The Evil Within: The Interlude Review
By Amie Macias
Staff Reporter
The thought of playing it either intrigued you, or scared the sh*t out of you. Of course, I’m talking about the Evil Within, Bethesda’s gruesome, psycho survival-horror video game. It’s been compared to other horror game Resident Evil and even been referenced it a Freddy Krueger meets the Matrix by none other than its creator. Yet enough about the game, I’m here to talk to you about the much anticipated sequel, done in comic book form, and provided by none other than Titan Comics.
This two chapter compendium throws the reader right into the story where the video game ends off. It opens with our protagonist, Sebastian Castellanos, trying to explain to his superiors the events that occurred at Beacon Mental Hospital. With every mention of being hooked up to the machine known as STEM and being inside another consciousness, Sebastian’s once prestigious reputation as detective is further destroyed. With every mention of Mobius, the mysterious corporation behind it all, we are plunged further into Sebastian’s manic mind where the lines of reality are blurred and we are left questioning: is his dead daughter of 5 years really alive and leaving him messages of help? Is he still plugged into STEM? Who is Agent Kidman, really, and whose side is she really on?
With artwork by both Szymon Kudranski (Spawn, Batman, Asylum of Horrors) AND Damian Worm (October Faction, Bloodborne) it’s no wonder the pages were both dark and nightmarish. It’s truly, wonderfully detailed. And I love that included in this collection towards the back is a real treat, not just a cover gallery, showcasing all the variant covers, but also an art process, showing the layouts and transformations from thought to tangible horror.
Writer Ryan O’Sullivan (Turncoat, Void Trip) does a remarkable job of tying up loose ends of the first game, while leaving a delicious trail of breadcrumbs to follow and set us up to go right into Evil Within 2. To my delight he did such a good job of storytelling that this could be enjoyed as a stand-alone story, even having no knowledge of or ever seen any gameplay. And for those avid fans, it’s all the more tantalizing and just enough to lead you into the next game.
As I mentioned above there is bonus material in the back of the collection which also includes both interviews with the creators and their bios, giving readers a chance to see inside their brilliant minds and way to see more of their work.
Rating: I give this book a 9.0 out of 10. This should be added to any horror fan’s library.