The Evil Within delayed, release date skitters back to late October

If a tension-building wait is one of the most effective tricks in horror, it makes sense that The Evil Within will take a bit longer to reach us. Originally planned for late-August , Bethesda have now announced that their Shinji Mikami-led survival horror will be released in October.

But when in October? That depends on where you live, because, even though we'll soon all exist as virtual reality spaceships , it's still too much to expect a computer game to be released on the same day worldwide. The Evil Within launches on 21st October in North America, 23rd October in Australia and New Zealand, before finally creeping up on Europe for the 24th October. This is all in direct contravention of the first rule of horror: don't split up.

In addition, Bethesda have announced the pre-order bonuses that will be available should you dare brave the potential terror of an early purchase.

Medical Kit – A vital health enhancement to enable Sebastian to fight on.
Green Gel – Used to upgrade Sebastian's attributes.
Double Barrel Shotgun and Three Shells - A larger and more formidable shotgun than the regular shotgun, it's useful for tight situations with multiple encroaching enemies.
An Incendiary Agony Bolt – Capable of showering nearby enemies with damaging fire sparks.
A Poison Agony Bolt – Will draw enemies towards it and poison them, allowing Sebastian time for a quick escape.

That's a really weird selection of things. Essentially, the "Fighting Chance Pack" seems designed to make the game easier. Only, if you're a survival horror fan tempted by pre-order, would you want to reduce the tension of the campaign through a series of trinkets and weapons that reduce your vulnerability?

At least the game itself sounds like a true successor to Resident Evil 4. Read Andy's impressions of Shinji Mikami's latest in his hands-on report .

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Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.