Evil Dead: The Game Xbox Series X Review

It's no exaggeration to say that the Evil Dead movie franchise is a classic in the horror genre. Iconic director Sam Raimi's low-budget trilogy is full of authenticity, daring, and ingenuity, which we still consume today for the bizarreness of the films. Following such a legacy, the Evil Dead: The Game, a multiplayer action horror, was developed by Saber Interactive and published by Boss Team Games. A few years ago, the series had a role in the popular video game Dead by Daylight for supplementary material. Incorporating the Evil Dead IP to its maximum extent and emphasizing both ranged and melee action, the developers have created something that is both engaging and entertaining. There are also a few slip-ups along the road, but optimism won't do anybody any harm in this situation.

 

If the prospect of having to repeatedly play the same kind of online games to advance your characters does not put you off, which, let's face it, is still the case with the vast majority of multiplayer games, then Evil Dead: The Game will not let you down. The gameplay is somewhat enjoyable; there are a lot of connections to the movies in the series, the visuals are good, the demonic monsters and the music are both quite spooky, and the knockouts have a nice amount of horror in them. It would have been more pleasing if the game had a genuine single-player campaign, but the fact that Saber Interactive somewhat avoids the idea. Since Evil Dead: The Game is primarily a multiplayer game and, as a result, lacks an actual storyline, which does not detract from its connection to the movie franchise. Everything from menus to locations to objects to weaponry to music resembles the movie. Simply perusing the roster of characters who the player can control should be enough to persuade anybody of this beyond a reasonable doubt.

In the same tradition as its spiritual predecessors, the gameplay of Evil Dead: The Game loop pairs four survivors against one player who controls the demons. These survivors comprise classic Evil Dead characters such as Ash and his sister Cheryl and Ash vs. Evil Dead's Kelly and Pablo. An essential tutorial teaches you to play the game's most fundamental pieces. Finding the Necronomicon and the Kandarian Dagger, then employing both of these items to expel the Dark Ones, and lastly defending the Necronomicon from an impending attack by demons are the five steps that the survivors need to execute to finish the ritual. Each of these steps must be completed in order. To achieve these tasks, survivors will need to use a combination of their strength, intellect, and special abilities to fight off waves of demonic creatures. While playing alone, each player's fear meter builds, encouraging them to stay together as a group. The best way to survive is by remaining in a group and locating a place with lights or starting a fire.

 

As far as demons are concerned, there are twenty-two heroes and anti-heroes that one may embody, making the total number of potential incarnations twenty-two. Each of them belongs to a class that provides a different gameplay diversity. They each have a unique ability and a sizable tree of attainable upgrades. Kandar is the human side's Leader, Warrior, Hunter, and Supporter, while the demon side's Warchief, Puppeteer, and Necromancer are their respective roles. Even while most players will probably be pleased to max out only two or three characters they like playing, it will take them a significant amount of time to develop every character in the game. For this purpose, it is required to rack up as many experience points as is humanly feasible by triumphing in as many games as possible.

The game mode and the main character, Ash Williams, who was played in the movies by Bruce Campbell and had to cut off his demon-possessed hand in the second part, are both distinct. To counter the zombie-like creatures that populate the Evil Dead world, he installed a chainsaw on the left side of his body instead. It's pretty much the most common theme throughout the game. The four survivors attempting to make it through the night don't necessarily have the same connection to the legions of zombies slobbering for their necks. However, the interaction between the player parties is essentially what an asymmetric multiplayer game means: the four players battle against one evil player.

The gameplay is straightforward, similar to other titles in the same genre. Buttons for a swift assault, heavy strike, and firing. It's best to avoid putting ourselves in a situation where our opponents have the advantage of surrounding us; hence it is best to engage in close quarters combat whenever possible. The players' characters each have a set of passive abilities that assist them during the games. When we play more, our character levels up, and when we get to level 10 or level 25, we'll have more room in our ability tree for new abilities. In the course of the scenarios, we will come into possession of a drink that has the potential to improve our stats inside the same game. This drink will, among other things, increase our health, endurance, and fear levels.

 

We will discover various items in each scenario, including charms, guns, ammo, health and improvement drinks, and matches. Matches are used to ignite light sources, reducing our levels of anxiety. It is crucial to avoid the second option since it makes the character more susceptible to being possessed by the demon and more likely to die. It is more enjoyable to manage the survivors, even though we will effectively perform the same thing in each round we play. When we were the demon, our mobility was severely restricted since we needed to gather the black orbs not located close to each other. These have more alternatives for movement, while we had fewer choices when we were the demon.

