Review of Alone in the Dark
Alone in the Dark
By: Atari Average Rating: 2.5 Total Reviews: 115
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just like a movie
On: 2010-07-05lots of action, scary, and good graphics. it was kind of hard for me to understand at first but i always loved a challenge.
MEH. Good design, bad gameplay...
On: 2010-05-06The designer definitely had some good ideas, but overall the game isnt very fun to play. Awkward move controls make it feel clunky at best. Too bad because so many of the ideas were really neat. The "cinematic look" has been done better, but for its age, this game looks pretty fantastic. And E for Effort, but Id probably skip this one.
Horrible Game
On: 2010-04-08This game has a couple of things that are good about it. The story is interesting. And....well, I guess thats it. The rest of the game is God awful. But for the sake of saving you money well break it down 1 by 1.
THE CONTROLS: 1 Star. Using one stick to move sucks. And having to use the other stick to swing, well you guessed it, that sucks too. Makes fighting really annoying. Makes, well everything really annoying.
THE CAMERA ANGLE: 1 Star. This is possibly more annoying than the controls. Youll be walking on the ledge at the edge of a building. Its all going good, and suddenly, bam! Screen changes and you walk off the ledge. This happens a lot. I also cant stand not being able to see what Im fighting. That makes the game great too.
THE STORY: 4 Stars. The only thing even remotely redeeming about the game is the story. End of the world? Evil monsters? Scary creatures? Crazy holes that suck you into oblivion? Check! Thats enjoyable at least.
HIT DETECTION: 1 Star. Horrible. Not only is it annoying how you have to use 1 stick to swing, it makes it a million times worse when you cant hit anything at all. You can be standing on top of an enemy and miss. At the same time though, you can be far away and hit.
BOTTOM LINE: Stay far, far, far away from this pile of dookie. Decent graphics and an interesting story cant even begin to make up for all of this stinker of a title. Two thumbs way down....
Awesome Game!!!!
On: 2010-01-30I had a lot of fun with this game! Some of my friends didnt like it but you have to appreciate the way the game was made. Simply awesome. I hope they make a part two cause the ending of part one was awesome and I would LOVE to see what they come up next in part two!
Believe the others.
On: 2009-09-20I have owned the game for the better part of 2 months and i wish to provide my own thoughts.
Plot 4/10 The plot does start off compelling but near the middle point of the game and from there on it becomes so dry and predictable you start to wonder if the plot wasnt taken from that crappy horror/slasher flick you saw last summer that you wish you hadnt wasted the money to go see..yes its that bad.
Controls 2/10 the controls through out the game are so sluggish its not even funny i wont begin to count the times i watched the character go left and right shimmying on a ledge instead of pulling him self up. the whole sequence where your being chased by the earthquake (hells breaking loose quake?) while cinematic to watch is such a pain to perform that you almost seem to have to constantly switch between first and third person views with it to just get that semblance of control of a car that seems to have been built out of wax with the steering systems provided by drifting enthusiasts, I mean last time i checked slightly pushing the stick should not put my car in to a sharp hairpin turn when i am trying to change lanes right?
Graphics 8/10 the only real high point the graphics did tend to blow me away at points
overall a 3 out of 10 a game shouldnt have to rely on eye candy to make it sell and obviously is what made this game sell as it did, until players noticed the not even b movie quality story line or the controls that make you wish you were playing Super Mario again so please DONT BUY spend your hard earned money on something a lot better.
Worst Game I Have ever played
On: 2009-09-07This is literally the worst game I have ever played. The controls just plain SUCK! Nothing works the way its supposed to. What should have been one of the most exciting scenes in the game (59th street escape) turned out to be 2 grueling hours just to get through the sequence because the controls just didnt work and it was very very unforgiving of even the slightest mistake. Apparently the game developers felt that this scene was SOOOOO exciting that you couldnt possibly have checkpoints in the middle of it and you absolutely HAD to just play it from the beginning every time you crash. It was exciting for the first 10 minutes but then it was like OMG when is it gona be over...... Then 15 minutes later you hit a puzzle where you have to use flame to make this black goop retreat so you can get to a ladder. You cant get most of the props you are supposed to be able to light into the area to get them lit because of pipes being too close. You cant light one drop it in the area then light another one to drop next to it because the controls dont let you do that. The first thing stops burning before you can get the rest in place if you even get that far. Just bad design, bad controls, bad checkpoint control. I dont know if I am going to bother even trying to finish it because of the complete waste of time and no fun it will be. Dont waste your money and dont bother even if its free.
A for effort, and not much else
On: 2009-05-22Alone in the Dark follows Edward, an amnesiac followed possessed by a demonic entity that is ordered to follow the "Path of Light" in order to stop the demon from consuming New York City. Sounds pretty decent, doesnt it?
AitD struggles pretty much from the getgo with painful controls, a camera system that is great for filming movies, but deplorable for trying to play a game, and an inventory system that, while inventive and original, tries so hard that it forgets what it was trying to do in the first place. Control of the character is difficult enough without straying into combat, which is forced on you repeatedly. And while youre strong enough to ignore bone deep wounds and cuts and bruises, you cant swing a flaming club around faster than a 4 year old trying to bat in the majors.
The inventory controls suffer greatly as well, as its easy to pull stuff out and put it back, but it doesnt pause the game to stop the monsters from chewing half your face off. Also, theres no "holster" button, a standard staple from FPS time immemorial. So you can end up shooting half a clip while struggling to find the control to pull out your molotov to fight the monster that currently killing you.
Its a sad letdown to something thats otherwise rather decent. The storyline starts off well and progress at a decent pace. The graphics are good even by todays standards, and the voice actors actually know what theyre doing, which seems to be a rarity in todays dubbing.
Alone in the dark is how it should be played
On: 2009-04-13This game is great for those who love horror movies and wondered what it felt like to be in one. This game has real nice graphics that keep the suspense alive. The controls however could use quite a bit of tweaking along with the camera. Once you get use to these faults the game itself is a must have addition to your Library if you can get it at a real good price. I would recommend buying if its $15 or under.
Well it looks fun.
On: 2009-01-21The controls suck. period. makes you not want to play the game. the character moves like he has arthritis. And im mad because it looked like a really interesting story.
