The Evil Dead | 1984

The Evil Dead

Evil Dead is an adventure game developed by Palace Software for the Commodore 64, BBC Micro, and ZX Spectrum. Based on the 1981 horror film of the same name, it is the first officially licensed Evil Dead video game. The ZX Spectrum version was not released standalone and eventually appeared on the B-side of Cauldron.

The game takes place in the cabin from the Evil Dead film. Players control Ash, who must close the cabin windows to prevent monsters from entering and also kill any creatures already inside the cabin.

As players fight off monsters with various weapons (such as shovels, shotguns, and axes), Ash's energy level decreases. To replenish his energy, Ash must continuously pick up new weapons. After defeating all the monsters, Ash must obtain and destroy the Necronomicon (the book of the dead) to defeat the evil forces.

In a 1984 review by Your Computer magazine, concerns were raised about the potential for "computer nasties" — overtly graphic games that might arise from violent films like The Evil Dead. However, the review noted that the game's graphics alleviated such concerns, stating, "There is nothing here that would keep even the most worldly 12-year-old awake at night."

Despite its similarity to Atic Atac, the game received generally positive reviews, with praise for its graphics and enough variety to maintain player interest.