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Could have been spectacular, but marred by technical issues

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: July 05, 2008
Author: Amazon User

The Alone in the Dark series goes back a long way (even pre-dating the Resident Evil franchise) in terms of pioneering the survival horror genre, with this new installment kind of being a re-boot for the series. Once again filling the shoes of paranormal investigator Edward Carnby, Alone in the Dark finds Carnby caught in the middle of an apocalyptic event while investigating strange happenings in Central Park. The first thing you'll notice is that Alone in the Dark boasts some wonderfully creepy and spooky environments that drip with eerie atmosphere. In fact, the areas are so well designed (even for the PS2 version) that you'll often find yourself admiring your surroundings while dodging demons and beasts. The game looks good in general as well, despite a few graphical glitches that occur, while the game's solid score adds to the overall survival horror atmosphere. What's really sad about Alone in the Dark is that the game's potential to be something special is marred by technical issues. Namely, just moving around can be a chore. The control issues that present themselves during combat and puzzle solving only add layers of frustration to the game, which is a crying shame, and the game's schizophrenic camera doesn't help make matters any better either. Despite it's flaws, Alone in the Dark does present some innovation in terms of it's item inventory use and some dramatic moments that will jolt you out of your chair. The game's story is intriguing, and there are some great lighting effects too. All in all, Alone in the Dark is a worthwhile trip that could have been something truly great, but in the end is brought down thanks to it's technical issues. Still, for survival horror fans, Alone in the Dark is definitely worth a look.

Pretty BAD

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 3
Date: July 12, 2008
Author: Amazon User

Oh dear...this is the lowest score I have given to a PS2 game for a long time. Alone In The Dark on the PS2 fails really glaringly in many ways, and provides a thoroughly unsatisfying game experience.

The game is a kind of action/survival horror story, with you playing as Edward Carnby, trapped in a collapsing and monster-filled New York. Right from the start the controls will baffle you, and they conspire against you having any decent fun at every single opportunity.

Yes it's that bad. The game is almost unplayable due to the terrible, unresponsive and sometimes downright un-useable control system. Nothing works well. In several chapters, Carnby has to climb up and down ropes and swing about to reach ledges. The implementation of this makes it impossible to judge when to let go. Then there are the car driving sections...awful cars that don;'t even drive in a straight line even when you don't push the L-stick at all, and which spin off into instant death at the slightest clipping of any obstacle. Then there's the fighting...a gun that can only be fired in 1st person. Melee weapons that can only be swung in 3rd person. And both with a real time lag. Then there's the camera, constantly wobbling and bouncing around behind Carnby's head. You can't see the scenery or anything very clearly, let alone where you are running. Thank heavens the 3rd person viewpoint actually keeps still. Then there's the inventory...all in your pockets which you have to look in and pick things out of. Then there's the first aid packs and general healing. How does this work? I don't even know. And then there is...eyes-closed mode. Oh my god. Words fail me when trying to describe how terrible this is. You try keeping the R3 button held down without actually tipping it from side to side. And right at the end of the game theres a perilous twisting catwalk with instant death drops at each side to traverse, that you can only SEE in eyes-closed mode. I can guarantee you will be screaming. Screaming for your money back, probably. I'll say this though, the game designers have been fiendish in making you work out exactly what you have to do. There are no clues. Walk into a museum with a couple of monsters in it and there is no way out. Not a single clue. Walk into a factory where the floor is covered with deadly slime. "Use the spotlights" some helpful dame says. How? The panel has no instructions on it. And worst of all is the saving...save spots are at set points, and if you die somehow you often have to go back and do some tortuous skill-based action sequence over and over again, as many of the set-pieces are trial and error based. Hideous.

Now that just leaves the graphics, and these are no champions either. Characters are blocky and awkward. Carnby has this awful gaunt square-jawed hero face that looks really ugly. I have seen better graphics on PS2 games from five years ago! The collision detection is awful, and Carnby was forever teetering on invisible cliff edges or falling off when he should have been standing safely.

But I persevered and played it right to the end, bracing myself for a very uncomfortable finale...but let me tell you though, I was gobsmacked by the feeble winding up of the game. I actually thought I had got the "bad" ending and had missed out an entire final level. But no...a final nail in the coffin. Oh well at least I was happy that I could stop playing it.

Sorry folks, but this game is a stinker. Games are supposed to be about fuin, and with everything that's wrong here. Alone in the Dark is no fun at all.

RENT IT FIRST, BUT DONT BUY!!!!!!!!!!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: July 10, 2008
Author: Amazon User

LIKE I SAID, DONT BUY THIS GAME! IT TOTALLY SUCKS. I WAS ALL HYPED UP AND WAITING FOR THE RELEASE OF THIS GAME BUT I WAS TRULY DISSAPOINTED! THE CONTROLS ARE SO DIFFICULT TO GET USED TO AND THERE ARE SOME PARTS IN THE GAME WHERE IT GETS FRUSTRATING. I THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA HAVE CONTROLS LIKE THE ORIGINAL GAME RELEASED ON THE PLAYSTATION 1. THE CAMERA ANGLES ARE ALSO HORRIBLE. SO PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THIS GAME OR IF U WISH TO CHECK IT OUT, RENT IT AND SEE FOR YOURESELF. DONT THROW 40.00 DOWN THE DRAIN LIKE I DID AND I WISH I WOULD HAVE NEVER PURCHASED THIS CAUSE THERES NO REFUNDS FOR OPENED GAMES!

Alone In The Dark Left Me Alone In The Dark

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 1
Date: August 10, 2008
Author: Amazon User

I have been a gamer for years... 36 years to be exact and this game was filled with innovative promise. I don't even know where to begin on how bad this game is. Woulda given it half to no star but that was not possible.

The concept is there... the gameplay, controls etc. is not. Even the storyline is a bit lack luster. I have worked for gaming companies and know what goes into making a single game... A LOT from start to finish.

Perhaps Atari needs to revamp their development teams or pack it up, go out of biz and take a vacation...

This is the worst game for the PS2 I have ever played and if it were possible to get my money back, I would. I might even ship it back to Atari.

Don't buy it.

A forever gamer, till the day I die.

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