The Evil Within (2014): runs on Windows 11, Mac, Linux, Steam Deck?

Windows 11✓ with 3 fixes
Steam Deck✓ Verified
Mac✓ no Mac version, runs through CrossOver
Linux✓ Proton Gold

Gamicality score 75 / 100

Playability today ★★★★★ 3

Runs today4.5 / 5
Design today1.5 / 5
See the checks

Steam user reviews Very Positive

30,305 reviews85% positive
Steam store page

Get it on Steam Get it on GOGDRM-free

Released: 2014
Developer: Tango Gameworks
Genre: Action
Time to beat: About 15.5 hours for the main story HowLongToBeat
Runs on: Windows, Linux, Steam Deck
Last checked: October 31, 2026

Does The Evil Within run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11	✓Runs with a fix. See the steps below. Source
Mac (Apple Silicon)	✓No Mac version is sold. Plays on a Mac through CrossOver or Wine (AppleGamingWiki).
Linux	✓Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks. Source
Steam Deck	✓Verified by Valve. Source

Played it lately? Press Works for me or Doesn’t work on your platform, so the next player knows. One click, no account. How we check where it runs

How to get The Evil Within running today

Open a step for the full walkthrough.

If the screen goes black when the game starts or the resolution changes, press Ctrl+Alt+Del, cancel, and return to the game; to avoid it, switch off fullscreen, change the resolution, then turn fullscreen back on (PCGamingWiki).
1. No mods or mod manager are needed for any fix here.
2. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and wait a few seconds until the picture returns.
3. Click Cancel. If you land on the desktop, click the game's icon in the taskbar.
4. In the game options, set fullscreen to disabled, pick the resolution you want, and apply it.
5. Turn fullscreen back on in the options.
If the picture looks zoomed in or cropped, override the high DPI scaling for the game's .exe (PCGamingWiki).
1. In Steam, right-click the game > Manage > Browse local files.
2. Right-click the game's .exe and choose Properties, then the Compatibility tab.
3. Windows 11: click Change high DPI settings, check Override high DPI scaling behavior, and set it to Application.
4. Windows 10: check Override high DPI scaling behavior and set it to Application.
5. Click OK and start the game.
To remove the black letterbox bars, turn them off in the game's settings, an option added in a later update (Steam announcement).
1. Open the game's options from the main menu.
2. Find the letterbox setting and turn it off.
3. Apply the change. On ultrawide screens the picture stays pillarboxed; PCGamingWiki lists Flawless Widescreen for that.

Synopsis

A third-person survival horror game from Shinji Mikami, the director of Resident Evil 4. A police detective investigating a mass killing at a mental hospital is pulled into a shifting nightmare world, where he sneaks, scavenges scarce ammunition and fights grotesque creatures and bosses.

What people say

Critics split at release: some praised its tense, old-school survival horror and memorable bosses, while others found it derivative, punishing and held back by technical problems and a muddled story. Its OpenCritic average sits in the low 70s, with about half of critics recommending it. Players today are kinder, and many call it an underrated horror gem that runs better on PC than it did at launch. The recurring complaints remain instant-death traps, trial-and-error deaths and stretches that feel more tedious than scary.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

4.5 / 5

✓Sold or given away today by an official source
✗Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
✓Single-player works without an internet connection
GOG sells a DRM-free version that plays offline (GOG).
✓All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
PCGamingWiki records no shut-down servers or lost content (PCGamingWiki).
✓Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Native widescreen and modern resolutions (PCGamingWiki).
✓Full controller support or remappable controls
Controller support (PCGamingWiki).
✓Steam Deck Verified or Playable
✓No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
✓No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
✓No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
The open issues PCGamingWiki lists are minor and do not stop play (PCGamingWiki).

From the Steam store, Valve’s Steam Deck rating and the sources under each check. Checks not confirmed yet don’t count.

Design today

1.5 / 5

✗Controls feel awkward on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Movement, aiming and melee are widely described as sluggish and heavy, which makes quick shots hard. Source: engadget.com.
✓Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
The interface is sparse and readable, and the wide letterbox bars that drew early complaints can be switched off in the display settings. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
✗Saving is harsh: few saves or checkpoints, progress gets lost
Checkpoints are spaced far apart and save spots are limited, so deaths often cost a long stretch plus slow reloads. Source: cogconnected.com, engadget.com.
✗Hard to make progress without a guide
Bosses and traps give little hint of how to beat them, and players still complain of instant deaths that teach only by trial and error. Source: engadget.com, steamcommunity.com.
✗Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
Critics and some current players find long stretches of combat repetitive and tedious rather than tense. Source: engadget.com, steamcommunity.com.
✗Camera or movement fights the player
The close over-the-shoulder camera is a common complaint, especially in tight rooms with large bosses where the player cannot see properly. Source: engadget.com.