The Evil Within: The Executioner Review (PS4)
The Evil Within: The Executioner is the third and final addition to the original title. You are placed in The Keeper’s shoes as you battle through different arenas set throughout the Victoriano mansion. While shedding a bit more light on the overall plot, this DLC is focused solely on combat.
I wanted to open with a joke about a safe-head, but my brain locked out. You play as the infamous Keeper from the original game in a first person perspective, as opposed to the third, used in all of The Evil Within and the two other DLCs. At first you have your hammer and your trusty mines in order to deal out a lot of pain in arena style battles.
The Executioner sheds some more light on the overall story, as it is set after the events of the original game and the Kidman story arc. It seems that the STEM makes people change not only their behaviour but also their physical appearance over time. You’re on a mission to save your daughter who is also trapped in the STEM system. That means you have to eliminate everyone from it, including some of the bosses you fought in the original like the Sadist and some of the key characters.
You can pretty much do anything as the original Keeper although the teleport feature works only on very short distances and is of little use. The Keeper uses a scanner to find hidden things like notes from his daughter. New is also the ability to stagger enemies. You can then either throw them at other enemies and obstacles or preform some pretty gruesome executions. Slaying a lot of enemies feels strangely satisfying so if you like a bit of mindless all out brawl this could be a plus.
While the regular enemies pose as much a threat as a bug the bosses are a bit harder than in the original and the Kidman DLC. The only gripe I have with this is that the bosses aren’t really that cleverly designed but are just huge damage sponges and that can feel a bit cheap. And most of all other enemies will only pose as a distraction.
Upgrading is back, as is different types of equipment that you unlock as you play along. But this time around memory chips serve as a currency which you collect from fallen enemies and random crates. Unfortunately there is no hub as the whole experience is pretty linear. All in all it will take you about two to three hours to play through this DLC.
The Evil Within: The Executioner is a short but refreshing closure to The Evil Within. If you like the idea of playing as the Safe-head and smashing skulls in you will most probably enjoy it.
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