No problem. Also note ammo loaded into each one stays loaded so be careful when reloading.
Edit -
Just thought of something with that last tidbit. You MIGHT be able to have the shotgun and the double barrel in separate quick slots. This give you more shotgun shots. Haven't tried it yet.
, i triggered him and then went up the ladder in the barn. When he climbed up i shot an explosive bolt on him, did the semi circle on the upper floor, which means i was at the opposite side of the ladder, and went out of the door there in the right. The door leads to a staircase outside that ends up next to the barn door. Went back inside the barn, waited for him to show up, went up the ladder and repeat.
I used 3 explosive bolts and a shotgun slug to get him down and it took me about 2 mins.
I'm waiting for a patch before i buy as well, there should be options like how they fixed resident evil 6 (i say fixed but you know what i mean).
I've played a friends copy but it's a mess on ps4 in terms of camera, animations and fov, everything else about the game is flat out stunning but these stupid decisions ruin an amazing looking game.
I also think i read an early preview which said you could adjust the camera when aiming your gun, not sure but it seems like this might be a resident evil 6 situation all over again, they had all these player camera options in place( would explain why we saw so many different ones) then removed them before release.
I wish such an amazing game wasn't crippled by bad choices and a bad engine, these artists clearly deserved better.
No problem. Also note ammo loaded into each one stays loaded so be careful when reloading.
Edit -
Just thought of something with that last tidbit. You MIGHT be able to have the shotgun and the double barrel in separate quick slots. This give you more shotgun shots. Haven't tried it yet.
I'm up to Chapter 3, but did anyone else find Chapters 2-3 to be very disorienting? With no map, I frequently got lost in the "dark, misty outdoors" setting.
Otherwise, I'm having fun! At first I thought the game was too unforgiving, but it's nice to actually be scared/wary around even ordinary bad guys.
Combat is very satisfying. And yes, I agree, the art direction in this, at least for the environments, is top notch.
Not a fan of how "what the fuck is going on" the game is right now, but I assume it'll be explained...at some point.
So the one thing I can say now about the game seeing all the different reactions to it, is that if you have any interest in the slightest for those still not playing. Be sure to get your hands on it at some point cause the results in the thread have been interesting.
Over the last few days the thread has been like this:
Chapter 1 and 2 blow, Chapter 6,7 were awesome.
Chapter 1 and 2 were just fine. Chapter 6 and 7 blow.
Combat sucks.
Combat is fun and intense.
Stealth sucks.
Stealth moments are fun and tense.
Boss battles are killer.
Boss battles kill me so much I'm frustrated and they suck.
I love having low or no ammo.
I hate feeling screwed with no ammo.
The black bars suck, can you remove them?
The black bars I barely notice.
The framerate is HORRIBLE.
The framerate is unstable at times but not bad.
There is more, but I think you get the point. This game def has a very, very polarizing output for the majority of users (at least as far as GAF is concerned.) So if you have any interested in The Evil Within. Give it a shot. You might love it, you might hate it, but just going by what folks say here.... it's a roller coaster.
Got the game last night and played up until chapter 3. Not very positive impressions so far, unfortunately.
The frame rate is fucking atrocious( and I'm not someone who usually freaks out about dips), the film - grain effect is completely unessecary (and I'm very happy I was able to turn it off) and the restricted FoV doesn't do anything but make the game more confusing and less enjoyable. And I understand the scarcity of resources thing -- trying to make you feel helpless and desperate, but here it's just aggravating. For the record I loved Re4, re5, and even a good portion of re6. Maybe, hopefully, the gane will change my mind as I progress -- I really want to love it.
Chapter 1 and 2 were just fine.
Combat is fun and intense.
Stealth moments are fun and tense.
Boss battles are killer.
I have tons of ammo and supplies, because I abuse the checkpoints.
The black bars I barely notice.
The framerate is HORRIBLE.
There is more, but I think you get the point. This game def has a very, very polarizing output for the majority of users (at least as far as GAF is concerned.) So if you have any interested in The Evil Within. Give it a shot. You might love it, you might hate it, but just going by what folks say are here.... it's a roller coaster.
Actually, now I wonder if I was so disoriented in parts of 2 and 3 because of the aspect ratio and/or FOV. I asked my friend "where am I/where do I need to go?" at least three times.
