Alone in the Dark
Welcome back gamers… Uncle Grant’s here for you this week with another big release, Atari’s “Alone In The Dark” available this week on all the major platforms. So turn off the lights and find your security blanket… it’s go time.
Alone In The Dark is the newest edition in a long-storied franchise that goes back 16 years now. The newest edition puts you back in the shoes of Edward Carnby, the hero from the very first PC game, which — let’s face it — nobody remembers. I’m still trying to forget all the fashions I was rocking in 1992, much less the games I was playing. Just realize it was a different time then, and nobody thought it was weird to wear spandex shorts under denim overalls with one strap hanging off.
Now Edward’s got some serious problems, in that the city is being overrun by some creepy horror that nobody can really explain. Take some of the events of Silent Hill, multiply it by 11, and drop them smack in the middle of New York. And of course he’s the only one that can kick ass and take names, so he’s off to go wreak hell on the hellions.
Now I want you to know the reviews for this thing are all over the place — some critics are giving it a 3 or lower, others an 8 or higher, and mostly that’s to do with how invested you are in the storyline. If you’re invested in Edward’s journey through this horrifying backdrop, then you’re probably going to be able to overlook some quirky gameplay decisions and some sketchy voice acting. Or, you’re not, so you won’t.
In my opinion, Alone is a very playable game. It’s not going to win any originality awards, but with the next Resident Evil not expected until 2009, what else are you going to do to get your horror fix? It’s got some genuine scares, and some very cool weapon combos and effects. Rent it first, see what’s what, and then decide if you want to buy.