When I fired up “The Evil Within 2” few weeks back, trepidation was what I felt; excitement? Yes, Fear? Yes, Enjoyment? Yes, these were common traits while playing new game but trepidation??!!! Limited time on hand to spare on gaming sessions brought unnecessary stress to success on progression. Later age life brings too many other real-life horrors that need more attention. And hence, survival horror in games became too stressful nowadays. My Resident Evil 7 gameplays are like tequila shots; quick, short, sharp and no more than 1 or 2 in continuation after dying. One reason was that Resi7 had most strung up horror atmosphere I had felt till now. Small shuffle across the room of huge mansion was felt like success to me. I quickly backtracked to my save point to call it a day after few good kills. But let Resi7 tale be another time. Before Resi7 it was The Evil Whitin. While I started TEW2 after long since I finished TEW, My subconscious was tipping me to rummage through my “draft” section to dig up this blog on “my struggle with The Evil Within”. What follows was written long before and had kitsch parallel social commentary running through. It’s too tempting not to post on occasion of starting The Evil Within 2.

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Once I recovered from brief loss of consciousness due to sudden fall, I quickly reminded myself, with utmost urgency, to hide beside support pillar of the parking lot. And patiently, I waited for the monstrosity to finish its initial scan. First, I need to gather as much ammunition scattered around as possible without being seen.

First time, I took the fight head on. Dazed by sudden fall due to broken concrete floor, I had no presumption as what I’m going to face. When monster made itself visible, brute-forcing was evidently the first-time strategy. It was not enough. Monster chewed and spat me out like a bugging food morsel stuck in the tooth cavity. Next time, I tried almost similarly as first but with caution, bit aggression, bit carefulness. Again, I was completely defeated with brutal nature of the “monster”, evidently having utter disdain towards living being around it. My battered self-confidence had given way to careful examination and planned approach. Next few trials were just to understand the nature of the adversary and in short, the fight itself. If such carefully planned sacrifices could still enlighten the way to success, then its better than having no progress at all. Soon I realized that I had bitten more than I can chew. Monster was enigma. Something that I didn’t face before. I had to learn while I fight. I had to improvise while I struggled to stay still. I had to move constantly and consistently. I had to lay down my ego and may be let the monster win………………

………………….. If monster in above paragraph is allegorical manifestation of most complex challenge life has thrown in front of you and you as protagonist fighting against it, then also figurative interpretation retains its potency. “Janus-faced” text is analogy of life struggles and its unseen monsters for almost all of us. And at the same time, its accurate enough to describe Chapter 10 boss fight of one of the most visceral computer game, The Evil Within. Only difference between the two parallels was that while Game had induced fun in the name of serious challenges, life used to induce seriousness while you want to have fun.

Stealthily moving around the ablaze wreckage, I had collected as many tools of destruction as possible. It was kind of well-rehearsed dance steps I had gone through so many trials before. Once satisfied with execution of first step, I initiated the second step by carefully placing the sniper shot right to the center of eye-ball looking for me that was attached to the long muscle tissue. Battle has started and there was no looking back now…….

Continuing my struggle to win over that “parking monster”, I had to move on. I almost given up on it and let the failure washed over me with other lucrative game plays in sight. Though once a while passion of attempting one more try to face the “monster” and kill it once and for all had crept in my mind. After long pause (almost 3-4 years), I tried to beat the monster again and failed miserably. Only satisfying take away from the failure was that I had at least made progress to compel monster to show its final ferocious form. Layered complexity is life’s favorite misery. You peel one layer feeling successful, while it keeps revealing new layers.

I had settled down to identify the pattern though. I had to research and take advice presented in forums available online. I formed the plan. I knew what to do. First, gather as much ammo as possibly available scattered all around the lot. Do not rush through and hide till opportunity presented in the form of big scary lone eyeball precariously waving at the end of tentacle made of human tissue to look for you. Hit hard and hide again. Rinse and repeat till monster transformed to its next form. Execution was the key though. One mistake and whole balance will tip against you to not let you win.

Some challenges in real life also need same level of careful planning. Help is available in form of close acquaintance. Make good use of it. Bring your best companion to your real-life combat as it is meant to play with as much support as possible. Patience is necessary. And execution is the key.

Direct shots to the weak spot made the monster flinch and baffled for a while. I had to run away from my hiding spot and find other new place to hide before aggravated monster destroy everything and anything around the attacking position. Once out of the sniper ammo, I took out trusty shotgun to do maximum damage. Each shot was counting towards lessening the health of the fierce monster and compel it to transform into fiercer form.

Hard, small, complex, mystical, novice, geriatric or whatever the struggle classified as, it always brings “new” to experience. Each new challenge brings new skill sets to learn. Each brings new vision to scrutinize. And attempting to win it over is most satisfying result than the win itself. Success is overrated. Perseverance is master key to all. If you kill the monster, then let it come again in new form. Its not the monster who is stopping you to kill it, its your own self-doubts that make you stop attempting.

Almost after 7 years, monster had transformed to its final “one-hit-kill” attacking form umpteenth times. I knew that there was no scope of mistake now else I had to start over again. I quick-fired freeze bolt as suggested by someone over helping forums to no effect. Panicked, I quickly lobbed a grenade towards rushing monster. Somehow succinctly saved myself from killing lunge, I had to improvise on the run. I started firing whatever came to hand. Once ample distance maintained, I had few precious seconds before monster would rush towards me to gobble me up. I took out sniper. It had limited shots. Sniper had trade-off of difficult aim at quick moving monster. I brought my scope scanning. By the time, monstrosity had started its charge towards me. At the center of maw, I could briefly glimpsed weak spot of a eyeball just for fraction of second while I squeezed the trigger frantically. Single shot rang out in the parking hall with its finality. Monster lurched like heavy drinker coming out of bar late night and crashed like dead stone.

At last, battle was won. Or was it ?

Have you conquered your monsters ?