Alone in the Dark (DOS)

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Written by  :  Sycada (191) Written on  :  Jun 11, 2001 Platform  :  DOS

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Summary

A landmark arcade adventure which started the survival horror genre.

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.