The Evil Within is an almost-triumphant return to the old school days of survival horror, marrying tense atmosphere, grisly visuals, and limited resources. However, as any fan of the genre will know, one of the main aspects that have become synonymous with survival horror over the years is epic boss battles—and The Evil Within delivers this in spades.
Throughout Sebastian Castellanos’s journey, players will find themselves up against all manner of hulking, blood-thirsty bosses, and with limited resources, you’re going to have to arm yourself with the sufficient knowledge in order to take them down. From chainsaw-wielding psychopaths to multiple-limbed horrors, Shinji Mikami’s latest endeavour packs a diverse range of bosses that will reduce you to a bloody mess if you aren’t careful.
So, having survived The Evil Within, PSU decided to cobble together a handy tips article on how to dispatch some of the game’s toughest bosses.
– – – – – – – –
The Keeper
This safe-headed monstrosity will stalk you at various points throughout your adventure, although technically you do not have to engage him until the final boss fight. However, there’s no denying that the ample green gel reward you get from dropping him—not to mention the breathing space—is worth the ammo at times. The thing you need to realize about The Keeper is that he’ll keep respawning as long as there are safes in the room; as such, it’s only worth dispatching him once or twice allowing you to go about your objective unimpeded. Aside from clumping you round the head with a mighty hammer or a sack, the Keeper will also employ traps, which can be quickly disabled by the usual method or by shooting them. Maintain your distance at all times, and fire off a shot or two with either your explosive arrows or the sniper rifle, before retreating; he won’t take too much ammo to defeat, and you’ll know you’ve killed him when the safe opens up, spilling copious amounts of blood all over the floor.
Quell
Encountered late in the game, Quell is a squid-like beast that loves to play hide-and-seek while activating its stealth abilities to ambush its prey. You fight the creature in a small ring separated by pillars, which you can use as cover where necessary. Quell is pretty quick, and will attack you primarily with its tentacles, or release slug-like beings that will leap onto Sebastian, causing minor damage. You can dispatch these for precious revolver bullets if you’re running low on ammo. In terms of strategy, keep your distance and utilize your Freeze Bolts to inflict damage on and temporary immobilize Quell, allowing you to deal additional damage, preferably with a few close-range shotgun blasts. If you’re running low on Freeze Bolts, then use either Explosive Bolts or the sniper rifle; either one will inflict heavy damage. Quell will at times back off and either activate his stealth ability and cling to a wall, or hide in one of the many pipes on the ceiling. From this position, he can be shot down with just one blast from your handgun.
Sadist
Brandishing a chainsaw, this blood-thirsty adversary recalls Resident Evil 4’s Dr. Salvador, and it’s no surprise that the Sadist is almost just as tough to kill. Getting up close is totally ill advised; the Sadist can inflict huge amounts of damage with its weapon, and can decapitate you instantly if given the chance. Since you face him at different points throughout the game, you’ll have to employ different tactics depending on your weapons loadout. The magnum is a great choice later on, while during the earlier stages, it’s best you use the flash bolt to stun him, and then follow up with some close-range shotgun blasts to the head. Failing that, the explosive bolts and/or sniper rifle are a good choice, but don’t linger; Sadist is pretty quick on his feet, and will chase you at surprisingly fast speeds. As such, it isn’t recommend you back yourself into a corner or take aim unless you are at a safe distance.
Laura
Laura, the spider-like, multi-limbed creatures that torments Sebastian at multiple points throughout the game, is more of a unique boss by comparison to The Keeper or Sadist. For one, she can only really be neutralized by using fire-based attacks, as conventional firearms will do little damage to her. She’s encountered three times during the game, though you must only fight her twice. Laura can materialize from dead bodies, so it’s a good idea to first burn any corpses you encounter in the battle zone; this ensures she is limited in where she appears from, making your job easier. The only way to damage her is to burn her, either by shooting explosive barrels, hitting her with a flaming torch, trapping her in a flaming pit, or shooting valves to release a burst of fire. Be cautious of her speed, as she can teleport short distances in the blink of an eye, and catch kill you outright with her claws in close proximity. Keep your distance and use the options listed to defeat her.