Alone in the Dark
One of video gamingâs original innovators, Alone in the Dark returns to revolutionise action gaming with an apocalyptic action blockbuster set in New Yorkâs iconic Central Park.
Central Park is hiding a secret. Built as a safe haven not for the people of New York, but for something else entirely, the vast parkland has been protected by generations of guardians while the most expensive city in the world reached skyward on its fringes. Now the truth can no longer be contained, and paranormal investigator Edward Carnby finds himself inexplicably cast into the eye of the storm as over the course of one apocalyptic night he must uncover the earth-shattering secret behind Central Park. New York will never be the same again.
Inspired by the gripping style of contemporary TV dramas, the game delivers a new degree of narrative intensity, presented as a complete season format of episodes each containing action, twists and cliff-hangers. Bursting with innovative technology, including unprecedented environmental interaction, revolutionary physics, stunning visuals, uniquely immersive user interface, and DVD style chapter select, Alone in the Dark breaks gaming clichés to fulfil the next-gen promise and change what players expect from action games.
- Exhilarating gameplay: Blockbuster action, tense exploration, dangerous driving, and vicious fights as hero Edward Carnby fights to survive one apocalyptic night to uncover the earth-shattering secret behind Central Park;
- Intense story: taking cues from blockbuster TV dramas, the story is told in a TV season-style to deliver pace and intensity throughout, keeping the player hooked with action, plot twists and cliff hangers;
- Never get stuck: creating the first game that everyone can finish, the innovative DVD-style chapter select lets players move on if they get stuck, with the grand finale reserved for those who finish a certain amount of the game;
- Improvise to survive: a new level of environmental interaction based on real world rules where anything you could do in real life, you can do in the game. Use your imagination to create unique tools and devastating new weapons;
- Immersion: the player is plunged into the heart of the action in real-time with full movement control, in-game inventory system, on-body damage and healing system, and physiological effects;
- Pyromania: unique physics and light rendering are applied to the realistic-looking fire which propagates realistically across all flammable surfaces. Fire is a valuable ally, but can become your worst enemy;
- Photographic Rendering:a lavishly detailed game world with advanced cinematographic effects including depth of field, camera focus, numerous light sources, and High Dynamic Range effects.
Source:
www.xbox.com
Description
The game that started the popular survival horror genre returns better than ever! Players control Edward Carnby, the main character from the original Alone in the Dark, on a thrilling journey through a dark and terrifying re-creation of New York's Central Park where Carnby must discover the truth behind a dark conspiracy.
With inspiration from the presentation style of popular action TV dramas, Alone in the Dark will be split into a number of distinct episodes. With approximately 30-40 minutes of gameplay comprising each episode, the structure of Alone in the Dark pulls you into world that delivers a fiercely gripping and terrifying experience. Each time the player launches a saved game, the episode will begin with a video summary of the previous episode to quickly re-immerse the player in the story and removing the need to remember where they were or what they were doing. Every episode will close with a nail-biting cliff-hanger ending to rattle players' nerves, and if the player is leaving the game a video teaser of the next episode will play to leave them wanting more.
Alone in the Dark will provide a complete next-generation, action packed experience within a highly detailed, free roaming environment, featuring a mixture of real-time physics and full environmental interaction. The game will mark a new beginning for the Alone in the Dark series.
Features * Action oriented gameplay that features intense "edge of your seat" thrills and twists
Immersive free-roaming, interactive environments intricately based on NYC's Central Park
Episodic Structure: 30 to 40 minute episodes grip you in a constant, high level of intensity
Story written by Lorenzo Carcaterra (NY Times Bestselling author of "Sleepers" and "Apaches")
Wide range weapons to destroy both enemy agents and eventually the source of the evil itself
Vehicles not only offer a means of transportation, but become actual game mechanics which are part of puzzles and solutions to in game challenges
Eden's new TWILIGHT engine creates a lavishly detailed game world with highly realistic effects such as moisture, reflections and advanced cinematography
Source:
www.atari.com (Publisher's website)
Description
Die in KĂŒrze erscheinende Folge des Ă€uĂerst erfolgreichen ALONE IN THE DARK-Franchise wird ALONE IN THE DARK an die Spitze des Genres katapultieren. Der Central Park wurde ursprĂŒnglich als sichere ZufluchtstĂ€tte geschaffen ... aber nicht unbedingt fĂŒr die Einwohner von New York, sondern fĂŒr Wesen ganz anderer Art. Generationen von WĂ€chtern haben dieses Geheimnis gehĂŒtet und dafĂŒr gesorgt, dass die riesige ParkflĂ€che unberĂŒhrt blieb, wĂ€hrend die Stadt um den Park herum in den Himmel wuchs. Jetzt kann das Geheimnis nicht mehr gewahrt werden, und Edward Carnby, seines Zeichens Detektiv fĂŒr paranormale AktivitĂ€ten, muss in einer einzigen apokalyptischen Nacht versuchen, die unglaubliche Wahrheit hinter dem Central Park aufzudecken. New York wird nie wieder das sein, was es einmal war.