The demon's power grows with these tricks in play while the opposing team's members are terrorized. It's a compelling combination. Things get interesting at this stage since if a character is scared, you may temporarily take control of them and use them against their allies' interests. More than that, it's possible to enslave the surviving humans and the many creatures that roam the map as a demon. Even Warlords, powerful monsters, may be used to sabotage the remaining enemy troops. Playing an undead character, the battles might be a little untidy. The player may feel like they are typing into nothingness because of the antagonist's lack of finish-moves.

There is a single-player option if multiplayer isn't your thing. As Ash, Pablo, and Arthur, you'll experience some of the most memorable scenes from the series. It's a short series of assignments with a few rewards. Even while the single-player missions are enjoyable, it's clear that the game was designed for multiplayer play. As for the primary single-player mode, it's an homage to everything we've seen in the series, but with some creative deviations taken to suit the intended paradigm. The gameplay system indeed promotes fighting in wide-open places, making it more challenging to play in enclosed locations like basements or other well-known settings. However, the Missions mode is a fascinating method to go back and revisit situations that are associated with emotions and memories.

 

There is a variety of ranged and melee weaponry and amulets that can replenish your shield and shops that sell soda that can fill your life meter, strewn over the map in the form of homes and other buildings. Both demons and survivors benefit from a per-run upgrading system. Devils acquire levels via actions, and players must discover supply crates that give upgrade points for each survivor. Finding a solid group comp may make the early stages of a demon fight much easier if you're dealing with an under-leveled opponent. In the approximately 15 hours I've spent playing thus far, the survivors have only lost a few times, all against demon players whose characters were meta-leveled outside of matches.

However, there are certain flaws with Evil Dead: The Game. With only two cards, the game's potential isn't quite as significant as it might be. Thanks to their size, their rather haphazard arrangement, and the surroundings in which they are found are incredibly effective. In terms of gameplay, it's not perfect either. Having a camera that regularly freezes in tight quarters is a real pain. Consequently, we are likely to engage in button bashing to expect things to return to normal shortly. To make matters worse, if the character's location isn't good, it might take forever to get into a vehicle or revive a teammate, wasting precious time and perhaps even a game or mission. Same thing if you're attempting to break into a residence somehow when the simplest of obstacles may prevent us from making your way through a building. It's the same for both survivors and demons; however, the limitations of monsters are far more aggravating. This is a serious flaw, and we expect it to be fixed in future updates.

In Evil Dead: The Game, the evolution might continue for quite a while after reaching the end. Your odds of victory significantly enhance if you make any advancement, whether with Survivors or Demons. The problem is that there isn't a lot of depth to the matches. It takes a significant amount of time to level up, and because most of the games are pretty similar, the experience may get repetitive very soon. The most exciting aspect of the two different multiplayer modes is unquestionably taking control of the demon. It's a lot of fun to set up enemy traps, leap scare other players, and take control of automobiles so you can drive them over.

 

With its visual design that is densely atmospheric and its nice lighting effects, the game achieves a certain level of accomplishment on the technical front. On top of that, the frame rate on Xbox Series X is silky smooth and free of distracting judders. But technology isn't only about visuals; it also includes excellent sound. If you have the correct equipment or headphones, you'll have no trouble finding attackers striking from behind. Though sometimes it's annoying when the opponent groans, you cannot quickly discern where it is coming from. This is not to say other factors don't influence that faithfulness. In comparison to the original, Evil Dead: The Game's main flaw is a lack of personality, making it difficult for me to rebuild an emotional connection with the characters. That humorous environment of provocative comments among foes, even the demonic ones, before the devastation begins, lacks that silly nonsense that drives all the comic aspects that is also an essential component of Ash's brand.

You won't get lost in the controls since, for instance, there aren't a variety of different attack combinations to learn. A good thrashing is all you have to do, and then, as the icing on the cake, a finisher may be activated by pressing the button once more. Despite this, there is much room for improvement in the fighting system. When you thoroughly destroy an opponent, none of your other fighters will be able to do any harm to him. This holds for the different viewpoints as well. If you have many opponents around you, the camera, which is positioned a little bit too closely, might also create confusion. Not to mention the cramped conditions of the gloomy woodland cabins.

 

Evil Dead: The Game is for franchise fans, and those who like games that need players to work together to complete objectives will treasure it. While there is space for improvement across the board, the game is still a gratifying experience right out of the gate. Although taking control of the demon has some exciting challenges, it's more entertaining to play as the survivors. Finding the various map pieces is laborious and time-consuming, although the goals do not alter. It's an enriching and pleasant experience, mainly when playing with more people and, ideally, acquaintances, since building a collaborative team without discussion is futile and a guaranteed formula for failure. Playing with more people also makes the game more challenging, so playing with acquaintances is ideal. The dynamic shifts when we go to the multiplayer option, provided we can reach a consensus. We can only hope that this is a game that will manage to endure for the long term.
 

Azfar Rayan (@AzfarRayan)
Editor, NoobFeed