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THE EVIL WITHIN (PS4) SEASON PASSPublisher: Bethesda Softworks.
Developer: Tango Gameworks. Released: October 2014. Genre: Survival Horror. Other versions: PS3; XONE; X360; PC. Posted 27th October 2015. By Shane Battams © 2015 |
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The Assignment
In the first of three DLC packs, we follow the exploits of Julie Kidman, a side character from the main game. Here, we focus on a couple of incidents where Kidman was separated from Sebastian and Joseph. Like the main game, it’s hard to distinguish what is real and what is warped, twisted fantasy, making it an unnerving experience. You must also make use of Kidman’s flashlight, using it to see in darker areas and highlight new paths. The atmosphere remains thick, heightened by the lack of combat, as stealth takes full force here. It’s reminiscent of Outlast, where you must avoid combat rather than instigate it. This makes The Assignment stand out from the main game, and actually lends itself to more consistency. The scares range from mild to frightening, the pursuit of a particularly disturbing enemy adds tension and Kidman feels like a character who is more relatable and interesting, particularly when the content delves into her past which was left unexplored in the main game. Overall, it’s a faithful yet distinctive add-on and, with an unlockable difficulty and a set of collectibles to gather, feels fleshed out. Certainly worth a punt. [8]
The Consequence
Continuing the story of Julie Kidman, more holes from the original game are filled in. It features the same stealth gameplay from the first expansion, but adds in some action-based sequences towards the end. Like the main game, this somewhat ruins the game’s atmosphere and scares, but at the same time, it builds into an explosive and satisfying conclusion. The protagonist remains rewardingly complex, and there are a couple of spookier moments. Like The Assignment, The Consequence also has an unlockable difficulty which puts the game into pitch-black dark, making combat sequences far tougher too. It certainly adds replayability to the otherwise shorter add-on. While The Consequence perhaps isn’t as strong as the first part of the season pass, it still adds a worthwhile chapter to the main game, and fans of The Evil Within will certainly eat it up. [7]
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The Executioner
The final part in this trilogy of expansions, The Executioner takes a very different approach. A first-person slice of murderous action, you take the role of The Keeper, one of the antagonists from the original game. Think of it as if you could play as Pyramid Head from Silent Hill. It sounds cool on paper, and unlockable weapons and upgrades should give it legs to stand on. But, it’s a short, shallow and unsatisfying piece of DLC, amounting of thirty minutes of gameplay and forcing you to replay it multiple times to unlock everything. It lacks fluidity, it can be tediously frustrating and it never feels like a lot of fun. It isn’t too bad if you think of this as an extra with the season pass, but as a standalone purchase, it’s incredibly difficult to recommend. [4]
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Though it suffers from some highs and lows, the season pass for The Evil Within is stronger overall than your usual set. The first two expansions are particularly impressive, showing more consistency and relying on the strengths to carry their interesting story. Coupled with a likable character and some intense sequences, and fans of the original game should enjoy it. Though The Executioner is pretty dire, it comes with the pass anyway, so just think of it as a free, if extremely underwhelming, extra. If you crave more of The Evil Within, you should pick up the season pass.
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