Man, what a terrifying little village. Had to clean out everything before trying to fight the Sadist, but I really love how you get to use traps to your advantage, baited him into one of the houses, put two shotgun shells into his gut to stun him and then used the spike trap to finish him off, fantastic
Man, what a terrifying little village. Had to clean out everything before trying to fight the Sadist, but I really love how you get to use traps to your advantage, baited him into one of the houses, put two shotgun shells into his gut to stun him and then used the spike trap to finish him off, fantastic
of the harpoon trap lever and that was it. Surprised the shit out of me, must have been perfect timing, but I couldn't see where the harpoons landed because I sprinted away as soon as I pulled the lever.
As soon as he burst out of the cage, I just ran straight to the harpoon room, through the window, and got him as he was coming up the steps.
Man, what a terrifying little village. Had to clean out everything before trying to fight the Sadist, but I really love how you get to use traps to your advantage, baited him into one of the houses, put two shotgun shells into his gut to stun him and then used the spike trap to finish him off, fantastic
They're easy. 1 Harpoon Bolt + 1 Match. Line up the Agony Crossbow with a puddle of water and wait for it to walk over it.
If you disarm the traps instead of throwing bottles at them, or whatever, you should be swimming in enough parts to make a small army's supply worth of Harpoon Bolts.
Ive decided in chapter 3 the only way I can kill him is with the knife. Tried to stealth kill hom so many times in chapter 1, only for him to turn around and decapitate me.
One of my few complaints (I just started Ch.10) is: Boss Battles are too easy (Survival Mode). I think I only died 2-3 times during all boss battles up to this point. And that because I tried some stupid stuff (getting collectables and saving ammo^^). Had a much harder time in other games^^
But that could be because:
I practically never use the crossbow during the chapters and disarm all traps for crafting materials. When a bossfight rolls around I pump the suckers full of bolts ... or run away because you can't hurt them^^
Think I stopped in Ch. 3 before going to work today. Having trouble
with the gang of enemies after the doctor runs off. Little to no ammo and dealing with a sniper and bunch of melee. Game really throws you into the deep end in this section with no gradual ramp. Not complaining but I guess I need to really re-examine my options before tackling that again.
My only problems so far are the camera and performance (ps4). Really dig the atmosphere and weird shit going on.
Think I stopped in Ch. 3 before going to work today. Having trouble
with the gang of enemies after the doctor runs off. Little to no ammo and dealing with a sniper and bunch of melee. Game really throws you into the deep end in this section with no gradual ramp. Not complaining but I guess I need to really re-examine my options before tackling that again.
My only problems so far are the camera and performance (ps4). Really dig the atmosphere and weird shit going on.
Grab the Agony Crossbow in the house to the sniper's right, then he goes down in, I think, 2 Harpoons, which are much more accurate than trying to get 2-3 headshots off with the pistol from a distance or whatever
Think I stopped in Ch. 3 before going to work today. Having trouble
with the gang of enemies after the doctor runs off. Little to no ammo and dealing with a sniper and bunch of melee. Game really throws you into the deep end in this section with no gradual ramp. Not complaining but I guess I need to really re-examine my options before tackling that again.
My only problems so far are the camera and performance (ps4). Really dig the atmosphere and weird shit going on.
Stealth your way around until the house on the right - you might have to eat a sniper shot for that. Go to the second floor and shoot through the window on the corridor to take out the sniper without alerting others.
There are two levers, one on the steps, and one in the far back corner of the room adjacent to the back-side window that shatters and breaks (to give you a shortcut). If you know your route, you can run around in circles and use both levers effectively.
Most people are saying times between 12 and 15 hours. I'm nearing the end of the game now and it looks like it's going to run about 15. If you can enjoy a game for just its gameplay design and don't mind a story that's not all that intriguing and technical hiccups I would say it's worth getting.
I have read 15 to 20 hours...I would recommend if you liked RE4,if you arent easily frustrated because in general,people die a lot in this game,and if you dont mind average graphics(but with good art direction and locations)with some framerate issues at times...the game is hard,even on normal.
I bought The Evil Within at a GameStop last night (first mistake.)
