Alone in the Dark (2008)
- Genres
- Action,
- Survival Horror,
- Third-person shooter
- Released on
- Xbox 360
- 6/23/2009
-
- Pub
- Atari
- Dev
- Eden Studios
- Released on
- PlayStation 2
- 6/23/2008
-
- Pub
- Atari
- Dev
- Eden Studios
- Released on
- Wii
- 6/23/2008
-
- Pub
- Atari
- Dev
- Eden Studios
Packed full of action and vivid in its realism Alone in the Dark goes to the extreme to keep players engaged and immersed by plunging them into the heart of the action in real-time at every turn and challenging them to survive using full movement control. The goal here is to allow players to do or at least feel that they can do more or less whatever is possible in real life, within the game.
Need to avoid a blast of steam or an eruption of fire that has shot up in your path? You can simply side-step it or you can handle the obstacle with a little more panache by using the environment around you, for example by swinging around it using reachable pipes or wires. In another situation you may be challenged by attacking monsters. No problem. You can take the path of least resistance, again by side-stepping them or placing an obstacle between yourself and them, but if you are feeling like taking out a little aggression you can pick up a board, chair, box, etc. and have at it. Nearly anything that you come across that would be usable in real life is usable in game and can be wielded in several different ways.
In addition, game developer Eden Studios has done away with a few in-game conventions in favor of real life upgrades. Instead of old-fashioned health bars Alone in the Dark uses realistic body damage and physiological effects to show players how much damage has been done to Carnby by the new dangerous nightlife of Central Park. Basically this means if Carnby has been taking a licking he’s going to be a little bloody. Monsters use sensory perception of all kinds to find their victims, so players need to keep aware of Carnby’s physical state, as well as the impact he has on his surroundings. Also gone are traditional inventory systems that take players out of the game while you switch or check items in your possession, replaced by an in-game inventory system where items are carried in the folds of Carnby’s trench coat. This allows you to stay in the action the whole time. Sticking with the realism theme, the number of items that Carnby can carry is limited, but since ingenuity is built into the system, items can be combined or their uses altered, mostly with tape, so players can adjust as challenges arise.
- Review
The buzz surrounding Alone in the Dark in the lead-up to its release was less than optimistic. Several early reviewers tore the game to shreds, and Atari, the game's publisher, threatened lawsuits against the publications with these reviews. Not only that, but the title was supposedly a victim of its many delays, with gamers complaining about numerous inexcusable issues ranging from mediocre graphics to game-breaking glitches. However, for every voice insulting the title's negatives features, there was another praising its virtues. The gap between the two opposing points of view on the game became wider and wider with each review. Now, after playing Alone in the Dark, I can finally understand the dual nature of this debate.
Alone in the Dark is a survival horror game at its core, putting players in control of Edward Carnby, an amnesiac who wakes up in New York City during a large scale, paranormal event. Cultists lead by a mysterious man named Crowley captures him and a man named Theophile. After escaping his captors, Edward meets up with Sarah Flores, an art dealer caught in the middle of the attack, and Theophile, who also managed to escape, and claims to know Edward and hopes to help fend off the demonic attack. They make their way to Central Park to follow what Theophile calls “The Path of Light,” and players work their way through the park investigating its shady past and horrid secrets.
- Related Games
-
-
- Airborne Troops: Countdown to D-Day
-
Based on historical events, AIRBORNE TROOPS: COUNTDOWN TO D-DAY drops the player behind the enemy lines of Nazi-occupied France with orders to infiltrate and sabotage German operations before D-Day.
-
-
-
- Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance
-
Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance is Capcom USA's new take on the fighting genre, featuring hard-hitting action in a visceral urban setting. Beat Down: Fists of Vengeance puts gamers in the role of one of five fugitives as they seek revenge against members of their own drug cartel that tried to set them up and have them killed. Betrayal comes at a high price and to survive in Las Sombras, you need power. With enemies everywhere, the only hope is to find the other four and build enough power to strike back. Using a low-key downtown bar as a hideout base, players wander the town in search of information and add allies to their growing opposition. Taking different jobs around town adds much needed funds to fuel the growth of the posse. By proving themselves in street battles, effectively utilizing negotiation skills and using clever disguises, they will be able to build their influence on the streets.
-
-
-
- Disney's Spy Kids Challenger
-
You've been selected for Spy Training -- complete the fun and challenging trials and help Carmen and Juni out! How well you do in each training challenge determines your rank in the Secret Service known as OSS. The fun continues as long as you can -- with limitless obstacles, enemies, upgrades and power-ups. Ages 6-12.
-
-
-
- Delta Force 2
-
Novalogic's Delta Force 2, the sequel to 1998's Delta Force, places players in the role of an American Special Forces soldier. Spanning more than forty missions of squad-based combat, Delta Force 2 requires players to either work solo or guide a handful of squad members into heavily fortified enemy ground. Most missions involve search-and-destroy objectives and take place on a wide variety of landscapes and locations.
Novalogic's decision to reuse their "Voxel Space" engine from the original Delta Force probably won't please gamers hoping for something akin to the Unreal engine. While the Voxel Space engine renders landscapes and patches of grass beautifully, trying to locate items and enemy soldiers from a distance becomes quite difficult; it's simply hard to distinguish long-range enemy voxels (the pixels that comprise Novalogic's 3-D engine) from standard environmental objects. Furthermore, heed Novalogic's warnings and don't attempt to run Delta Force 2 unless you meet or, better yet, exceed the system requirements.Despite some performance problems, Delta Force 2 includes both a robust and enjoyable single-player experience as well as plenty of Internet and LAN multiplayer options. More than twenty real-world weapons and equipment are included; missions require the use of everything from the M40A1 sniper rifle and APS underwater assault rifle to light anti-tank weapons and camouflage suits.
-
-
-
- G-Police
-
Prowl the skylines in your weapons-loaded DASA-Kamov gunship as a member of the G-police. You'll wreak helicopter havoc as you take on the hardcore criminal element terrorizing the gritty cities of the 21st century.
-