is not so great cause the main thing in the game is to how you will survive in someway from this ordeal.the desigh on the monsters is unique and creepy,the upgrade system works great.overall is a excellent game a real survival horror and the gameplay one of the best gameplays ever with replay value .its a must dont lose this.… Expand
  37. JPG127
    Oct 14, 2014
    8
    I really enjoyed this game. It has a decent weapon selection, sneak options, a great horror atmosphere and good controls and customization options. My only real issues are the story (or lack there of) and the frame rate drop. But nothing so horrible it makes the game unplayable. Shinji Mikami did it again. The game felt like the one the Silent Hill creators wanted to make. I know next genI really enjoyed this game. It has a decent weapon selection, sneak options, a great horror atmosphere and good controls and customization options. My only real issues are the story (or lack there of) and the frame rate drop. But nothing so horrible it makes the game unplayable. Shinji Mikami did it again. The game felt like the one the Silent Hill creators wanted to make. I know next gen has been somewhat disappointing. But this is very much a good first entry into a possible horror franchise.… Expand
  38. Pauluswoodgnome
    Oct 16, 2014
    10
    I have given this a 10 to counter the '0' trolls. In reality this deserves a solid 8.

    The game clearly isn't perfect. I have encountered a few frame rate issues but unusually they seem to affect the lower resolutions rather than 1080p, in which I didn't encounter any within the first 4 chapters. Graphically this isn't anything special when compared to games such as MGS V or The Last    I have given this a 10 to counter the '0' trolls. In reality this deserves a solid 8.

    The game clearly isn't perfect. I have encountered a few frame rate issues but unusually they seem to affect the lower resolutions rather than 1080p, in which I didn't encounter any within the first 4 chapters.

    Graphically this isn't anything special when compared to games such as MGS V or The Last Of Us. This is particularly the case with the character models. The lighting effects however are beautifully done and really effect the atmosphere, even if carrying a lit torch or lantern doesn't seem to affect the enemies ability to spot you.

    Now for the good. If you want real survival horror your in for a treat. In normal mode weapons and ammo are in short supply. Even head shots will not down the enemies early on so guns blazing is not an option. That's not to say you can't go on the offensive. The levels are littered with a wonderful array of traps. Some which can be dismantled and others, such as manually triggers spikes, which can be used repeatedly to your advantage. Stealth is also an option if you can creep behind an enemy unseen.

    The enemies aren't troopers on a patrol though so expect some to turn around randomly and scupper your plans. While some have complained at stupid AI I have personally seen them pull of some clever tactics such as avoiding a trapped entrance, which I'm closely watching, and entering a rear window to take me by surprise.

    The game is broken into chapters which take you through many different types of areas. Dilapidated Hospitals, run down villages and muck filled sewers to name a few. All of which are relatively small areas but can feel like a labrynth when exploring and gladly not a map in sight. Each is wonderfully detailed and feels strange enough to give you the feeling that they are not quite what they seem. At the end of each chapter you are taken to a title screen. At first this may seem unwelcome but that feeling will soon change to relief when you are given a well earned break.

    Much to my pleasure this game is a rarity in that it doesn't attempt to hold your hand. It won't tell you how to take down a boss but if you actually listen to your characters dialogue, he will give a clue on if you SHOULD stand and fight. There are various puzzles which can result in instant death and unlike other modern games, you are left to figure them out for yourself. They aren't exactly difficult if you have 2 brain cells to rub together but it makes a nice change.

    There isn't really much else to say without going into the story but that's just spoiling it. If a run and gun action horror is what you want, stay away! If however you want something slower paced that takes a bit of thought, something reminiscent of old school survival horror... Ignore the low reviews and take a chance. I'm glad I did.    … Expand
  39. AngryRoach
    Oct 14, 2014
    7
    I'm having a lot of fun playing this game. It feels like an old school survival horror for sure, Last of Us was more actionish, a great game yes but this is true "survival" horror! Liking it more than RE4 so far.
  40. Ellzyboy
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    Finally, a decent survival horror!
    lots of throwbacks to the old style of genre which has long gone.
    a great game. VERY DIFFICULT, as games like this should be
  41. quigonjim007
    Oct 15, 2014
    10
    I haven't been this freaked out and low on ammo since I was introduced to Pyramid Head. This game successfully puts survival horror back on the map. Hopefully Capcom will take note with the Resident Evil series. Well Done Mikami!!!
  42. meowskies69
    Oct 14, 2014
    8
    i here a lot of reviews saying that its too much like resident evil 4, but that's not a bad thing.
    so into the game, its exactly what i wanted in a horror/action game its got its ups and downs
    but people are still willing to buy it , because SHINJI MIKAMI is great at what he does, and no matter how many horror action games he takes out like Re4, i'm still going to Buy it and Play it.    i here a lot of reviews saying that its too much like resident evil 4, but that's not a bad thing.
    so into the game, its exactly what i wanted in a horror/action game its got its ups and downs
    but people are still willing to buy it , because SHINJI MIKAMI is great at what he does, and no matter how many horror action games he takes out like Re4, i'm still going to Buy it and Play it.

