"The Evil Within" blends the gameplay of "Resident Evil 4" with the atmosphere of "Silent Hill". A survival horror title with a steep learning curve, it will certainly test the patience of those who don't care for trial-and-error gameplay. Be prepared to die at least 100 times before you reach the ending. This 16-hour game contains a very muddled story and some unmemorable characters, but it's also a superb example of creativity. You start out in a hospital littered with slaughtered bodies and the scenarios get even crazier from there. Every level features their own unique layout and the numerous monstrosities that appear are a triumph of design. The spooky moments that occur on occasion are highly reminiscent of "Fatal Frame", but the game also contains plenty of gore that will please horror fans who love the red stuff.
The weapons and upgrade system in "The Evil Within" are straight out of "Resident Evil 4" and "The Last of Us." Unfortunately, you will not be able to max out all your attributes in just one playthrough. Additionally, you can also use stealth knife attacks or special crossbow arrows that can be formed from booby traps you disarm. As stated before, this is a horror title that keeps players on their toes with various challenges. Tough boss battles, booby trapped rooms, sniper fire and waves of enemies will test your constantly test your skill. If you manage to collect every hidden puzzle piece in the game, you'll earn a special gun. And once you complete the story, you'll be awarded with a machine gun and a rocket launcher. Unfortunately, you cannot use either of them on harder difficulty levels you have yet completed. Finishing the campaign also unlocks 3D models of every character. However, the omission of a survival horde mode is a missed opportunity since the shooting mechanic works quite well.
Overall though, "The Evil Within" is a solid action horror game. It may not be as polished as it can be, but it's very stylish, very challenging and has plenty of intense moments. In a way, it's a blending of Resident Evil 1 and 4. So if you love that series, then you'll love this. Graphically, it may not be the best looking Xbox One game (in fact it looks like a 360 title), but the gameplay is great. I'd rank it with an 8 out of 10.