Good game bad ending
On: 2009-01-19This was a really good game. Good graphics and good game play but both endings sucked
Just not good at all.
On: 2009-01-16This game isnt even worth the $15 I paid for it. Its too glitchy, and filled with too many bugs. The driving is also HORRENDOUS. Everything is just clunky, even down to the inventory.
It is also the first game that I quit playing in the first day of receiving it. I usually give most games a chance, but this didnt deserve it. If I payed $60 for this, I would have a heart attack, die, return to life, then die again.
Avoid it.
Great game my son really likes it
On: 2009-01-15My son thinks it was a great game hes almost 17 and has a lot of games he was very happy with this game. He said it was like movie that you got to play in.
fun********...........fun
On: 2009-01-10I dont see why people keep slagging this game it off it is a very good game.
well i like this game in many ways. At first you learn the basic concepts of the gae such as the combination mechanic, which in many ways is one reason that i like this game. At first you only realy use the combos in very basic ways; yet as your skills improve so dose the games appeal. however it is in no way perfect. The story is not very compelling and often leaves you a little confused. I also like and dont like the fact that you can patch up you own wounds, in many ways this works but the fact that every thing that you need to survive. This is also true with all of the other thing such as bottles of explosive liquid. They seem to be found a little to easly and make the gameplay to often easy.You can however skip forward form part of a level to another, wich is interesting but often means that you dont try hard enough to finish the levels. The enemys are ok, but are just like any other zombie in any other game. Over it all shapes up to be a good game with some interesting factors, but withs some minor flaws which you should be able to get over.
innovation at its best!!!
On: 2008-11-26oh my god is this seriously the most under rated game since ff 8. AITD is a great game all from its very cool inventory system to its mystery filled story line.this alone in the dark and i know people are going to disagree is the best in the series without a question.this game also has a AMAZING soundtrack better than ff and halo and so on.now the controls i havent seen not one bug not one as i played through this game three times.you also get to walk around central park and steal cars what more could you want.and this also got my adernaline pumping more then re 4 expecially from the 59th street mission wich i had no problem with. innovation at its best no doubt about this game is worth your money
Wow....
On: 2008-11-06This could be the crappiest game I have ever played. The controls are broken, the camera doesnt work well, the graphics are just okay, the story is far from compelling, and it just isnt fun.
Good Ideas - Poor Execution
On: 2008-10-22Despite being a successor to the early 90s horror series Alone in the Dark, the new Alone in the Dark game is only partially related to those old games. It has its own merits, and its own shortcomings, but does not seem particularly related to previous games and must be considered more as a stand-alone game.
The story of the game involves a doomsday cult trying to summon an ancient evil using Edward Carnby, the private detective and protagonist from Alone in the Dark (the original), who has been brought to the present by unknown means and has amnesia. At first, the evil presence (marked by glowing cracks in walls that move and seek out prey as if alive) is limited to a single building, but it quickly spreads throughout the entirety of New York City, leaving Edward trapped in Central Park.
As far as stories go, this is a decent one for a survival horror game, and there are a lot of good scares and surprises. In the beginning, youre trapped in a building where the very walls are trying to get you, and in addition youre also dealing with zombies - people swallowed up by the cracks brought back as malicious outlets for the main demon to speak and act through. The main demons voice is kind of bad, though - its the same deep monster voice that has basically become a cliche in movies about demons, and it makes the glowing cracks go from "unidentified, unintelligent, but malicious entity" to "scary-voiced demon guy". In fact, as far as scares go, the main problem with Alone in the Dark is that youre so rarely alone. Besides the short-lived survivors you encounter throughout the game, you also have a sidekick, Sarah, who comes and goes throughout parts of the game. Well, "sidekick" is a bit generous, since theres not a lot of cooperative gameplay involved. But the point is that theres no feeling of isolation; its more like a disaster movie that happens to have monsters in it.
The standard gameplay is a fairly regular survival-horror control system. The game is normally played in third-person, with somewhat awkward tank-style controls (IE you have to walk, then turn, then walk, rather then just turning while you walk). The camera in particular is hard to manage, and trying to look around while moving or anything besides walking in a straight line was pretty difficult to manage. Aiming firearms is done exclusively in first-person, but melee combat has a bit of a unique twist to it - its done in third person like normal gameplay segments, and swinging melee weapons is done by "swinging" the right thumbstick from one direction to another. This works pretty well in most cases, and it changes depending on the weapon being used. For example, with long weapons like 2x4s or swords, you only have the option to swing horizontally or vertically. However, with heavier items like fire extinguishers, you can also use the item as a battering ram to smash down doors.
Most of the enemies in the game can only be temporarily defeated by weapons, and must be consumed by fire to be fully destroyed. To this end, innovating ways to use fire as a weapon is one of the most important parts of the game. The most basic form of this is to light a melee weapon on fire by sticking it into the flames; the flames dont last forever, but theyre an instant-kill to most of the monsters that youll face, and the enemy cowers and flees accordingly. In fact, I would say that swinging a burning 2x4 while your formerly aggressive zombie enemies cower and flee before you is probably the most satisfying part of the game. There are other methods as well that must be thought up with more open thinking - things like molotov cocktails and improvised flamethrowers made out of a can of hair spray and a match. While the "make weapons out of things to defeat your foes" aspect is pretty much limited to fire, the fact that fire is what destroys your enemies makes it at least plausible.
Your inventory in the game is represented by the holsters and pouches in your jacket. The left side of your jacket is used for small items like boxes of ammo or batteries, theres a holster for a gun and a flashlight on your chest, and the right side is used for bottles and cans of various types. The fact that theres a legitimate, actual inventory (you actually look down in first-person to access it, and its in real-time too so you have to hurry and put stuff together instead of just calmly making a molotov cocktail during a pause) helps with the atmosphere thats being created. In a similar manner, wounds show up on your body and must be healed with either bandages or a first-aid spray. Theres no health bar (as with the inventory, all HUD elements are minimal in this game), but you can get a general idea of how injured you are by the status of your wounds (which are still present after being healed, but arent red and open). You also get a phone/PDA at a point in the game that allows you to make calls and gives you access to a GPS map of the area you are in.
