Evil Dead: The Game 2022 Review

Overview

Evil Dead: The Game is promising and enjoyable, we all can agree on the right from the start at least !

From the original bland computer game (1984), to the tepid Evil Dead Regeneration (2005), the horror franchise has struggled to truly deliver the relentless, maddening, and bone chilling experience. It’s been a long time since any developer has taken a fresh stab at The Evil Dead. However, in 2022 Saber Interactive has taken another shot.

And thus, today we will be looking to the long awaited game titled Evil Dead: The Game. So without and further delay let us dive straight into it.

Plot & Storyline

Evil Dead: The Game pits Ash and his doomed friends and acquaintances against the terrors of the Kandarian Demon and its putrid, decaying soldiers, the Deadites.

Drawing inspiration from some previous horror titles such as Illfonic’s Friday the 13th: The Game, Predator: Hunting Grounds, and of course the massively popular Dead by Daylight, Evil Dead: The Game pits a party of Survivors against a single player who has his own puppets carrying out various tricks and traps.

There are in total four survivors/characters and their job is to complete a series of map-based objectives: complete the Necronomicon; find the Kandarian Dagger; resurrect the terrifying Dark Ones; and then banish them, finally sending the evil back whence it came.

The four characters have been pulled from the Evil Dead franchise. From Ash’s tormented sister Cheryl and his wanker mate Scotty, to Army of Darkness‘ Henry the Red and Lord Arthur, and, of course, modern-day Deadite mashers Kelly and Pablo from the hit show Ash vs. The Evil Dead. 

Each character their own special skills, attributes and expertise and weapons, so you ight have to play differently with different characters.

On the side of all that is unholy, the Kandarian demon can choose from a selection of equally unique demons, including classic Deadites, the skeletal army of darkness, the terrifying Eligos, and even the grotesque Henrietta, the hideous villain of Evil Dead II. In addition, the Demon can possess Survivors under certain circumstances, lay traps in trees and supply chests, and place motion-activated spawn points for their Deadites. When not controlling a specific Deadite, the Demon whizzes around in first-person, beautifully recreating Sam Raimi’s “ram-cam” effect.

Gameplay

Evil Dead: The Game is an asymmetrical multiplayer game. The game features both co-operative gameplay and player versus player (PvP) combat, abut if you wish t play the single player mode of the game you might want to consider having a proper internet connection. The game features a level-up system, as well as skill tree mechanics. Apart from that the game also features multiple maps, including the cabin in the woods (you’ll know only if you are familiar with The Evil Dead Film Series), along with over 25 weapons. Moreover the game features 4 playable survivor classes (Leaders, Warriors, Hunters and Supports), and 3 playable demons (the Warlord, the Puppeteer, and the Necromancer).

Evil Dead: The Game is surely fast-paced, chaotic, and messy, both literally and technically. While teamwork is a very essential aspect of the game during multiplayer gameplay, it can become quiet frustrating if your partner messes it up.

Players travel through the appalling map of the game, gathering weapons and melee and facing off against Deadites appear through every objective. Well-timed specials, strategic teamwork, and cleverly placed traps can turn the odds in a team’s favor, while the match breaks down and gets suitably chaotic as it reaches its climax. Chaos and disruption are the core themes of the Evil Dead series, and the game recognizes this, both for better and worse.

When not engaged in multiplayer action, Evil Dead offers up five single-player missions for some of its key characters, the completion of which unlocks new Survivors, alternate skins, and Professor Knowby’s sinister recordings. These missions are surprisingly tough, and must be completed with a single life. They also go some way to helping the player understand much of Evil Dead‘s features, from its combat and class abilities, to its use of pickups, fear meter management, and large, open-plan maps — maps that are woefully easy to get lost in.

And if you wish to learn more about the game while you are playing it then Evil Dead: The Game does feature its own tutorial, it is the mini-missions that helps you a couple basic things about the game.

As the game moves forward, it starts showing its rough terrains. While developers Saber Interactive and Player First Games should be showered with accolades for making an attempt to create an awesomely immersive and authentic Deadite experience, the game is still messed up in some areas.

Characters will find themselves tumbling through the environment, getting stuck on trees and rocks, or dizzily crashing into the scenery with a real disregard for recklessness. The game isn’t glitch free, the least to say.

Somebody playing Evil Dead: The Game on PS5 may think as if he is playing it on PS1. For Example: You have a vault button, but it’s so situational that your character will often be unable to use it to even dig a log in the ground. There is no animation for entering the vehicle, just snap and you are in. Command prompts are excruciating at times, leading to multiple instances of searching for a sweet spot to simply pick up an item or teleport into a passing car. You may have to press the button multiple times to get shit done.

Evil Dead: The Game is definitely a passion project but it wouldn’t done any harm to the developers if they hadn’t rushed and polished the game even further. The cameras are unsteady, weapon aiming is rater weak, the driving mechanics are just not impressive plus the annoying jumpscares just get on your nerves in some situations.

All in all, the gameplay has its won fare share of problems but despite all the it doesn’t fail to provide an exhilarating experience without a shadow of doubt.

Final Verdict

Evil Dead: The Game is not perfect but had the potential to become the best multiplayer horror title in 2022 only if some changes were made.

At its price point it can actually give games like Elder Ring a run for their money.

Evil Dead: The Game is an authentic and passionate recreation of a chaotic, violent, and wildly slapstick classic. Though the game deserves applause for its atmosphere and fan-pleasing references, a series of technical hiccups, unstable mechanics, and odd design choices frequently hinder this promising release. In time, Evil Dead can become something very special.