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Shinji Mikami: gamers are becoming more difficult to scare

Former Capcom developer and creator behind the Resident Evil franchise, Shinji Mikami, has admitted that gamers are becoming more difficult to scare nowadays.

Chatting with EDGE, Mikami-san nonetheless remains hopeful that his forthcoming Survival Horror title, The Evil Within, will have players reaching for the underwear drawer in 2014.

“Not much has changed when it comes to instilling horror in the player. But people have got used to the tropes of horror and they know what’s coming next, so in that sense it is harder to make them afraid,” he said.

He then went on to offer a update on The Evil Within’s status, confirming things are progressing smoothly.

“It’s still difficult to manage a team, but things are coming together now that the game is in a playable state,” he said. “So, compared with a couple of years ago, it’s easier.”

“Making games is always like a rollercoaster: really fun times, but also really busy times. When you ride a rollercoaster, the uphill part is scary and fraught and lasts for a long time, and the downhill part – the fun, exhilarating part – is over in a flash.”

The Evil Within is due out on current and next-generation systems, and sees players controlling a detective named Sebastian who finds himself battling grotesque and malevolent creatures across a nightmarish landscape. 

Check out the latest screenshots of the game here.