Features * Der Central Park: Der Central Park, eines der symboltrÀchtigsten und beliebtesten Wahrzeichen der Welt, wurde anhand von Satellitendaten und Tausenden von Fotos realitÀtsgetreu nachgebildet.
Packende Story: Die Story enthĂŒllt die Verschwörung hinter dem Central Park und stellt, basierend auf Ideen und Theorien spiritueller Philosophien der realen Welt, den Glauben an das Jenseits infrage.
Spannende ErzĂ€hlung: Die an erfolgreiche TV-Filme angelehnte Story wird in einer an Fernsehberichterstattung erinnernden ErzĂ€hlstruktur prĂ€sentiert, um fĂŒr maximale Spannung zu sorgen und den Spieler in den Bann zu ziehen.
Regeln der realen Welt: Die revolutionÀre Technologie hebt das Thema Interaktion mit der Umgebung auf eine völlig neue Stufe. Sie können im Spiel also all das tun, was Sie auch in der RealitÀt tun könnten.
AtmosphĂ€re: Der Spieler wird direkt in die Action katapultiert und genieĂt in Echtzeit volle Bewegungskontrolle, ein integriertes Inventarsystem, ein Verletzungs- und Heilungssystem sowie physiologische Effekte.
Fotografisches Rendering: Die von Eden entwickelte eigene Twilight-Technologie und Rendering-Engine erzeugen eine ĂŒppig ausgestattete und detailreiche Spielwelt mit extrem realistischen und fortschrittlichen Kinoeffekten wie zum Beispiel Szenentiefe, Kamerafokus, zahlreiche Lichtquellen, Feuchtigkeit, Reflexionen und High Dynamic Range-Effekte.
Source:
www.atari.com (Publisher's website - German)
Atari Confirms New Alone in the Dark for PC
NEW YORK, April 12: Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR) today announced that Alone in the Dark will launch for the WindowsÂź platform simultaneously with the version for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. The original Alone in the Dark is the video game that launched survival gaming and set the standard within the genre. Developed by Eden Games, Alone in the Dark returns with a heart-stopping survival experience coupled with use of state-of-the-art real-time physics and advanced environmental interaction to deliver an exhilarating action-orientated experience within a highly detailed, open environment.
In 1992, the first Alone in the Dark title for PC ushered in a new dawn of gaming, revolutionizing the use of fear as a tool to manipulate and engage the emotions of the player, and bringing sheer terror to gamers around the world. Fourteen years later, the franchise returns to the PC and to the newest generation of video game hardware, Xbox 360, taking full advantage of the incredible technological advances of both platforms and designed to satisfy the sophisticated demands of a gaming audience wiser, bolder and more accustomed to fear than ever before.
"Alone in the Dark is returning to the format that launched survival gaming - the PC - and after nearly a decade and a half of ever-accelerating technological progress, we anticipate that the title will again take the lead on next-generation consoles with the Xbox 360 and PC," said Steve Tucker, Director of Marketing, Atari, Inc. "This is one for gamers to keep an eye on in the coming months as Atari and Eden begin to reveal details that will demonstrate how we will fulfill these promises."
Boasting an original gameplay structure designed to appeal to a mass audience, Alone in the Dark aims to go beyond expectations for a next-generation title and re-establish itself as the genre-leader on the Windows platform and Xbox 360.
Source:
Atari press release (April 12, 2006)
Atari Announces New Game Structure for 'Alone in the Dark'
NEW YORK, May 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR - News) today revealed details about the innovative game structure of its upcoming next-generation game Alone in the Dark. Continuing the pioneering heritage that began with the first Alone in the Dark in 1992, Alone in the Dark will feature an episodic game structure to enhance the players' engagement with the story and keep them riveted to the screen. The originator of the survival horror gaming genre, Alone in the Dark is being developed by Eden Games for the Xbox 360(TM) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows platform and will deliver a fiercely gripping and terrifying gaming experience.
Taking inspiration from the presentation style and structure of a number of acclaimed and globally popular TV action dramas, Alone in the Dark is split into distinct episodes in a season-style format. Eden Games has departed from the typical ten-hour game based on film-style scripts and structures and focuses on TV-season format in order to deliver a constant sustained pace and high level of narrative intensity.
"Our new format for Alone in the Dark greatly enhances the pace and tension, keeping players permanently hooked into the engrossing story surrounding the mysteries of Central Park and beyond," said David Nadal, Game Director, Eden Games. "You barely have time to breathe before the next cliffhanger hits you ... "
With approximately 30-40 minutes of gameplay comprising each episode, the structure of Alone in the Dark is adapted for an audience familiar with the hard-hitting, bite-size delivery of contemporary TV dramas, offering easy accessibility whether the player has hours to devote or only wants a quick TV-style fix.
