The game that redefined the Survival Horror genre, bringing a new style of third-person gameplay to consoles.

User Rating: 9.6 | Alone in the Dark 3DO
By BiMetroWiccan | Review Date:
Though the game's moving graphics are somewhat primitive, the background enviroments are unique and unforgettable.

You choose between playing as one of two characters, one male and one female, each with their own reason for visiting the mysterious house on a terrifying adventure.

After your character enters the house in the beginning sequence, you are forbidden to leave the building by a presence blocking the door from the outside-attempting to open the door, though always a fun experiment, yields instaneous death (at least, until completing the game)

Though the game does contain at least one rifle, more hand-to-hand combat is used than anything else (you find swords and other useful melee weapons along your way)

The game's minimalist approach is what gives it its appeal, you don't start off with an automatic weapon, surrounded by hordes of zombies, you progress through the story at a pace.

Also, the game's occult nature requires you to use certain items on certain enemies, and has a few neat "traps" throughout (reading the wrong incantation out loud in the library is suicidal)

The library also contains several books that provide backstory for the building, and all notes/books that are found throughout the game are read by voice actors to instill the chilling emotion of the author.

Upon repeated playing, one with a keen eye can also spot, in a hallway, a painting that is deriven from the game's ending (a bit of an easter egg that I have yet to hear anyone else speak of)

It's a shame that this game wasn't ported to the Playstation (only its sequels, such as One-Eyed Jack's Revenge, which, though also a fun game, is ten times as difficult, and pirate-based, with the occult flair unfortunately barely present)

The save system is a respectable save-at-any-time deal (be sure to use the right button! Otherwise you will cancel the save by accident, and it will say "Error! Game not saved." at the bottom of the screen)

The game is more Suspense/Thriller, similar to Silent Hill, a psychological horror (as opposed to the shoot-em-up, jump-outta-your-seat-because-you-didn't-know-Nemesis-was-gonna-be-there horror) and I highly recommend anyone with a 3DO or PC who hasn't already played this game, to do so.

Blessed Be

Other Helpful Reviews for Alone in the Dark

  • Rating:8.9

    The Game that set the standard in Surrvival Horror.

    By Wolf-5 | Review Date: Feb 09, 2009 | 3DO

    This game was just plain amazing. When I first payed this game, it tantalized every game desire I had in the first 30 minutes. Exploration, combat, puzzle and so on not to mention the 3D graphics. It felt so refreshin... Read Full Review

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  • Rating:8.1

    The FIRST survivaL horror game made.

    By Q8iy | Review Date: Sep 17, 2006 | 3DO

    I'm wondering why there's onLy 1 user (currentLy) that wrote about this cLassicaL great game. PeopLe shouLd share their attention to this game as it was the 'start' of the survivaL horror adventure games, it was aLso be... Read Full Review

    0 of 2 users found the following review helpful
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