Home Gaming Alone in the Dark – Reviewed – XBOX 360

Alone in the Dark – Reviewed – XBOX 360

6 min read
7

By Philip Dunkley 

I once again need to get something straight before I even remotely begin to get involved in the review of this game. Sometimes, it is remarkably difficult to review a game, especially when it has the highest high points, and some of the lowest low points. Being objective is always a specifically difficult strategy to approach, especially when gut feel takes a role, and other factors come into play. What I have decided to do here, and this is the first time we have ever done this, is to give this game two different scores, purely as I cannot think of another way to do this.

Let’s start with the history here. I played all the other Alone in the Dark series when I was a lot younger, and although I don’t remember too much about them, I do remember one thing. They were always innovative, and the story telling was fantastic. Bringing this into current times, this has not changed, in fact, it’s evolved, a lot, and this might be the reason this game is so difficult to review.

 

The story is once again based around Edward Carnby, set in current day New York, and the fact that he is still alive after so many years is explained throughout the game, so I won’t spoil this at all. He also has no idea who he is, so the usual amnesia role rears its head again. He slowly finds out about his past as the game plays out, but the basic gist is that a certain ritual has taken place to awaken a malignant force, and this is what caused the amnesia, and it’s up to him, and his co-stars to start figuring out what is going on, as Central park has literally been ripped up and detached from greater new York, and Demons are pretty much taking over the neighbourhood. It plays out through one night in Central Park, and Atari has done some pretty cool work on the way the game is presented to the player. It plays out like a TV Series, with menu systems allowing you to more backwards and forwards throughout the game, like chapters, at your own discretion. It even has a “previously in Alone the Dark” feature.So basically, if you get stuck at a specific spot, you can jump that section, and move on with the rest of the game, and come back to the other section later.  It’s actually a very nice feature.

Now to the gameplay, and this is where it can go either very well, or very very wrong. Let me start by saying this. This is an adventure horror game that will throw elements of action, puzzle, FPS, ledge jumper and physics game all into one package and this is where Alone in the Dark made its first mistake. They tried to put to many things into one game, and instead of perfecting a few of the mechanics, they tried to get all them “sort of working”. Let me give you an example. The inventory system works in Edwards’s jacket, so you physically have to open his jacket. Then let’s say you want to throw a Molotov cocktail at an enemy. You would then have to open jacket, combine rag with bottle, equip bottle, equip lighter, combine lighter and bottle, go out of inventory, aim flaming bottle, and then finally throw, by which time the enemy is already on top of you and you will end up damaging yourself. There is no pause in the inventory screen.  Sometime it works really well, as you have enough time, but other times, the simplest actions just don’t work. But it’s not all doom and gloom here. The physics engine in this game is fabulous at points, so some the puzzles are ingenious. You will find some of the answers to a few puzzles staring you right in the face, purely by using physics, and not even notice it.

Then we get on to other issues, I played the game for about 3 hours before finding my first bug within the game, and then they came fast and furiously, but different people have experienced different things, and one noticeable and famous issue was the car chase scene in NY, which apparently everyone struggled with, but I did it first time, so experiences can vary.


We then move onto the graphic department, another mistake in some respects. This can be a total marvel to look at, or a total flop due to bugs. Some of the details on characters faces are wicked, and look amazing, and the environments are solid as hell, giving NYC its darkest, most malevolent look to date. The physics engine adds a real live feeling to the game. But sometimes things get a bit one dimensional, that’s the only way I can describe it. Another up and down experience here. Fire looks good here though, and there is a lot of fire!!!!

From a sound point of view, here is one part of this game that shines through on every level, probably one of the best sounding games I have heard. The musical score is haunting and magical, with the “Mystery of Bulgarian Voices” doing a fantastic job of the vocals within the score along with some really dramatic music to accompany it. The actual sound effects are brilliant too, with all the effects of fire, electricity, gunfire and the likes sounding very realistic, so it’s absolute ear candy!!!

