Review Roundup: The Evil Within

The new horror game from Shinji Mikami, creator of Resident Evil, is here but what did the critics make of it? Did the blood-spattered tale give them the willies or just make them wary?

“A masterwork of absolute insanity” is how Game Informer describes the game in its 9/10 review. “The Evil Within excels at keeping your palms sweaty while delivering a harrowingly rewarding gameplay trial,” it concludes. “Watching the credits roll with a sigh of relief doesn’t feel like winning; it feels like surviving.”

“Brutal, challenging, and remarkably fun” declares IGN, awarding an 8.7 score. “While its story ends up buckling under its own ambition,” it says, “there is little here that takes away from the joy of experiencing survival horror under the steady hand of a master of the craft”.

Videogamer.com is also impressed with Mikami's deft genre hand. “Mikami, more than perhaps anyone, understands that the secret to gunplay and enemy encounters is crafting weapons that are actually tools, with specific functions, not just bang-bang power fantasies,” reads the 8/10 review. “The Evil Within's environments are cramped, dangerous, and oppressive. But they're also that to your enemies. Best laid plans will often go wrong, but the maxim remains: use your weapons and items wisely.”

The Evil Within is out now on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.