I walk in and the conversation goes like this:
ME: Hey, can I get Evil Within on PS4?
GSClerk: Oh, man if my ASM were here, she'd tell you that game sucks.
ME: Ok. (Not Really? Or Oh? Because I don't care...)
GSClerk: Yeah, she was saying it was way too hard. There are, like, rooms where they put you up against like three enemies, but only give you three bullets.
ME: (face twitching, resisting the urge to tell him that maybe his ASM should git gud) Well, I beat Dark Souls 1 & 2, so it really can't be any harder than that.
(I turn to walk out of the store)
GSClerk: Yeah, but Dark Souls is all about fighting and learning patterns. This is like...they only give you three bullets.
ME: (Withering glare) Right...
Seriously, you're going to batter me with your second-hand accounts of the game being too tough even after I've been super frosty about your...what would you even call that? An anti-recommendation? Just sell me my bloody game.
Having played through Chapter 3, if she ended up in a situation where she was in a room with three guys and only had three bullets, she put herself there. It's called Survival Horror for a reason.
Ok, just had to get that out of my system. So annoying.
I bought The Evil Within at a GameStop last night (first mistake.)
I walk in and the conversation goes like this:
ME: Hey, can I get Evil Within on PS4?
GSClerk: Oh, man if my ASM were here, she'd tell you that game sucks.
ME: Ok. (Not Really? Or Oh? Because I don't care...)
GSClerk: Yeah, she was saying it was way too hard. There are, like, rooms where they put you up against like three enemies, but only give you three bullets.
ME: (face twitching, resisting the urge to tell him that maybe his ASM should git gud) Well, I beat Dark Souls 1 & 2, so it really can't be any harder than that.
(I turn to walk out of the store)
GSClerk: Yeah, but Dark Souls is all about fighting and learning patterns. This is like...they only give you three bullets.
ME: (Withering glare) Right...
Seriously, you're going to batter me with your second-hand accounts of the game being too tough even after I've been super frosty about your...what would you even call that? An anti-recommendation? Just sell me my bloody game.
Having played through Chapter 3, if she ended up in a situation where she was in a room with three guys and only had three bullets, she put herself there. It's called Survival Horror for a reason.
Ok, just had to get that out of my system. So annoying.
I've currently got an excess of ammo because I've been using matches and the environment as best I can. Problem is I just entered chapter 6 and the part I just got past had me use most of my matches.
I've also got pistol crit maxed out thanks to all the gel I got from the special keys, popping heads left and right. I'm guessing I'll need something that actually does damage for bosses at some point, so I might upgrade harpoons or explosive bolts. Unless I find a sniper rifle or something. Also I've used most of my trap parts on flash bolts, so good.
Man, what a terrifying little village. Had to clean out everything before trying to fight the Sadist, but I really love how you get to use traps to your advantage, baited him into one of the houses, put two shotgun shells into his gut to stun him and then used the spike trap to finish him off, fantastic
My plan was to use the spike trap but I underestimated how fast he could sprint. Damn near shit my pants when he ran up and hit me out of the animation. He didn't quite kill me, I panicked and ran off to an adjoining room with nothing but 1 explosive bolt to my name. I figured why not just try one more shot, and it was enough.
My plan was to use the spike trap but I underestimated how fast he could sprint. Damn near shit my pants when he ran up and hit me out of the animation. He didn't quite kill me, I panicked and ran off to an adjoining room with nothing but 1 explosive bolt to my name. I figured why not just try one more shot, and it was enough.
From the second floor shoot him. When her breaks free and chases you, go into the nook that leads outside with a ladder. You can press the action button once and sit on the ladder. When he chases and climbs down the ladder you can clip through him going up. Enter the barn and hide to the right. For me, he always walked by and I could back stab him. Rinse and repeat.
It was way too easy to just aim the shotgun at him and walk backwards, you didn't have to break your step as he'd stop to swing at you and he'd always start his attack too early. So you could always walk out of range and just shotgun his face.
The black bars are pretty annoying on the PS4... but I've been dealing with them.
However, why for the love of god can't they render the UI in the black bar area? Why is it popping up in the incredibly cramped and limited viewable area?
There is literally 35% of the screen not being used, and they never thought "hey, let's put the UI in there".
