In Japan, by default The Evil Within is edited to be a CERO D game. However, if you reserve The Evil Within and are 18 or over, you’ll get a DLC code for Gore Mode which restores elements in the Western release that were cut to keep the rating in Japan 17+ instead of adults only.
Director Shinji Mikami explained, the reason why The Evil Within has two modes is the game would have been rated CERO Z and he wanted The Evil Within to have broader distribution.
When a bomb detonates in the edited CERO D version of The Evil Within enemies stay in one piece…
… but in the Western version and with Gore Mode DLC explosions are more graphic.
If you take out an enemy with a headshot their head stays on in the edited version of The Evil Within…
… but in the Western version or if Gore Mode is on headshots are more graphic.
Another change is corpses are covered in the edited version of The Evil Within while the Western version and in Gore Mode corpse are exposed.
The Evil Within comes out in Japan on October 23. Bethesda will release the game in North America and Europe this week.
