Info about The Evil Within: The Assignment:

Official game description:
Experience survival horror from a new perspective with **The Evil Within: The Assignment**. This is the first of a two-part, story driven experience where players take on the role of detective Juli Kidman, Sebastian Castellanos’ mysterious partner, in a concurrent story that looks to answer some of the questions surrounding her whereabouts during **The Evil Within**. Along the way she will encounter disturbing new enemies, discover new mysteries, and uncover new horrors. The Assignment gives fans of **The Evil Within** the perfect opportunity to discover detective Kidman’s hidden motivations and her mysterious connection to Mobius, the shadowy group thought to be behind the gruesome events of **The Evil Within**.

Release date: Mar 9, 2015

Categories: Survival Horror, Stealth Gameplay, Psychological Horror, Story-driven Gameplay, Third-Person Perspective, Puzzle Solving, Atmospheric Horror, Character-driven Narrative

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair; summary: The reviews primarily discuss the gameplay difficulty, the pricing and value of the Season Pass and DLCs, and some technical aspects of user experience. There are no direct indications of predatory monetization practices such as pay-to-win mechanics, real-money gacha, or aggressive FOMO tactics.

- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $20.00 - $30.00
  - Reasoning: The reviews indicate that the game is considered worth its price when not on sale, suggesting that the base price is fair. However, multiple reviews also mention that the game is often purchased on sale at a significantly lower price, indicating that while the base price is acceptable, a lower price is more appealing to the community. The sentiment that the game is worth its price off-sale but often bought on sale suggests that the community finds a fair price range slightly below the base price.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 3.0h
  - Story completion: 2.0h
  - Session length: 1.0h
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides several direct and indirect references to playtime. The first quote suggests a single playthrough can collect all items, implying a shorter playtime. The second and third quotes explicitly mention the DLC's length, which helps estimate both the story completion and game completion times. The fourth quote indicates a longer playtime, which might include multiple sessions or thorough exploration.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game is generally perceived as boring and tedious with an overemphasis on stealth, lacking variety and ending just as it starts to get enjoyable.
  - Stance: Never clicks
  - Anchor: N/A
  - Time to anchor: 0h 0m
  - Friction: Overemphasis on stealth; Lack of variety; Repetitive gameplay; Short duration
  - Unlock drivers: Story elements; Puzzles
  - Conditions: Interest in story and background lore; Patience for stealth and puzzle gameplay
- Player Archetypes:
  - Lore-Seeking Storyteller (buy)
    - Motivation: Story and atmosphere
    - Playstyle: Explores the game world for narrative and lore, adapts to different gameplay mechanics for the sake of story.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Story enthusiast; Lore seeker
    - Reference games: The Evil Within; Resident Evil
  - Achievement Hunter (sale)
    - Motivation: Completion and challenges
    - Playstyle: Focuses on completing all in-game achievements and challenges, often looking for the most efficient ways to do so.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Completionist; Achievement hunter
    - Reference games: The Evil Within; Resident Evil
  - Mechanics Enthusiast (buy)
    - Motivation: Unique gameplay mechanics and experiences
    - Playstyle: Enjoys exploring different gameplay mechanics and appreciates improvements and variety in gameplay.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Gameplay enthusiast; Mechanics lover
    - Reference games: The Evil Within; Resident Evil


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- DLC enhances main story (weight 0.79): The DLC complements and expands the main game's story, providing additional context, character development, and a different perspective on the events.
- Strong stealth focus (weight 0.61): The game emphasizes stealth mechanics, offering varied and interesting stealth-based gameplay that is well-integrated and enjoyable.
- Effective horror elements (weight 0.47): The horror aspects are well-crafted, building up gradually and creating a scary, oppressive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- Good narrative and pacing (weight 0.42): The narrative maintains a good pace, providing a dense mix of ideas and mechanics that keep the story engaging and easy to understand.
- Character development and perspective (weight 0.38): The DLC provides a personal look into the traumas and motives of characters, particularly focusing on Juli Kidman and offering a unique character perspective.
- Unique atmosphere and tension (weight 0.35): The game creates a unique atmosphere of desperation and fear, effectively balancing tension and boredom to immerse the player.
- New enemies and gameplay mechanics (weight 0.3): The DLC introduces new enemies, bosses, and gameplay mechanics, including a unique pursuer enemy and fresh gameplay situations.
- High-quality visuals (weight 0.24): The game features striking and compelling visuals with modern graphics, good lighting effects, and improved level design.
- Unique save system (weight 0.09): The DLC includes a unique save mechanism involving a cat, adding a distinctive feature to the gameplay.
- Kurayami mode experience (weight 0.09): The 'Kurayami' mode offers a unique and enjoyable experience, providing a different way to play the game.
- Reasonable pricing (weight 0.08): The DLC is considered well worth the price, offering a reasonable cost for the content provided.

