The Evil Within

 Xbox One
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1031 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 845 out of 1031
  2. Mixed: 78 out of 1031
  3. Negative: 108 out of 1031
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. slim1985
    Oct 14, 2014
    10
    Evil Within grafts Resident Evil 4's gold standard survival action to a far less forgiving world. That it even comes close to matching Capcom's masterpiece is cause to celebrate. And sweat. And quiver.
  2. UBERNOOBINATOR
    Apr 6, 2016
    10
    Survival horror games are under a level of scrutiny these days that's nearly impossible to live up to where the litmus test is whether the game can amount to a walking simulator with no combat. As game have evolved over the last couple decades to account for more evolved gameplay, The Evil Within is a game that plays like a modern survival horror should. Not utterly action, but too notSurvival horror games are under a level of scrutiny these days that's nearly impossible to live up to where the litmus test is whether the game can amount to a walking simulator with no combat. As game have evolved over the last couple decades to account for more evolved gameplay, The Evil Within is a game that plays like a modern survival horror should. Not utterly action, but too not dull either. It bring balance in difficulty, pacing. It starts off slow, confusing, but as the game goes on the it really grows on you. Has a great NG+ modes that make replaying more worth it to upgrade weapons and other attributes, and find collectibles. It took some getting use to though, when I played it there's black bars and the engine isn't entirely the most optimized, it sticks out like a sore thumb at first, but you soon get so engulfed in the gameplay that you just stop noticing in short time. Seriously, I don't get the hate. Chill **** eat a Snickers.… Expand
  3. GrumpyGamer85
    May 13, 2015
    9
    Great game and atmosphere is spot on.i liked the audio and level design the game is also quite hard in my humble opinion and my first playthrough took just over 20hrs and 101 deaths lol.

    love finding a safe room and that music oh my.

    my only complaint is i wish i bought it 6+ months ago

    can be picked up for under £20 and its a bargin.

    treat yourself.
  4. AlexKidd
    Nov 10, 2019
    8
    Making a good survival horror game is not an easy job. They've outdone themselves with this one. Great atmosphere, great level design, great enemies. It's better than the Resident Evil series.
  5. alex007
    Jun 14, 2016
    7
    "The Evil Within" doesn't set the standard for modern survival horror. In fact, it's probably best described as a throwback to earlier games of the genre. Playing like a cross between "Resident Evil 4" and "Silent Hill", this is a title that manages to entertain for a solid 15 hours, but does nothing to innovate. So it's safe to say that if you liked those two franchises I mentioned, than"The Evil Within" doesn't set the standard for modern survival horror. In fact, it's probably best described as a throwback to earlier games of the genre. Playing like a cross between "Resident Evil 4" and "Silent Hill", this is a title that manages to entertain for a solid 15 hours, but does nothing to innovate. So it's safe to say that if you liked those two franchises I mentioned, than you'll have a hell of a time playing through "The Evil Within". It's fun. But for those who want an evolution of the genre, you'll most likely be bored. This is a game that uses familiar action-adventure tropes, but does throw the occasional curveball such as one-hit deaths.

    The story of "The Evil Within" is a convoluted mess that makes little sense, its characters are devoid of any real type of personality and the game contains a few bugs. This is the bad side of the game. On the good side are the creepy environments, scary villains and the gore galore. If you were disappointed with the action movie feel of "Resident Evil 6", than you'll be pleased to know that "Evil Within" never goes in that direction. Yes, this is a horror-themed action game from beginning to end, but the horror element is emphasized for the most part. In away, the game feels like a spiritual sequel to "Resident Evil 4" in its gameplay. Not only can you upgrade weapons and abilities, but you can also set traps, stealth kill and craft different trick arrows. If you discover keys and puzzle pieces, you'll be rewarded with a special weapon and extra "upgrade" points and special ammo.

    "The Evil Within" also features many newspaper clippings and files that contain backstory in the vein of "Resident Evil". Unfortunately (just like "Resident Evil 4), it concludes with more action than you'd like, but until then, it's a grisly and grotesque affair. It may not be too scary, but "The Evil Within" contains enough of the creepy stuff to keep you on your toes. It's what "Resident Evil 5" could've been.    … Expand
  6. Squidmonkey123
    Oct 31, 2014
    7
    Well, having waited to purchase an XBOX One until this game had arrived was something of a disappointment!! With all the hype about the return of the survival horror and the return of the director of resident Evil, they had managed to whip us all into a frenzy, into which Evil Within failed to deliver!

