Evil Tonight
- DYA Games, 2021 -

Medium Or Extraordinary?

Silvia is summoned to the site of a once prestigious performing arts academy. But, upon conjuring up a portal to enter a haunted version of the school, four, innocent children are accidentally pulled in. For Silvia to be able to save the children and return back to the normal world, she will have to first survive the fearsome horrors and exorcise the angry, evil spirit that dwells within this damned place: Violetta Carbone. Will Silvia be able to conquer the Evil Tonight?

"Silvia never runs from evil—she makes it her business. Eccentric yet warm-hearted, this seasoned, modern exorcist has mastered the art of confronting the supernatural, turning haunted places into tangible nightmares. But on this fateful night, nothing goes as planned. ..."

On this latest assignment, Silvia Bellini checks the scribbled address in her personal notebook and, then, sets off for her destination. It seems that San Paolo De Rosa of Firenze (or under its English translation: Florence, Italy) is the site of a former performing arts academy. In recent times, construction efforts there have ceased due to "paranormal events". The sightings have escalated so much so, that workers have feared for their safety.

In Evil Tonight, gifted psychic, Silvia, enters a scary, haunted realm and must exorcise, Violetta, the tortured spirit whose at the center of the disturbance.

When the situation calls for extreme measures, "Who you gonna call?" No... not———— or even an ordained priest, but, instead... Silvia, self-proclaimed "future model and renowned actress"—among other things. Not one to take herself too seriously—except for when it comes to her looks and, most importantly, her supernatural gifts—this is, precisely, the type of case that is in Silvia's bailiwick.

In psychic circles, Silvia's mental aptitude and mystic might are unmatched, and they serve her well in her duties. Maybe a little too well... in the instance of her involvement with this San Paolo De Rosa matter, when she seeks out the specific points of "malice" emanating from the abandoned location and performs her "materialization ritual", something goes terribly wrong: her powerful, esoteric ceremony inadvertently draws in a small group of unwitting (and unwilling), innocent bystanders.

To their dismay, this congregation of confused pre-teens have just been sucked into an alternate dimension. Unbeknownst to anyone at the time, they just happened to be exploring the very same ruins of the once-glorious, old school grounds for a somewhat similar reason that Silvia was there for. This is slowly revealed at a later time, as the game's on-the-surface shallow—but, in reality—deeper plotlines start to unravel later in gameplay.

Now, Silvia's mission is magnified fourfold, as she has to try to track down all of the wandering children (Dino, Bianca, Pepe and Carlotta) and help transport them back home. The key to escape, however, is finding the source of all of the negative, spectral energy and safely purging it.

The stunning artwork and graphical detail of Evil Tonight are sights to behold... from the lively bustle of tourists in the sunshine to the scary shadows and lightning flashes in the dead of night.

For lesser mediums, this would be too much to overcome; but for our prematurely silver-haired Silvia, she is up for the task and more than able to hold her own.

Once the newly-materialized, ghostly dwelling takes shape and her dizziness subsides, Silvia is ready for action. Upon some early exploration through the spooky halls and a little, detective work with an emphasis on solving puzzles (all being core elements of the gameplay in Evil Tonight), Silvia discovers that one, Violetta Carbone, a former student of dance at the academy, is at the center of the ghoulish disruptions.

It becomes an epic battle, not unlike a recital on a grand stage, for Silvia to try to evict this angry and unfriendly entity from this cursed place.

Convincing Violetta to find peace by passing over to the "other side" will not be an easy feat to accomplish, though. In the meantime, while outside of the safety of our world, Silvia is tenacious, powerful enough—just like Violetta—to conjure up weapons for protection in this high-stakes form of spiritual warfare.

Silvia begins the game armed with a Knife for close-range attacks, and a Handgun that packs a wallop that can strike down accursed apparitions from across a room or from a safer distance, down a long, shadowy corridor.