    If you want a Game with a lot of story and its challenging i say 100% buy it. but if your not into long and difficult games and don't like puzzles then do not get at all. but so far im in love with the game!    … Expand
  43. darksoul23
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    Amazing game despite the decent graphics the gameplay is superb and challenging thank you mikami for this amazing game survivl/horror to it roots what else you want resident evil fans
  44. matt6g
    Oct 17, 2014
    3
    The Evil Within is one of the WORST games I have played in the last year. First off, the graphics are similar to that of a PS2 HD remake - perhaps even a little worse. In other words, the graphics are simply unacceptable. On top that, there is absolutely no story whatsoever along with some serious rendering issues. To add to the list, the game has also failed to master the art of a quickThe Evil Within is one of the WORST games I have played in the last year. First off, the graphics are similar to that of a PS2 HD remake - perhaps even a little worse. In other words, the graphics are simply unacceptable. On top that, there is absolutely no story whatsoever along with some serious rendering issues. To add to the list, the game has also failed to master the art of a quick loading screen. The game is by no means "easy" and reloading a checkpoint can take as long as two minutes - which, in this day and age, is not acceptable - the developers have really failed to capitalize on the PS4's processing and graphical capabilities. However, as a true horror fan, the enemies do look pretty cool and there are some decent concepts - which is why my score is a "3" and not a big fat "0". Although that may be true, it is more than clear that the developers decided not to put any amount of effort into this game. The Evil Within truly raped my expectations and I am very dissatisfied with the insane lack of application put into the game. Very unprofessional.… Expand
  45. smuniz83
    Oct 16, 2014
    8
    If you liked RE 4 then you'll like this game. It's basically the same thing but with different story and some slight differences like the ability to burn enemies on the floor. What keeps it from being a 10 is slight awkwardness with the characters or rather Sebastian and Joseph. Minor bugs that take you out of the immersion like enemies can walk through fire so you have to waste a match toIf you liked RE 4 then you'll like this game. It's basically the same thing but with different story and some slight differences like the ability to burn enemies on the floor. What keeps it from being a 10 is slight awkwardness with the characters or rather Sebastian and Joseph. Minor bugs that take you out of the immersion like enemies can walk through fire so you have to waste a match to set them on fire. Other than the minor stuff though it's still a great game that keeps you interested and enjoyable plus nice scares at the right time.… Expand
  46. SiraitX
    Mar 21, 2015
    0
    The game was marketed as a return to 'pure horror' but actually is nothing more than just a desperate attempt to make money in game horror competition.
    Remember this game was designed by game designer who lack of creativity. Shinji Mikami designed RE and Dino Crisis at the same time with exactly same gameplay, and now he created the worst game I ever play (the worst thing is he dubbed the    The game was marketed as a return to 'pure horror' but actually is nothing more than just a desperate attempt to make money in game horror competition.
    Remember this game was designed by game designer who lack of creativity. Shinji Mikami designed RE and Dino Crisis at the same time with exactly same gameplay, and now he created the worst game I ever play (the worst thing is he dubbed the game as 'return to pure horror' .... LOL).    … Expand
  47. Narcess
    Dec 2, 2014
    0
    Take Resident Evil toss in some Bioshock and put in cement mixer. Then mix in a huge pile of control issues, crappy camera, and utterly garbage story line. Bake in a dumpster full of graphics glitches, and controller snapping movement issues, and you have The Evil Within.
    I have played many games, and have never felt the urge to write a review till this flaming pile of dog crap. I    Take Resident Evil toss in some Bioshock and put in cement mixer. Then mix in a huge pile of control issues, crappy camera, and utterly garbage story line. Bake in a dumpster full of graphics glitches, and controller snapping movement issues, and you have The Evil Within.
    I have played many games, and have never felt the urge to write a review till this flaming pile of dog crap. I bought the hype and have been kicking myself ever since, this game is the worst of the worst.
    From boss fights that range from kindergarten finger painting easy, to advanced quantum physics there is no rhyme or reason. The most difficult enemy in the game is the useless camera. The story line is a mash up of the most cliché “survival horror” items in all games. Inventory and upgrades make no sense and only serve to make the game drag on.
    In all this game is utter garbage and Bethesda should be slapped in the face and kicked town a flight of stairs for even having their name on it.    … Expand
  48. DedBraneMike
    Dec 16, 2014
    4
    The biggest disapointment of the year. This is only a collection of things we have seen SO many times before. If you've play Resident Evil 4,5,6, Revelations and Dead Space 1,2 and 3, you have no reason to play this.
  49. edgardot02
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    If you want a Survival Horror please get This game it's amazing, the mind of shnji mikami is in this game, is the really resident evil 4 or the sequel. With More Tension and Inovation
  50. CR7onaldo
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    With its dirty and stressful universe, its wonderful artistic direction and the impressive bosses, Tango Gameworks' game teaches a lesson to Capcom's Resident Evil. A true sequel to Resident Evil 4, believe us.
  51. cam387
    Oct 18, 2014
    3
    I don't usually go to review websites to talk about a game I dislike, but The Evil Within has shown me a whole new level of dislike for a video game. First of all, it's not hard by design. It's hard by poor game mechanics. The AI has next to no line of sight most of the time, but god help you if so much as a strand of hair moves on your characters head while behind cover. Unless you canI don't usually go to review websites to talk about a game I dislike, but The Evil Within has shown me a whole new level of dislike for a video game. First of all, it's not hard by design. It's hard by poor game mechanics. The AI has next to no line of sight most of the time, but god help you if so much as a strand of hair moves on your characters head while behind cover. Unless you can hit them with a headshot over three times with the poor aiming mechanic you are out of luck. Even then, the game fails to register hits in some circumstances. Take a enemy "Sleeping" on the ground. I pumped four shots to the head point blank before and during its animation to stand up. Somewhere in there, god mode is activated and it doesn't matter what you do. Trying to melee a enemy is futile unless you are doing a sneak attack. You can hit them as much as you want, they will not stagger. Poor game mechanics is just the beginning of the games terrible life. On a 65'' television, why is my vision limited to half the screen width? I'm sorry, I thought this was 2014 developers. The fact this game was launched on the PS4 and Xbox One for full price when it is clear the developers made this game for the last generation consoles is sick. The entire game is nothing more than a hide in the dark and watch patrol paths simulator, while being forced to have your television display a game in letterbox. Just another bad game made by developers published by Bethesda. Bethesda, please stick to publishing your own games.… Expand
  52. DerAleckz
    Oct 22, 2014
    3
    Here is my rating for The Evil Within (XONE)

    +sound
    +pacing
    +good potential (but not used)

    -lack of suspense
    -storyline
    -characters
    -graphics
    -bugs
    -unintended funny moments
    -does not live up to the hype
  53. RevoltingMind
    Oct 17, 2014
    10
    The Evil Within will give survival horror purists a rare contemporary pleasure fix. But be warned: if you prize smooth, silky action above all else, it will drive you insane.
  54. RealLeather
    Dec 10, 2015
    4
    It's kind of spooky yeah but the framerate is the real scary bit. Overall, absolutely shocking performance and headache-inducing overzealous use of bloom and film grain filter. Graphics/framerate aside it's just an incredibly cumbersome game to play, stay away. Played it for forty minutes and traded it in.
  55. Shazalia
    Dec 25, 2014
    4
    The most disappointing aspect of rewarding The Evil Within a dismal 4/10 stars has nothing to do with the game being particularly bad, but rather the fact that the game fails to perform at a consistent frame rate. The game stutters unbelievably in open ended terrains, however, in enclosed environments it achieves a somewhat respectable pace in regards to the usual sub 30 FPS. I reallyThe most disappointing aspect of rewarding The Evil Within a dismal 4/10 stars has nothing to do with the game being particularly bad, but rather the fact that the game fails to perform at a consistent frame rate. The game stutters unbelievably in open ended terrains, however, in enclosed environments it achieves a somewhat respectable pace in regards to the usual sub 30 FPS. I really wanted to like The Evil Within but the despicable performance often got in the way of my enjoyment. Shame on you Shinji Mikami, I thought you'd know better.… Expand
  56. brianforbes
    Dec 27, 2014
    4
    If you are the type of gamer that likes to play the same 5 minutes of game, over and over, dying repeatedly, before you can advance to the next area, this may be for you. If you're looking for a horror experience with some creepy atmosphere, you won't see that here.

    I have just put this game aside for good, at the end of chapter 7, so would like to give my impressions for anyone    If you are the type of gamer that likes to play the same 5 minutes of game, over and over, dying repeatedly, before you can advance to the next area, this may be for you. If you're looking for a horror experience with some creepy atmosphere, you won't see that here.

    I have just put this game aside for good, at the end of chapter 7, so would like to give my impressions for anyone contemplating playing this.

    I love horror movies and games, so end up buying most horror games. Silent Hill is the best among them, with lots of terrifying elements and a minimum of frustrating boss fights. The Evil Within will take you back to the days of the original NES (think original Ninja Gaiden or Castlevania), where you must pass 5 levels in sequence, perfectly, and if you die anywhere along the way you need to repeat all 5 levels from the beginning.

    Plenty of enemies have one hit kill attacks, which send you right back to the beginning of the last cut sequence to navigate the whole thing from scratch. It's like having all the frustrations of your workplace at home ! Who needs time off when you can be beaten down by both your boss and your choice of video game.    … Expand
  57. nima0041
    Oct 25, 2014
    5
    When I first started up the game, the first thing I noticed were the black borders on the top and bottom of the game. They fill out more than a third (OVER 33%!) of the screen, which I found very annoying and stupid, since my 46'' screen suddenly went down to around 24''....

    The game starts out very well, setting the atmosphere and continues to hold a grasp of this atmosphere. This is    When I first started up the game, the first thing I noticed were the black borders on the top and bottom of the game. They fill out more than a third (OVER 33%!) of the screen, which I found very annoying and stupid, since my 46'' screen suddenly went down to around 24''....

    The game starts out very well, setting the atmosphere and continues to hold a grasp of this atmosphere. This is the only game where I've felt that you are never safe. No matter where I am, I get the feeling that something is going to happen or someone is going to appear, which is a feeling that not many games have invoked in me before. I get several jump-scares every time I play. Since the borders are so big, you don't have a lot of perspective,. which causes you to miss many things, including bombs etc.

    However, in my opinion, this game's worst aspect is its difficulty and boss fights on normal difficulty. It's not enough that normal enemies need around ten punches before they get down and they can one hit you, but the boss fights are EXTREMELY and meaninglessly difficult! The first real boss I encountered (minor boss fight spoiler) was the one where you had to get the chainsaw from him. He breaks out, and runs after you with a chainsaw. The first thing you try to do is lure him to the bomb that is activated when you're near it, which means you have to run past it so it doesn't explode on you. You're hoping that when the boss follows you, it'll explode on him, but it doesn't, which doesn't make ANY sense. So you shoot the bomb which seems to have almost no effect on the boss. You then run away a bit, since the boss starts running after you right away and it can one-hit you no matter what. But you get tired SO fast (after five-seven seconds) and you need fricking five seconds more to recover, where you're standing COMPLETELY still, not able to do anything whatsoever.