In many situations its necessary to hotwire a car or activate a fusebox (which is done in real time, often with monsters closing in on you) by picking the right wires to spark together. Youre often frantically pressing wires together hoping that theyre the right ones but doing it quickly enough to get away from the monsters closing in on your car. This is a pretty good part of the game in an atmospheric sense. Driving the car is another thing, though; the controls are wonky and in most cases the demands of the game as far as getting away from giant apocalyptic cracks in the road are a little bit over-the-top. I spent a good hour on what is really a five-minute segment where youre trying to get away from a giant series of cracking roads and earthquakes because the car didnt turn enough, or it turned too much, or I hit another motorist and the car got stuck, or I hit something at a bad angle. The last one in particular is annoying; at the end of the sequence in question, youre supposed to go flying out through a window in a building, but the first time I got there, I assumed that was what was supposed to happen, but I hit it at an odd angle and I didnt go through (I left a mark on the glass though). The next two times I made it there, I tried looking around for other exits but got blocked off. Only on the last time did I realize what had happened and just drive straight into the glass.
The graphics in the game are pretty good; the best graphics are the fire graphics, which flicker and dance pretty realistically, while the worst are probably the wounds that Edward receives on his body. The ideas neat, but in actuality theyre just the same image copy-pasted onto different parts of his body. The "slash that ripped through cloth and pierced the skin" image looks okay when its on his pants or shirt, but when its on his jacket it just looks like someone slapped it on like a sticker. Also, you get the same kind of wound no matter how you got the injury. Overall, though, the graphics are decent and atmospheric.
The sound isnt bad, but the music just feels wrong. Its a nice attempt at atmospheric music, but most of the time its not so much "scary" as it is "epic", with giant sweeping musical interludes and ominous chanting that fits more with "Carmina Burana" than a horror movie. It just feels overstated, and not particularly scary. Furthermore, it gets old pretty quickly, too.
As a whole, the worst part of Alone in the Dark is its execution. It has a lot of good ideas, and most of the elements taken by themselves are pretty sound. However, the actual execution of the ideas - the controls, the situation, the atmosphere - are all really terrible and frustrating, and the game seems more like a battle against the game itself than against any monsters or puzzles. The interactive environments seem more linear than natural; despite the fact that its supposed to be stuff thats done in a manner that makes it seem "realistic", theres so many scripted sequences that its hard to get into it.
As a whole, Alone in the Dark deserves a 6/10 - good ideas, but poor execution.
An adventure worth pursuing
On: 2008-10-07While it has its problems (Slippery driving controls and some glitches here and there), Alone in the Dark is a fun and enjoyable game with some innovative puzzles and controls. An interesting plot thatll keep you coming back for more and drive you to complete Edward Carnbys destiny as the Light Bringer.
If you can endure some control problems and difficult sections of the game, youll have as much fun as I had and discover a satisfying and clever game to play and own.
Great Concept and Production... Awful Game
On: 2008-09-18Alone in the Dark was the first game I ever pre-ordered. I was extremely excited to play another "Resident Evil" style game with next gen physics, graphics and gameplay... I should have waited.
Alone in the Dark starts with a bang, introducing some very impressive cutscene work and EXCELLENT graphics and music. The voice acting is only decent, but the script makes up for it... Anyhow, once the game starts, things take an abrupt turn for the worse. My first thoughts were, "What the heck? This thing wasnt even made for Xbox!" The controls are simply awful, the fighting is very awkward, and the objectives get repetitive. The last time I experienced a game this annoying was "Advanced Warfighter" on the PS2.
Dont buy this game!
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BEST GAME OF ALL TIME
Resident Evil 4
Great Seller
On: 2008-09-07Great seller. Fast shipping. Game was in the exact condition as described. Honest seller. Buy with confidence.
Thinks too highly of itself, ultimately extremely frustrating.
On: 2008-08-31Many of the other reviewers have very similar feelings.
At first the game seems interesting, unique, fancy, innovative, and pretty. Not long into it youll begin to encounter the very real problems the game has. Controlling your character with any precision is impossible. You can select first person, which is painfully sluggish, but the game forces you back into 3rd person most of the time. 3rd person _looks_ really nice, and I can respect the artists vision of the world. Trying to actually function in 3rd person is a whole different thing: completely frustrating. The camera is rarely where you want it to be looking. At many points in the game you may have to resort to hand to hand combat, which will be forced in the 3rd person, and will make you want to throw your fancy wireless remote right out of the window, followed by the XBOX and TV, still plugged into the wall. At least hand to hand, while completely worthless in this game, isnt like Silent Hill: no stance fighting. But: basically as useless.
The inventory system, while it seems innovative, is actually quite stale once you get a bit into the game. Its also extremely clunky and hard to use under duress. The healing system, too, at first seems innovative, but is actually quite obnoxious. Lets face it, they were neat ideas on a white board in a room full of excited marketing guys -- but in reality they dont work well. The game boasts this open style combination system. Flammable liquid in container, tape, box of bullets, throw at bad guy, shoot, repeat. Put alcohol on bullets, aim for little cracks in baddies, shoot repeatedly because the targeting system is crappy, repeat. There really isnt much too it after youve done it a few times. One little gripe here: the eye blinking spectral vision thing. Yes, push down and hold the right thumbstick which is also what youd need to use to aim, precisely, on a moving target, to kill it. Who play tested this, and where can I find them? Id like to have a little dialog with them about this subject.
Vehicle driving... man, what can I say? Nothing like tapping a 3" curb and watching the vehicle fly up into the air and shed all of its fenders in one motion. You can do some neat things with vehicles... cut open the gas tanks, fill bottles, use them as rolling bombs, all kinds of things. Too bad the interface sucks so bad that its hard to pull any of that stuff off. Once again: it sounds neat, but doesnt work out that way.
To be fair, I havent completed the game as of yet. Honestly, while I like to see things through, I may not. Some of the puzzles are, frankly, very annoying. Some of the stuff is very... cryptic and without any real clue of what is happening. Sometimes youll find yourself somewhere, nothing is happening, and you dont really know what to do next. Other times the solution is so obvious and streamlined that it is a wonder they put it in at all. The story is not engaging. The story doesnt even make sense in a few places.
