Often dubbed "the Godfather of Survival Horror," Shinji Mikami has earned his title in the genre. Not only did he create and direct the inaugural entry of the Resident Evil series, he then returned to the series by directing Resident Evil 4, simultaneously reinventing survival horror and creating...

Shinji Mikami returns to the survival horror genre with a game that comes across as a greatest hits compilation in both a good and a bad way.

Great atmosphere and use of visuals and sound; The agony bow provides lots of combat options; Monster design is impressive; A story that will keep your interest; Lots of variation

Some frustrating old-school elements; Camera is far from perfect; Stiff movements; Technically not all that impressive

The Evil Within is a new survival horror game, an experience which Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami defines as one that pushes the limits of fear and exhilaration.

Shinji Mikami has yet to make a poor game, and The Evil Within does not blemish his record. But neither does the game enchant and disrupt in the way that Vanquish and the others managed. This is Mikami revisiting his past glories and, as such, it's both a delight and a disappointment.

The Evil Within is a new title in a series developed by famed Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami. We first got our hands on the game when we previewed it at this year's E3 ( read more on that here ) .

Forget about the Resident Evil connection: The Evil Within stands alone and still manages to feel relevant, despite far more sophisticated contemporaries.

Gloriously varied; blood-scribed love letter to all things horror; Terrifying enemy design and a genuinely compelling bad guy

Boss battles can lead to tedious repetition that numbs any sense of fear; Some minor technical issues mar an otherwise lavish experience

As the man responsible for unleashing Resident Evil on gamers, Shinji Mikami is one of the undisputed masters of horror games. Capcom's zombie series eventually went on to focus more on action than scares, and Mikami went his own way to return to the roots of the genre.

They're all laughing at me, but I'm standing in the corner. I can't, it's a hallway. Flies shouldn't be able to laugh, but they're showing their yellow teeth and breathing, exasperated at human filth. I'm human. Am I? Can I?

The Evil Within is everything that has been missing from survival horror games of late. It's a creepy game that introduces us to a new franchise built upon the best of Mikami. The modernised take on Resident Evil 4 controls and resource management are joined by the spooky mansion and chainsaw...

+ Creepy atmosphere; + Classic survival horror combat; + Well designed environments; + Plenty of favourite Mikami moments

- Ugly textures/pop-in issues; - Story isn't great and loses its way; seemingly to lengthen the game

The Evil Within doesn't mess about. Within ten minutes, after a b-movie-like intro cinematic, you find yourself in a room full of corpses and blood.

Channels those Resi 4 vibes; Incredibly tense; Gameplay is great

A bit too long; The story isn't up to much; Will prove too much for some