    This kind of difficulty ruins the game for me, because what fun is it to retry every boss fight fifty times, and win it based on finally being lucky and not aiming skill? This ruined the game for me, which is why I gave it a score of five.    … Expand
  58. HeatherN
    Nov 14, 2014
    3
    I'm not really sure why this got the ratings it did. The trailers were very interesting and the game looked promising from the advertisement. But overall, it was quite a disappointment. As a survivor horror it's not very scary and I can't make heads or tails of the plot. A lot of horror games are vague as far as story goes, but not to this level. I can't even come up with a summary. MainlyI'm not really sure why this got the ratings it did. The trailers were very interesting and the game looked promising from the advertisement. But overall, it was quite a disappointment. As a survivor horror it's not very scary and I can't make heads or tails of the plot. A lot of horror games are vague as far as story goes, but not to this level. I can't even come up with a summary. Mainly because I have no idea what's happening in this game. At all.

    The characters aren't very interesting. Because there isn't a lot of back story, I'm not really invested in what's going on. There's nothing personal or meaningful about the imagery I am seeing--it's just random. Gameplay and fighting isn't too terribly fun either. From other reviews I read, a lot of people complained didn't have enough ammo. I didn't have that issue, but that's mostly because I avoided as many monsters as I could.

    Honestly, I wouldn't waste your money on this game. It's just a confused mess. It's like the game developer didn't know want he wanted this game to be. It's not action pack enough to be action horror, not scary enough to be survivor, and too campy to be taken seriously.    … Expand
  59. dirtinhand
    Feb 10, 2015
    2
    Letterbox, that can't be turned off, traps out of nowhere, **** superzombies, and a **** story. That's would be so cool in 1998, but in 2014 it's just a big big disappointment.
  60. Skellington25_
    Oct 16, 2014
    4
    Shinji Mikami is an overrated name in the industry. This game getting scores like it is, is shocking to me. It's a horrible mess.

    Besides the fact that the plot is almost non-existent... in single player story driven game... big issue there... and the fact that the main character and the rest of the cast, are all about as entertaining as watching paint dry... the game is built HORRIBLY.    Shinji Mikami is an overrated name in the industry. This game getting scores like it is, is shocking to me. It's a horrible mess.

    Besides the fact that the plot is almost non-existent... in single player story driven game... big issue there... and the fact that the main character and the rest of the cast, are all about as entertaining as watching paint dry... the game is built HORRIBLY.

    Controls are completely screwed. The camera is always fighting you. Yes games like this are supposed to be hard, but not hard to control. That's what sets in frustration. Dying won't bother me if it's my fault, but if the game itself isn't letting me do what I want to do, when I want to do it... that will piss me off.

    Horror is supposed to be horror, not forced. The game shouldn't have to be out to get me, in order for me to be scared. Alien isolation, that alien scared the crap out of me... Because it was scary. No enemies in this game are scary in the least bit. This game just repeatedly tries to throw items of shock value in your face continually until it shoves you in an extremely tight area after it robs you of your ammunition and other supplies.

    How scripted everything is in this game is nauseating. Everything happens when the game wants it to. Never any other time. No thought went into this, it's completely unoriginal. Felt like I was playing a reskinned RE4 the entire time.

    Ammo conservation. This annoys the **** out of me. I don't mind when a game is telling me to be careful and save my ammunition. what I do mind, is that when the game decides whether or not my bullets are capable of killing. Several times you will run into enemies, the first thought in your mind is to shoot it. Later on, after you've wasted all of your ammo, you find out that your bullets never would've killed it. No matter how much ammo you had in the first place. Another thing on this subject is critical hits. This does not belong in shooters. Borderlands is fine... weakspots are visible I get it. The problem is, is when the enemy in front of me, a regular joe, I aim for the head to conserve ammo. Surprise it takes five shots in the head to kill this one. The next one only takes two. Seriously?

    Don't leave resource management up o chance. Leave it up to player skill. Being careful with things not to run out, not just robbing the player of all hope because.... well... just because.

    This is not horror. If you are just another sheep that's in love with all the terrible, cliched, stereotypical same bull**** over and over with Re4, 5, and 6. Then welcome home.

    If you want a game that will ACTUALLY be scary, rather than just forcing that horror by making you limp only when it's necessary for something to chase you with a chainsaw... and take all your ammo away... and kill you with bad camera angles... Then stay away.

    This is just another case of "Big names are more important than good games."    … Expand
  61. strondbokken
    Oct 17, 2014
    3
    If you see a score of 8-10 for this game, assume it's either a paid-for review or someone who doesn't understand how ratings work. Seriously. There is NO WAY anyone who has actually played this could score it above a 6. I see 10s and I can't believe they are real reviews. They couldn't be. And frankly, it's really sad to see companies still hiring people to post positive reviews afterIf you see a score of 8-10 for this game, assume it's either a paid-for review or someone who doesn't understand how ratings work. Seriously. There is NO WAY anyone who has actually played this could score it above a 6. I see 10s and I can't believe they are real reviews. They couldn't be. And frankly, it's really sad to see companies still hiring people to post positive reviews after Gamergate. Some are even saying "game of the year". Yeah.... ****ing.... Right.

    I really wanted to enjoy this game. Truly. But the MISERABLE controls and shoddy graphics make me feel like I'm in a time warp. It's sad when the scariest thing about a horror game is how badly it plays. The ambiance and all that is scary, but in a cheesy, gory way. Nothing new and I've seen it done better many other times before. And the moment you feel immersed and wanting to get into the game, you will inevitably find yourself cursing at how your "tooltip" on how to disarm a trap popped up milliseconds before the trap exploded (even though you saw it a mile away and crept up on it). Or perhaps you'll be cursing at the stupid haymaker punches your character throws to defend himself. Or perhaps the mediocre graphics will ruin your immersion. I don't know.

    The thing is, it's supposed to be a difficult game, but difficulty shouldn't come from poor design and implementation. ESPECIALLY on next gen consoles. There's so much wrong here that I don't even know where to start. Just goes to show you that a fancy name doesn't make a good game. Sorry Shinji, this is total garbage. You may have had a scary story lined up, but I can't even get into it because of how poor the game controls and mechanics are. 3/10 and that's being generous.

    Trust me. Don't believe the hype/fanboys. And no, I'm not out to "get someone", nor do I work for another company. I'm just a guy who wasted $60 on this and felt compelled to post this review BECAUSE the game was so bad. Honestly, I literally stopped playing and came to warn others. Hope that speaks to the "authenticity" (or simple laziness) of those people scoring it a 10....