    The main factor is the fact that this game is NOT scary!!!??? Survival horrors are    Well, having waited to purchase an XBOX One until this game had arrived was something of a disappointment!! With all the hype about the return of the survival horror and the return of the director of resident Evil, they had managed to whip us all into a frenzy, into which Evil Within failed to deliver!

    The main factor is the fact that this game is NOT scary!!!??? Survival horrors are supposed to do just that, scare you, and this didnt achieve that. Gory yes, very gory, but there were no suprise enemies that suddenly jump out and **** you up, it was all very predictable.

    The story itself is pretty good, with lots going on for you to try and remember, yet the ending leaves it a little confusing as to what was going on. I suppose the designers did that so it would lead on to Evil Within 2.

    There were many a time, when id thrown my controller in frustration with the controls, those moments being when attempting to unlock a trap, your edging foreward and in doing so, due to the controls you set off the trap. Plus in combat i was always finding i was turning on the inventory menu with my right stick.

    The monsters were interesting, with plenty of variety with different boss's to deal with, yet the ending battle was tedious in the extreme.

    So
    Good Points:
    1. Fairly different story
    2. Graphically pretty decent
    3.Enough to keep you going to find out the ending
    4. Decent Monsters and boss fights

    Bad Points:
    1. ****ty Controls
    2. Not scary in the slightest
    3.Ending / Boss Fight

    Overall a 7

    Get this game if this is really your thing.    … Expand
  7. tybyrd93
    Oct 16, 2015
    8
    In terms of survival horror gameplay and level design, this game is a breath of fresh air. The evil within is undeniably creepy without relying on jump scares. Ammo is precious and going in guns blazing isn't always the best plan. Speaking of guns, the shooting mechanics are very satisfying and the upgrade system encourages going the extra mile and exploring the environments to findIn terms of survival horror gameplay and level design, this game is a breath of fresh air. The evil within is undeniably creepy without relying on jump scares. Ammo is precious and going in guns blazing isn't always the best plan. Speaking of guns, the shooting mechanics are very satisfying and the upgrade system encourages going the extra mile and exploring the environments to find resources and spare parts. The story, however, is lacking. The main character is exremely uninteresting and reacts to things in an unbelievably apathetic way. The plot throws him from one situation to another in a scatter-brained manner, providing very little context. All in all, the evil within is what survival horror fans have been wanting since resident evil 4 and it's a must buy for next gen systems… Expand
  8. BurnoutJoeB
    Dec 23, 2014
    5
    Honestly giving this game a 5 is being nice. I knew to not have high expectations for this game even though I so badly wanted it to be good. My first impression was OK fine it has a Resident Evil 5 feel to it, which is not a bad thing by any means. The original gore at the beginning was cool and started to give me some hope for a good game.

    Then I started to realize the game    Honestly giving this game a 5 is being nice. I knew to not have high expectations for this game even though I so badly wanted it to be good. My first impression was OK fine it has a Resident Evil 5 feel to it, which is not a bad thing by any means. The original gore at the beginning was cool and started to give me some hope for a good game.

