Everything you need to survive Sebastian Castellanos' nightmare: resource rules, green gel upgrade priorities, the Agony Crossbow, chapter-by-chapter pointers from the 15-chapter campaign, missable achievements, difficulty modes, the Kidman and Keeper DLC, and PC settings.
Researched September 2026 — current as of PC update 1.03 (December 2014), the last listed patch. Live games change; check the linked sources if something differs.
| Resource | Where it comes from | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Green Gel | Jars, defeated enemies, containers | Permanent upgrades at the upgrade chair |
| Parts | Disarmed traps, drops | Crafting Agony Crossbow bolts |
| Matches | Scattered pickups | Burning downed enemies (and groups) |
| Syringes / Med kits | Pickups | Healing |
| Keys | Madonna statues | Safe-room lockers with ammo, gel, and more |
| Ammo | Pickups, lockers | Handgun, Shotgun, Sniper Rifle, Magnum |
Capacity for ammo is limited, which is why the "Stock" upgrade branch (extra carry capacity) is valuable.
The hospital hub gives you:
Upgrades are split into branches. Priorities differ by playstyle, but this order works for most runs:
| Priority | Upgrade | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sprint duration (Physical) | Escaping is the best defense |
| 2 | Max health (Physical) | Survive mistakes and grabs |
| 3 | Match capacity / Stock | More matches means more safe kills |
| 4 | Agony Crossbow bolt damage/effects | Crossbow is your "problem solver" |
| 5 | Handgun and Shotgun (damage, capacity) | Your everyday weapons |
| 6 | Syringes / healing effectiveness | Late-game consistency |
| 7 | Sniper Rifle and Magnum | Strong but ammo-starved |
Tip: fully upgrade something rather than spreading gel thin. "My Best Friend" (one weapon fully upgraded) and "Hardbody" (all attributes) are both upgrade achievements, and the full-weapon ones stack toward "Unstoppable Arsenal."
| Weapon | Role |
|---|---|
| Handgun | Headshots on regular Haunted; most common ammo |
| Shotgun | Crowd control, knockdowns up close |
| Sniper Rifle | Long-range threats and weak points |
| Magnum | Emergency damage on big threats |
| Agony Crossbow | Special bolts: Harpoon, Explosive, Shock, Flash, and Freeze are the core types |
| Melee / thrown bottles | Stagger, distract, set up sneak kills ("Bloody Bar Brawl") |
| Grenades, torches, axes | Situational pickups |
Crossbow bolt tips:
The campaign has 15 chapters. These are short pointers, not full walkthroughs, focused on the moments with achievements or common deaths. Several Steam achievements are tagged with a chapter number in their description; the low-numbered ones (Ch. 1-4) are often from the Kidman DLC, so read the full description before chasing one.
| Chapter | Key moment | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Ch. 1 | The opening escape from the Sadist through Beacon Mental Hospital | Learn hiding and sneaking here; nothing is worth fighting yet |
| Ch. 2-4 | The village and early outdoor areas; the Sadist returns | Use matches on groups at doorways and learn trap disarming |
| Ch. 5 | Rising water section ("Not Part of the Job Description": get out without a scratch) | Move fast and plan the route |
| Ch. 6 | Rescuing someone hanging on ("Everybody Gets One") | Explore fully; gel and keys are plentiful |
| Ch. 7 | A threat that "won't stay dead" ("I Don't Have Time for This!") | Avoid fighting when you do not have to |
| Ch. 8 | A quiet cave section ("Item Management": put the gun away and keep quiet) | Holster weapons to avoid noise |
| Ch. 10 | Burning a pursuer ("Bathed in Flames") | Use the environment rather than ammo |
| Ch. 12 | Protecting a bus ("Not a Scratch on Her!") | Prioritize threats that reach the vehicle |
| Ch. 14 | Getting a generator panel running ("Entry Level Electrician") | Explore before you commit |
| Ch. 15 | The finale | Stock up; bring explosives and Magnum ammo |
Notable bosses and threats include Ruvik (the main antagonist), the Keeper (the box-headed executioner), the Sadist (chainsaw), and the multi-limbed Laura. General rules: fire works on Laura, the Keeper respawns from its safe-boxes in its chapter, and running is always an option.
| Difficulty | Available | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Casual | From start | Forgiving; "First Step into Darkness" |
| Survival | From start | Intended balance; "Another Day on the Job" |
| Nightmare | After finishing the game | Much harder; "Master of Horror" |
| AKUMU | After finishing the game | Almost anything kills you in one hit; "You Asked For It." |
New Game+ carries your upgrades, which makes Nightmare and AKUMU far more manageable.
| Achievement | Requirement | How to handle |
|---|---|---|
| It Is What It Is | Finish without upgrading any skills with green gel | Dedicated run; Casual recommended |
| The Quick and the Dead | Clear under 5 hours | New Game+ with upgrades; skip optional exploration |
| There Will Not Be Blood | Get through the hotel without being spotted or killing enemies (Ch. 4) | Kidman DLC hotel section; patience and stealth |
| Every Nook and Cranny | Collect every collectable | Use chapter select after finishing |
| Master of Unlocking | Open all lockers in the save room | Smash every Madonna statue |
| Unstoppable Arsenal | Fully upgrade all weapons | Late or NG+ |
| Full House | 5 kills with each type of Agony Bolt | Mix bolts throughout |
| Drop It Like It's Hot | Kill 3 living enemies with one match | Wait for a group at a trap or doorway |
| Blow Up the Playing Field | 10 kills with a secret explosive weapon | Available after finishing the game |
| Kurayami achievements | Clear the DLC on KURAYAMI Mode | Kidman DLC post-game |
Chapter select exists after completion, so missables are really "missed for this run" rather than permanent.
| DLC | You play as | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| The Assignment | Juli Kidman | Stealth-only survival, no guns for most of it |
| The Consequence | Juli Kidman | Continuation; more tools, bigger reveals |
| The Executioner | The Keeper | First-person brawler/beat-'em-up |
Both Kidman DLCs have collectibles ("Personnel Files," "Research Documents") and hidden letters. The DLC is worth it if you liked the main story's mystery; Kidman's side explains much of what Sebastian does not see.
How long is The Evil Within? 15 chapters; a first careful run is typically in the 15-20 hour range. "The Quick and the Dead" asks for under 5 hours on a practiced run.
Is The Evil Within scarier than the sequel? It is more linear and more resource-starved; The Evil Within 2 (October 2017) is more open.
What do the keys do? They open lockers in the safe haven hospital, which contain ammo, supplies, and green gel.
How do I get back to the safe haven? Walk into a cracked mirror.
What is AKUMU mode? The hardest difficulty, where almost everything kills you in one hit. It unlocks after finishing the game.
Is it worth getting the DLC? Yes if you enjoyed the story. The Assignment and The Consequence answer many of the base game's questions through Kidman.
Can I remove the black bars? Yes. A patch added a letterbox toggle to settings.