    I hope anyone truly wanting a REAL review of this game can read this and know the truth. There are WAY too many "10s" on here for a game of this quality. Like a seriously suspicious amount. Just saying...    … Expand
  62. goodnightmare
    Oct 16, 2014
    5
    Meh. It's no Dead Space or The Last of Us, to be sure. Those games had their hooks in me from the first necromorph to the last conversation with Ellie. This game, well, I'm having to work at enjoying the experience. To be fair, I'm not very far along, but I've yet to see ground-breaking gameplay (not that it was ever promised but you'd think they'd have brought something to the table),Meh. It's no Dead Space or The Last of Us, to be sure. Those games had their hooks in me from the first necromorph to the last conversation with Ellie. This game, well, I'm having to work at enjoying the experience. To be fair, I'm not very far along, but I've yet to see ground-breaking gameplay (not that it was ever promised but you'd think they'd have brought something to the table), have yet to feel a real sense of dread or terror, and must agree with so many others when it comes to the story and characters: I just don't care. I wouldn't go so far as to label this game "awful", I've still got a long way to go and I may stumble upon some redeeming aspects, but if I could get my $60 back based on my first couple of hours with The Evil Within, I would.… Expand
  63. Skunkgp
    Oct 16, 2014
    10
    Beautiful, yet terrifying, challenging, realistically surreal, you get where I'm going, a masterpiece as far as I'm concerned With "bohanen" Anson Mount from my favorite show lead, a lot of 80 's horror movie and other good horror movie references and a revolver there's nothing not to love for me. I hear people complained ng about difficulty, or that the game doesn't tell you what to doBeautiful, yet terrifying, challenging, realistically surreal, you get where I'm going, a masterpiece as far as I'm concerned With "bohanen" Anson Mount from my favorite show lead, a lot of 80 's horror movie and other good horror movie references and a revolver there's nothing not to love for me. I hear people complained ng about difficulty, or that the game doesn't tell you what to do enough, well what if this happened to you? Just treat the game like it was real, and you'll do better, fight for your life and don't be dumb and run through everything, just take your time and immerse completely into this dark work of art. Also I have to say I normally prefer 1st person games, but I was a resident evil fan on ps1 up until the 4th one, that's right I didn't like 4, but non the less I couldn't resist a new survival horror ip, I love the way this looks feels and plays. So I guess my final words on this game, if you don't like it then maybe you just don't like true survival horror, go play call of duty instead of bringing this game down, and yes I die a lot in the game too, it just reminds me of the days when games didn't hold your hand and baby everybody, I actually have the if they can see you thing turned off, I think that feature brings you out of the experience. Anyway there's my rambling review, I'm already hoping for a sequel and that they have the budget to let the voice actors for the English version do the motion capture too so they can immerse themselves into it more.… Expand
  64. Johangir
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    its a good time for the AAA survival horror genre. terrifying ambience, really tough gameplay (in the Dark Souls style of natural difficulty, not scripted trial-and-error), and the graphics are also pretty good. horror or not, Shinji Mikami's games are always a blast to play through, and this is no exception
  65. Turbodowg
    Feb 10, 2015
    3
    I've only recently bought the game for 25.00 and it wasn't even worth that. I've been a long term survival horror fan and have played SH games since they began, I also enjoyed the change in pace in games like RE4 which lead to great games like Deadspace 1. But Evil Within is bad, really bad.

    To start, the black bars destroy the experience, I spent the first hour trying to figure out how    I've only recently bought the game for 25.00 and it wasn't even worth that. I've been a long term survival horror fan and have played SH games since they began, I also enjoyed the change in pace in games like RE4 which lead to great games like Deadspace 1. But Evil Within is bad, really bad.

    To start, the black bars destroy the experience, I spent the first hour trying to figure out how to turn them off. Finally after going online I realised they couldn't be removed. They take you out of the experience and block your view. Very bad if playing on a smaller TV which I often do if the wife kicks me out on the front room to play upstairs!

    The graphics are good but are spoilt by the restricted view, which is unnecessary, if The Last Of Us can look great in full screen running at a higher frame rate then there is no excuse for the ridiculous black bars!

    The controls are sluggish and a step back, most areas are very dark and too hard to see any of the 'action'.

    The game cannot decide if it is a SH or an action game. On one hand you have no ammo or weapons and are forced to use stealth but stealth doesn't work and often you are forced to confront enimies with nothing to fight with. At these points when surrounded I just put the pad down and waited for the character to die as there is no way to escape. To me this is bad game design.

    The story is bland and uninspiring. The first level is fun, the rest are like a very poor Resident Evil 4 clone lacking all the thrills, set pieces and story which made Re4 so great.

    I had no reason to complete the game and I will not be returning to it. If you like SH games stick check out Alien Isolation and Outlast on PS4 instead of this unfinished nearly broken game.    … Expand
  66. Justmatt101
    Oct 16, 2014
    8
    A solid game. I’ll keep it largely because I’m a horror fanatic and there are precious few games available in this genre. I’ll offer my take on the pros and cons (hopefully they’ll help).

    Bad news first (let’s get it out the way) CAMERA It’s roughly similar to The Last of Us in how you move the protagonist and look at his surroundings. I say roughly because the camera…and it    A solid game. I’ll keep it largely because I’m a horror fanatic and there are precious few games available in this genre. I’ll offer my take on the pros and cons (hopefully they’ll help).

    Bad news first (let’s get it out the way)

    CAMERA
    It’s roughly similar to The Last of Us in how you move the protagonist and look at his surroundings. I say roughly because the camera…and it appears this was a conscious design decision…is clumsy to the point that those moments that do require fast paced gameplay are incredibly frustrating. Faced with a leggy boss who’s touch means instant death….and you’re ffed if you think you can sprint around AND engage him with any level of success. You’ll miss a door and run into the wall, get caught on terrain, you name it. So the trick is to NOT put yourself in those situations. If you can think of using all of your weapons ‘capabilities (explosive crossbow bolts can act as proximity mines when shot into the ground or walls)…or use the tripwires, bear traps and spike filled pits plaguing the maps to your advantage….then you can keep things at a manageable pace. Which you need to do.

    STORY
    When I was in college, my girlfriend and future wife – still is so something worked – took me to the Rocky Horror Picture Show on a night where I didn’t tell her I had a fever of 101 because I didn’t want to lose that date. That sense of confusion, WTF and “did that really just happen” ….aided by bronchitis and all the meds that come with it….is exactly the same way I feel playing through this campaign…..and I’m about 4/5s done as I got my copy early. This plot is so flipping disjointed and ….whatever. You really have to experience each chapter as a sort of “one off” story similar to those horror movies made up of 4-5 short stories (like VHS or Creepshow).
    That’s it.

    Pros
    TONE AND GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION
    IT IS FREAKY….not in a scary way but in a consistently “oh that’s just wrong” grindhouse/splatter film way..and the grainy, fog layered, dark graphics help maintain that perception. People can **** about the graphics all they want. They’re not BAD. And they’re appropriate. The monsters are sick, death animations (yours and the baddies) are incredibly gory and the whole thing is undeniably, deliciously grim …which is good during the holiday season.

    SOUND
    Nicely done. Decent headphones or speakers are a necessity.

    STEALTH
    Is a viable tactic. I love stealth and considered gameplay. Most of the time, that's what this is.

    DIFFICULTY
    It’s like Dark Souls….except it’s a horror game. If you’re afraid of having to rework certain levels, then don’t apply. But there’s a sense of accomplishment when you’re done.
    In summation = good game. Not incredible. But worth your time if you’re a horror fan.

    PS ....if you got this far.... ALIEN ISOLATION WAS WAY BETTER…    … Expand
  67. shadow55055
    Oct 15, 2014
    9
    No game deserves a 0 or 1, if it does, then it's because it's truly unfinished and unplayable. The Evil Within is neither of those things. This game is a true return to classic horror.

    I don't understand someone trying to say RE4's camera is better, I had just played it the day before The Evil Within had come out and it is in no way better, the only thing it has going for it aiming wise    No game deserves a 0 or 1, if it does, then it's because it's truly unfinished and unplayable. The Evil Within is neither of those things. This game is a true return to classic horror.

    I don't understand someone trying to say RE4's camera is better, I had just played it the day before The Evil Within had come out and it is in no way better, the only thing it has going for it aiming wise is a laser pointer.

    The only thing keeping me from giving this game a 10 is the voice acting and story are kind of lackluster. The story itself is cool, but the way it's told isn't. The voice acting is a little off when it comes to emotions and delivery.

    Gameplay wise this is what RE5 and RE6 should of been. The difficulty is not that tough either, even on survival. It's kinda funny when people complain that the game is too tough, but Dark Souls is even harder and gets rave reviews. The enemies in this game have patterns and for most of them you don't need ammo, and if you do it's laid out in the environment for you to find.

    I don't normally write reviews for games, but will if I find that people are being unfair towards a game just to follow the trend.

    If you like Resident Evil, Dead Space, or even Silent Hill you will most likely like this game.    … Expand
  68. J-pex
    Jan 13, 2016
    2
    This 'Horror' game is a black mark on Bethesdas record for me.