But, unlike many action games where the protagonist has an unlimited amount of energy and a never-ending supply of ammunition, Silvia is mortally-bound to and grounded by some sense of limited resources, just like in our real-world reality.

Be sure to look for glints of light or sparkling items. They bring a little brightness to the darkness by drawing Silvia and the gamer's attention to useful items, like ammunition, health, things to interact with and required items that will let Silvia progress.

Instead of being able to just vigorously and aggressively swing her knife, there is a stamina bar that will deplete from too much slashing or from too much dashing—that is, leaping away to dodge enemy contact. Silvia must pause to take brief breaks to catch her breath and regain her strength.

(Of course, during Silvia's cooldown period, she is rendered briefly immobile and her guard is let down, so she is more at risk to take damage. However, it is important to note that you can use the Run command freely without affecting Sylvia's stamina, making for an ideal strategy for survival.)

And because there is only a finite amount of ammunition (much of which is hidden, so it really pays to be observant and to try to search rooms thoroughly and push larger items... More about this soon.), the game generates a strong sense of survival horror action—as you must choose fight or flight, and must learn to know when to conserve your weapons that fire (Handgun, Crossbow, Shotgun and Machine Gun!) and when to use limited healing items (Apples, Tonics, First Aid Kits) and other supplies.

This really amps up the survival factor, making every action and decision feel weighty and tense—at a moment, you can lose it all. (Well... sort of. There is no Auto-Save function available. However, there are a number of Save Points in rooms scattered about, so losing progress is a risk—only if you choose not to save often.)

A unique battle system—in combat mode—allows you to cycle through your weapons on-the-fly, while being able to run to sprint past or elude ghosts—all without pausing the game or having to leave the live action on-screen.

If Silvia chooses a firearm, AIM MODE activates, giving her the freedom to either face and lock in on the closest target in the Automatic setting, or to aim freely with Manual control.

These choices shape your plans of attack, as you must, oftentimes, make real-time, reflex-speed decisions upon being ambushed by surprise: by either agile or long-range attack, by enemies with short windows of vulnerability, by nearly-invisible enemies or by terrifying jumpscares. Thankfully, the game's control system is tight and responsive, making for an enjoyable romp through this apparitional academy... well, at least, as much fun as one can truly have while trying to survive a stay in a deadly, haunted house.

                                        

As you recall, Silvia materializes in this netherworldly vision of the school—one that is built on the fragile, fragmented memories and strained emotions of a deeply-conflicted, confused and tormented soul. This setting really allowed for the game's creators to conjure up a twisted playground of horrors, shrouded in murky shadow and mystery... a place begging to be explored.

There are frequent Save Points stashed away in some of the campus' various rooms (like a Bedroom, Shed or Office, for instance). Depending upon the difficulty setting you choose, saving can rejuvenate your health levels (in Casual mode) or not.

Boarded-up and broken windows serve as uninviting signs for Silvia's arrival. In between the intermittent flashes of lightning from a storm that ravages on with a cold, persistent rain, scant sources of incandescence throw erratic flickering of light that dances and plays in the shadows of the dank, darkened halls.

Heightened senses tingle in this setting where classrooms, shop classes, dressing rooms, restroom stalls, dormitory quarters, maintenance sheds and spaces, infirmary wards and gated gardens feel very unsettling, and a subtle soundtrack simmers almost inperceptibly below hearing level—intensifying the atmosphere with oddly-unfamiliar sounds mixed in. The imagination can truly run wild under these circumstances.

Being that this is a corrupted version of what used to be a center for performing arts education—there is quite a queer collection of the curious and the creepy. The tools of the trade, like mannequins, statues, busts, costumes, masks, paintings, display cases, various props used on stage and in plays... have all been equally recreated in a twisted manner: headless and smashed dolls with splashes of intentional, easily-misinterpreted color; possessed jack-in-the-boxes; unfortunate, taxidermy animals and mounted heads; jesters whose ideas of fun and games are anything, but.

