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Visit Joystiq hands-on: Alone in the Dark (360)

Joystiq hands-on: Alone in the Dark (360) in alone-in-the-darkataricentral-parkeden-studiosjoystiqfeatures

By Andrew Yoon
el 23-May-2008

Filed under: PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action, Adventure

With some trepidation, I walked into Atari's offices today to check out the newest (and quite possibly final) build of Alone in the Dark. With controller in hand, I started a fresh save file ... only to have three hours blur by and be bombarded with a never-ending series of cinematic, adrenaline-pumping sequences. I was totally unprepared for Eden Studios' bold reimagining of the franchise. This is not your father's Alone in the Dark.

A key point that the Atari representative reiterated throughout my play session was the influence of serialized television in the design of the game. The game is broken up into a series of "episodes," each ending on a cliffhanger. Players are able to select levels and sequences via a menu that resembles something you'd find on a DVD. Not only can players jump to any level they want, but they can skip to specific "chapters" within each episode, as well. Each episode ends with credits, and each new episode starts with a very cute "Previously on Alone in the Dark" recap. (Interestingly, all the episodes are unlocked when a player starts the game. This means if you get stuck at a certain point, you can simply skip to the next chapter and use the recap to see what you missed. The reasoning behind this? Eden wants everyone to finish this game, no matter how challenging the puzzles may get.)

These trivial changes to the presentation are amusing, but the TV inspiration runs much deeper. One season of a great television show has a clear beginning, middle and end. However, each episode usually focuses on one specific issue in an overarching story arc. Alone in the Dark fully embraces the serialized narrative, and uses it to create stunning set pieces in every chapter of every episode we've had an opportunity to play. Alone in the Dark isn't survival horror like we've seen in Silent Hill and Resident Evil. No, it's also about platforming. It's about puzzle solving, first person shooting ... and even driving. Alone in the Dark really is a great season of 24, albeit one with a supernatural twist.

Gallery: Alone in the Dark (2008)

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