I've run into a few situations where Sebastian isn't able to aim low enough to hit what I'm trying to shoot at. The cursor just stops when you should expect to still be able to aim a bit lower, had to restart a few times because I forced myself into a situation where that fucked me.
Sebastian has no problem aiming left, right, and up, but has a hell of a lot of trouble looking down. It's weird.
The Evil Within is like Frankenstein's Monster. Powerful, confident, not much of a conversationalist, and obviously seamed together from a large variety of sources. It Lives, as the good doctor would say, but it helps to squint when you look at it and forgive its flaws.
The core game design is like B-tier Last of Us + Resident Evil 4. Sebastian, the main character, is a clumsy guy who sneaks verrrry slowly and has maybe 3 seconds of sprint before he has to stop and take a nap. Weapons are mostly standard: pistol, shotgun, rifle, grenades, etc with one rather unique one in the Crossbow. The Crossbow can be fitted with several different arrow types depending on the situation, such as Flash arrows for group stuns or Ice arrows that let you shatter most enemies with a single blow. Due to scarce resources and aforementioned clumsy guy status, TEW encourages exploring for goodies, stealth kills, and smart environmental utilization. If seven zombies show up, its probably best if you lure them into the proximity bomb trap instead of wasting precious ammo. Or maybe just run away! There are a variety of options, but even late in the game, you always one mistake away from eating a lot of damage or having to use up your weapons. Your initially weak state is the basis for an upgrade system that can really change how you approach the game. Do you try to get your sprint to non-pathetic levels immediately, or maybe push towards that valuable Crit Chance for your pistol? Its something you're always building towards throughout the entire game, slowly powering up but never quite becoming a super hero.
The game keeps you on your toes by never letting you get comfortable in any of its chapters. The narrative device of Ruvik, the main antagonist with mysterious powers natch, is like being trapped in the mind of Shinji Mikami, who indulges in all the various horror-themed level ideas he had lying around his head the past couple decades.
As soon as you get through a night time, stealth version of the Village from RE4, you're whisked away to brightly lit big action chapters with an (surprisingly competent) AI buddy, climaxing with the grey ogres from RE4 in a tight cemetery. There's a stage where you have to get though a door with multiple keys, so you proceed to and fro through, killing enemies and avoiding traps while big boss guy randomly stalks like the Krauser fight from RE4. There's a boss that soaks up damage from your regular weapons, so its much better to use the red barrels and lever-pulling traps around the environment to kill it like RE4.
Ok so clearly The Evil Within won't win points for originality, but even if Mikami is simply shuffling his deck of greatest hits, the game is filled with good ideas for level and encounter design, leading to a game with strong, varied pacing throughout its lengthy runtime.
The presentation is a mixed bag. On one hand, TEW has a great art design throughout. Mental hospitals and ancient tombs alike employ spectacular lighting effects filled with ominous dust particles. The large variety of enemies all look wonderfully evil, and the gore upon their deaths are simply spectacular, in the truest sense of the word. On the other hand however, the game is under 30fps more times than isn't, and has a really narrow FOV that, when combined with its "cinematic" letterboxing, tight camera placement, somewhat janky animations and finicky contextual interactions, it can definitely pull you out the experience.
I haven't mentioned the story because there isn't much of one. The characters all speak in clipped, stilted sentences with a early PS2 "translated from Japanese to English" cadence. They have an detached emotional distance to all the wacky events, which in combination with the lack of clear motivations or strong narrative drive leaves the story fragmented and enigmatic. Worse yet, because of the haphazard jumping around, it leaves the environments feeling more like theme park ride attractions than real, tangible places you backtrack through like RE1's mansion or the castle from RE4.
But its quite the theme park ride if you can get on-board. The Evil Within is a sharply designed action game, delivering a variety of horror-themed thrills to those who can look past its B-movie jank and derivative nature.
8/10
tl;dr version:
+Strong core game design that balances stealth/survival elements with big visceral action
+Stuffed with good, if unoriginal, ideas for level and encounter design, strong and varied pacing for a 12+ hour action game
+Art design is fantastic...
-...if you can get past the layers of B-game jankery and idtech5 failures
-Story is ***_****** tier
-Not even a little scary. Like, at all.