    Its silent hill meets SAW...just boring, not to mention the terrible graphics. The game does little to create any atmosphere and once you die a few times it leaves nothing to the imagination. And tactics take over from thinking 'omg what's coming next?!' aspect you want from a horror game, because that's what they're about    This 'Horror' game is a black mark on Bethesdas record for me.

    Its silent hill meets SAW...just boring, not to mention the terrible graphics. The game does little to create any atmosphere and once you die a few times it leaves nothing to the imagination. And tactics take over from thinking 'omg what's coming next?!' aspect you want from a horror game, because that's what they're about right?

    The story doesn't even need to be delved too far into, as if you have read any other reviews you'll know its garbage, thrown together by some guys that must have just watched saw/hostel and played a few higher calibre horror games. Its not scary it's just gross.

    2/10    … Expand
  69. mike1989
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    I am gamer for years,those last years i had gave up on this genre but this one had brought back everything.finally a real survival horror is here.we have here great graphics,awesome gameplay with replay value,great atmosphere,puzzles,exploration.its a unique PARANORMAL experience for all the gamers casuals and purists dont waste your time just play this masterpiece guys.
  70. MortalWombat
    Oct 14, 2014
    9
    The Evil Within is Shinji Mikami's return to form that we have been waiting for. Tough-as-nails, unforgiving, and brutal to a fault, this game makes you scratch for every inch while screaming for more. Resources are scarce, and tension is ratcheted up to 11.Graphically, I was blown away by the depth of field effects, the lighting, the fog. It's a picturesque nightmare. the sound design andThe Evil Within is Shinji Mikami's return to form that we have been waiting for. Tough-as-nails, unforgiving, and brutal to a fault, this game makes you scratch for every inch while screaming for more. Resources are scarce, and tension is ratcheted up to 11.Graphically, I was blown away by the depth of field effects, the lighting, the fog. It's a picturesque nightmare. the sound design and the exceedingly creepy creature design add to the overwhelming sense of dread. The story is meant to be a backdrop for the events you survive through, and this is apparent. Those looking for a deep storyline with believable characters may be disappointed. Survival Horror fans who liked the first Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, and Silent Hill will enjoy this title.… Expand
  71. aandrew610
    Oct 14, 2014
    5
    The evil within is disappointing. The atmosphere and story are alright but its plagued by gameplay issues. The animations look unfinished and rushed and there is no sense of feeling in combat i feel as if i am punching air in moments.
  72. KateUptonsDcups
    Oct 16, 2014
    5
    Honestly the game isn't that good. Been there done that..Copy of Rockstar's Max Payne/Manhunt to the extreme. A crappy knockoff. The camera angles are terrible and you'd have a whole hell of an easier time controlling your onscreen character with a banana in a bowl of pudding. 5/10.
  73. hamster98
    Oct 14, 2014
    8
    the game is a true survival horror game its better than re 5 and re 6 shinji has done it again the evil within has 15 chapters and that really good cause that spands 23 hr
  74. Nobilis1984
    Oct 18, 2014
    3
    Unfortunately, more like horror splatter.

    This game is a disappointment. they promised and got a lame horror splatter game. The atmosphere is a few hours back and you only have to compete against hordes of stupid enemies. The burst then times really hard.
    But there are not really enough of them ??
  75. shawn400ft
    Oct 15, 2014
    7
    At first the setting and the story show promise. The environments are spooky and well detailed. The frustration of "What Do I Do????" starts almost immediately. The old saying if at first you don't succeed applies because it takes a lot of repetition in order to figure out how to advance. The acting is poor and over all the game really does not have a next gen feel. Gameplay has beenAt first the setting and the story show promise. The environments are spooky and well detailed. The frustration of "What Do I Do????" starts almost immediately. The old saying if at first you don't succeed applies because it takes a lot of repetition in order to figure out how to advance. The acting is poor and over all the game really does not have a next gen feel. Gameplay has been linear for the most part and combat is clunky. I am an enormous fan of the Survival Horror genre and I only gave this 7 out of 10. If you are not a fan, don't waste your money.… Expand
  76. ChazzRabble
    Oct 16, 2014
    6
    This game tends to keep stumbling over itself with really tacky cut scenes and bad acting. Also the graphics look really quite dated and the black bars at the top and bottom of the screen are frustrating with such a close and clumsy camera view. I'm hoping the next few hours of the game will improve as so far I'm quite unimpressed.
  77. cherryzaad
    Oct 20, 2014
    5
    What are these reviewers smoking?

    I wanted desperately for the Evil Within to be a good game, I really did. It looked the part from all the positive press, and seemingly gorgeous graphics. But not even two hours in, I set the game aside for good. The one word to describe the Evil Within is overindulgent. From the opening moment where detective Castellanos is being chased by the    What are these reviewers smoking?

    I wanted desperately for the Evil Within to be a good game, I really did. It looked the part from all the positive press, and seemingly gorgeous graphics. But not even two hours in, I set the game aside for good.

    The one word to describe the Evil Within is overindulgent. From the opening moment where detective Castellanos is being chased by the chainsaw wielding maniac, it becomes apparent that the game is hell-bent on being akin to a haunted house attraction during Halloween season. The game is literally begging you to be scared, from the bright lights and the loud sounds, and the forced camera angles and the slow gameplay. The monsters yell and there is no time for subtlety. Atmosphere aside, I had absolutely horrible hit detection throughout and by the time I was at the village, being swarmed by enemies, I realized that I was having no fun at all.

    The Evil Within wants to disempower the player, which can be done more smoothly. Instead, the player is forced to fight against large mobs, with a nauseating camera and horrible aiming reticule. If you give the player tools to fight back, make the system run smoothly! Resident Evil 4 is a prime example! The game was terrifying BECAUSE the gunplay and the character movement felt so smooth. The scares came naturally.

    Skip this game. Just writing this review makes me angry.    … Expand
  78. BnSwiss
    Oct 22, 2014
    5
    The game itself is fun but the story fails to get you involved whatsoever which makes you totally apathetic to whats going on with the main character. Which means its hard to get scared when you don't even feel invested in his fate. I'm on chapter 6 and still don't know much of anything about him other than hes a cop whose obviously going crazy or perhaps everyone around him is going crazyThe game itself is fun but the story fails to get you involved whatsoever which makes you totally apathetic to whats going on with the main character. Which means its hard to get scared when you don't even feel invested in his fate. I'm on chapter 6 and still don't know much of anything about him other than hes a cop whose obviously going crazy or perhaps everyone around him is going crazy still not sure. This would of warranted a 7-8 but there's another issue the frame rate lags quite often and gets all glitchy, also i don't know if the border was meant to add cinematic effect or what but it seems to me like they just got lazy with getting the resolution right..… Expand
  79. Marshma11ow
    Jan 18, 2016
    3
    I honestly can't believe some of the reviews I'm seeing on here are they serious? It's a slap in the face to compare this to The Last of Us or Resident Evil 4. I finally picked up this game after a few months of owning it and decided to give it a shot. I have tried so hard to find some enjoyment out of it but I just can't. I disliked it so much I was compelled to write my first review hereI honestly can't believe some of the reviews I'm seeing on here are they serious? It's a slap in the face to compare this to The Last of Us or Resident Evil 4. I finally picked up this game after a few months of owning it and decided to give it a shot. I have tried so hard to find some enjoyment out of it but I just can't. I disliked it so much I was compelled to write my first review here on Metacritic. There is basically no story to this game and is just a gorefest. It takes every horror cliché and bundles it all into this one game. Everything about it is unoriginal and just flat out boring. Creepy doll faces, walking dead, scary hospitals, psychopath with chainsaw it's all been done. Has the feel of an old PlayStation 2 game. All of the characters are very one-dimensional. It's more frustratingly difficult than it is challenging. Even Silent Hill Downpour is more entertaining than this game.… Expand
  80. Game_Row
    Nov 12, 2014
    4
    I am not going to write a huge review, it's too much when people take the time to write a big one where no one reads it anyways. All I've got to say about this game is that, it is much like Resident Evil 4 with the game mechanics, enemies, and environments. To be blunt, it was poorly made. I have been disappointed lately with games. A huge hype before the launch and then BLAH! WithI am not going to write a huge review, it's too much when people take the time to write a big one where no one reads it anyways. All I've got to say about this game is that, it is much like Resident Evil 4 with the game mechanics, enemies, and environments. To be blunt, it was poorly made. I have been disappointed lately with games. A huge hype before the launch and then BLAH! With this game and Watch Dogs, big disappointments. So, will I recommend this game to you? Sure, but don't expect a WOW game. PEACE!!!