I could go on and on, but basically I am very disappointed in this game. The fire effects are out of this world, the environments are decent, water is awesome, and there is some definite lighting/atmosphere neatness... but thats about it. Otherwise, the game is very awkward, repetitive, confusing, and above all else: frustrating. Its just not the game it could be, and its not the game that was advertised. This is no surprise, none the less, it is what it is.
I really wanted this game to be spooky, creepy, innovative, cool, engaging, and immersive. Its not. Its just a waste of time and money.
Pretty solid game
On: 2008-08-30I picked this game up a few monts ago when I had some spare money, and I most say I was pleasently suprised with it. I had heard a lot of bad things about it and was a little worried after I bought that it might be poor. Its basically a survival horror game with a fairly heavy gunplay feature thrown it with it. The game will frustrate you a lot, there are a lot of parts where you seem to be set up to fail multiple times before you figure out a specific pattern to use. With that said this is no COD4, Halo 3, or Bioshock, but it still brings much to the table that we have not seen in a while. This game is now $40, which is resonable if you have that much money on you.
Graphics 9.0 ( Top notch graphics )
Audio 6.5 ( You only hear enemies most of the time )
Achievements 8.5 ( easy 750-1000 )
Controls 7.0 ( Wasnt that bad to me )
Camera 6.5 ( Can be irritating at times )
Overall 8.5-9.0
Great Experience
On: 2008-08-01I know Im not alone when I say this game offers a whole new experience that deserves, at least, a rent. Since the game starts you get a chance to experiment with the abilities you will have through the rest of the game, the difference is that later on you will star finding new or different items to combine. This takes me to the inventory, which everyone seems to hate. I find the inventory to be excellent, many people hate the fact that the game doesnt pause when you open it but does the world pause when you go through the pockets of your jacket? Its suppose to be a survival horror kind of game. Besides its not even complicated, it doesnt take me more time in the game to change the batteries of my flashlight than what it takes in real life. The camera is not an issue either, its just different, and the fist-person view is like any other.
The graphics are probably the most amazing thing on the game, which may also have something to do with the soundtrack, together they make a beautiful combination. No problems with the save system. You also have a way to forward the story, so if you just dont like the part where you are playing or its too challenging you can just skip it. The story is intriguing and it reminds me of the movie "Cloverfield" although as the story progresses the similarities just banish.
Overall what I think its going on is that people are obsessed with Halo and Gears of War, they want every game to be a shooter. And honestly im tired of war games and other shooters, maybe because thats all the XBOX 360 offers, so if you are like me just give this game a chance, maybe even a rent. It may take Master Chief out of your mind for some time.
8/10
Greatness yanked down by poor decisions
On: 2008-07-31Most people attribute the start of the Survival Horror genre to Resident Evil. While you can trace the birth of Survival Horror back far, far before that game (to Sweet Home or, if you want to stretch it, to Haunted House in 1981), modern Survival Horror games were firmly established by the first Alone in the Dark. Since that first game, though, the series has been an up and down roller coaster that never seemed to be able to outmatch some of the better known and more famous franchises like Resident Evil or Silent Hill.
So, when Eden Games started to work on reinventing the franchise, I was cautiously optimistic. A lot of the ideas and concepts they spoke of seemed like great ideas, and they seemed to be trying to Do Something Different. Unfortunately, the sum is not greater than its parts and Alone in the Dark, while reaching for the stars, cant stay afloat.
Things begin appropriately apocalyptic. Edward Carnby awakens in some hotel with some bad men arguing about cryptic shenanigans. Carnby, no longer useful, is led up to the roof to be executed but before that can happen, bad juju hits the fan as a "scar" tears through the building. From here, this first episode really picks up as youre trying to escape the building alive.
Here is where the goodness lies. Alone in the Dark has a great opening thats appropriately cinematic but in such a way that only games can do. The building starts to fall apart, you have to run and jump your way to safety, climb along the outside of the building while debris tumbles and while watching cars below you explode. You learn how Eden Games created some appropriately realistic fire for the game as you watch it spread and have to put it out or use it as a weapon. Youll see things happen to the various rooms youre in that will make you want to believe youre watching a cinematic, not playing through a game. Its very cool.
And then you try to move.
Movement is the worst part of the game. Its all controlled with one stick which makes actually moving feel as if youre controlling a drunk, disobedient person. Once you get a melee weapon in your hand, youll see another problem: using the right analog stick to attack. Youll have to swing it one direction, then another just to attack. Unfortunately its sluggish, as is the animation, resulting in you taking more damage than you should need to. Fighting monsters becomes a chore, one youll grow to hate because as the game progresses, youll learn that basically all monsters can only die via fire. So, grab that chair, light it on fire and swing away...hoping you hurt it more than it hurts you. Similarily, gun fights are also not terrific as you have to pop into first person whenever you want to shoot someone. No lock and pop here.
Likewise, if walking around makes you feel like a drunk, driving is a good approximation of drunk driving, I believe. The controls are incredibly loose and in the first driving portion of the game, loose controls isnt a good idea. What should be an exciting escape sequence that involves the ground behind you exploding, tears appearing across the streets, buildings collapsing, fire, death explosions, cats and dogs sleeping together turns into frustration as youll probably find yourself repeating the episode. Over. And Over. From the beginning. It loses its fun and becomes a chore.
Towards the end of the game, the game pulls a Zelda: Wind Waker moment and has you hunting down certain things and destroying them in an effort, one has to assume, to artificially lengthen the game. If theres one thing that Alone in the Dark does exceptionally well, its the pacing. When you hit this moment its like running smack dab into a brick wall. Its sad.
Theres a lot going for Alone in the Dark, dont get me wrong. The inventory system is a cool innovation. The whole episodic "TV show/DVD" feel is perfect, with DVD-style menus complemented by the ability to switch to any episode you like. The graphics are pretty decent, as is the engine its running on. Some cool, small features, like the ability to blink your eyes is very effective during some sequences. And the pacing--for the most part--is perfect; it can really get your adrenaline going...until youre forced to repeat the same thing over and over again.
I really wanted to like Alone in the Dark. I didnt honestly think that Eden Games would elevate the game to the front of the pack, but there was enough little things and innovations that I thought maybe itd be a good game. When I played it, I was amazed. Eden Games wanted no less than to shoot for the moon and make the most ambitious Survival Horror game yet. Unfortunately, reality is sometimes like gravity and unfortunately Alone in the Dark isnt the masterpiece I, and Atari, Im sure, was hoping for. Definitely give it a rent, but Id hold off on purchasing it.