Each time the player launches a saved game, the episode will begin with a video summary of the previous episode to quickly re-immerse the player in the story, removing the need to remember where they were or what they were doing. Every episode will close with a nail-biting cliff-hanger ending to rattle players' nerves, and if the player is leaving the game, a video teaser of the next episode will play to leave them wanting more.
The original Alone in the Dark is the video game that launched survival gaming and set the standard within the genre. Alone in the Dark returns with a heart-stopping action survival experience realized through the use of state-of-the-art real-time physics and unprecedented environmental interaction. Delivering an exhilarating, action-oriented experience within a highly detailed, open environment, Alone in the Dark once again takes the lead for innovation and excellence within the genre.
Source:
Atari press release (May 02, 2006)
New York Times Best-Selling Author Scripts Blockbuster Video Game
NEW YORK, May 10 - Atari, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATAR), one of the world's most recognized brands and a third-party video game publisher, today announced that New York Times best-selling author Lorenzo Carcaterra has teamed up with the company as script writer on Alone in the Dark. Poised to redefine action gaming, Alone in the Dark will deliver blockbuster-action on a cataclysmic scale set in New York City's iconic Central Park. Alone in the Dark is being developed by Eden Games for Xbox 360TM video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATIONĂâĂÂź3 computer entertainment system and Windows platform.
With more than twenty years of writing experience, Carcaterra lends his creative pen to provide the most authentic NYC experience yet in a video game. Born and raised in New York's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood, Carcaterra has covered the city in both fact and fiction, beginning as a reporter for the NY Daily News in 1976, becoming a successful television consultant and writer for shows including Law and Order and achieving success as the best selling author of such books as Apaches, Gangster and Sleepers, the latter of which became the hit film starring Robert De Niro and Brad Pitt.
"Carcaterra delivers riveting stories filled with graphic narrative that have earned him international acclaim," said David Nadal, Studio Head, Eden Games. "Gripping, compelling storylines are the basis of what differentiates a good game from a blockbuster. With Alone in the Dark, Carcaterra has crafted a meticulously engaging storyline that will grab the player from the start and send them on a journey through Central Park they will never forget."
"Alone in the Dark was a challenge which allowed me to bring a realistic feel to an apocalyptic situation facing New York City and really dig into the Central Park conspiracy idea," said Lorenzo Carcaterra. "It also allowed me to write for hard-edged characters, some good, some bad, all forced to confront a force whose power they could never imagine. The story never stalls, always moves in overdrive and the characters zoom right along at warp speed, stopping long enough along the way to say a few lines that keep driving the plot forward. The end result is, I hope, a roller-coaster of a thrill ride that should be tons of fun to play."
Taking inspiration from today's globally popular TV action dramas, Alone in the Dark delivers a new level of gripping narrative intensity, presented as a complete season format of episodes each containing action, plot twists and cliff-hangers. With a script written by best-selling author Carcaterra, players take the role of Edward Carnby as over the course of one apocalyptic night he must uncover the earth-shattering secret behind Central Park.
With a dramatic, graphic and fast-paced storyline, unprecedented levels of real-world interaction and physics, advanced artificial intelligence, stunning visuals and uniquely immersive interface, all set in a meticulously detailed, wide-open environment, Alone in the Dark is set to break gaming cliches, fulfill the next gen-promise, and deliver a new kind of entertainment experience.
Source:
Atari press release (May 10, 2007)
Alone in the Dark Fires Up the Charts
LYON, FRANCE â 26 June 2008 â Atari and Eden Games celebrated the news that its revolutionary action survival game Alone in the Dark has topped the Xbox 360âą sales charts across Europe following its release on 20 June 2008. Alone in the Dark is officially No.1 in the UK and Germany, two of the largest Xbox 360 markets in Europe (Source: Chart Track and Media Control).
Alone in the Dark marks a blistering return for the legendary franchise with startling innovations and wide screen cinematic presentation. The game follows paranormal investigator Edward Carnby as over the course of one apocalyptic night he must fight to survive and uncover the earth-shattering secret behind New Yorkâs Central Park. With an exhilarating mix of challenging gameplay, intense storytelling in the style of a blockbuster TV series, unprecedented environmental interaction, realistic fire physics as a core gameplay element, and DVD chapter select feature which lets everyone reach the gameâs climax, Alone in the Dark challenges what players expect from video games.
The action survival opus Alone in the Dark is in stores now across Europe for Xbox 360, PC, Wii and PlayStation 2, with the PLAYSTATION 3 version following later in 2008. In addition to the standard game, Xbox 360, PC and Wii Limited Editions are available now from selected European retailers featuring exclusive items including hero figurine, art book and âmaking ofâ documentary DVD.
