Tango Gameworks release the penultimate DLC episode for their horror based The Evil Within action game on consoles and PC entitled The Consequence which is available now for the low price of £6.99. With some chilling scenes and lots of surreal visuals is this stealth based horror game worth investing in? Take a look at our The Evil With The Consequence review for the full picture.
The Evil Within The Consequence Review:
Today we’re taking a look at the second DLC episode for Tango Gameworks and Shinji Mikami’s The Evil Within The Consequence which is available now across consoles and PC and offers an extended few hours of mind bending gameplay to sink your teeth into. Once again players assume the role of agent Juli Kidman as she strives to complete her shady mission whilst intertwining the events of the main game.
Without going into the details to avoid spoilers what has to be said the imagery is top quality in the two chapters ‘Illusion’ and ‘A ghost is born’. There’s less emphasis on gore and a distinct contrast with warping visuals combined with abstract surrealism. To keep things rooted in realism we venture across familiar looking locations such as a hospital lobby a crumbling sky scraper and even a quick section that reminisces on the old mansion theme. With such a visual treat on offer it’s really hard to have to comment negatively about the rest of the game because being honest some of the gameplay elements are sketchy.
Aside from the work of art that is the visuals, the gameplay once again relies on stealth with the odd puzzle thrown in. The stealth works for the most part but there are several what the hell moments where you’re going to be killed over and over due to poor controls and simply dodgy encounters where trail and error (amongst a few deaths) reigns supreme. They mar the overall experience and even when given a hefty shotgun in the last portion of the story Mikami obviously sticks two fat fingers up at gamers and says now survive this you bastards. You can’t until you’ve died a few times and figured out what to do then it becomes like child’s play. However it’s the distinct you have to die first that makes it frustrating and painful to bear.
Most of the journey through the game is subdued and leans heavily on its grandiose visual quality making it a fun and pleasant ride for those who can refrain from chucking the controller at the TV. It has to be repeated that the lighting, use of colour tones and overall ambience is awesome and really shows a creative passion for pandering to a sensory overload in the player.
The audio isn’t as dramatic although there are some solid performances from the characters despite the dialogue not being overly drawn out which is a good thing. Juli is a likeable heroine and when her vulnerability is combined with the lack of resources makes it even more fun to play as her versus Sebastian.
The two chapters will net around 2 to three hours of playtime depending on your skill and patience although there’s a few extras to hunt down off the beaten track for those who want to cover every inch of the game’s environments. Once bested there are new game plus modes alongside a dark mode which has Juli armed with just a flash-light and all of the game’s locations are bathed in darkness.
The evil Within The Consequence DLC comes as a fitting end to the extra content from the first episode and although containing a mixture of stealth and action this time is still not going to be appealing to action gamers. For those who want to experience some lush visuals alongside a neat and compelling story will do well to check it out. It’s the odd moments of dire gameplay that lets the game down in the end but If you’re forgiving then you’ll have an enjoyable romp through Mikami’s vision of a living hell.
Score 8/10
