The game offers the first of two scheduled additional episodes for The Evil Within, and the story features a new protagonist and a furry new companion to boot. The Evil Within: The Assignment offers a solid three hour campaign that expands upon the original narrative of The Evil Within with new missions that completely change the way players experience the game. The Evil Within: The Assignment is worth a download, and players may want to pick up the game's Season Pass to gain access to all upcoming DLC for the game when downloading The Evil Within: The Assignment.
Players take control of Juli Kidman in The Evil Within: The Assignment. The character was introduced as a mysterious partner for the main game's star Sebastian Castellanos. The character's new starring role allows players to learn Juli's connection with the Mobius and what happened to her after her disappearance in the main game. The character is voiced by Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter, who makes the character very likable and one of the most believable character in the entire game. A lot of Juli's backstory is told through audio recordings, which can be a bit annoying, but the story is an overall rewarding experience that fans will want to uncover for themselves.
Even more jarring than the changing of the game's playable character in The Evil Within: The Assignment is the new gameplay. Juli is armed with little more than a flashlight, so the character ends up running from enemies and hiding in lockers to avoid enemies rather than fighting with guns and fire. The character spends the majority of the campaign unarmed, so these tactics will be used constantly all while attempting to sneak past enemies in the dark undetected. The change is drastic but makes the new DLC feel completely new and refreshing.
The Evil Within: The Assignment includes some new enemies for players to encounter, but most are handled in the same way as all enemies in the new campaign. Lockers are possibly player's best friend in the new DLC if it isn't the furry new feline companion that crosses paths with Juli many times through the new story. Juli is allowed to sit down, pet the cat and let out a sign of relief to save progress in the new game. It's a cool way for players to save their game that hasn't really been seen in the video game industry before.
The game's graphics haven't been improved much for The Evil Within: The Assignment, but the environments have changed a bit. Players will find a greater use of selective lighting that casts an ambient glow over many rooms and hallways throughout the new campaign. The shadows are used to keep Juli hidden from enemies, but they also act as a way to make players feel uneasy throughout the survival horror missions where players can't really fight back. As previously mentioned, Jennifer Carpenter steps up and provides a great voiceover for Juli that makes the character shine in her starring role. The same creepy sound effects and themes make its way into the campaign to provide an immersive and frightening atmosphere to survive in.
The Evil Within: The Assignment is well worth a download for fans of the original game. The title is available for only $9.99 by itself or $19.99 in the Season Pass, which will also include the second episode of DLC scheduled for the game. Juli makes a great impression in her first starring role, and fans will love learning more about the protagonist's background and story not shown in the main game. The Evil Within: The Assignment offers a new way to play the game, where running and hiding is encouraged over fighting with the firearms and instant kill melee attacks available in the original campaign. The Evil Within: The Assignment is dark, scary and always entertaining. Look for The Evil Within: The Assignment out now on PlayStation Network, Xbox LIVE and Steam.
The Evil Within: The Assignment is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 & PC and can be purchased for $9.99 or $19.99 with Season Pass. The Evil Within is rated M by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence & Strong Language. For more information on the game, check out the official The Evil Within website.
Game Features:
- Single Player
- Available for Individual Download or Season Pass
- New Protagonist and Survival Horror Gameplay
- Two-Part Series
- Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Platforms: PlayStation 4 (reviewed), PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360 & PC
Release Date: March 9, 2015