    Look me up on YouTube for The Evil Within: Game_Row    … Expand
  81. thehenman
    Oct 15, 2014
    5
    Ok where to begin. Got this game having been a fan of survival horror for years. Just playing through alien isolation thinking that although flawed at times it is a very well made game. Full of suspense terror and slow paced with good controlles and great visuals. This big to issues are camera positioning and low frame rate as well perhaps as terrible last last gen controls of 10 yearsOk where to begin. Got this game having been a fan of survival horror for years. Just playing through alien isolation thinking that although flawed at times it is a very well made game. Full of suspense terror and slow paced with good controlles and great visuals. This big to issues are camera positioning and low frame rate as well perhaps as terrible last last gen controls of 10 years ago. No having crap controls do not make a game harder just more frustrating. The letterbox style visuals would be great if the framerate was not so low that you can not see what the hellmyou are doing hen it all kicks off. Add in the TERRIBLE camera angles and cramped spaces it makes for a very miserable experience. I placed about 3 hours until I sent it back to my rental service. His is not a scary or enjoyable game Ben the enemies are generic zombies most of the time. If you are thinking this will be the next gen horror game to have please think again. Play alien its way better.… Expand
  82. YouLostTheEMAG
    Oct 15, 2014
    9
    Great game! The atmosphere is beyond amazing! Sometimes I see things that remind me of Resident Evil 2,3 and 4. I often think its a giant wink at Capcom from Shinji Mikami. The plot confused me at first, but it explained itself if you continue playing.
  83. SidfriegM2928
    Mar 21, 2015
    4
    Advertised as a return to form for the horror genre, "The Evil Within" comes off more as a best of compilation for every horror game released over the last 10 years. Not only that, but featuring bad frame rate, hideous character animation and dull gameplay. You can skip on this turd.
  84. ShadowCat
    Jun 1, 2015
    10
    Absolutely amazing! The perfect Resident Evil 4 / Silent Hill crossover! I LOVE the attention to fine details (although I did find some minor glitches - nobody is perfect). The skybox is always dull with no movement (with the exception of smoke in certain areas), but this game more than makes up for that with the environment's graphics. The soundtrack is amazing, and the sound effectsAbsolutely amazing! The perfect Resident Evil 4 / Silent Hill crossover! I LOVE the attention to fine details (although I did find some minor glitches - nobody is perfect). The skybox is always dull with no movement (with the exception of smoke in certain areas), but this game more than makes up for that with the environment's graphics. The soundtrack is amazing, and the sound effects are unique and memorable (I will never forget what it sounds like when The Keeper is materializing)! Great settings, the scenery is always changing, you must always keep an eye out for traps, this game keeps you on your toes, and, just when you think nothing else could surprise you, BAM! Something else unexpected happens. An amazing thrill ride, and my favorite survival horror game to date! Number ONE on my list!… Expand
  85. Sethtifer
    Oct 28, 2014
    9
    I am not a giant fan of horror games, but this one blew me away. I was stressed, disturbed, and entertained all in one.There are those who bash the camera, the filters, and inventory management, but if those things are your issue why are you playing this kind of game? Those mechanics work great and add the right amount of urgency as you play. There were a few annoyances (bugs, glitches)I am not a giant fan of horror games, but this one blew me away. I was stressed, disturbed, and entertained all in one.There are those who bash the camera, the filters, and inventory management, but if those things are your issue why are you playing this kind of game? Those mechanics work great and add the right amount of urgency as you play. There were a few annoyances (bugs, glitches) but nothing that made me give up. Saving was actually more forgiving than I thought it would be, and the upgrades didn't seem to help much other than on the actual healing/abilities sections. Overall this game should be tried by everyone. It renewed my faith in the horror genre. Excuse me while i go buy all the Resident Evils now.… Expand
  86. OutlawTX
    Sep 1, 2017
    4
    I've sludged through to Chapter 10 and I'm done playing this trial in frustration. I picked it up for 5 bucks during a new release dry spell knowing I played it at release and didn't get very far before abandoning it. This game has proved to be annoying enough for me to put in my 2 cents and review it. First off, the controls feel lumbering and clunky which makes for bad aiming and combat.I've sludged through to Chapter 10 and I'm done playing this trial in frustration. I picked it up for 5 bucks during a new release dry spell knowing I played it at release and didn't get very far before abandoning it. This game has proved to be annoying enough for me to put in my 2 cents and review it. First off, the controls feel lumbering and clunky which makes for bad aiming and combat. Combined with a really bad camera that always feels too close and always seems to keep you at a disadvantage, enemies that kill you with one hit, save points that are too far from areas with one hit enemies and far too many instances of trial and error gameplay and you have a game that's more annoying than fun. Story wise it's incredibly meh. I don't care about any of the characters.
    By chapter 10 I just wanted to be done with it. When I got to another part with a one hit enemy and had to figure out how to kill it again while dying over and over, I realized I don't care. I have no idea how this has so many 10s here but hey, there's people out there that get off on people pooing on them so apparently some people like poo. All I can say is, "I don't."    … Expand
  87. backInBone
    Oct 21, 2014
    9
    Just finished my 1st playthrough and I'd say I'm really into this game. I'm a fan of Resident Evil franchise especially RE2 and RE4. I think if you miss the RE4-style gameplay, this is the game for you. However, don't expect much on the story and characters, and the horror experience (though I do appreciate the weird art and environment).
  88. ReDDx
    Oct 24, 2014
    8
    just finished the game yesterday and it was great Journey
    one on the best games i played in a long time.
    the story is a little bit weak and slow progressed but the gameplay is very RE4ish and and was enjoyable for me. the atmosphere is fantastic and creepy, you can feel the shiver in your back, danger lurks in every corner. the game focused more on gure than real horror, cant say that    just finished the game yesterday and it was great Journey
    one on the best games i played in a long time.
    the story is a little bit weak and slow progressed but the gameplay is very RE4ish and and was enjoyable for me.
    the atmosphere is fantastic and creepy, you can feel the shiver in your back, danger lurks in every corner.
    the game focused more on gure than real horror, cant say that the game is very scary (outlast and AI is scarier) but it still pretty good, especially in the creepy save room :)
    the game performs extremely well on my PC
    i5 3550, hd 7850 oc 2gb, 8 gb ram.
    i read a lot about the crash problem, i can say from my experience i didn't have a single crash or save bug or any other problem. very smooth running(it still a pretty crappy port but oh well, not everything is perfect)
    the only bad things i can say about the game is the frame lock and the stupid black bars( you can fix it but still it ruin the overall experience)

    gameplay: 8/10
    graphics: 7/10
    sound: 10/10
    atmosphere: 10/10
    story: 7/10
    overall: 8.4/10