    Then I started to realize the game play/controls. After gathering a gun, some matches, and pills I started to realize how bad accessing your inventor is. The gun control is horrific, the zombies or monsters are just plain redonkulous. I tried beating them with my hands, fail, then a torch, worked if hitting them was actually hitting them. I swing what looks like a foot away and they catch fire yet when I actually hit them it's a miss. Then the visuals, oh lord the visual controls was again horrific. Needless to say I'm being nice giving this a 5 and strongly do not recommend this game to anybody.    … Expand
  9. SuperkenGaming
    Aug 9, 2017
    4
    The evil Within
    This isn’t going to be pretty
    The Evil Within is a 3rd person survival horror game where you play as detective Sebastian investigating a scene of a mass murder at a mental hospital and then all of a sudden things start going crazy… I don’t want to spoil the story but the games setting is actually a pretty cool twist.. But for the most part at least in the beginning the    The evil Within
    This isn’t going to be pretty
    The Evil Within is a 3rd person survival horror game where you play as detective Sebastian investigating a scene of a mass murder at a mental hospital and then all of a sudden things start going crazy…
    I don’t want to spoil the story but the games setting is actually a pretty cool twist..
    But for the most part at least in the beginning the game mixes settings and scenery up…
    In fact the first half of this game is great and guaranteed this game a spot on my game of the year least when the time came.. but it didn’t stay this great…
    As a survival horror game youre managing your health with pick ups.. your health will regenerate but only slightly.. and when your health is bwelow a certain point you move slowly and aren’t able to run…
    But a bit like the game alone in the dark you have weapons here… as you progress the game youll get a pistol, shotgun, sniper rifle, a cross bow like weapon, there are grenades.. a great variety of weapons for survival and devent drop rate of ammo.. but just enough to keep you staying carful with what you use..
    Unique from most survival horror games is that there is an assassins creed like stealth mechanic where you can take out most unaware enemies from behind..
    you also have to stealth to disarm traps and get parts the craft cross bolts for your bow…
    there are also jars of brain juice around the levels and off of enemies that act as a currency you use to upgrade your stats, buy ammo, and increase the stats of your weapons..
    There are mirrors that take you back to the hospital this allows you to save the game as well, but the game will ocassionally autosave
    The first half of the game I found to be really enjoyable and terrifying..
    I was stressed in a good way and enemies put up a great challenge…
    Missions were varied, I felt like I was in a movie..
    And then halfway through the game it starts to fall apart..
    The game goes from being scary to just frustrating..
    Its becomes an anxiety fest of dealing with insta kill enemies, and recourse draining section after recouce draining section.. dealing with spongy bosses, having to thow switch after switch doing it multiple times in the same area to pregress further…
    The games initial near perfect progression crumbles and stumbles to a crawl…
    Made worse by this games awful checkpoint and autosave system…
    The game wont constantly autosave once you find an important item…
    And again there are cheap instakill enemies and moments in this game…
    They are sometimes completely random, they’ll hit you and you have to go through the 10 minutes of recollecting supplies over and over and over until you get lucky enough to either get away or not activate this random spawn…
    And also again… the 2nd half of this game is focused more on anxiety than it is horror..
    its not fun replaying these anxiety filled moments
    They aren’t even fun the first time…
    And the games 2nd half is filled of these moments and trial and error chases with no indication of what you have to do, so you just keep doing it until you get it right with no checkpoints..
    But still I pushed forward.. I was overlooking all of the bad because of the intriguing story going through this anxiety fest…
    The game would freeze on my a couple of times causeing me to resatart it… no big deal, ill forgive it.. the first half was so good and im so close to this games end..
    8 and a half hours into the game.. im on chapter 11 out of 15.. about 2 and a half to 3 hours away from this games credits.. and I run into a game breaking bug…
    That’s right… 3 years later… a Bethesda game (go figure) still has a game breaking bug…
    I did play the ps3 version of this game and thought that’s clearly the problem.. so I went to google and no.. this chapter is full of game breaking bugs, more than just the one I ran into that wouldn’t let me progress the game..
    I was an hr deep and nothing I did helped, shutting down the game, reloading checkpoints..
    dying.. nothing… the game wouldn’t let me progress…
    The only thing keeping me from just giving this game a 0 and walking away is that restarting the chapter could’ve probably let me continue.. but once more..
    the 2nd half of this game is filled of anxiety, frustration and cheapness…
    I wasn’t about to go through that hour and a half I just went through again..
    Im walking away from what I thought was initially a great game that crumbled into a good game, but left me with the taste of a bad game…
    I give the Evil Within
    a very generous
    4/10    … Expand
  10. jordans-revenge
    Nov 15, 2014
    7
    Quick Review
    Atmosphere: 7/10 (if you're scared by gore, this game is for you)
    Game Play Mechanics: 8.5/10 Replay value: low Overall Rating: trying to figure out the story scared me more than the game. The Evil Within is a game that makes me question a lot of things. The first thing being "how can a game be so scary at the beginning and become so plain near then end?", and the    Quick Review
    Atmosphere: 7/10 (if you're scared by gore, this game is for you)
    Game Play Mechanics: 8.5/10
    Replay value: low
    Overall Rating: trying to figure out the story scared me more than the game.