Murderous maids, still making their rounds, attack with blades that strike with a blinding flash and slash. (Unexpectedly, there's even a Japanese-inspired space with perhaps, theater actors or geisha-like spirits on patrol... with seemingly-endless supplies of bombs tucked beneath the flowing fabric of their kimonos! Beware!)

Nothing is as normal as it seems in this dangerous dimension, so Silvia has to stay on high alert. While trampling through the disarray and disrepair, making your way through the mystery, you never know when you may be met with squeals of wicked delight or bouts of taunting, maniacal laughter or what inadvertent action or movement you may take that may activate other nasty, little surprises from the malevolence within. . . but we will save those for you to summon up the courage to experience on your own. (Suffice it to say, jumpscares are a staple for the survival horror genre.)

Aside from the confrontational encounters that Silvia faces, the fear factor is boosted by the environment, as well. Although Silvia's calming presence pierces the darkness with a faint, diffuse glow, it is not enough to fully illuminate the gloom.

Besides the soaking rain, lightning bursts and dense, cloud cover and thick fog, sometimes the top-down vantage point that the game is displayed in, has architectural features, like archways, that may obfuscate your sight line - adding to the unease and anxiety. These replace the forced nuisance of fixed, camera angles that, oftentimes, "artificially" elevated the severity of the situation in other older games in the genre.

Silvia is a more-than-able, battle-tested heroine, but she and you—as her guide—will be put to the test against this estate's hostile phantasms and maze-like layout of locked doors and passageways impeded by head-scratching riddles. Furthermore, the game's realistic limitations impose a depth of strategy, as the need to balance item/resource management against human frailty and vulnerability plays a crucial role for Silvia's survival outlook.

                                        

Besides action components, exploration and puzzle-solving are equally important in Evil Tonight.

There are many hidden items and secrets to help Silvia in Evil Tonight. If you see any suspicious, scratch marks on the floors or ground through the fog and murky shadows, be sure to have Silvia push any heavy objects aside. She will be rewarded.

Silvia has to face down Violetta's inner demons, as she progresses through the distorted academy, scouring the campus and grounds... scrounging and collecting clues and vital items (like a Screwdriver, Axe (oddly not usable on enemies), Fire Extinguisher, Fuses and more) that not only equip and fill up her supply bag, but that also, backfill the backstory of our tragic, phantom mistress.

As we solve more of the game's devious riddles, we find random, loose pages from Violetta's personal diary strewn about. With each new discovery, intimate details are revealed about her personality, her insecurities, her motivations and the eventual, unfortunate demise of this unfriendly, ghostly hostess during her living years.

Gathering these torn, diary pages, not only progresses the game's plot, but it fleshes out our poltergeist... evolving her story, causing the player's original feelings of disdain, fear and loathing to soften to compassion, sympathy and pity by game's end.

We begin to understand the root causes of why this once-dignified and vaunted place has undergone such a frightful transformation, changing into a scene of haunted, residential halls and fallen, abandoned school premises. In this eerie, altered state, the quiet and uneasy stillness is disturbed—for evil does not rest here... it is lurking afoot.

This once-proud, scholastic residence is now a walking, waking nightmare of evil—though, thankfully in this iteration, without "tank" controls and blindside cameras... but still feeling strangely familiar with its tense claustrophobia and the occasional jump-scares to raise your heart rate enough to make your heart jump out of your skin.

The prime and sole "resident" of this forsaken space seems to emanate a particularly violent and vindictive evil.

Violetta Carbone begins the game seemingly as just another one-dimensional villain, but as Silvia feels her way throughout the plot, the plight and character of Violetta becomes much more complex.

In life, she was Violetta Carbone, a talented performer from humble roots, who had to fight and scrap harder than all of the other young ladies in the academy for every bit of respect she earned... mustering all she had to stand alone against the privileged ones' prejudices and judgmental eyes, and their cold, envious sneers, snickers and whispers. But, in this twisted space, she is finally holding residence and court as belle of the ball... but with a distorted perspective tainted by evil.

