Five friends, one cabin, one cursed book, and a low-budget nightmare that changed horror forever. Groovy? Not yet.
Before the chainsaw hand, before the one-liners, before Ash became a gaming icon, there was The Evil Dead: Sam Raimi's raw, relentless, shockingly inventive debut. As a lifelong gamer and horror blogger, I'm not only reviewing the film that started it all. I'm also walking through every Evil Dead video game ever released, oldest to newest, with platforms, gameplay style, and honest verdicts, so you know exactly what is worth playing in 2026.
🎯 Quick Verdict: A grimy, inventive, endlessly influential horror landmark. Its ideas (a cabin, a cursed book, a hero who breaks down) still shape modern horror games. The games? A bumpy road, but Regeneration and The Game are fun for fans.
🎬 Official Trailer
▶ Video not loading? Watch the trailer on YouTube▶️ Want gameplay walkthroughs? Follow our playthroughs on YouTube.
▶ Watch on Our YouTube Channel📋 Film Info at a Glance
| Title | The Evil Dead |
| Director | Sam Raimi |
| Producer | Rob Tapert |
| Star | Bruce Campbell (as Ash) |
| Year | 1981 (premiere); wider US release in 1983 |
| Runtime | 85 minutes |
| Genre | Supernatural horror, cult classic |
| Sequels | Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness, Ash vs Evil Dead (TV), Evil Dead Rise |
| My Rating | 8.8 / 10 |
📖 Story (Spoiler-Free)
Five college friends head to a remote cabin deep in the woods for a weekend getaway. Down in the cellar they find a strange old book and a tape recording. Curiosity wins, someone presses play, and something ancient in the forest begins to wake up. As night falls, the cabin turns from a vacation spot into a trap, and the group must decide who they can trust, and how far they will go to survive until dawn.
No cheap twists spoiled here. What makes the story work is its simplicity: a single location, a ticking clock, and a creeping sense that nowhere is safe. It is the blueprint that countless horror films and survival horror games would follow.
🎮 Every Evil Dead Video Game (Oldest to Newest)
Here is the complete timeline, with platforms, how each game plays, and my verdict. Gameplay videos are included for each title.
1. The Evil Dead (1984)
Platforms: BBC Micro, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum · Publisher: Palace Software
Gameplay: The first-ever Evil Dead game is set in the film's cabin. You play Ash, closing windows to keep monsters out while fighting those already inside with shovels, axes and shotguns, then finding the Necronomicon to end the evil. The ZX Spectrum version was never sold alone; it came as a free bonus on the B-side of Cauldron. Primitive today, but a real piece of horror gaming history.
▶ Video not loading? Watch on YouTubeMy Rating: 5.5 / 10 (historic curiosity)
2. Evil Dead: Hail to the King (2000)
Platforms: PlayStation, Dreamcast, PC · Publisher: THQ
Gameplay: A fixed-camera survival horror game in the Resident Evil mold, with tank-style controls, a shotgun, a chainsaw, and Bruce Campbell's voice as Ash. It nails the humor but struggles with clunky controls and repetitive combat.
▶ Video not loading? Watch on YouTubeMy Rating: 5 / 10 (charming, but dated)
3. Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick (2003)
Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox · Publisher: THQ
Gameplay: A third-person action game that swaps slow survival horror for fast boomstick-and-chainsaw combat. Fun in short bursts, with plenty of Ash one-liners, though it is repetitive over time. It has no story link to Regeneration.
▶ Video not loading? Watch on YouTubeMy Rating: 5.5 / 10 (guilty pleasure)
4. Evil Dead: Regeneration (2005)
Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC · Developer: Cranky Pants Games · Publisher: THQ
Gameplay: A third-person hack-and-slash with a fun twist: Ash teams up with Sam, a pint-sized half-Deadite sidekick you can use as a weapon, a decoy, or a puzzle solver. Absorb "evil essence" to go into a powerful rage mode. Bruce Campbell and Ted Raimi both voice characters. Single-player only, around 6 hours.
▶ Video not loading? Watch on YouTubeMy Rating: 7 / 10 (the best classic-era entry)
5. Evil Dead: The Game (2022)
Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC · Developers: Saber Interactive & Boss Team Games
Gameplay: An asymmetrical co-op and PvP multiplayer game. Four survivors (Ash, Kelly, Pablo, Scotty and more) loot, craft, and manage fear to seal the breach between worlds, while a fifth player becomes the Kandarian Demon and hunts them. Over 25 weapons, the iconic cabin, and Bruce Campbell narrating. Live updates ended in 2023 and the Switch version was cancelled.
▶ More Evil Dead: The Game gameplay on YouTubeMy Rating: 7.5 / 10 (best on a team of friends)
Also worth a mention: Dead by Daylight lets you play as Ash Williams, and RetroRealms: Ash vs Evil Dead is a 16-bit style platformer for retro fans.
🎨 My Take as a Gaming Blogger
Evil Dead is a franchise whose personality is bigger than its budgets. The early games never quite captured the film's energy, but Regeneration got closest to the chaotic humor, and The Game finally delivered the multiplayer experience fans dreamed about. If I could only play one today, I'd pick Evil Dead: The Game with friends (if you own it), or Regeneration for a solo night.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
• Genuinely influential horror classic
• Bruce Campbell's iconic Ash
• Great chainsaw/boomstick fantasy
• Regeneration and The Game are fun
Cons
• Early games are dated and clunky
• Graphic violence, mature players only
• The Game is delisted from stores
• Low-budget effects won't suit everyone
🏁 Final Verdict: 8.8 / 10
The Evil Dead is a bloody, brilliant, endlessly watchable cult classic, and its gaming legacy is a fun, messy ride. Watch the film first, then dive into the games.
🛒 Watch the Official Trailer & Where to Buy
⚠️ Availability note: Evil Dead: The Game was removed from digital storefronts in 2025. Players who already own it can keep playing, as Saber Interactive said servers would stay online. Check the official store pages below for current availability of Evil Dead titles.
❓ Evil Dead FAQ
When was The Evil Dead released?
It premiered in 1981, with a wider US release in 1983.
Who directed The Evil Dead?
Sam Raimi, with Bruce Campbell as Ash.
How many Evil Dead video games are there?
Five main games: The Evil Dead (1984), Hail to the King (2000), A Fistful of Boomstick (2003), Regeneration (2005) and Evil Dead: The Game (2022).
What is the best Evil Dead game?
For solo play, Regeneration. For multiplayer, Evil Dead: The Game.
Can I still buy Evil Dead: The Game?
It was delisted from digital stores in 2025, but owners can still play.
Tags: The Evil Dead 1981 review, Evil Dead video games in order, Evil Dead games ranked, Evil Dead The Game, Evil Dead Regeneration, Ash Williams, Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, best horror games, cult horror movies