    The Evil Within is a game that makes me question a lot of things. The first thing being "how can a game be so scary at the beginning and become so plain near then end?", and the second being "what the hell is up with this story?!" In the beginning of the game, I was constantly on edge. I could feel the definite Resident Evil vibes, along with vibes of amazing survival horrors games like Amnesia: The Dark Descent. I spent a lit of time stalking around and wondering what the heck I was getting myself into next. This feeling of fear died for me when I was about 2/3's of the way into the game. I stopped being scared, and was stuck just trying to figure what the hell was going on around me. Which, usually is great in a game, but I did not enjoy it in this game. It became just another shooter for me at the end. Game play mechanics are smooth, my favorite part being stealth kills. All I can say without giving anything away is that the game is at least worth playing once through, though I see little replay value in it. It did give me an adrenaline rush a few times, so if you dig that, give it a shot.    … Expand
  11. Mattsag207
    Apr 7, 2015
    10
    The father of Resident Evil returns Survival Horror to it's scream inducing roots. Where many survival horror games have turned into generic third person shooters(Resident Evil 6), The Evil Within takes everything that is good about survival horror, and jams an adrenaline burst right through it's heart. The story is fantastic, the characters are fantastic, the game is terrifying and theThe father of Resident Evil returns Survival Horror to it's scream inducing roots. Where many survival horror games have turned into generic third person shooters(Resident Evil 6), The Evil Within takes everything that is good about survival horror, and jams an adrenaline burst right through it's heart. The story is fantastic, the characters are fantastic, the game is terrifying and the environments and graphics are amazing. I can't say enough good things about this game. This game is on par with Resident Evil 4 and Silet Hill 2.… Expand
  12. jester123
    Jul 7, 2015
    10
    Deffiantly a game worth purchasing great sound effects great player models the story flows very well and the game is scary to creepy to action very good for a game
  13. bcarrell
    Oct 15, 2015
    9
    This game is the reason why survival horror is still alive. Perfect in almost every aspect. The graphics are great, as well as the surroundings. Game play has Resident Evil 4 heritage. Truly a terrific game. The Evil Within doesn't rely on jump scares to scare the player... it's more psychologically terrifying than anything. Definitely recommend if one is looking for a true survivalThis game is the reason why survival horror is still alive. Perfect in almost every aspect. The graphics are great, as well as the surroundings. Game play has Resident Evil 4 heritage. Truly a terrific game. The Evil Within doesn't rely on jump scares to scare the player... it's more psychologically terrifying than anything. Definitely recommend if one is looking for a true survival horror game and a challenge (it gets unbelievably difficult at some points).

    A very solid +9/10 because the characters are boring and the dialogue is short and vague.
    Besides that issue, this is a outstanding survival horror game.    … Expand
  14. makeitsweet
    Oct 16, 2014
    9
    Let me start by saying that I am a completionist; I try to explore entire maps and stories besides just the run of the mill speed run like some folks on here. I will admit that I was excited to play this game beforehand as I personally love the survival genre and I was really into Resident Evil 4. That being said I am thoroughly enjoying my experience in the game.

    I am playing on the    Let me start by saying that I am a completionist; I try to explore entire maps and stories besides just the run of the mill speed run like some folks on here. I will admit that I was excited to play this game beforehand as I personally love the survival genre and I was really into Resident Evil 4. That being said I am thoroughly enjoying my experience in the game.

    I am playing on the medium difficulty and the gameplay is tough at times, but not impossible -- very realistic in that there are many scenarios that can be used to kill the enemies and given if you were in this situation you there would probably be numerous deaths involved. Not to mention that the deaths can be extremely brutal in a Mortal Kombat fatality kind of way -- which I find amusing.

    The story itself may not be completely compelling, but it is definitely strong enough to carry the game. The graphics seem good enough for me with the highlight being the 3 person character that you control. At first I was puzzled as to why there were black bars at the top and bottom of the screen, but I was completely used to them through the third chapter (of 14 mind you). In actually, they make things a bit more tense as you cannot as easily look over things you may be hiding behind and overall it causes you to value the field of vision that you do have.

    Gameplay is fun. If you like Resident Evil games like RE4 then you are in for a treat. It is pretty standard for the survival genre, where you cannot zoom with a weapon and run at the same time and the mechanics may be a bit slow, but it causes the game to be more realistic and difficult in my option.

    The pace of the game is great -- I have had the game for two days now, playing a ton within that time and I am barely half way through the story. Again, I am a completionist so I try to explore it all and find all of the collectables to which reward you with various items.

