The unconscious within: a psychological study of shinji mikami’s ‘the evil within’

Abstract

The human mind is an unknown playground for researchers. Among its various components, the subconscious is the darkest one. The conscious mind is shaped by social norms and regulations, where the unconscious remains primitive. Often it shows signs of violence- irrational and illogical. From Freud to Jung, everybody has argued that the subconscious, along with its violence and primitivism, is more real than the external reality. Whatever is repressed and hidden can be found in the unconscious. Now, researchers are trying to find ways to understand the activity of the subconscious. Psychoanalysis, along with quantum physics, is focusing on some practical methods based on the theories of psychology. Virtual gaming is becoming a very important medium day by day in this context. The simulations can easily portray the cases which are confined within theories. That is why game studies or ludology, a part of cultural studies, is being given importance by scholars and researchers. In my paper, I aim to analyze Shinji Mikami's 'The Evil Within' to unwrap the hidden meanings and symbols of human psychology. This paper focuses on the characters and their backgrounds to connect them to the plot of the game. My emphasis is on the psychological connotations found in the game and the theories supporting them.