Common complaints:
- Clunky stealth mechanics (weight 0.51): The stealth mechanics are described as clunky, annoying, and poorly programmed, leading to a frustrating experience.
- Difficult enemy encounters (weight 0.23): Players find certain battles and stealth sections difficult and frustrating, often requiring trial and error.
- Repetitive and boring gameplay (weight 0.2): The gameplay is described as frustrating, slow, and repetitive, with many players finding it dull and scripted.
- Unfair and irritating mechanics (weight 0.19): The game features many irritating mechanics, including instant-kill traps and enemies with unfair abilities, contributing to artificial difficulty.
- Lack of character development (weight 0.19): The game suffers from minimal character interaction and development, along with narrative shortcomings and limited exploration.
- Limited stamina (weight 0.18): Players are frustrated by the limited ability to run or sprint for extended periods, which affects gameplay dynamics.
- Short gameplay duration (weight 0.18): The game and its DLC are criticized for their short playtime and length.
- Boring and repetitive boss fights (weight 0.15): The boss fights are described as boring, repetitive, and frustrating.
- Unresolved story elements (weight 0.1): The game leaves many story elements unresolved and questions unanswered.
- DLC divided unnecessarily (weight 0.1): The DLC is divided into two parts, which players find unnecessary and not providing a full bundle.
- Helpless protagonist (weight 0.1): The protagonist, Kidman, feels helpless and lacks weapons, despite being a trained agent.
- Dull missions and decorations (weight 0.1): The missions and decorations in the game are described as mostly dull and uninteresting.

Gameplay feedback:
- Stealth mechanics are central (weight 0.72): The game heavily emphasizes stealth mechanics, drawing comparisons to series like Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell. Players often find themselves relying on stealth to progress.
- Puzzle-solving elements (weight 0.41): The game incorporates puzzle-solving elements alongside stealth, requiring players to solve puzzles to advance. These puzzles are often integrated into the stealth gameplay.
- Horror and survival elements (weight 0.33): The game features survival horror elements, creating a tense atmosphere where players must hide and run from enemies to survive.
- New enemies and bosses (weight 0.25): The game introduces new enemies and bosses, providing fresh challenges and encounters for players.
- Storyline and character perspective (weight 0.23): The game offers a storyline involving Juli Kidman and provides a different character perspective, adding depth to the narrative.
- Unique healing mechanics (weight 0.15): The game introduces a unique healing mechanic tied to hiding, adding a layer of strategy to the stealth gameplay.
- Third-person perspective (weight 0.14): The game is played from a third-person perspective, which is noted by players as a distinctive feature.
- Unique modes and mechanics (weight 0.13): The game features unique modes like 'Kurayami' mode and mechanics such as using light to reveal hidden elements, adding variety to the gameplay.
- Movement and control issues (weight 0.12): Some players have noted issues with movement and character controls, which can affect the gameplay experience.
- Collectibles and upgrades (weight 0.09): Players can find collectibles such as character and soundtrack items, and there are character upgrades available, adding depth to the game.
- Different difficulty levels (weight 0.05): The game offers different difficulty levels, catering to a range of player skills and preferences.

Performance notes:
- Glitches disrupt immersion (weight 0.07): Players have encountered glitches that significantly disrupt the immersive experience of the game. These glitches can range from minor visual bugs to more significant issues that affect gameplay.
- Positive graphics and level designs (weight 0.07): Many players appreciate the game's graphics and the new level designs. These aspects are seen as strengths that enhance the overall gaming experience.
- Texture pop-in problems (weight 0.06): Some players have noticed texture pop-in, where textures in the game environment load slowly or appear suddenly, which can be visually jarring.
- Runs well on lower-end hardware (weight 0.06): Despite the high performance requirements, some players have reported that the game runs well on lower-end hardware, suggesting that optimization efforts have been successful for a range of systems.
- Blurry graphics issues (weight 0.06): Some players have reported that the graphics appear somewhat blurry. This could be due to various reasons such as resolution settings or rendering techniques.
- High performance requirements (weight 0.06): The game has high performance requirements, which may limit accessibility for players with less powerful hardware. This can be a barrier for some players who wish to enjoy the game.