    In all, the game is solid despite what some others are saying. If you enjoy the genre I feel like it is a must own.    … Expand
  15. CR7onaldo
    Oct 17, 2014
    10
    The Evil Within is a varied, deep, challenging and long game. Shinji Mikami and Tango Gameworks scare us, they mix puzzles and third person shooting in a reborn survival horror that is visually poor. The Keeper, the Alpha mastodon and other ugly deformed will make you have nightmares.
  16. lukagaraujo
    Oct 15, 2014
    10
    I have played until chapter 10 so far, and one thing I can say, I died a hundred times and the bosses are so creppy. It is the best survivor horror from the past and currently generation.
  17. don-G
    Oct 17, 2014
    10
    The Evil Within is a varied, deep, challenging and long game. Shinji Mikami and Tango Gameworks scare us, they mix puzzles and third person shooting in a reborn survival horror that is visually poor. The Keeper, the Alpha mastodon and other ugly deformed will make you have nightmares.
  18. Eliut
    Oct 15, 2014
    8
    The game has ingredients for various games, making it more dynamic, graphically well done in the effects, lighting and characters, the gameplay is somewhat awkward, and the camera does not help in some occasions, but this is generally decent.

    Moments of patience will make you suffer and to some extent they'll despair, which is an object that manages the game well. Overall, a highly    The game has ingredients for various games, making it more dynamic, graphically well done in the effects, lighting and characters, the gameplay is somewhat awkward, and the camera does not help in some occasions, but this is generally decent.

    Moments of patience will make you suffer and to some extent they'll despair, which is an object that manages the game well.

    Overall, a highly recommended game that nobody should miss to try. Especially in this Halloween season.    … Expand
  19. psugrad1999
    Oct 14, 2014
    8
    I've only had time to play this game for about 2 hours, but I got to say, I really like it. The graphics are incredible, and the gore is perfect for this time of year. I give it an 8, but i'd rather give it 7.5.

    Why? The controls are horrible. Not intuitive at all. Doesn't follow what any other game has done. To crouch/sneak, hold down the right bumper. To pick up an item, press    I've only had time to play this game for about 2 hours, but I got to say, I really like it. The graphics are incredible, and the gore is perfect for this time of year. I give it an 8, but i'd rather give it 7.5.

    Why? The controls are horrible. Not intuitive at all. Doesn't follow what any other game has done. To crouch/sneak, hold down the right bumper. To pick up an item, press A. To access your inventory press down on the right analog stick. Every other game you press one of the menu keys. The only keys that work as expected are the game menu, and the trigger buttons. Very poor. Even worse, I felt like I was playing last year's tomb raider. There is a scene early in the game that is almost identical to Tomb Raider.

    While the graphics are incredible, I have to question why they'd do a letter box. I get it, that it gives a more cinematic experience. But really, who doesn't have their console hooked up to a wide screen tv? It's really just wasted space and is really annoying.

    Also, there is no honeymoon period in this game. The first chapter does little to really tell you how to play the game. It's difficult to determine what you can interact with. And it's not as open as I would hope for a 4th gen game. The save option is horrible. How they heck do they expect someone to realize you have to stare in to a mirror to access the save? And, the whole save process is way too drawn out. Alien Isolation had a much better save system.

    With that said, the game is gory. The ambience is perfect. I can't say much about the voice acting, nor the actual story line yet. But so far, I love this game. I highly recommend it to anyone who has an Xbox One or planning to get one for Christmas.    … Expand
  20. 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
  21. Jacer200
    Jan 28, 2015
    6
    I was forcing myself through chapter 10 when I realized something. I wasn't having fun. I wanted to, but couldn't. The survival horror turned arena action adventure was a shock. Now I did get a few legitimate jump scares which was cool. But the atrocious frame rates combined with clunky shooting spoiled the whole game. And the story is extremely confusing.
  22. AmgZone
    Oct 15, 2014
    8
    I was very sceptical about this game, given it's release day embargo and the fact that it was brought forward in the UK to match that embargo. After playing it, all those fears went away, from the offset you can tell this is a Shinji Mikami game. Most of the reviews I've read said that this is the game that Resident Evil 5 should have been and I totally agree, it's survival horror at it'sI was very sceptical about this game, given it's release day embargo and the fact that it was brought forward in the UK to match that embargo. After playing it, all those fears went away, from the offset you can tell this is a Shinji Mikami game. Most of the reviews I've read said that this is the game that Resident Evil 5 should have been and I totally agree, it's survival horror at it's finest. If you enjoyed Resi 4, you'll love this game.

