What makes The Evil Within a cult classic?

The Evil Within is a psychological horror game that gets easily forgotten among franchises such as Outlast and Resident Evil. Shinji Mikami, creator of the first Resident Evil, collaborated with Tango Gameworks to make this title. This was one of the most overhyped titles of 2014, which received mixed reviews upon release from critics and gamers alike.

The reception from the gaming community wasn't as positive as Bethesda Softworks was expecting. However, the title still managed to get a sequel, which was released in 2017.

It's been 11 years since the first The Evil Within came out, and people's views about the game have changed a lot, with many now considering it a cult classic.

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The Evil Within was a return to classic survival horror

The narrative is truly gripping (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

While Resident Evil shifted its focus to become a more action-oriented franchise with its fifth and sixth entries, The Evil Within was a return to classic survival horror. The gripping narrative here focuses on Sebastian Castellanos, a detective investigating a mass murder case at a mental hospital. The story then throws our protagonist into scenarios where the environment plays tricks with his mind.

Sebastian is constantly struggling to differentiate between what is real and what is an illusion as he fights dangerous enemies. His investigation brings him closer to the mastermind, Ruvik, who is responsible for all the mess.

This type of psychological horror was missing from the market at the time, and now people appreciate its story, giving it the roses it deserves.

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The gameplay is easy to master for survival horror fanatics

The gameplay is simple to learn (Image via Bethesda Softworks)

The Evil Within's gameplay is pretty straightforward as it is a third-person shooter. This genre was pretty common 11 years ago, so it was easy for everybody to get into. You could upgrade Sebastian's abilities by collecting Green Gel from the game world, which would improve his stamina, aim, and weapon handling. The title also featured weapons such as a shotgun, handgun, rifle, and crossbow.

This added variety to the game, giving players control over what weapon they wanted to use. There was also a gameplay mechanic that allowed Sebastian to burn dead bodies using matches to confirm kills. This was a unique addition that added an element of unpredictability, where enemies you had killed had a chance of waking up and attacking you.

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A cult classic

A must-try for psychological horror fans (Image via Bethesda Software)

The Evil Within saw mixed reactions from players when it was first released but now sits comfortably with Very Positive reviews from critics and fans on Steam. This shows that sometimes a piece of media as great as this psychological horror can get ignored simply because it is just not its time. The player base understands the brilliance of a story and gameplay like this later, making it a cult classic.