Alone in the Dark Impressions

I just did something that I thought I might regret. Despite all of the negative reviews that have been hitting the Internet, I decided to go ahead and pick up "Alone in the Dark" for the xbox 360. The fact that summer is usually a sparse release window for games, I went ahead and did this with the hopes of having something else to play through during my summer vacation. Let me give you a little background first. Alone in the Dark is the 5th game in one of the longest running survival horror franchises in existence. This new AiTD has been developed by Eden Studios and published by Atari in an attempt to revive this dying franchise.

First of all, the game is set up a little bit differently than most. Rather than the typical checkpoint system, the game is broken up into several episodes, complete with "previously on" narratives and credits. The format is actually set up much like a DVD menu and makes for an interesting way to approach a game like this. The player actually has access to any episode and chapter in the game right from the get go. Of course, I have chosen to play from the beginning to end in order to experience the story as it is meant to. So far, I have completed the first episode of the game and have gotten a pretty clear picture of the games strengths and weaknesses. Surprisingly however, I have actually been enjoying the game. Since these are impressions, ill keep this brief.


First of all, this game definitely has some issues, primarily with the controls. Controlling Edward is clunky and awkward and probably the reason for all of the negative press surrounding the game. The camera can make moving around incredibly awkward especially when you are tasked with trying to defend yourself against hordes of monsters while trying to perform inventory management. The game gives you the choice of playing in third person mode or first person most of the time. Third person looks better but makes movement slow and is usually risking death when in a fight. I would recommend playing in first person for the majority of the game.

Graphically, the game looks impressive but lacks polish in some areas. There is sometimes a good amount of pop in and frame tearing as well as a few instances when the audio doesn't seem to match up. This game has been in development for awhile and could have an incredibly impressive xbox 360 title had it come out a year earlier. Based on what I have experienced so far, the horrendous controls are the only thing holding this game back from being worthy of decent reviews. Combat can be awkward at times as well because the only way to put a target down permanently is to light him on fire or shoot an incendiary bullet into the scars that cover their bodies. This makes for an interesting twist on combat but can ultimately be frustrating. With that said, let me tell you why I am actually enjoying this game.

Surprisingly, I am having a good time playing this game. While the controls are clunky and hard to get the hang of, the game play throws many different situations at you in such a way that the game doesn't get too repetitive. One scene may have you repelling from a collapsing building and the next may have you driving a car through a enemy filled parking garage.

Combat can be tricky but finding ways to take down your foes can be interesting. Also, getting through locked doors can be achieved by hitting them with heavy objects such as fire extinguishers. What is cool about this is that using the right analog stick, you can move the position of whatever object you are holding. This allows you to actually control how much force you use and what way you swing your object. This can also be used to light wooden objects on fire to create a makeshift torch or weapon. Using flaming weapons also causes enemies to cower in fear and run from you which is a cool feeling. Story in the game is also handled surprisingly well so far. The game includes some great action sequences and well produced cut scenes and dialogue.

Overall, the game seems solid enough and I am actually happy with my purchase. The game is definitely not for everyone and there is some definite unforgivable control issues but what it lacks in control it makes up for in presentation. Look forward to my full review once I finish the game.

-Nick