    Good points - Superb gunplay, very atmospheric, vast choice of upgradable abilities.
    Bad points - Lack luster story, poor graphics (for next gen standards), can be very unforgiving.

    Overall 8/10.    … Expand
  23. eccentricgamer
    Oct 17, 2014
    9
    This isnt a game for those that want their hands held or want a story spoon fed throughout the game, this is a game purely for the hard-core Survival Horror fans that want an old school experience on modern platforms, gamers that are willing to look beyond what’s being shown in front of them to read the between the lines, discover the side notes and find the collectables to gain insightThis isnt a game for those that want their hands held or want a story spoon fed throughout the game, this is a game purely for the hard-core Survival Horror fans that want an old school experience on modern platforms, gamers that are willing to look beyond what’s being shown in front of them to read the between the lines, discover the side notes and find the collectables to gain insight into whats happening without it being blurted out , this is a game for those who love psychological thrillers and who aren’t afraid to get lost in what can only be described as an lucid nightmare.

    The only reason this game is getting flax is because its misunderstood by gamers and reviewers that are too lazy to actually read between the lines or draw their own conclusions on its story these people are dragging this game down mainly because they saw the Bethesda Logo and thought it was comparable to everything else they make and they are exactly whats wrong with this industry, if this game released as an indie title it would have been heralded as the second coming and put on the highest pedestal possible but since it didn’t this game can’t be called art and can’t have a non-conventional storyline like the show Twin Peaks which clearly inspired this.

    If you're a "Gamer" that isn’t scared of finding a narrative rather than it being shoved down your throat or can deal with complex situations that involve more that "Oh shoot that" and want to actually be challenged by an old school Survival Horror game then this is for you, otherwise stick to cod/bf or some other linier experience and stop muddying the waters of an already wounded genre.    … Expand
  24. Ibanez89
    Oct 20, 2014
    9
    Love it.
    Even if you're not easily scared or you've played many games like this before, it still has something that will get you.
    What this game nails the most, is its feel of claustrophobia. You will walk in a room where something will be chasing you with barely any room to move. You just have to think quick, and know what you're doing. This is evidently a trial and error game, but in    Love it.
    Even if you're not easily scared or you've played many games like this before, it still has something that will get you.
    What this game nails the most, is its feel of claustrophobia.
    You will walk in a room where something will be chasing you with barely any room to move. You just have to think quick, and know what you're doing. This is evidently a trial and error game, but in my case its trial and error, then more error. I think I've died at just about every trap.
    I recommend for people who want the maximum experience to play the survival difficulty.
    Ammo conservation is scarce, timing has to be nearly exact (a bit of room for error) but most of all, make sure you know when to use the gun. I guess this falls into ammo conservation but every shot you miss on your target, it really makes you regret the shot when you could have approached it in another way.

    Pros
    + Brilliant lighting effects - really fits the genre of horror and makes you feel that you're in a terrifying situation
    + Music - those gramophones play music that can soothe the soul for a little while. Consider those as your safe zones so you can rest (other times they are just creepy)
    + Upgrades - Just like Resident Evil 4, there are so many. Whether its upgrading abilities, weapons or inventory, you need to know what to upgrade depending on what is infront of you, along with what will benefit you throughout the game
    + Environments - Just about flawless in its variety. No room looks the same.
    + Noir film grain - Really sets a vintage horror flick setting. Adds to it 100%

    Cons
    - Graphics - Personally, I don't really see them next gen, but at the same time they don't look horrible. All of the lighting and filters make up for it.
    - Dialogue/Voice Acting - not great, but at the same time they are confused like the player would be so it shouldn't be in depth. Its just a bit vague

    Mutual
    +- Physical Combat - There is only punching and hitting with weapons. You cant do any action commands unfortunately, yet not having this gives it a feel of desperation to survive. You're meant to be in danger.

    Overall I highly recommend to anyone who is a fan of survival horror. You may not get terrified, but they fit it to how they wanted it to be. Shinji Mikami proves to a lot of us that these type of games still exist strong and there is still a passion in the gaming industry.

    9/10    … Expand
  25. Closeremperor16
    Oct 20, 2014
    9
    The Evil Within is a stunning return to form for the father of the survival horror genre.