How can I sum this game up???? It’s very ambitious, and I applaud anyone for this, and it’s by no means unplayable, so don’t get that idea. It’s just this. If you are going to get put off by buggy graphics and a control system that leaves little to be desired, you are going to hate this game, period. But if you can put all that aside, and endure through the frustrating moments within the game, you will find a game that has an amazing story to tell, and a nightmare that has to be lived through, purely because when the good times roll in this game, it feels mighty good.  I’m going to score this from both angles, one for a person who will shun the issues, and the other from a person who can deal with it.

Scoring (Can’t deal with Issues)
Gameplay: 4/10 [Just too frustrating to deal with]
Presentation: 4/10 [Some good, too many bugs]  
Sound: 10/10 [Fantastic]     
Value: 4/10 [You won’t finish it]   
Overall: 4/10 [You just won’t enjoy] 

Scoring (Can deal with Issues)
Gameplay: 7/10 [Still frustrating]
 
Presentation: 7/10 [Inconsistent]
Sound: 10/10 [Fantastic]
Value: 7/10 [You’ll finish it] Overall: 7.5/10 [Frustrating, but enjoyable,]

Last Updated: July 1, 2008

7 Comments

  1. koldFU5iON

    July 1, 2008 at 09:33

    Just on the Jacket inventory thing, I have to sympathize with game developers here, as gamers are always asking for a more realistic game, something closer to life, so now we get FPS games where you can only carry a primary and a secondry weapon and only a couple of grenades and maybe a bandage. with the Jacket which is 1st and formost unique to any game it’s also how it would be in real life espicially if you just got yanked into a situation like this with no special jacket to carry all the equipment. so taking things out of your jacket and putting it altogether is “exactly” what would happen in a real life situation.

    Reply

  2. PillsburyDeeBoy

    July 1, 2008 at 09:42

    The more gamers demand for real life, and the closer we get to that reality, the more it becomes bleedingly apparent that at some point in that traversal, something becomes amiss. We essentially want a game to be as real as possible without the crap that comes with reality.

    Reply

  3. Vg2

    July 1, 2008 at 09:45

    While I agree with this, in real life you wouldnt stand perfectly still while a monster ate you when you wanted to rummage for a bottle, cloth and lighter :mrgreen:

    Anyway, I love this game, and only experienced some control difficulty in episode 6 (where I am now) with some of those larger humanz that just dont die hahaha

    Reply

  4. Syph1n

    July 1, 2008 at 10:25

    Finished the game over the weekend. got 900 gs. I must say once i figured it out and got used to it. i thoroughly enjoyed it!! it was really a trip to yesteryear for me. While i might not replay it. i think not playing it would be a shame if you are a fan of the genre

    Reply

  5. Naudran

    July 1, 2008 at 10:32

    I already know of one friend that has taken the game back for a swap-out because the control system just frustrated the living hell out of him.

    So I’m def. not getting the game, in anyways, enjoying Ninja Gaiden way to much :mrgreen:

    Reply

  6. Vamp

    July 1, 2008 at 10:44

    I totally agree. Everyone wants “reality”, but aren’t willing to put up with the limitations of what that “reality” actually means. I think it actually adds a lot
    to the game in terms of panic and urgency, which is what these kind of games are all about in the first place.
    Yes, the controls are horrible to learn, but by the time you actually get to the park, you’re already doing most things automatically and only afterwards think, “Hey, that was a cool idea!” 🙂
    The dvd menu system is pure genius and i hope more dev’s will
    see it that way too.
    Anyway, all i actually wanted to say is that I’m enjoying the crap out of it even with it’s flaws and in my opinion
    doesn’t deserve all the terrible 3’s and 3.5’s that it’s getting.

    Reply

  7. Vamp

    July 1, 2008 at 10:55

    p.s. Why go through the whole shlep of a molotov cocktail
    anyway, when 1 exploding bottle + 1 bullet = hard-on inducing chaos 🙂

    Reply

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