Recommendations:
- Story and character focus praised (weight 0.24): Many players recommend this game for its engaging story and well-developed characters, making it ideal for those who enjoy narrative-driven experiences.
- Value purchase at discounted price (weight 0.19): Several reviews mention that the game or DLC is a good purchase when bought at a discounted price, indicating that the value proposition is strong when the cost is low.
- Enhances main game experience (weight 0.06): Some players suggest playing the DLC right after completing the main game to enhance the overall experience and continuity of the story.
- DLC content considered decent (weight 0.06): The DLC is generally regarded as decent, providing additional content that some players find worthwhile.
- Must-have in game library (weight 0.06): A few reviews state that this game is a must-have in any game library, highlighting its perceived value and quality.
- New perspective and setting (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for offering a new perspective and setting, which can be appealing to players looking for fresh experiences.

Other player notes:
- Gifting and DLC inquiries (weight 0.15): Players are discussing the process of gifting DLCs and seeking information about the Season Pass and upcoming DLCs.
- Hidden content interest (weight 0.06): There is a notable interest in hidden puzzles and Easter eggs within the game.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.23): Players are frustrated primarily due to the game's stealth mechanics, which are described as clunky, repetitive, and poorly designed. Additional frustrations stem from the protagonist's weakness, lack of combat options, and limited stamina, making it difficult to fight back or move quickly without alerting enemies. The combination of these factors, along with bugs and environmental issues, contributes to a challenging and often irritating gameplay experience.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.18): Players express satisfaction with the DLC's narrative, character development, and visuals, which enhance the overall story and atmosphere. The enjoyable gameplay mechanics, including stealth and new enemies, along with the detailed lore and high-quality horror atmosphere, contribute to a rewarding experience. Additionally, the improved movement, new weapons, and modern graphics are highlighted as positive aspects.
- Disappointment (weight 0.12): Players are disappointed with the poorly designed and low-quality gameplay, which includes repetitive mechanics and a lack of combat options. The short duration and high price of the DLC, along with inconsistencies with the base game and lack of character development, contribute to a negative experience. The primitive gameplay mechanics and dull boss fights further add to the disappointment.
- Excitement (weight 0.11): Players are excited about the deep and dense suspense atmosphere, as well as the interesting character perspective and stealth gameplay. The discovery of hidden puzzles, Easter eggs, and new enemy types adds to the excitement. The plot details and story elements, along with the protagonist development and boss design, are also highlighted as exciting aspects.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.11): Players enjoy the unique gameplay mechanics, character development, and detailed animations. The strong stealth focus, atmospheric horror, and great pacing contribute to an entertaining experience. The story, mechanics, and atmosphere, along with the terror, tension, and plot details, are also highlighted as enjoyable aspects.
- Fear (weight 0.04): Players experience fear due to the scary atmosphere and limited defensive options, which enhance feelings of helplessness. The survival horror elements and new enemy designs, particularly the invisible enemy, contribute to a terrifying experience. The vulnerable character mechanics further amplify the fear.
- Anticipation (weight 0.03): Players are looking forward to the next part of the DLC, anticipating more diverse gameplay and continued story development. The expectation of the second DLC and its potential improvements contribute to a sense of anticipation.
- Excited (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the terrifying DLC and the more horror-like gameplay, which promises a thrilling experience. The prospect of playing the DLC right after the main game adds to the excitement.
- Interest (weight 0.02): Players are interested in the unique character insights, narrative integration, and interesting puzzles. The new enemies and unique character movement mechanics contribute to a engaging experience.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players feel frustrated due to the lack of combat options, including no guns, health, or resistance to creatures. The protagonist's helplessness, despite being a trained agent, adds to the frustration.
- Boredom (weight 0.01): Players experience boredom with the repetitive gameplay mechanics, particularly the hide and seek mechanics and the slow character movement. The lack of variety and excitement in the gameplay contributes to this feeling.
- Stress (weight 0.01): Players feel stressed due to the pursuer enemy's unfair abilities and the game's punitive nature. The challenging and often frustrating gameplay mechanics contribute to a stressful experience.
- Tense (weight 0.01): Players feel tense during new monster encounters, which are designed to be challenging and frightening. The suspense and unpredictability of these encounters contribute to a tense atmosphere.
- Disappointed (weight 0.01): Players are disappointed that the gameplay does not live up to the story's potential. The mismatch between the engaging narrative and the less impressive gameplay mechanics leads to disappointment.
- Interested (weight 0.01): Players are interested in seeing the corporation's perspective, which offers a unique viewpoint within the game's narrative. This fresh perspective adds depth to the story and engages players' curiosity.
- Terrified (weight 0.01): Players are terrified by the DLC, which is described as more terrifying than the base game. The enhanced horror elements and frightening atmosphere contribute to a deeply terrifying experience.}