    I have yet to finish the full game but have completed 12 of the 15 chapters so I feel I have seen more then enough to give a verdict. I will start by saying that the sense of atmosphere this game cultivates is excellent, the level design is brilliant and really does a great job of displaying a    The Evil Within is a stunning return to form for the father of the survival horror genre.

    I have yet to finish the full game but have completed 12 of the 15 chapters so I feel I have seen more then enough to give a verdict.

    I will start by saying that the sense of atmosphere this game cultivates is excellent, the level design is brilliant and really does a great job of displaying a sense of decay and the feeling that you are traversing enviroments that have been left to rot.

    The camera is locked in tight to the player and deliberatly does not give you a great view of the surrondings which adds to the sense of not being fully in controll.

    the graphics whilst not groundbreaking are genrally very solid and the lighting engine in particular is excellent and does a great job of creating an atmosphere of fear.

    The enemy design is excellent and the overall design of the game is solid, the evil within harkens back to oldschool surival horror. the controlls do not give you as much freedom as a typical third person shooter would and help to make you feel vunerable and human.

    One issue the genre has had in the past is that if you make the player to powerfull you lose any sense of fear or mearly survining.

    The evil within does a great job of straddiling th line between pwer and terror , fear and fun if you will.

    you never feel overpowered but you also have a fair chance to survive, this game is tough but fair.

    I can see why people not used to the the genre woukld think the controlls where bad but I really feel that they where designed that way.

    Nothing kills tension like being to powerfull and everything being to easy (cough resi 5 and 6 cough cough cough ).

    overall I have loved every second of his game!! the boss design in particular is excellent.

    The story is pretty good and does a good job of **** with your head and keeping you off balance.

    overall this is a fun game that is challenging and and tense it plays like a cross between resi 4 and silent hill 2 and seeing as they are my two favorite examples of the genre thats no bad thing.

    Overall I give this game a 9 out of ten, if you are a fan of the genre and in particular silent hill or resient evil (1 to4) then you are doing yourself a disservce by not buying this.

    if you are new to the genre then I would suggest renting this first to make sure it is really for you.    … Expand
  26. jamessamuel
    Jan 31, 2015
    8
    The evil within starts out slow in telling its story but it does pick up in the second half. The story is intriguing, but the main character is dull. The Combat system is very well done, so is the gathering system. The difficulty levels are very hard though, even the "casual" difficulty setting will have you quoting the game from frustration. But overall its one of the best games i haveThe evil within starts out slow in telling its story but it does pick up in the second half. The story is intriguing, but the main character is dull. The Combat system is very well done, so is the gathering system. The difficulty levels are very hard though, even the "casual" difficulty setting will have you quoting the game from frustration. But overall its one of the best games i have played in 2014, and i would highly recommend it.… Expand
  27. Ilhass
    Oct 15, 2014
    10
    Best survival horror game, since Resident Evil 4. It was a long 10 years. Atmosphere, music, gameplay, pace, really good. Beat it in 18 hours. And wanna play it again and again.
  28. 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.
  29. monosyllabical
    Oct 16, 2014
    8
    The Evil Within was a game I purchased to experience for myself, not as some flimsy gift to quietly break down a loved one's psyche. No, this one was for me. So, fortunately, the game had finished installing just as I had finished lathering myself in lamb's blood (which is really nice, highly recommended) as a part of my pre-game ritual (this practice wasn't unique to this game, ratherThe Evil Within was a game I purchased to experience for myself, not as some flimsy gift to quietly break down a loved one's psyche. No, this one was for me. So, fortunately, the game had finished installing just as I had finished lathering myself in lamb's blood (which is really nice, highly recommended) as a part of my pre-game ritual (this practice wasn't unique to this game, rather it's a common practice for me; although, honestly, I felt rather silly doing this before playing Katamari Forever [silly prior to playing, wonderful during, just to clarify]). The game booted up (I play exclusively through a custom DOS program I designed whilst experiencing some crazed fever-dream brought on by the consumption of massive amounts of LSD and candy corn), I typed in the appropriate command prompts, and BOOM! My house exploded. Highly unfortunate. So, suffice to say, I've never played this. My family's dead, the house is gone, and my sweet, sweet X1/DOS setup is now nothing more than ashen stardust. Oh well. I still have my health (except for this accursed black lung), and my fleet of gold... Hmm... I can't seem to remember what I have a fleet of... You'd think I would since they're all plated in gold... Isn't that funny when that happens? When you can't recall the specific thing of which you have a gold-plated fleet? I slap my knee when that happens. I'll have to update my review when I remember. Anyway, who says you can't judge something, for better or worse, without ever actually having any experience with it (well, except the installation process... that counts, right?). So, the graphics. They were good. There was a bar that slowly but surely became solid green. Well-executed. There wasn't much of a story. I mean, where did this bar come from, what was it's purpose, it's drive? There was no character development, and the characterization was flat (it did, however, manage to make me smile more than once). The sound was non-existent. Honestly, I had to make my own soundtrack (a mixture of whale-calls and modernized Victorian-era smooth jazz-funk) just to fill the air with something other than the screams of my loved ones (there was a fire, I believe I mentioned that). The gameplay was a simple button mashing affair (as with most games I play, I jam the controller into my groin as hard as I can until I've either fractured my pelvic bone or achieved a milk shake [family joke, RIP]). Enjoyable, but repetitive (I mean seriously, when are developers going to truly innovate and stop making games that encourage me to abuse myself sexually? I mean, come on guys, there's more to games than just violence. Look at the Wii! So much innovation there, I'm almost embarrassed to admit the things those guys got me to do). Finally, the "X-Factor." This is something I like to put in my reviews to separate it from all the others. Just a little something I feel the uninitiated or unobservant (no offense) might not notice but deserves attention and appreciation. For The Evil Within, the "X-Factor" has to be the fact that it memorializes the death of my utterly vast family. I don't know if everyone will have the same experience I did (especially if you play it on the easier difficulty setting), but it's definitely worth mentioning. Anyway, just because I don't want to be a total tool, I have actually played this game (dropped character, whatever, it deserves a fair shake). It's good. Review, done. Family alive... BUT FOR HOW LONG!?! A while, probably. Stop reading.… Expand
  30. TISEO
    Oct 17, 2014
    8
    Ok, so I have to have my say on this one as The Evil Within has had some negative reviews, one for example was from a guy who played it twice??