Violetta holds on to strong, vengeful emotions towards any perceived invaders in her space because she still feels those insecurities from life. She is unaware of the fact that she does not belong in this realm anymore—that she has passed away—and that Sylvia is serving as the channel that is here to try to help her "cross over" from this fictional figment of reality that isn't really there anymore.

This telepathic tug-of-war infuriates Violetta ever more with each ensuing encounter. Violetta manifests herself four times throughout the game... each time, eclipsing the strength and wrath of her previous incarnations.

At this point, you may have noticed a number of purposefully placed, successive references to "residents"/"residence" and "evil". Following these rather obvious breadcrumbs, you may have surmised hints at another survival horror, action game of historic significance. If thoughts of the game and series, Resident Evil, came to mind, your deductive skills proved superb.

Evil Tonight has more than a passing, uncanny resemblance to its older sister of scares. Capcom's original Resident Evil title (Sony PlayStation, Windows, 1996) is the grande dame of the survivor horror genre, establishing many of the common tropes that still jump-scare up interest even to this day.

Let's take a closer look at the pair to see some of their similarities and some of the inspirations that sparked the attention of Evil Tonight's creators:

- Similarities & Inspirations - (NOTE: Spoiler alert - to see any spoiler information below, simply hover over any text areas that look like this: TEST SPOILER TEXT HERE.)
Screenshot of Resident Evil - Jill's Inventory	Screenshot of Evil Tonight - Silvia's Inventory
Weapons
Shared set of weapons: Combat Knife 9mm Hand Gun Shotgun	Knife Handgun Shotgun
Ammunition: Clips Shells Magnum Rounds	Handgun Bullets Shotgun Shells
Inventory
Notebook: From the original manual: "As you explore, you will discover notes, messages or other information that will automatically be filed in your character's notebook."	From the description in game: "While exploring, I write important clues here. Sometimes I draw things too, even though I'm not good at it, but I don't care since these notes are just for me anyway."
Large Health Item: First-Aid Spray	First Aid Kit
Smaller Health Items: Green Herb Red Herb (* Green Herb is boosted when Red Herb is mixed with it)	Apple Tonic
Keys (Shared types/names): Small Key Sword Key	Small Key Key Of Swords
Slides: Slides Jill using the Slides on a projector	Slide Silvia using the Slides on a projector
Diaries: Keeper's Diary	Diary Pages
Gems or Jewels: Blue Jewel Red Jewel (Used in a puzzle involving an animal statue)	Huge Gem (Used in a puzzle involving an animal statue)
Sheet Music: Music Notes Jill at the piano	Musical Score Silvia at the piano
Other Similarities
Setting: A spacious mansion and its surrounding grounds with several rooms and floors to explore, puzzles to solve and enemies to fight or flee	A spacious performing arts academy and its surrounding grounds in a haunted dimension with several rooms and floors to explore, puzzles to solve and enemies to fight or flee
Game Over Screen: YOU DIED (in garish, blood-red, animated sequence)	YOU ARE DEAD
Mechanics/Controls: From the original Sony PlayStation manual under the SPECIAL CONTROLS (DEFAULT) page: "CHECK ITEM Same as ACTION (X Button). If you press X during game play, your character will check the object in front of him/her. A message will appear to let you know what you found. If there is nothing there, no message appears. This control also opens doors and talks to other characters." "RUN Hold □ Button, then press Directional Button..." "PUSH ITEM Some items can be moved by pushing them. ..."	From Silvia's SURVIVAL MANUAL under the SECRETS tab or page: "Look for scratches on the floor to find pushable objects. Don't forget to examine everything to locate secret hidden objects."    A Confirm/Examine (BASIC CONTROLS)    Y Run (BASIC CONTROLS)
Use Of Puzzles And Riddles: [some are used, such as Large Gallery (arrangement of paintings from "newborn baby" to "bold-looking old man"), Music Notes (piano riddle) and Red and Blue Jewel (placement in Tiger Statue)]	Several used; some of which are similar to Resident Evil's. For help in solving them, CLICK HERE.
Mazes	Mazes [Garden Key access and Vent access]
Jumpscares!	Jumpscares