Amazing Scenario and Direction
On: 2008-07-24Despite all the justified negative reviews i still rate this game very possitively as the game cenematics, scenario and music all mixed together are simply amazing. This game cenematics is way better than a lot of hollywood movies i have seen.
The game gets pretty tough on episode 7 but before that everything is within limit. Controls and camera are not amazing and they might get annoying sometimes.
It is worth playing and i enjoyed most of my time in the game (excludig the 10+ hrs i spent to pass the 8 zombies in the train station in episode 7 :)).
Most underrated and misunderstood game of 2008
On: 2008-07-22I pre-ordered this game back in Februrary when I bought Test Drive Unlimited. When the game was reaching its release date I checked out game sites to see if any early reviews were posted, and of course I eventually ran into the numerous reviews on Amazon and have also seen the reviews from IGN and GameSpot. Now I was honestly shocked by how this game was getting panned left and right and just to my relief I decided to keep the game and try it for myself which shocked me even more to how so many people can honestly hate this game. Then again, I realized after I beat it why this game can be hated so much. Alone in the Dark is a game that requires the player to actually think, to use his or her brain. Alone in the Dark is not your simple run and shoot and you beat it type game, its not Call of Duty where Activision just slaps a number at the end of it and calls it done. The problem I am reading most is the controls, and this is what I dont get, if you have played Resident Evil (any of them). then you should be ok with this game because they are the same as any Resident Evil game with the exception of switching between first and third person. Other complaints span to the infamous 59th Street scene when your driving through New York City. Once again I see no problem with this as I completed it in one try, and during that one try I encountered no such things that ive been reading like invisible walls or bottemless pits. In fact, I re-did the part in cockpit mode which actually made the scene easier. I am actually glad I decided to go ahead and buy this game even with all the negative press, because I am so sick and tired of the usual games were getting today which no effort was truely put behind (I.E. Halo 3, GTA4, MGS4, COD4, DMC4, Resistance 2, Gears 2, Resident Evil 5). Just looking at that list and looking at how Alone in the Dark is doing commercially; I know fully understand why we have so many sequels. Gamers are getting stupid. Plain and simple, we are playing the same games over and over again that there no longer needs to be any creativity anymore as all the game companies have to do is slap a number at the end of a game and call it done. Alone in the Dark is not for simple minded gamers, and I am sorry if that insults somebody else who doesnt like it; unlike most games of today this game requires you to THINK and more importantly to use commen sense. The only complaints I see with this game are the repetitive roots you have to burn and that it has no replay value. Overall I would have to say this is the most creative and innovative game of 2008, it has its flaws but by no means are they game killers. If you are interested in this game and would like a fairer review of it, I suggest you go read the review at 1Up, or go to Youtube and type in Context Sensitive: Alone in the Dark. Other then that I highly recommend this game to survival horror fans.
Loved it, from start to finish.
On: 2008-07-22I pre-ordered this game back in February when I bought Test Drive Unlimited. When the game was reaching its release date I checked out game sites to see if any early reviews were posted, and of course I eventually ran into the numerous reviews on Amazon and have also seen the reviews from IGN and GameSpot. Now, I after beating the game I can fully understand why it is getting so much flak. Alone in the Dark is a game that requires the player to actually think, to use common sense. Alone in the Dark is not your simple shoot em up game, its not Halo, or Call of Duty. The problem I am reading most is the controls, and this is what I dont get, if you have played Resident Evil (any of them). then you should be ok with this game because they are the same as any Resident Evil game with the exception of switching between first and third person. Other complaints span to the infamous 59th Street scene when your driving through New York City. Once again I see no problem with this as I completed it in one try, and during that one try I encountered no such things that ive been reading like invisible walls or bottomless pits. In fact, I re-did the part in cockpit mode which actually made the scene easier. I am actually glad I decided to go ahead and buy this game even with all the negative press, because I am so sick and tired of all the sequels we keep getting every year (I.E. Halo 3, GTA4, MGS4, COD4, DMC4, Resistance 2, Gears 2, Resident Evil 5). Now, if you are reading this, you might be asking Mr. Vereb, why did you add Resident Evil 5, Gears 2, and Resistance 2; they are not even out yet! Well I just added them because they are in a long line of a list of sequels that I am talking about. What I like about Alone in the Dark is that it is new, its not just a sequel to the franchise; its more like a reboot. You know what, I may as well be in the minority here, but I damn well loved Alone in the Dark; from start to finish. This game is truly a AAA title. However, like any other game it has its faults and I will point them out. The first fault being that some objects are nearly invincible when you are driving through Central Park (branches, light polls, benches, etc) if I know better these things should be pretty easy to run right through with any kind of car. The second fault being that the game does not pause when you go into you inventory (which means an enemy can still attack you while you are checking your inventory). The final two faults are the annoying repetitive evil roots you have to burn unless your an achievement whore like mean, then by all means there good, and lastly this game has no replay value. Everything else from the graphics (especially the fire effects) to the DVD-style chapters to the incredible soundtrack done by The Mystery of Bulgarian Voices and not to mention the realism that was put into recreating Central Park in its entirety makes the game top notch. Even with my review I do not recommend this game for everyone, I strongly recommend it to gamers who are willing to take a chance with something new and I also highly recommend this game to survival horror fans in general. Overall, if you are looking for a game to hold you over for more survival horror games or for something else in general, then Alone in the Dark is a satisfying adventure. I can safely say this in case you want your own opinion, there is now a demo available on XBL if you want to play through the first two levels from what I have read at least. Even though the game has no replay value, I am not going to sell it because the game was that good for me, and I plan to pick it up and play again sometime in the near future.
Bad camera and controls
On: 2008-07-19Graphics are decent, but camera makes the whole game annoying. You find yourself struggling with the controls and camera angles, and it just ruins the whole game.
Maybe worth 20 if on sale, certainly not worth 60!!! This game will annoy you though, lol.
Makes the original AitD look like a masterpiece...
