The Evil Within: A Preview Into Madness

The Evil Within is a psychological survival-horror title from Tango Gameworks, an up-and-coming development studio that was recently acquired by ZeniMax Media. The impending release is the genius of famed Japanese game designer, Shinji Mikami, an individual that has already had a hand in reshaping the survival-horror genre. Mikami was a powerful figure for Capcom, and served as an executive producer for game series like Viewtiful Joe, Ace Attorney, and Devil May Cry. But Mikami’s most impressive credentials come from his work as creator and director of the Resident Evil franchise.

Mikami saw much success with Resident Evil and left Capcom in 2010 to form his own company, Tango Gameworks. Resident Evil 4, what is arguably one of the best titles in the series, was that last RE release that Mikami worked on. Tango Gameworks opened with only 13 employees, but that number would soon grow to 65. Mikami was hopeful to have around 100 designers working within the company, but will have to settle for a smaller number for the time being. The developer has received its first project, The Evil Within, which will take Mikami back to his survival-horror roots.

The Evil Within was first teased back in April of 2013, when publisher Bethesda Softworks unveiled a series of cryptic video snippets. Flashes of barbwire and the subtle sounds of a gramophone transported players back to an older time, and many considered the possibility of a new Fallout release, thanks to the Bethesda name. It wasn’t until later that the company unveiled a live-action teaser trailer for The Evil Within.

We have uncovered a little about the plot, which is eerie albeit a little “predictable.” Players will control Sebastian Castellanos, a detective who is called to the scene of a gruesome mass murder, along with his partners, Joseph Oda and Julie Kidman. What Detective Castellanos doesn’t know is that a powerful evil is lying in wait, and upon arrival he witnesses the slaughter of many of his fellow officers. During this struggle he is attacked and knocked unconscious, later waking in a monster-filled world that is littered with terrifying creatures and horrific locales.

The original teaser trailer doesn’t give us much information on the upcoming release, and honestly a lot of gamers were in-the-dark about what to expect with this title until an extended gameplay trailer was released back in September 2013. The video below follows the protagonist as he wakes up, dangling from the ceiling like a side of beef, blood dripping slowly and rhythmically from a small wound in his arm. Just moments later we’re greeted by the face of an unknown monster, human-like in appearance and grunting unintelligibly as it hacks away at one of its unfortunate victims.

It’s creepy, feeding off the fear of waking up in an unknown place, surrounded by death and completely vulnerable without a means to defend yourself. It’s theatrical, more like a movie than a Resident Evil release, and the remainder of the scene follows the hero as he runs for his life from a psychotic chainsaw-wielding maniac.

The gameplay video is split into two separate scenes, the Prologue, and something called the “Perth House.” The ending of the Prologue has Detective Castellanos bursting through two double-doors to freedom, only to be met with a massive caldera. The cavernous depression in the streets is flanked by a towering, protruding landscape, complete with toppled skyscrapers and devastated vehicles. It’s very agoraphobic, and reminiscent of Silent Hill’s fog-filled streets, where roads simply vanished, or dropped off into dark, endless pits.

From a combat standpoint it resembles Resident Evil 4 in both form and function. Lots of intricate, creepy details like dynamic lighting effects add to the immersion of the title. Detective Castellanos and has a handgun and numerous tools to defend himself with. It appears that The Evil Within takes influence of not only Resident Evil but survival aspects from newer survival horror titles where players can choose stealth over combat.

The Evil Within is shaping up to be a great addition to the horror-survival genre, and hopefully we will get more information about the title soon. We do know the release is set for sometime in 2014.