    *sorry for my english    … Expand
  89. gabedesign
    Oct 18, 2014
    9
    Okay I literally never write reviews on this site but having read many of the negative reviews for this game i felt that it was necessary I do so. that being said, lets dive right in: JESUS PEOPLE I see so many of these idiots writing the most nonsensical and illegible damn "reviews" i have ever seen. A lot of said reviews bashing the game simply because they feel the game is too hard forOkay I literally never write reviews on this site but having read many of the negative reviews for this game i felt that it was necessary I do so. that being said, lets dive right in: JESUS PEOPLE I see so many of these idiots writing the most nonsensical and illegible damn "reviews" i have ever seen. A lot of said reviews bashing the game simply because they feel the game is too hard for them i mean really?! Honestly if you've ever played a survivor horror game in your life or have the slightest amount of common sense for that matter, you really wouldn't be dying that much in this game. It's meant to be played at a slower pace- it's not some **** call of duty clone where you run through each room absorbing enemy damage like some bullet sponge boss (a la Destiny) yes you have limited ammo in this game but if you play it correctly and actually look around your surroundings properly (break open boxes etc) you should have no problem finding enough ammo to deal with the enemies you will encounter along the way how do i know this? because thus far i have made it to chapter 7 WITHOUT HAVING ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF AMMO FOR EVERY SINGLE WEAPON I OWN EVEN ONCE. It confounds me how crappy at games the reviewers who gave this game a negative review without any actual basis must be because seriously it's not that hard. Graphics wise, this game isn't really all that bad either, i have seen alot of people comparing it to the last of us, saying that it's graphics are actually worse than a last gen game but that isn't completely the case, i mean has anyone actually taken the time to look at a damn tree in the last of us?? the approach the developers took to modeling them is completely one dimensional and outdated, where as in the evil within, i have actually seen some better foliage design techniques- my point is, it's not really accurate to say that the games graphics are terrible, some things were done well, others not as well, but overall the game looks pretty good and shouldnt bother you unless you are a total graphics whore.

    Gameplay wise the game plays kinda like a cross between RE4 and TLOU but leans more towards the resident evil side, which i for one enjoy. the various mechanics present in the game (especially those dealing with combat) aren't at all outdated, they are simply pinpointed towards increasing that feeling of despair that the developer of a horror game surely wants their audience to feel while playing their game. The camera controls can be slightly annoying at times but you get used to them pretty quickly, and the story really isn't all that bad, in fact if you did your research on this game, you would know that the story is meant to seem somewhat irrational, YOU ARE INSIDE OF THIS MAN'S HEAD FOR CHRIST'S SAKE and this is actually something that i applaud the developer for because it simply means that they have more freedom to do what they want with the game. The atmosphere and art direction in this game is also quite good, the enemy character design is interesting and terrifying at the same time and the breaking up of the level design into clastrophobic as well as open areas is done in all the right places.

    Overall, if you are a survival horror fan you will definitely want to pick this one up, it isn't the most amazing game ever but it definitely is a good game, one that I, a long time survival horror fan, has, and will continue to enjoy in the future.    … Expand
  90. Zyglroxenon
    Oct 27, 2014
    8
    This game is pretty intelligently designed when it comes to the mechanics of it all, but is extremely questionable when it comes to its other design decisions. First off, here are the two big annoying things with the game: forced letterbox ratio. In an attempt to be cinematic, they decided to go with a widescreen resolution. I find that very annoying, as I like to be able to see everythingThis game is pretty intelligently designed when it comes to the mechanics of it all, but is extremely questionable when it comes to its other design decisions. First off, here are the two big annoying things with the game: forced letterbox ratio. In an attempt to be cinematic, they decided to go with a widescreen resolution. I find that very annoying, as I like to be able to see everything on my screen. The second really annoying thing is the very narrow FOV. I understand that the game is going for a claustrophobic feel, but again, I like to see things on my screen.

    On the positive side of things, this game completely nails what being a survival horror game is all about, bar a couple chapters. Amusingly, I found those couple chapters to be very Resident Evil 4-esque, and the game is paced rather alike to Resident Evil 4, although I find the subject material to be far more compelling, as it evokes a stronger Silent Hill feel than Resident Evil. When the game does get its encounters and its tone right, the game is brilliant, but when it's completely off-tone, and you're in an arena trying to defeat hordes of enemies, the game is really, quite off-putting. I'm really in two minds about The Evil Within, but at the end of the day, I really enjoyed what I played, and I think that has to do with good the combat feels and actually, a pretty compelling story, even if the characters are flat and underdeveloped. The Agony Crossbow provides a lot of strategic options for you, as well as stealth, bottles, and even such a simple mechanic as burning bodies with matches. You have to be careful about what you upgrade on your character as choice really does matter on that front, as you, by no means, will be able to upgrade even remotely close to everything.

    In short, this game is pretty hit or miss, but for me, the hits were strong enough to truly make this a very compelling experience with the amount of combat variety offered to you, but yet, managing to strangle your resources down to a minimum. I didn't have much of an issue conserving resources on Survival difficulty, but Nightmare mode is a whole different ball game. This is the best survival horror experience in a fair amount of time. (I did play Alien: Isolation [and reviewed it], you can check out my review and why it didn't really stick with me, if that tickles your fancy)    … Expand
  91. dugazoid
    Oct 3, 2016
    7
    This could have been a masterpiece, a 10. Buuuut, the overall performance and graphics are quite poor.

    A shame, because the story, gameplay and characters are quite good.

    Anyway, I enjoyed playing it a lot.
  92. Elias_Schmitz
    Oct 25, 2014
    9
    The game is awesome.
    just having so much fun, i can't believe most bad reviews.
    If you are looking for information about the game to decide if you are gonna play or not, just give it a try.

    It is scary enough to be a horror game but not that scary to keep you away.
  93. ice05
    Oct 21, 2014
    9
    Ya there are bugs in the game, and a drop of frame-rate, hell the graphics sometimes forget to render, But this was such a refreshing game! It had my heart beating fast, and my mind stressing (in a good way) on how to get to the next checkpoint, and I highly suggest NOT playing on the easiest difficultly. All in all, great game with a lot of beautiful visuals, and wonderfully creativeYa there are bugs in the game, and a drop of frame-rate, hell the graphics sometimes forget to render, But this was such a refreshing game! It had my heart beating fast, and my mind stressing (in a good way) on how to get to the next checkpoint, and I highly suggest NOT playing on the easiest difficultly. All in all, great game with a lot of beautiful visuals, and wonderfully creative areas. A true treat for horror fans!… Expand
  94. stv363
    Oct 20, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I think 9 is a fair score for this game. It is hands down one of the most tense, atmospheric and genuinely artistic games I have played in years.

    Although the main character has the charisma of a damp slice of gluten free bread, the world itself is truly intriguing and engaging. The game rewards your bravery and will to explore but also sending you flying into 37 separate pieces for the slightest slip up.

    Is it fun? Oh my god yes.

    Is it hard? In parts yes, but it really does encourage you to observe and adapt to your surroundings to be successful.

