Survival Horror is a genre that keeps gamers on their toes. It’s suspenseful, scary, difficult, and downright disturbing… as long as it’s done right. Over the past few years gamers haven’t been graced with too many memorable survival horror games, but despite that Bethesda and Tango Gameworks are stepping up to the plate. The difference is The Evil Withinmight actually be shaping up to become a top contender in the disappointingly short list for this unsettling genre.
During PAX East this year, I got a chance to see a gameplay demo and it looks interesting, to say the least. The visuals are crisp and the movement within the game looks fluid. The weapons menu looks easy to use, and the monsters, of course, leave you feeling a little uneasy (at least the ones I got to see, anyway). Unfortunately, I didn’t get any hands on time with the game itself, but the gameplay and short clip (shown below) that were played at Bethesda’s booth were enough to get me onto this bandwagon.
With creator Shinji Mikami at the reins of this new release expectations are high, and from what I’ve seen they’ll be met. Mikami, known as “The Father of Survival Horror”, is back to direct what could be one of the best survival horror games to date. Mikami is the creative force behind many fan favorites including Resident Evil 4, and Devil May Cry so fans familiar with those games are sure to be eager to get their hands on this upcoming title.
In The Evil Within, you’re playing Detective Sebastian Castellanos. During the investigation of a gruesome mass murder, you and your colleagues encounter a mysterious and powerful force (what this force is, I’m not entirely sure). After seeing the slaughter of your fellow officers you’re ambushed and knocked unconscious. When you wake up, your world will never be the same. You’re surrounded by monsters eating human flesh, and the world is crumbling around you. Reality seems like a distant memory, while terror and fear have taken its place.
During the gameplay presented at PAX East, we were shown two different points. This demo really seemed to focus more on the environments and combat system more than anything else. The previous demos that I had seen really pulled me into the game. They really made me want to see more and I still do, but the demo played at the convention wasn’t the most jaw dropping.
During the first part of the demo, you’re in an elevator that suddenly begins plummeting to the floor. Eventually you hit the ground, and miraculously come to your feet. You muscle the elevator doors open just enough to see… sunlight? You’re outside? Then you start to fall again… and end up in a body of water? You muscle the doors open and swim out, to find yourself in a huge city. There’s no distinct mention of what city you’ve materialized in, but what is known is that this city it’s literally collapsing before you. Buildings are falling, and the ground is shifting before your very eyes; needless to say, a little bizarre at this point.
After some exploration and collection of supplies, you find what looks to be an A-typical zombie. They’re dressed as if they’re a human, but are not friendly or… healthy looking. It was a little disheartening to see this game go back to such an overly used horror monster, but then I thought again. This game has explained very little about the plot, and to be blunt – I had no idea what was going on. Perhaps there’s more to them than just the dead coming back to life, or a viral plague. The way the game has gone so far my guess is as good as any. All I knew is that I still want to see more, so I’m not jumping to any conclusions just yet.
A neat feature that was revealed is the alternate way of “disposal”. Players are given the opportunity to burn the bodies, provided they have the matches to do so. Could this mean monsters don’t die unless burned? That could certainly make this game more interesting, and difficult.
The second part of The Evil Within demo was basically some elaboration on the enemy that is faced in the trailer (see below), the enemy with the metal cage on his head and the axe, currently being referred to as “Boxhead”. We get to see more interaction with multiples of that same type of enemy! Yes, you read that correctly…Boxhead isn’t just one monster. You face several of him in the game itself.
The demo primarily showed the environments, basic functionality, and a general idea of what to expect. The trailer and previous demos are much more exciting than the one that was seen at PAX this year. If this demo was just to show off the environment and maneuverability of the game, then it was successful in doing so.
The game is very mysterious at this point with little to no explanation of the plot, or how our hero got into the mess he’s in. With a release date only a few months away, this game still has many survival horror fans either scratching their heads or tenaciously clinging to the edge of their seats. I happen to be one of the latter. Although opinions circling the web seem to vary, I’m still hopeful. Then again, I’ve been waiting for another survival horror game since the Dead Spacefranchise that changed my life.
Set for a release date of August 26, 2014 this new thriller will be gracing our screens sooner than later. The game is set to be released on XBox One, XBox 360, PS3, PS4, and PC so everyone should have access to what will hopefully be a refreshing staple in the survival horror genre. This game has a lot of promise, but it’s also got a few points that fans are hesitant to jump into. I’m eager to see what this new title holds, and you can look forward to hearing my 2nd Opinions on it when August rolls around. Stay tuned!
