D'Evil Dead, I only knew the name until recently. Obtaining sesame on PS5 motivated me to fill a small gap in my cinema / pop culture / insert the missing mention. So I watched Sam Raimi's trilogy before launching the game of the same name, and I was very scared. Fear, because I hated the first opus, and I launched the two really backwards... And there, the recipe hit the mark. As gory as it is funny, never skimping on horror, I liked episodes 2 and 3. The 2013 remake, a little less, and I can't comment on the series, since I've only watched the first two episodes so far. Still, the discovery of the game did not happen from nothing, and I encourage those interested to go first through the film box to create a bit of attachment to the characters that the title makes us embody !
First defeat... And yet first in the score (although it is not terrible at all!)
Saber Interactive, which worked on the very nice World War Z, has this time been commissioned to summon the Demon of Kandar on our consoles and PC. We are here facing a game that highlights asymmetrical multiplayer. Namely, four human buggers who fight for their survival and must cooperate in order to complete a series of objectives, and a player who embodies the demon destined to eliminate them all before the 30 minutes that a game session lasts.
Thirty minutes is on paper. In reality, my first games were shorter than that. Although the objectives are understandable thanks to a tutorial as short as it is effective, the humans who accompanied my games were for the most part less effective than an AI. Everyone was going in a direction opposite to the objective, while the game stipulates that the madness gauge goes up faster when you're alone (it makes demonic possession easier, among other things), some were driving a car as if it were a motocross , or even others who bellowed into the microphone before disconnecting... Suffice to say that my first steps were tough, with winning demons in less than 10 minutes... and impossible to count on a solo mode, which, if it has the merit to exist, will occupy you only a handful of hours and will consist in reliving the pivotal moments of the trilogy Evil Dead. An appreciable moment of nostalgia, but one that we won't dwell on for long. For those who do not wish to rub shoulders with other human beings, know that you can start a game accompanied only by AI. Not as effective as a cohesive group, but it can get the job done.
The game does not skimp on ultra-violent finish moves
The bulk of the game therefore takes place in multiplayer, in sessions of up to 30 minutes, on two large maps. With my 8 hours on the clock, I admit that I have not reached the point of weariness, but I do not exclude that after several dozen hours of play and despite the quality of these two maps, we may feel a certain repetitiveness . The goals are as follows as humans:
- Find all three pieces of the map
- Collect the scroll
- Get your hands on Kandar's Dagger
Once these three objectives have been completed, you can destroy the Necronomicon, this famous cursed book that gives life to all evil beings. Of course, not everything will go smoothly. When the timer starts, you're swung across the map with no weapons to defend yourself with. The first instinct will therefore be to explore the surroundings to find something to arm yourself with. Goods will vary in quality from standard to legendary, with both melee and ranged weapons. We can therefore trade, if we are lucky, his old cleaver by the iconic chainsaw of Ashley Williams. The exploration phase will occupy a good 5-10 minutes of the timer, since everyone must equip themselves and that the objects are not duplicated for each player, and that we are strongly invited to stay in a group. Indeed, as soon as we isolate ourselves a little or move away from lighted areas, our fear gauge skyrockets, which has several implications, in addition to the possession mentioned above. The screen will darken, you will be less resistant and the demon will locate you more easily on the map! Suffice to say that having a team that thinks a collective minimum will be a more than welcome asset!
The skill tree is managed for each character in the game. And yes, there is something to do!
On the feeling side of the game, for those who have played World War Z, you will not be too disappointed. We play his character in the 3rd person (except the demon which is played a bit like a spectator mode... before possession), and we are generally faced with a dynamic title, with brutal blows, whether we are at the blunt weapon or the good old shotgun. The minions that we face are weak individually, but they often attack in groups, which complicates the deal and can quickly make you a cornered avatar. If you take too many hits, you end up down first, with the possibility of being picked up by one of your peers. If you are not taken care of quickly enough, you will die... but your allies will have the possibility of resuscitating you on one of the altars present on the map. By playing well, we can therefore make up for a loss and get out of it without too much damage. Moreover, the overall difficulty of the game will be more related to matchmaking than to the heroes themselves. The balancing is indeed a little wobbly, the survivors are powerful individually, but in a group, the demon has so to speak little chance of winning. As soon as we follow to the letter what the game wants, the chances of victory become substantial. Too bad, especially since the game has for him an unparalleled sound and visual atmosphere. Evil Dead: The Game knows how to scare and does not hesitate to multiply the distressing ambient noises as much as possible. Don't expect technical warfare though. The game ran smoothly on my PS5 during my few play sessions, not displaying anything grandiose, aside from hectoliters of hemoglobin. Note also that the DualSense has not been exploited. Nothing very dramatic, but it is clear that after getting used to the feeling of the Sony controller, we see directly when a studio ignores the features of the pad.
It's hard to miss this iconic place. The hatch moves.
To motivate players to return to the title regularly, Saber Interactive did not hesitate to introduce a skill tree. After each game, you will see your overall rank increased, as well as the rank of the character you have chosen, which will allow you to improve the skills of the different playable protagonists. A pretty good idea, which also allows you to focus on your favorite style of play.
I come away more than convinced from these few hours in the company ofEvil Dead. First of all, I discovered some very nice films, a series that promises to be cool to watch, and in addition, a little bedside game that I will relaunch at will, just to play a few games with my friends, thank you to the integrated crossplay which also allows you to do this smoothly! However, I recommend playing it sparingly, to avoid the fatigue inherent in the genre and the fact that the game currently only has two cards (and despite the random arrangement, the rediscovery effect quickly fades ).
- Epic Games Store - 39,99€
- Xbox - 39,99€
- PlayStation - 39,99€
