To the joy of primitive screwheads everywhere,Evil Dead: The Gamehas finally dropped. Many players have already embraced this competitive title, basking in the cartoonish gore that the horror-comedy franchise is known for. However, what’s also prevalent here is fan service.
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Evil Deadproducts are packed with easter eggs for the series' cult followers, and this game is no exception. Because it lacks cutscenes and a substantive Story Mode, most of these callbacks come through in-game dialogue or environmental quirks. Average gamers may overlook such subtle references, but that won’t stop die-hard devotees from catching them.
7A Workshed Moment
This may or may not be intentional. Certain killssee Ash threaten his Deadite target. “I’ve got a little surprise for you in the workshed,” he warns. It’s probably a reference toEvil Dead 2.
In this film, the decapitated head of Linda–Ash’s possessed girlfriend–chomps down on his hand. He tries to pry her off, but she won’t let go. He then mutters, “Workshed,” before stumbling into the rundown building. This scene is where he first gets his iconic chainsaw, which he uses to kill his love and cover the place in blood. Referencing this grisly scene probably isn’t a good omen for anyone in his way.
6"We’re Gonna Get You."
One mission sees players reenact Ash’s bloody breakup with Linda. During this sequence, they hear her shrilly voice sing this song. Not only is it creepy to hear this while running through the woods, but the tune itself harkens back to the originalEvil Dead. Here, a demonic and cackling Linda teases Ash with this little jingle. This isn’t the only place it’s popped up, though.
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The 2013 remake brings back the chilling song. This time, it’sthe possessed Miawho sings it. Locked in the collar, she repeats the verses verbatim. The scene, unfortunately, saw the chopping block, but that didn’t stop it from showing up in the trailers. It also didn’t stop the developers from putting it in this game.
5A Six Million Dollar Reference
This Easter Egg has multiple layers. When picking up certain items, Ash says that he feels “better, stronger, faster.” This is a direct callback to the TV series,Ash vs. Evil Dead. In reconnecting with his estranged father, the boastful hero shows off his robotic hand. He then recites this same phrase while doing so.
This in itself is a tribute toLee Majors, the actor playing his dad. Among his most famous roles isThe Six Million Dollar Man. The intro of that show states that science can reassemble the damaged hero to be “better, stronger, faster.” Obviously, his robotic implants go further than just his hand.
4Hello, Gorgeous.
This time,Ash’s most intense teammategets the one-liner. When Kelly Maxwell acquires a weapon in the game, she sometimes greets it with “Hello, Gorgeous.” It’s probably the same reaction players have whenever they get a new toy.
It’s also the same response Kelly has in the TV series. When the heroes come across a quarantined military base in the first season, Kelly picks up a machine gun. She utters the same line with a smile on her face. The girl is hungry for revenge at this point, and this is perhaps the most useful tool to spill Deadite blood.
3El Brujo Especial
Kelly isn’t the only member of the Ghostbeaters to get some love. Pablo Simon Bolivar’s missions also harken back to his journey in the show. His uncle is a shaman known as “El Brujo,” and he aims to pass on his knowledge to his nephew. He believes Pablo to be “El Brujo Especial.”
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Pablo eventually realizes his destiny and declares it in the game. Some kills cause him to celebrate, shouting, “Yo soy El Brujo Especial!”. Consideringsome of his mystical abilities, such as becoming invisible to Deadites, it’s hard to argue with that proclamation.
2A Shill For Shemp’s
Health pick-ups come in many forms. InEvil Dead: The Game, players regain HP by drinking Shemp’s Cola. This is obviously not a real brand, but nevertheless part of the franchise, albeit a recent one.
The TV show sees Ash gorge on the stuff. He’s a hardcore alcoholic here, so it’s Shemp’s Beer instead. Fans probably wonder why the developers changed it to soda. Then again, too much booze might hinder the hero as he fights for his life.Let’s not get too unrealistic with this demon-slaying romp.
1Bronson Cave
Here’s a deep cut. One of the many locales on the map is Bronson Cave. It may seem like a random name, but those familiar with the franchise’s history know better. Bronson Cave served as a shooting location inArmy of Darkness. Specifically, it appears in the alternate ending where Ash wakes up in a post-apocalyptic future.
This area has appeared in countless films and TV shows over the years, but one of the most famous is in the 1960sBatmanshow. The campy gem used the location for the Batcave’s entrance.Audiences see the Batmobile driving in and out of it every episode. Now, players can reenact that sequence with Ash’s Delta.
Evil Dead: The Gameis currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch.