On: 2008-07-18I rented this from gamefly.com before even thinking about buying it, and am I glad I did. I played the original Alone in the Dark on a pc in the early 90s. It was a classic - scary, challenging without being frustrating and good game play. Even though the graphics are without question better in this 2008 edition, the scare factor is gone. Possessed persons and creatures in the game (in the game so far, as I havent finished it yet and probably wont) are not frightening, mood music is not well timed/done or overdone in places. Movement is choppy and difficult - theres no moving from a pivot position, you dont have the freedom of observing in all directions if youre not in first-person mode, and overall directional control with the left stick just isnt smooth as, say, in Assassins Creed or Call of Duty 4. The motion sequences can be choppy and laggy/delayed. There is a long intro chapter you complete before the title screen comes up in the game and if you had to judge the game on that alone, you would likely not buy a copy for your Xbox 360 collection. You cant skip action/movie sequences so game play feels like it drags more than it already does. Checkpoints (theyre like autosave points)are weird, as youll have to often view the action sequences again before you can continue to play from a checkpoint. Characters feel "flat" (no personality).
I dont recommend paying $60 or even $50 for this game. Pick up a used copy for $20 if you can. I was incredibly disappointed with this game. Makes me miss the original dos version.
I agree with Paul Arellanos July 1, 2008 review of this game. I somewhat agree with reviewer N. Durhams point concerning a decent game marred by technical issues. But IMHO, with this many technical issues, I *do* consider it a part of the game experience and cant extract it out of the overall enjoyment factor.
A complete disappointment.
On: 2008-07-18It is just incredible to see how the series that created the genre has been destroyed by the las installment.
The game is full of technical problems that prevent you from having any fun whatsoever. It had a super great potential but they blew it by releasing too early and not paying attention to the actual game play.
Graphics are very good but that does not save a game at all. This is the only reason it got 2 stars, to tell the artists that they are the only ones who did a good job.
This only tells you the state of the Video Game industry. These guys have almost no process in their development cycle and whatever little process they have it is done wrong. It is very possible that they put the developers to work 60+ hours a week just as they did to us in EA for Superman, which was another disappointment, though not even close to the level of failure this game is.
As for the game, well, simply dont buy it, it is going to be a real disappointment and a waste of your money. In spite of the industry being in complete development dippers, some companies still manage to crate good games, this unfortunately is not one of them. Rent it if you want to see it, just as I did after reading the reviews here and I am glad to have wasted only $5 instead of $60.
You have been warned.
Save your money!
On: 2008-07-14Ive played some really bad games in the past, but I have to admit that AITD has jumped up into the top 5.
GAMPLAY: Absolutely horrid.
GRAPHICS: Actually, pretty good.
SOUND: Theres sound in this game other than grunts?
Okay so, hands-down the absolute worst controls in any game -- ever! The first five minutes of this game alone, will have you wanting to throw your controller across the room! Just wait until you have to fight an enemy. Moving you character is such a chore that any hopes of enjoyment are soon done away with.
In short, I simply can not understand how a game that has been delayed as many times as this, can still be this bad.
TRUST ME! Save your money!
doesn't worth the my money
On: 2008-07-07This game isnt that bad at all, but i would wait for the price to go down because i pre-order this and pay the $60 and for this game is too much. It has its pro and con, said on the reviews before, but if your not a tough gamer you can enjoy the game and it has an easy way to get point for the gamer tag.
A New Reality Series: The Back-of-the-Box Reviews #1
On: 2008-07-07IMAGINE A WORLD: Where a puzzling control scheme is your own bittersweet ally! As boardroom-approved, scar-laden and anti-hero-riffic Hasselhoff look-a-like Eduard Carnby, you are now on the run through a Central Park haunted by glitches! Behind every gloomily-textured corner lies a confusing death that will have you glued to your TV in controller-twisting anger!
As you man your human tank of a main character, youll see that Central Park is not what it used to be. Where a typical day might lead to a leisurely bit of relaxing entertainment, or at the very least a humorous glance at a horse taking a poo, now you will find a gritty (nay, mega-gritty!) bombastic yarn that splits at the seams with inspiring ideas. Rather than offer you what you expect, however, the producers here have instead worked closely with programmers to distribute a game that throws each and every one of your preconceived notions to the curb. In other words, what sounds good on paper has blossomed into an EPIC FAIL! Take that, gamesite previews!
THRILL! to the anguished, profanity-filled cliches that litter the dimestore script.
GASP! as everything you thought you once knew about beta testers is defenestrated before your very eyes.
SASHAY! through the hidden mini-game breakdancing/epileptic experience! Any graspable ledge or mysterious wormhole will cause your character to twitch, stutter, and perhaps even mysteriously die! Keep your finger in the general vicinity of the reset button!
CRINGE! as you accept your 10-dollars-off the Xbox version at Gamestop...BUT AT WHAT COST?!
(hyphens are copyright Back-of-the-Box Reviews)
P.S. please buy my used copy, as I am very hungry right now.
crazy camera, crappy controls
On: 2008-07-03One of the most disappointing titles of 08 is Alone in the Dark.
Pros:
- good visuals (but you often wont be able to appreciate them due to a crazy camera)
- good effects (fire and electrical)
- good soundtrack
- good (looking) inventory (its only good conceptually though, NOT good in practice)
- a nice rebuild-a-world concept. Eden did this incredibly well with Test Drive Unlimited. I suggest you buy that game instead.
Cons:
- EVERYTHING ELSE
- the camera/view/perspective is insane and simply uncontrollable. This game has a 1st person/3rd person/3rd person (forced) perspective. It switches back and forth between these perspectives every 5 seconds against your will (you have no choice), disorienting you, and when the perspective changes the control layout also changes which is even further disorienting. This means that if you are looking around in 1st person (with right thumbstick - like every other game in the world) and the game sudden changes to 3rd person (because they think its a neat cinematic gimmick), that right thumbstick no longer functions as it did before. In combat, it gets worse. that same thumbstick changes yet again depending on the weapon. Wow, that, is, nuts.
- first person view is too slow
- controls are insane and uncontrollable. As described above, they keep changing and you have to unlearn everything you just learned and relearn what the h*ll everything does based on what perspective you are in and what the situation is. Thats the problem. Your brain will still be using the layout you were able to use 2 seconds ago, because thats natural, intuitive and the way most good games work. h*ll, even really bad games have consistent controls.