    So, for me this game is a very strong title that gamers have been waiting for, for what seems like an eternity. The last survival game that was this good was Resident Evil 4, which obviously was the aim, along with creepiness of Silent Hill,    Ok, so I have to have my say on this one as The Evil Within has had some negative reviews, one for example was from a guy who played it twice??

    So, for me this game is a very strong title that gamers have been waiting for, for what seems like an eternity. The last survival game that was this good was Resident Evil 4, which obviously was the aim, along with creepiness of Silent Hill, this title gives you everything you could wish for in a Zombie environment. So what is not to like?

    The Evil Within takes no mercy on poor gamers, it has you valuing your life as death literally lurks around every corner, it has scenes of graphic content, the ominous tones add to the feel of dread. On top of this, you aren't some super human who can hide behind a rock to recover full life (like most games include now) and save points aren't granted to you every 5 seconds. Ammo is in short supply but you do have the ability to fashion arrows etc. Surely this is what we all want! Games have become too easy to complete these days and you rarely to never feel connected to the main character. The Evil Within is HARD and it wont carry useless gamers to the end. You have to get a grip and fight for your freedom and more importantly your life. I am only on chapter 4 at the moment, I have died a hand-full of times but it makes me love the game that bit more as a result. Finally a challenge worthy of a £50 price tag.

    For real gamers who like being challenged, this is for you.
    For everyone else, there is Minecraft, COD and Watchdogs :)    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
16
#16 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
17
#17 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 24
  3. Negative: 1 out of 24
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 2, 2014
    80
    Old fashioned in all the right ways (and some wrong ones too). [Issue#255, p.60]
  2. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Dec 2, 2014
    80
    The Evil Within is less genre-defining and is instead more of a spiritual successor - one that relives past glories rather than seeks out new ones. [Issue#118, p.73]
  3. games(TM)
    Nov 17, 2014
    70
    The Evil Within isn’t a return to the genre’s roots or a reinvention, but an exercise in reliving its greatest hits. It’s disappointing that Mikami has lost the wind behind his sails and there seems to be genuine creative apathy here. Nonetheless, The Evil Within is an enjoyable horror romp. It’s a shame it couldn’t be more.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »