GAME REVIEW: THE EVIL WITHIN

Enjoy the sanity that you are briefly given at the beginning of this game, because it quickly throws you into a tense, bloody world and doesn’t let you escape. Filled with zombie-esque monsters that want nothing more than to kill you in blood spewing ways, it’ll have you alert at every corner you turn.

The game starts with the main protagonist, detective Sebastian Costellanos, on his way to a mental hospital to investigate a mass killing. Shortly after arriving things go south, and rather quickly. The detective is placed in a situation with only two options, escape or die.

The Evil Within was developed by Tango Gameworks with Shinji Mikami, the creator of Resident Evil, directing the project. They didn’t hold back when it came to the atmosphere of this game. With the use of gloomy, washed out colors and an ambient soundtrack that blends very well with the environment, you’ll find yourself taking each step with care. With so many years of working on survival horror games under his belt, it comes as no surprise that Mikami knows just how to mix all the components together for a memorable gameplay experience.

The game’s excelling point is its approach to combat. For the most part you have two options when it comes to dealing with enemies. Sneak up to them for an assassination, or shoot first and ask questions never. The great thing about it is that you can’t rely too heavily on either. The game forces you to kill certain enemies before moving the story along, but rely too heavily on your weapons when dealing with small fry and you’ll find yourself quickly running out of ammunition. Luring them into traps is a good alternative as well. It’s sometimes a better option just to run, especially early on, since even the weakest enemies can kill you in only a few hits. You do have the option to use melee combat, but it is definitely a last resort as it does minimal damage (even after being upgraded).

Speaking of upgrading, there are plenty of options when it comes to buffing your abilities. Increasing maximum health, improving accuracy with your handgun, or simply making it to where  you can hold more ammo. All these and more are possible upgrades. You may be wondering how you pay for these life saving improvements and the answer is simple, green goo. You can find this resource in green jars all throughout the world and randomly from slain enemies. I found myself checking every corner of as many rooms as i could to ensure I would survive. You will have to wait until you’re in the “safe zone” to utilize this precious green goo however, making you prioritize what upgrades will help you survive until your next visit.

The on edge atmosphere, tense combat, and consistent threat of danger make this a great installment into the survival horror scene. It is a must have for any die hard fan of the genre.

SCORE: 8.6/10

-Braunsen

Picture via TheEvilWithin.com