- there is NO option for the gamer to map the controller as in other games. If theyd put the controls in the gamers hands, maybe this would have been a 2 or a 3.
- even if you master the constantly changing controls, they are still slow, clunky and unresponsive. Doing things like jumping and just trying to pick something up can be goofy.
- While the inventory system is interesting and has a professional looking interface, it functions like everything else in this game, with poor unintuitive controls. Beyond that, the inventory doesnt pause the action, so youll get your butt kicked in combat trying to figure out what to do with the inventory...nice
- the use "fire to kill everything" gimmick is overused and seems a bit silly. Fire isnt ubiquitous in real life.
- dialog not really inspired
- story not really engaging
- dont really care about the characters
- driving is horrid. I wont even talk about it.
- combat is tedious, long, difficult and silly using the clunky controls. and again, UNINTUITIVE and utterly inconsistent.
- All of the above means POOR GAME TESTING. Somebody, somewhere at some point must have mentioned the camera and controls. My guess is that somebody did, they werent the boss, and the boss never played the game.
Usually with bad games, you have things like bad AI which runs right at you, low-rez textures, bugs, poor collision detection, stuff like that. These are hallmarks of low budgets, rushed titles, noob programmers, etc...Alone in the Dark is very bad is UNUSUAL ways. Like they had a big budget, decent developers, and had good tools in their hands, but still managed to create a monstrosity. That crazy show "Cop Rock" comes to mind. A complete disaster.
Disaster from start to finish- Avoid It. You've been Warned!
On: 2008-07-02Ive been reviewing games for Amazon since 1999. Ive seen the worst of games...Daikatana, most especially. Now, after many moons have passed, I have come across one of the worst, if not, the buggiest, most annoying piece of program I have ever encountered in my life. Alone in the Dark is a major disaster, from its storyline, dialogue, annoying voice acting, frustrating controls, unforgiving checkpoints, and the most buggiest collision detection EVER! The only PLUS in this game are the graphics but thats about it. So Ill keep my review straight and to the point:
GRAPHICS: Excellent. No complaints
CONTROLS: Main character moves like a tank with a bad engine. Controls are completely unresponsive. Some buttons do not function as stated. For example, you press A to turn off a flashlight. If youre holding a gun in one hand and holding a flashlight on the other, you cant press A to turn it off. You have to press the gamepad down, open your virtual jacket and then unequip from there. HOW TEDIOUS CAN THIS GET??? Another example: youre standing next to an object your wish to pick-up, an "pick-up object icon" appears telling you to press A. To pick up an object, press A. The problem with this is that turning off the flashlight you need to press A as well. So if youre holding a flashlight and you need to turn off it off (it has limited battery life by the way), youll have to move away from the pickable object so you can turn off the flashlight.
Heres another example again: You have a zombie attacking you, controls say you have to double click the left analog stick to do a quick turn. If youre holding a gun or a melee weapon, quick turn wont work, but then sometimes it does!!!
And heres another example: Driving a car is like driving a bar of soap on a smooth glass. A slight turn on the stick will spin your car uncontrollably. Theres an action sequence in this game that requires some driving. I will warn you now, prepare to do this about 200 to 500 times because you will fail.
BUGGY ACTION SEQUENCE: Theres an action sequence on Episode 2 where you have to escape an earthquake. The entire driving sequence requires you to get away from the earthquake before ti swallows your car. Unfortunately, the car is just completely unresponsive. Second, theres a jump that you have to make before the entire road cracks open. Sometimes youll make the jump sometimes you wont. Whats weird is that once your car flies over the cracked road, the game will turn into a full motion video showing your car making the jump. But once your car lands, somehow the game randomly decides whether the earthquake catches the tail end of your car thus killing you instantly or by some algorithmic calculation, you do make it. But thats just half of the problem because this action sequence will continue for the next 10 minutes and if you fail halfway or even on the last part of this sequence, the game will throw you back to beginning of the sequence. TOTALLY UNFORGIVING CHECKPOINTS. By the way, you cant skip the full motion videos which means youll be forced to watch cheesy FMVs over and over again everytime you fail an action sequence.
How about weapons you ask? Forget about using guns. Guns are completely ineffective against zombies (which you will be battling the entire game). So if ever you decide to collect ammo, well...its pretty much useless and waste of space. Zombies can only be killed by fire. If you do have to use your gun to kill zombies, youll have to find gasoline or any flammable liquid, combine it with your bullets, load your gun with said "gasoline dipped" bullets and then shoot the zombies. But wait, you cant just shoot them anywhere. Zombies have this glowing yellow areas of their body thats vulnerable to fire. So on top of mixing and matching items to make fire, youll have to be a sharpshooter to hit the zombies where it hurts. Otherwise, youll just be wasting time and ammo.
I think Ive said enough. This game is the worst ever for 2008. Do not waste your money on this. Believe me, when I read the poor reviews, I told myself "Nah, I dont believe these reviews, I will buy it and try it myself." So now, I am $60.00 poorer, and my blood pressure just skyrocketed after playing this game. Avoid this game. Stick to the DOS version of Alone in the Dark.
Disappointing
On: 2008-06-29The game have controls, camera and inventory management issues (for details read online reviews). Its a shame, so much technological achievements but no well implemented for the game playability. Wait for a price drops, an used copy, a bundle or a game patch (I doubt so).
Decent Graphics, Terrible Control.
On: 2008-06-28Ive enjoyed a few of the other Alone in the Dark games, because of their horror/scary game-play that few games can achieve. This game has loads of potential, but doesnt come close to using it. The most irritating part of this game is the control. At times it is not bad, but when you are trying to fight off the little monsters, it is quite frustrating. Also there are many glitches or hiccups in the game that will cause you to throw the controller across the room. Here are the pros and cons...
Pros:
-Decent graphics, not great, but not bad.
-The sound effects and the soundtrack itself are very good.
-Storyline really isnt that bad. Not too detailed, but enough to keep you interested.
Cons:
-CONTROL!!! Not only when walking and fighting, but also while driving vehicles the control is not very good. Enough of a problem to make you not want to play it.
-GLITCHES! At times when running around when a lot else is going on, you can get stuck in corners, walls, objects and anything else. Very frustrating and sometime can somehow just cause the character to die.
