Alone in the Dark

The Good
First off I bought this game when it first came out. I was amazed by the fluid 3d graphics, haunting camera angles and tricky puzzles. I was an instant fan. The story is basically a haunted house plot but has a suprising depth to it thanks largely to the fantastically written books that are found around the mansion. The puzzles, unlike the simplistic fodder that's featured in more recent games of the genre such as the famous Resident Evil, are challenging and thought provoking but are never without clues, however hidden. The music on the cd version is great and if you can get hold of it in this form, it's well worth getting. (you also get an exclusive mini adventure called Jack in the Dark that is all but forgotten now.)

The Bad
The puzzles, while good, also have a hidden evil in that it's possible to stuff something up leaving you unable to finish the game without restoring. Also some sudden death is featured so save often and use multiple saves. The game is fairly short. On the first time through you will likely not take more than a few days and subsequent plays are completed in under an hour. Lastly, the battle system is a little confusing at times because of the camera angles.

The Bottom Line
Alone in the Dark is a fantastic survival horror game which started the entire genre. It suffers slightly from some unwinnable situations but if you're a fan of the genre then you really should check it out if only just to see where it all began.

The Good
What could you not like about a game that takes place within the ancient house of a fallen family? This game is the precursor to the survival horror genre and one of the first to animate a polygonal character against a pre-rendered background.

From the moment you take over the playing you must barricade yourself or get attacked by monsters. Also, this game makes great use of camera angles. There is nothing creepier than entering a room and seeing a hint of a monster just behind you.

Finally, loved the library. There are some books that aren't meant to be read.

The Bad
Graphically this game doesn't hold up well. Audio is a little shaky. The biggest problem is the controls, sluggish would be a kind way to describe it.

The Bottom Line
While still a fun game, if you didn't play this game in its time, then you might wonder what the big deal is. One of the better Lovecraft games though.

The Good
The first Alone in the Dark was without a doubt a landmark achievement, (well, most games that singlehandedly invent a genre usually are). Trapped in a hounted house, you are introduced to a very simple concept that would make the cornerstone of it's gameplay: you aren't saving any princess, you aren't out to save the world, your mission is simply to survive and escape this friggin' mansion, preferably with all your limbs in place. Sound simple? Sure, now. But at the time it was a complete revolution, you actually had to think in advance what you where going to do, because the game actually had plenty of sequences that were unbeatable, and for the most part, you just had to run and hope no zombie or monster got in your way.

Enemies were a-plenty, yet weapons were scarce, and ammo was even more so, which only serves to add to the tension. Also throw in dramatic and sometimes claustrophobic camera angles straight from horror flicks, cool & realistic sfxs like creaking wood, a creepy storyline that unfolds as you try to survive, some pretty inspired puzzles and plenty of "jack-in-the-box" moments, and you have yourself the makings for the first great horror game.

And on top of that you had the first polygonal models interacting real-time with 2d backgrounds, how cool is that huh??

The Bad
Could be pretty hard at times (tough never to the extent of it's sequel). And the ending, tough correct by all means in it's writing was really a letdown in the sense that after the extenuous battle you just endured throughout the game you really were looking forward to something a tad more spectacular. I don't say they should have changed it, it's perfect story-wise, but a little more glamour would have been apreciated... then again, most games from that era usually had crappy endings.

The Bottom Line
Survival/horror starts HERE. Alone in the Dark combines enough innovation, gameplay genius and sheer entertainment that years later it's still being copied and imitated. While everyone's idea of "horror gameplay" was Slaughterhouse, we Pc users got a serving of a dish most people would only see years later on the psx, and it's sweet aftertaste remains to this day.