For fans of The Evil Within, the nightmarish visuals and psychological torment are only half the fun. Beneath the surface lies a series of clever, eerie, and sometimes downright bizarre Easter eggs—some easy to miss, others woven deeply into the game’s world. Whether you’re revisiting the game or playing through for the first time, this guide unearths the most interesting hidden gems and references you need to see for yourself.

Chapter 3 – The Crow Time Trial Trick

This first major Easter egg only appears on New Game Plus, and only if you’re playing on the easiest difficulty. After clearing Chapter 3 and defeating the chainsaw-wielding Sadist, head to the upper section of the barn. There, you’ll find a mocking crow in the window. Shoot it—but don’t be distracted by the strange cutscene that follows. Instead, you’ve just triggered a time-sensitive crow hunt.

You now have a limited window to shoot five specific crows:

1. At the top of the Watchtower.
2. Turn around from the Watchtower for the second.
3. Perched atop a burned wheelbarrow.
4. In an alcove nearby.
5. On the right post of the level’s exit.

Nail them all within the time limit and you’ll earn 100,000 green gel—a jackpot reward that can be farmed. Save, exit, and reload your New Game Plus save to repeat the process. Do it about five times, and you’ll be stacked with enough gel to fully upgrade all stats and weapons. This method is quick, efficient, and borderline game-breaking in terms of power boosts.

Chainsaw Shortcut Strategy

Need to speed things up? After talking to the NPC and cranking the gate open, head into the barn and attack the chainsaw Sadist from the upper floor. If you’ve got the ammo, this approach allows you to take him down before he can even reach you. It’s a small sacrifice in terms of time but a massive gain in trophies and resources.

Chapter 4 – The Hanging Body Ritual and the Mysterious Pig

Moving on to Chapter 4, there’s another sequence that rewards attention to detail. At the bonfire event, shoot the man holding the woman hostage. Once rescued, she’ll enter a nearby room, inspect a note, and then vanish.

Now things get weirder.

Begin hunting down all the hanging corpses in the level. There are five in total:

• The first near your starting area.
• The next three grouped together in a shed.
• The final one is at a dead end of the level.

You don’t need to shoot them all—just burning them is enough, and it saves bullets. After all five are taken care of, return to the bonfire, and a giant pig will spawn. It doesn’t attack. It doesn’t drop much green gel. It just… stands there. Eating.

It’s weird. It’s random. It’s memorable. That’s what makes it an Easter egg.

Easy Trophies and Full Power

With the green gel earned from the crow trick, go wild with the upgrades. Max out your stats and weapons to unlock a batch of trophies instantly. It’s a simple path to a maxed-out save and adds a little fun power fantasy before diving deeper into the game’s twisted world.

Chapter 9 – The Phantom in the Window

Later, in Chapter 9, when you reach the mansion, don’t go in immediately. Open the gates, pull out your sniper rifle, and aim at the second-floor window. You’ll spot a strange man staring out. He doesn’t look like the Haunted. His eyes glow white, and the vibes are undeniably creepy.

Approach the room? He’s gone.

Who he is and what he represents remains unknown—but he’s become a favorite topic of speculation among fans. Was he a cut character? A ghost? Or just one more reminder that nothing in The Evil Within can be trusted?

Poster References and Meta Commentary

The game doesn’t just hide secrets in actions—it plants them in plain sight through environmental design. Many in-world posters and advertisements parody or reference real-world pop culture:

• A poster that’s clearly a nod to SAW.
• A duo that looks suspiciously like Daft Punk.
• Visual nods to Pink Floyd and American Psycho.
• Cabin scenes and designs referencing The Cabin in the Woods and The Grudge.

All of this makes sense when you remember—you’re inside Ruvik’s mind. Reality is distorted. Familiar images are twisted reflections of real-world culture.

The Pig Poster and the Vegan Space Odyssey

One of the most absurdly detailed Easter eggs comes in the form of a poster of a pig—hard to read, easy to miss, and yet filled with hilarious lore. According to the in-game text (which you really have to squint to decipher), it’s the tale of a piglet deemed “inedible,” subjected to a cyborg procedure, who then travels through space with a crew of aliens. The poster ends with a plea to “go vegan.”

It’s surreal. It’s oddly poetic. And yes, it’s 100% in the game’s files.

The sequel to the pig’s adventure? It supposedly involves a badass character who “wrecks his [expletive] hard. So hard.” No further details given. And yet… we kind of want to see it.

Final Thoughts: More Than Just Horror

The Evil Within isn’t just a horror game. It’s a layered experience full of secrets, sly references, and bizarre humor buried beneath its bleak surface. Whether you’re shooting phantom crows for green gel or reading about space-faring pigs, there’s always something strange waiting around the corner.

So if you’re returning to this title for another run, keep your eyes open. You never know what you’ll find staring back at you from the shadows—or out of a second-floor window.