In stating the comparisons above (↑), though, we do not mean to diminish the original premise and ideas, nor the degree of fun and quality that are found in Evil Tonight. In actuality, Evil Tonight really stands out on its own merits and deserves more than to just be relegated as an inferior clone. Although Evil Tonight really looks up to her older sister, she is her own independent person and stands out more from just being a young stepsister taking baby steps, hiding behind her sister's imposing stature and reputation.

DYA Games is the small studio responsible for Evil Tonight. Based out of Spain, DYA Games took a D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) approach, using GameMaker Studio 2 software to catch that independent spirit without the backing of corporate giants or crowdsourcing. The D y A, or Daniel y (Spanish for "and") Alberto Vilchez (presumably the explanation for the company's name [???]), are siblings, whose brotherly love extends beyond their kinship to a clear passion for and patience to pursue pixelated perfection.

Their game feels like it could have been a natural entry from the SNES (Super Nintendo) or Sony Playstation libraries. It takes graphical inspiration from some of the stronger, popular titles of those eras (Mega Man X series, Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy series, among others), and infuses anime or manga through portraits of the characters. Complete with large, expressive eyes and emotive, facial animations, each pixelated instance is bursting with personality and sparkle, reminiscent of the Metal Slug series, as well. In dialogue boxes, animated text in conversations (like wavy motions or agitated, jittery phrases) punctuate emotions that normal type just can't deliver.

With such beautiful, pixel art rendered in a pseudo-3-D, or isometric, manner, one may assume that Evil Tonight wouldn't be scary... but, one would be wrong! The game's enchanted setting; masterful use of lighting (and lack thereof!); genius use of a subtle, yet tense, soundtrack with effective sound effects; surprise attacks—and YES! those bedeviled jumpscares—add a legitimate feel of immersion, dread and tension. With excellent game design and writing, no matter what the limitations of the technology used... atmosphere can be conjured out of pure imagination.

Silvia, a medium with a more-than-enough-to-pass-around sense of her own "hotness", playfully brings levity to the heavy, oppressive tone of the horror and adds a nice counterpoint to offset the fear and dread of exploring this creepy, twisted dimension.

Sure, it wears some of its Resident Evil inspiration on its sleeves, but Silvia's self-professed "hotness" re-fashions it and wears it well with her own fresh, cute style full of sass and a flair of levity and sarcasm.

It has enough appeal for the SNES/Genesis/Mega Drive and Playstation fans (who may enjoy, pulling out graph paper and polishing up their old school, mapmaking skills like back in the day, while gushing over the lush, detailed graphics and clever collection of brainteasing puzzles (many of which change-up per new game!)).

But, at the same time, today's gamers can enjoy a glimpse of yesteryear with a fine polish of modern comforts and sensibilities that help wipe away the cobwebs and buff out the tarnish of brutal, often unfair, difficulty spikes and archaic limits in gaming technology, programming and design ideas.

It is a shame that Evil Tonight—as well as DYA Games' other set of lovingly-crafted games—has seemed to have been hidden away from many consumers—just like so many secrets obscured by the fog and stormy night of the game's setting.

It truly is a spine-tingling romp that feels like a blast from the past without feeling too punitive. It has that great tension of a survival horror with mystery around every dark corner, but without all of the gore and disturbing imagery. And it can be played as a fun, action game, with touches of stealth, narrative, puzzle and strategy (resource management) elements in one sitting or more deliberately paced over a few hours of play with variable difficulty settings. All of these reasons help make Evil Tonight, a great game choice that is "good today"!

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