http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3154089

Alone In The Dark

Platform: Xbox 360 Also On: PC

Publisher: Atari Developer: Eden Studios

ESRB Rating: Rating Pending Genre: Adventure


by Andrew Pfister 09/28/2006


Do you feel safe in New York City? You shouldn't, if the new Alone in the Dark is anything to go by.
We use the word "new" because even though the series is going back to its very first name and resurrecting original protagonist Edward Carnby, Alone in the Dark appears to be shedding its former skin. To start with, Atari's no longer describing the game as "survival horror," which is an interesting choice considering that AitD basically gave birth to the genre. Now it's "survival action," and we imagine it's quite difficult to be truly alone in the game's setting: New York City.

NYC's Central Park, to be specific. Though the demo we saw behind closed doors at X06 actually took place in a high-rise apartment building facing the famous park, it was made quite clear by the developers (along with an accompanying trailer) that most of the action would take place amongst the urban greenery.

But that's not what we were shown as playable. We started out in the high-rise, which was on fire and falling apart at the seams. Edward -- who finds himself awaking to the present day though he remains the same age as he was in the original game -- is perched perilously on a balcony that could give way at any moment. The first thing we notice is the excellent sense of height and perspective, with Central Park far, far below and the city's skyline in the background. With the ledges so narrow and everything crumbling apart, the tension builds quickly. To save his skin, Edward finds a dangling electrical cable (he must be wearing heavy-duty rubber gloves) and uses it to swing to safer ground just as the balcony falls away. As he scrambles, swings, rappels and climbs, he has to avoid fires and falling debris (which includes large chunks of building fa�ade). Everything is scripted, we're told, but that doesnt make it any less exciting.

Once inside and in relative safety, we were shown Alone in the Dark's object interaction mechanics: Edward can pick up an object (in this instance, a chair), and using the right analog stick, he can swing it around in 360 degrees. This can be done with any object in the game, most likely for combat and puzzle-solving purposes. Edward can also use his gun to fight off the bad guys (who we never saw in this particular demo), as well as clear off flaming debris that's blocking his path.

Alone in the Dark, even amidst other games in the 360's ever-growing "creepy" subgenre (see also: Condemned, BioShock, Alan Wake, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2), is doing some pretty cool and unique things. Edward's "inventory screen" is just his coat, which you just open up in the game, select what you want, and zip back up. That, and the description of the plot as "TV episodic style" with plot twists and character development that happens during "episodes" over the course of a "season," suddenly puts the new Alone in the Dark on our sleeper radar

I cant believe nobody cares about this game:/

I do, the graphics are fantastic from what i've seen.

Well its just yet another piece of proof that graphics don't = win :D

It may be an awesome game though it has a nice premise.

Somehow its true.

Its easy for games like this to be forgotten when there is everything that is on the 360.

There is a game that looks just as good as gears coming on pc and 360 and nobody cares about it at all.

?

This game is not coming for the PS3 ? So it's a 360/Windows exclusive ?

IGN and gamespot have this down for PS3 also.

Unless it's been canceled.

No it doesn't.

And I personally would be more interested if it wasn't for the goofy online distribution thing they keep talking about when the game is split into different episodes. That kind of stuff is not really what I need.