    Is it worth a buy? 100% yes, if for nothing else the hours of game play ahead is much better value for money than some of the dross out there.    … Expand
  95. Altfire00
    Oct 22, 2014
    5
    This is a return to true survival horror from Resident Evil's Shinji Mikami, if you think that Resident Evil 4's action oriented gameplay was actually scary. The Evil Within is not scary - it is tense in the first couple of hours, but you'll start to see that the majority of the scares and horror elements are cliche and not revolutionary in any sense. After a couple of hours, the gameThis is a return to true survival horror from Resident Evil's Shinji Mikami, if you think that Resident Evil 4's action oriented gameplay was actually scary. The Evil Within is not scary - it is tense in the first couple of hours, but you'll start to see that the majority of the scares and horror elements are cliche and not revolutionary in any sense. After a couple of hours, the game simply becomes gather-and-run, as most enemies take decent amount of bullets to kill, along with burning their corpses using the very limited matches the bland protagonist can carry. Except the bosses. Expect to be one-shot by all of these unless you use the mostly obvious tools of the environment, like fire, to kill them. Oh, expect to die a lot too, as the game does rely on trial-and-error in some sections, which will kill you a lot. This takes a lot of the tension out of dying, any by extension a lot of the scares and intense moments. You'll want to upgrade Seb's sprint ability too, since he gets puffed out after a few seconds. You will be fighting the camera the whole game, and the black bars serve a more frustrating purpose than any cinematic one. The atmosphere and gunplay is great, though, which is why this is only getting an average review, but this is simply a harsh survival-action game under the misleading title of 'survival horror' that will feel very familiar in terms of content to all those who have played the first four main Resident Evil titles, particularly RE 4.… Expand
  96. Bloodgore
    Oct 25, 2014
    10
    Shinji Mikami has once again woven a masterpiece! TeW is what Resident Evil 5 should have been! It's brutal, it's heavy on resource management, it has atmosphere and great level design, the sound is perfect for the genre and the enemies are all awesome! In essence this is the game Survival Horror fans have been begging for, for a long long time. This is not a game for the average CoD runShinji Mikami has once again woven a masterpiece! TeW is what Resident Evil 5 should have been! It's brutal, it's heavy on resource management, it has atmosphere and great level design, the sound is perfect for the genre and the enemies are all awesome! In essence this is the game Survival Horror fans have been begging for, for a long long time. This is not a game for the average CoD run and gunner, some people will not like this game! It's not trying to hold your hand and you WILL die a lot. The story is better than what i was lead to believe and the letterbox(black bars) are not a concern for anyone with a real TV! The 30FPS functions perfectly in this game, if it were a fast paced shooter you would notice it but you DO NOT notice it here. After RE turned into a Michael Bay action flick with zero heart, this game feels like a true return to form from the man who started Resident Evil! Buy this game! Ignore the haters!… Expand
  97. ChaseLeoncini
    Jan 18, 2015
    5
    Ive been playing horror games since the 90 's. I was there playing Res 1 - 4 and Silent Hill 1 - The Room and ive seen each franchise come to failure. Where did the spark go? Wherever it has gone it has definitely not returned with The Evil Within. 20 minutes into the game and you'll get a taste of how broken the game looks and feels. Movement, as well as in cinematic sequences are clunky.Ive been playing horror games since the 90 's. I was there playing Res 1 - 4 and Silent Hill 1 - The Room and ive seen each franchise come to failure. Where did the spark go? Wherever it has gone it has definitely not returned with The Evil Within. 20 minutes into the game and you'll get a taste of how broken the game looks and feels. Movement, as well as in cinematic sequences are clunky. Your view is largely inhibited by the rather dumb protagonist. If you want scares you wont get them. The game insists that the settings themselves are terrifying. Cool yes, here is a 5, scary not at all. Shooting is not fun like it was in re4 its difficult and the camera will only get in your way... Long story short, kids love The Evil Within, adults who have been playing horror since the birth of Resident Evil will find this game extremely lackluster, clunky, cheap and utterly boring. I give this game a 5 only for it's settings and enemy creativity. Though, even all of those are old gimmicks of the horror genre.... Still, a bloody spider woman is as awesome as its ever been.… Expand
  98. ReviewsByScott
    Jun 17, 2015
    7
    The problem most gamers have with The Evil Within is that its basically RE4 repurposed. It maybe a legitimate criticism. It doesn't mean the game can't be enjoyable. Lets be honest, Black Sheep was Tommy Boy II and that did not make it any less enjoyable a movie to watch. The Evil Within is a Horror/Survival game, its intent was to create a creepy atmosphere, scare the player at timesThe problem most gamers have with The Evil Within is that its basically RE4 repurposed. It maybe a legitimate criticism. It doesn't mean the game can't be enjoyable. Lets be honest, Black Sheep was Tommy Boy II and that did not make it any less enjoyable a movie to watch. The Evil Within is a Horror/Survival game, its intent was to create a creepy atmosphere, scare the player at times and build in a few plot twists. It largely succeeds at all these things while being challenging and enjoyable. Its a good, not great game.

    The Evil Within is succeeds greatly in creating a dark, twisted, evil, frightening environment. As Sebastian navigates the game he is always placed in a setting that feels right for a horror movie. Everything seems dark and seems just a bit off. The detail works. The player is almost never in a room in the game where he would not feel jittery or scared in real life. The game does a good job of creating accurate setting, even if some parts are direct ripoffs from RE4.

    The game also succeeds at creating a resource poor environment. No movie clips here. When this game is completed Sebastian will not have a GTA5 style armory of weapons and ammunition. When I played through this game I very nearly did not have enough ammo to get through the final boss fights. I was desperately searching for ammo, crafting agony bolts and conserving every single bullet I had. In one fight I had only one bullet to spare. The Evil Within is not a hack and slash or a button masher. The gamer will have to think his or her way through almost all combat scenes. Ammunition and resources must be conserved. The does a great job of making the gamer ration resources.

    The Evil Within is challenging, maybe more challenging than any game I played in some time. The boss battles, all of them, all tough. When fighting the Spider boss the gamer may need to turn the game off for a while to calm down and come back to it. Its not clear if this a strength of the game or a weakness. Everyone wants a challenging game. The Evil Within can be challenging to the point of frustration and discouragement. I personally know one gamer who 2 chapters in determined the game was absurdly difficult and not worth the frustration of playing through. Whether this is a strength or weakness of The Evil Within is up to the gamer. If you don't like very difficult games and resource poor characters this is not the game for you.

    Common complaints against the game are that the story has major plot holes, the main character is a non entity and character development is terrible. All are legitimate. Sebastian is a hollow character who lacks dimension. The elements of his back story that become known completely fail to impact the actions he takes. Worse, the back story fails to make the player identify with Seb. The same can be said of the Seb's sidekicks.

    The criticism that the game lacks character development and that Sebastian is a hollow, undeveloped character should be tempered by the fact that The Evil Within is about setting and mood, not character. Setting and mood is developed and done so well. Take it for what is. This is a video game and not a movie. Not every game will be The Last of Us in terms of story or voice acting. The game still succeeds at what it needs to at basic levels to be fun.

    The plot of The Evil Within is much maligned by gamers. No pulled punches here - it makes no sense. Critical aspects of the story are never explained. At the end of the game you are unsure where Sebastian really is. Side character Kidman is acting out a completely separate mission and has a completely different perspective to the story that no one else sees and is not revealed until the purchase of two DLC games. The story falls short. At no point did I feel I fully grasped what was going on. I got bits and pieces, filled in some holes, but I never felt confident I understand the whole story the game attempts to tell. If you are a gamer who needs the game to have an excellent story this game is not for you.

    The Evil Within is a good but not great game. It gets a 7/10. It succeeds in being a horror/survival game and in challenging the gamer to outthink enemies while marshaling resources. Its very challenging. It fails graphically (the game does not really appear "next gen" or that much better than late release PS3 games. I expected more) and the story is overly convoluted and non sensical at times. The voice acting is average. What the game does well though it does very well, namely create setting and mood and make the player feel they are in a horror movie.

    If you can play this game for what it is - a horror/survival game meant to be a creepy and tough to survive - its enjoyable and worth the full purchase price. If you can't enjoy an overly challenging game or you need a good story and great voice acting this game is not for you even at a reduced price. Lastly, if you can't get over it being a repurposing of RE4 - its not for you    … Expand
  99. AbstractCat
    Aug 21, 2015
    7
    While investigating the scene of a gruesome mass murder, Detective Sebastian Castellanos and his partners encounter a menacing and powerful force. After witnessing the slaughter of fellow officers, Sebastian is ambushed and knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself in a deranged world where hideous creatures wander among the dead. Facing unimaginable terror, and fighting forWhile investigating the scene of a gruesome mass murder, Detective Sebastian Castellanos and his partners encounter a menacing and powerful force. After witnessing the slaughter of fellow officers, Sebastian is ambushed and knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself in a deranged world where hideous creatures wander among the dead. Facing unimaginable terror, and fighting for survival, Sebastian embarks on a daunting journey to unravel that which is behind this evil force… Expand
  100. ursynhu
    Mar 10, 2016
    10
    Este jogo é incrível! Eu recebi e ainda não posso parar de jogar. Os gráficos são tão detalhadas para um game e é desafiador, mas divertido e terá que jogar por horas! A história é complexa e profundamente pensado. O melhor jogo que eu já joguei de forma
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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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