Over-all, this game has some very good points, but because of the horrible control, it makes the game almost unbearable. If you are a huge fan of the other Alone in the Dark games you may get really into this due to the scary game-play, good soundtrack and decent spooky graphics. But I believe many will shy away from this game due to the control frustrations.
Could have been spectacular, but marred by technical issues
On: 2008-06-28The Alone in the Dark series goes back a long way (even pre-dating the Resident Evil franchise) in terms of pioneering the survival horror genre, with this new installment kind of being a re-boot for the series. Once again filling the shoes of paranormal investigator Edward Carnby, Alone in the Dark finds Carnby caught in the middle of an apocalyptic event while investigating strange happenings in Central Park. The first thing youll notice is that Alone in the Dark boasts some wonderfully creepy and spooky environments that drip with eerie atmosphere. In fact, the areas are so well designed that youll often find yourself admiring your surroundings while dodging demons and beasts. The game looks good in general as well, despite a few graphical glitches that occur, while the games solid score adds to the overall survival horror atmosphere. Whats really sad about Alone in the Dark is that the games potential to be something special is marred by technical issues. Namely, just moving around can be a chore. The control issues that present themselves during combat and puzzle solving only add layers of frustration to the game, which is a crying shame. Despite its flaws, Alone in the Dark does present some innovation in terms of its item inventory use and some dramatic moments that will jolt you out of your chair. The games story is intriguing, and there are some great lighting effects too. All in all, Alone in the Dark is a worthwhile trip that could have been something truly great, but in the end is brought down thanks to its technical issues. Still, for survival horror fans, Alone in the Dark is definitely worth a look.
Not Real Fun But Good Looking
On: 2008-06-26This game is very ambitious; The enviorments and scenarios are impressive, but to me the game fails to deliver on the fun factor. I found myself either bored or frustrated half the time, and didnt really find it scary either. The first perosn control works the best, but the 3rd person is a nightmare, esp in the era of next-gen. Hand to hand combat is awkward, and while this game is very beautiful to look at, it just wasnt enjoyable. I finished it in one night, too....
Good Looking But Not Fun To Me
On: 2008-06-26This game is very ambitious and stunning to look at; The locations and scenarios are impressive, but to me the game fails to deliver on the fun factor. I found myself either bored or frustrated half the time, and didnt really find it scary either. I have considered the possibility that after so many years of console gaming, it is harder to find something fresh and grabs me. The first person control works the best, but the 3rd person is somewhat of a nightmare, esp in the era of next-gen. Hand to hand combat is awkward, and while this game is very beautiful to look at, it just wasnt enjoyable. In many ways it reminded me of Condemned 2, which was very hit and miss; But thats just me. It should also be noted that I have little to no tolerance for a game that doesnt control well. Decent story and voice acting, but the visuals are the best thing this game has going for it. Playable, but a mixed experience.
a fairly good game
On: 2008-06-26With the large number of 10/10 rated games, this is not one of them. With that said, I enjoyed playing this game. While I agree that there is not too much in the way of replay value, the lack of online play, and the slower pace of the game may turn off alot of people from playing it. The plot, unprecidented environmental interactions, and the puzzles make this game entertaining, and after all, that is why we play games in the first place. It is also worth mentioning that I did not run into ANY glitches while playing this game. Im not sure if I can justify the average casual gamer paying $50 for this, but it is definetly a game that should be played because I see the revolutionary gameplay from this game comming back in future games.
A pretty good sendoff for a classic series
On: 2008-06-24Okay let me first state that this is a thinking mans survival horror, not a balls to the wall action title. You should expect exploration, puzzle solving, story, dark atmosphere and some scares/suspenseful moments. Where this AITD differs from its predecessors is the level of story telling and the inclusion of some action sequences that usually start run of the mill casual and suddenly jump forward when you start to get comfortable, but the major action sequences are heart racing and challenging ( i.e. Racing full speed through a collapsing New York City while an primordial evil tries to tear the very street out from underneath you, or platforming your way around the outside of a burning New York sky rise while it collapses around you.).
As far as control goes, AITD has two different scemes: FPS (which works fine) and an over the back camera (A little frustrating). You can switch between the two at will, which lessens the hurt of the camera issues. While fighting with a me lee weapon, the camera fixes itself behind your back, but it pulls back to give you a wider viewing area. You control the me lee weapons with the right stick in this situation, pulling it one way, then another to get the desired swing; You can also lock on to a desired enemy in order to strafe him. This in my opinion is not too bad, and definitely a step up from traditional SvH combat.
The ability to combine items on the fly (Two sided tape, flamible oil) opens up a lot of combos for combat and puzzle solving (Take the taped oil, puncture it an toss it where you want it, then light the oil trail on fire) This definitely adds to the strategy department here,and allows for creative ways to solve your problems.
The story telling is taken up a noche, and is on par with many of the current Gen games in that area, the graphics are beautiful, and the ability to finally bash down the infamous indestructible locked door that has plagued gaming for nigh over a decade or more are all nice features that update traditional SvH for the current Gen. The music is spectacular whether its your mood setting background for SvH segments, the sudden dangerous shift for fight sequences, or the Hauntingly beautiful choir music that sets the pace for the major action sequences.
What blows me away the most is the presentation of AITD. Combining all the best elements of Survival Horror, dark atmosphere, rich story telling, mystery, amazing action segments, and some disturbing enemies, accompanied by one of the most beautiful sound tracks in gaming history, this game is a solid title that is a good buy.
Again I state this is not a Balls to the Wall action game. If thats what you want, go play Halo or Gears of War. This is a solid SvH with Appropriately placed action segments that help keep the pace of the game from going stale. This game is 4 stars easily. I would give it 5, but there are occasional glitches, but they are forgivable.
A Nightmare to control.
On: 2008-06-24This game had so much potential. Production values are generally high, with some occasional glitch here and there. The main problem is that the games pace is inconsistent. You should never find yourself bored in a game, and it happens more often then not in Alone in the Dark.
To make matters worst this might be the weakest controlled next generation game ever. It is not difficult in a way the ultimately rewards you with practice. From the start, until you get to the end, you will NOT like how the game plays. I felt like throwing my controller through the wall. Do yourself a favor, and skip this one until it drops in price. I assure you this one WILL drop soon.
