2) The Evil Within
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Genre: Third-Person Survival Horror
Available For: PS3, Xbox 360, PC, Playstation 4 & Xbox One
Release Date: TBC 2014
Straddling two generations like Watch Dogs before it, Shinji Mikami’s return to survival horror will be available on two versions of Sony and Microsoft’s consoles. Mind you, unlike the visually sumptuous urban locales of Watch Dogs, The Evil Within will take place in a dark, fear-inducing underworld. Players will peer anxiously over Sebastian’s shoulder for Mikami’s latest horror entry – which retains the familiarly claustrophobic third person point-of-view – a detective lost in a nightmarish realm after being knocked unconscious at the scene of a gruesome mass murder. With a minimalist HUD display and some truly arresting gore on show, The Evil Within doesn’t just ask for your attention, it absolutely demands for it.
In building a tense, visceral experience, the studio has crafted a game that not only hopes to serve as a faithful entry into the horror genre, but one that isn’t shy to turn the fear factor up to 11. Mikami’s mission to recapture the essence of survival horror is rather amiable. Particularly when you consider the recent track records of Resident Evil and Dead Space, which have each deviated from their initial promise of terror by veering towards the action genre. Diluting a franchise in favour of a broader audience is a tactic that Mikami is not fond of, particularly with his own beloved Resident Evil – in fact, since 5 and 6, the director has expressed his disappointment with the series’ tendency to ape Hollywood action.
Leaving crass, overused explosions at the wayside, The Evil Within seems to blend old school horror with an emphasis on providing a unique experience for the player. Limited ammo combined with shrill, unnerving music will surely induce a feeling of vulnerability and when it comes to Mikami’s latest terrorizing creation, it looks like the Japanese designer is poised to have our nerves on a razor’s edge once again. And hey, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
What we want to know:
- Will the game take place exclusively in the nightmarish asylum?
- Is there an emphasis on player choice? And how much does it affect the experience on a player-to-player basis?
E3 2013 Hype-o-meter: 9/10
Continue reading on the next page…