Developer: Saber Interactive
Publisher: Saber Interactive
ReleaseDate: 13th May 2022
Platforms: PlayStation (cross-buy), Xbox, Switch & PC
Reviewed on: PlayStation 5
* Code provided by the publisher *
Evil Dead: The Game is far from the first licenced foray into asymmetrical horror gaming. Friday the 13th and Predator have also had a swing at it after games like Evolve and Dead by Daylight paved the way before them. While some have found a fan base and others have died on their arse, we’ve still been waiting on one that critics properly recommend. Well, I’m here to tell you that against what I felt were some pretty decent odds, developer Saber Interactive has come through in a big way with Evil Dead.
In case you don’t know, the concept is 4 v 1 multiplayer. Playing as one of the four survivors, with options of iconic characters across all films, including multiple varients of Ash, you and your motley crew need to hunt down four pieces of a map. Following that you then need to switch your attention to the lost pages of the Necronomicon Ex Mortis and an ancient Kandarian dagger. Last up, you head off to find the Necronomicon itself and banish the Dark Ones. Sounds simple, right? Well, the two maps available at launch are huge and you’ll need every bit of your weaponry to pull it off. Keeping your Fear Meter low by sticking together and gathering matches for fires and lamps is key.
Speaking of weapons, there’s a wide array on offer. Both long and short range range, melee and more. Each weapon has a damage number, a speed (reload or swing) and a range. These need to be taken into account when trying to gather up your perfect loadout. Weapons also come in four rarities, with Common being the weakest and Legendary being the most powerful. The dismemberment and balance stats are also not to be ignored. The former is just sheer fun, while the latter can be key against tougher opponents as you try to stagger them, leaving them open to finishing moves.
As the Demon player, you have been awoken from your ancient slumber. You begin by flying around the chosen map in first-person, collecting Internal Energy to spend on summoning Deadite creatures through various portals. Possession is also a big part of the game, as you can take over these creatures to get your hands dirty, but also possess cars, trees and other objects. Cars are particularly fun because not only can you use them to try and run the survivors down, but you can also commandeer the vehicle when other players are in it, sending them off on a wild goose chase to get it back. One key to Evil Dead: The Game is that both being a survivor or the demon are genuinely fun.
Another cool mechanic is trying to raise survivors fear level via various means such as setting traps. Get a player frightened enough and you can even possess them and either have them turn on their own team, or be tactical and lead the others into danger. This was a really neat addition and again added an extra layer of depth to the gameplay that I just didn’t expect going in.
Each game you start off with a base set of stats and abilities depending on your chosen character, but as you progress through each game you’ll unlock upgrade points which can be used to bump up all manner of stats and spec your character however you like. I really enjoyed this aspect of the game, as sometimes I found myself choosing upgrades based on how the game was playing out in real time.
One downside however, is the single-player content. I feared going in that it would be an afterthought and that is absolutely the case. I do appreciate the added content, but the only reason anyone is really going to give this area the time of day is for the extra unlockables. This may sour some on a potential purchase, but I am normally one who would veer towards playing solo offline, but the games main mode is just so much fun that it overrides that for me – and may well do the same for you.
While no one is likely to be shouting from the rooftops about the graphics in Evil Dead: The Game, I was actually pretty impressed with some of the reflections and detail in the world. There’s definitely some rough edges, but overall Saber Interactive has struck the right tone. Fans of the franchise will be delighted with the wealth of characters, one-liners and brutal finishing moves. There’s no doubt that this was a game made by fans, for fans.
Obtaining the platinum trophy or 1000G is highly skill dependent. There’s lots of miscellaneous tasks like killing X amount of enemies, X amount of bosses, finishing a match with 4 Ash’s in your team etc. These will all come in time, but 30 survivor wins and especially 30 demon wins will require you to get good at the game. The level cap has been raised from 50 to 100, but the reward for reaching maximum level will still unlock once you hit 50.
Asymmetric multiplayer games live and die (pun intended) by their player base. Before launch, I would have been skeptical if this game would have had a long life span, but fans have really taken to it in a big way and with good reason – it’s great. Currently there are 2 large maps to play, with a third based on Army of Darkness coming soon. There’s also a season pass available with more planned for the future. If the team play their cards right they could have a multi-year hit on their hands.
Overall, Evil Dead: The Game blew away my expectations. As a fan of the series I was both excited and worried going in. Could an Evil Dead game would be done right in 2022? The answer is a resounding yes. This is absolutely the best example of an asymmetric multiplayer game to date and one that fans of the series and horror fans in general should check out.
-Terry 🦊