For more information on Alone in the Dark visit www.CentralDark.com .
Source:
Atari press release (June 26, 2008)
Alone in the Dark PC Compatibility and Security
Atari and Eden Gamesâ Alone in the Dark for PC is certified Games for Windows and is compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems.
The PC version of Alone in the Dark is protected using SecuROMâą online activation. This requires that in addition to the content on the game disk, players download an additional component via an internet connection in order to install and run the game. Once the game has been correctly installed and activated, it can be played whilst offline.
To install the game on a different computer, players must revoke the serial number when uninstalling from the first machine (this is an automatic option during the uninstall process).
For activation instructions and more information on the revoke system and license use, please go to the SecuROM FAQ at http://www.aitdunlock.com
PC minimum spec is as follows:
Operating System: Windows XP/Vista 32-bit & 64-bit
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz or Athlon X2 +3800 (Intel Pentium 4 3.4 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 +4000 recommended) *
Memory: 1 GB RAM (2GB recommended)
Hard Disk Space: 9.5 GB free
DVD-ROM Drive: 4X speed or faster
Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 or ATI Radeon X1950 or better (NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX or ATI Radeon X1950 XTX or better recommended)
Sound: DirectX version 9.0c-compatible sound card
DirectX: DirectX version 9.0c (included) or higher
For more information about Alone in the Dark, visit www.centraldark.com
Source:
Atari press release (June, 2008)
Alone in the Dark Demo Now Live on Xbox Live Marketplace
The Xbox 360âą demo of Eden Gamesâ innovative action survival opus Alone in the Dark is available now on Xbox LiveÂź Marketplace. Featuring selected playable levels from the first and second episodes of the game, players will be able to try the innovative gameplay first hand including the combination of items to create unique and powerful weapons, the real-time handling of objects to overcome enemies and obstacles, and the use of fire as a devastating weapon.
âAlone in the Dark is a prime example how to orchestrate a game⊠mixes all the innovative elements plus the superb presentation into a thrilling action-horror-cocktailâ Gamestar, Germany
ââŠdeserves to be lavished with praise for some outstanding ideas and set-pieces.â Xbox World 360, UK
âBeautiful action sequences, camera positioning, drama, tension and a great score give you the feeling you are playing an interactive movieâ Gamesâą, Benelux
âAmbitious, different and thoroughly absorbing.â Guardian, UK
Alone in the Dark is in stores now for Xbox 360, PC, Wii and PlayStation 2, with the PLAYSTATION 3 version following later in 2008.
Source:
Atari press release (August 2008)
ES HIESS, DER CENTRAL PARK SEI FĂR DIE BĂRGER GEDACHT ⊠DAS WAR EINE LĂGE.
Der Central Park wurde nicht zur Erholung fĂŒr die Einwohner von New York, sondern fĂŒr etwas ganz anderes geschaffen. Jetzt kann dieses Geheimnis nicht langer gewahrt werden.
In einer einzigen apokalyptischen Nacht muss Edward Carnby das Unvorstellbare bekĂ€mpfen, um die erschĂŒtternde Wahrheit des Central Parks aufzudecken.
Packende Story
ErzÀhlt in dramatischen Episoden voller Action, unerwarteter Wendungen und Schockmomente.
lmprovisieren Sie, um zu ĂŒberleben
Nutzen Sie Ihre Phantasie, um verheerende neue Waffen herzustellen.
Innovatives Gameplay
Blockbuster-Action, spannende Entdeckungen, riskante Fahrmanöver, erbitterte KÀmpfe.
Integrierte Lösungshilfe
Durch die Kapitelauswahl im DVD-Stil kann jeder Spieler das Finale erreichen.
Flammendes Inferno
Spielen Sie mit Feuer wie nie zuvor, aber verbrennen Sie sich nicht die Finger.
NEW YORK WIRD NIE WIEDER DAS SEIN, WAS ES EINMAL WAR.
Source:
Back of Keep Case - Windows (United Kingdom)
THEY SAID CENTRAL PARK WAS FOR THE PEOPLE... THEY LIED.
Central Park was not built as a haven for the people of New York, but for something else entirely. Now the truth can no longer be contained.
In one apocalyptic night, Edward Carnby must fight the unimaginable to reveal the earth-shattering secret of Central Park
Intense story: Told in thrilling episodes with action, plot twists and cliff-hangers
Improvise to survive:
Use your imagination to create devastating new weapons
Exhilarating gameplay: Blockbuster action, tense exploration, dangerous driving, vicious fights
Never Get Stuck: DVD-style chapter select lets everyone reach the gameâs climax
Pyromania: Play with fire but donât get burned
NEW YORK WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN.
Source:
Back of Keep Case - Windows (United States)
Contributed by Patrick Bregger, Starbuck the Third.