The House that H.P. Lovecraft built.
Graphics: 8
Sounds: 8
Value: 8
Tilt: 10
Actual score: 8.6
The good
* A perfect blend of action and exploration;
* Fully fleshed out 3D characters and storyline;
* A survival horror in its truest form.
The bad
* Some puzzles are extremely challenging and vague;
* The cinematic affects can be a little confusing (especially when judging distances);
* Can be slow for those who desire action.
I always have this fascination about playing a game of being stuck in a house, building or in a remote location where there is very little to go or hide. Some movies actually capture this exceptionally well (e.g. the latest version of The House on Haunted Hill) yet some are simply boring. Video games also tried this and naturally some succeeded (e.g. Cold Fear) yet some are just a yawn (Nakatomi Plaza). I even went on and try and make a horror story based on the ‘Chill’ RPG (which incidentally was one of the best horror RPGs going around in the early 90s) that involves getting stuck in an elevator (to date still haven’t quite figure it out) yet in 1992 there was PC game that I can honestly say capture the loneliness and terror of being stuck with no-where to hide and this game is called ‘Alone in the Dark’.
The premise of Alone in the Dark starts off the player (you) can select one of two characters; Edward Carnby – a private detective who was invited to collect an old piano from the attic of the old supposedly haunted Louisiana mansion Derceto or Emily Hartwood – the niece of Derceto’s owner, Jeremy Hartwood, which she learns that Jeremy committed suicide and left a note in a secret drawer in that same piano. Either way (with a beautiful cut scene to add) you enter the house and head towards the attic where the piano is waiting…
Considering this game is tagged as a survival horror, the entire game play encourages the player to ‘think before you leap’. That said, every room that you’ll encounter serves a purpose and shooting from the hip isn’t necessary going to resolve any tribulations (e.g. you cannot shoot a ghost for obvious reasons). However all is not lost as throughout the mansion there are ample of clues in the form of novels and transcripts that are ingeniously written and if you are able to ‘read between the lines’ you’ll be able to solve any puzzles/critters that you’ll face and as an added bonus a good story to boot.
That said this game can be deemed as punishing as there will be many times that your character will be succumbed to the forces of evil in many ways. On top of this and considering the non-linear approach to things, you will be banging your head against the wall as some of the puzzles are very taxing to that grey matter as there are times that you’ll be wondering around trying to understand why in the world will that creature in the tub won’t die – maybe some things are just meant to be left there and exploration is the key. For some, this maybe a turnoff however personally I like this approach as after all I’m stuck in a haunted mansion and haunted mansions don’t come with explicit instruction manuals!
Graphically, the game is pleasing to the eye; nice hand-drawn backdrops provide the correct atmosphere to this game. The entire mansion is logically designed from the attic all the way down to the basement and beyond and considering the non-linear approach it really makes the player feel quite literally alone and eerie. The fixtures and furniture are appropriate for the mid 20s and even the character’s clothing ‘fashionably’ correct. What made this game stands out is that the ‘hero’ and the beasts of burden are fully fleshed out 3D; other words they are not cardboard cutouts. This was definitely revolutionary as the next game that uses this 3D technology was not until 1996 when Quake arrived in the scene (to those who think Wolfenstein or Doom was in 3D is actually incorrect – both games ultilise sprits animations hence you can say 2.5D).
Infogames (the chaps who developed the game) hit the nail on the spot when it comes to sounds as the entire set is perfectly mastered and not done over the top. The environmental sounds like squeaky floorboards, opening doors and cupboards, gun shots and even the swish of swinging swords (yep there is a decent swordfight to boot) are perfectly balanced. As an added bonus even the occasional howling wolf (werewolf?) can send shivers down your spine as it arrives when you least expected. The midis are also top-notch as the scores do sound like pleasant harpsichord tunes and if you managed to get hold of the CD version there are professionally tailored voiceovers and improved musical scores.
Bearing in mind the non-linear approach, you can complete the game within the two hours mark if you know exactly what to do (as some items that you’ll collect are pretty much worthless). The reality though is that this game is very difficult therefore the game can take as long as you are patient. For me it took me just beyond the ten hours mark as there are some puzzles that really destroyed me and honestly have to say I needed the walkthrough three times (my Cthulhu mythos is not the best). Yet you can play this game twice without any ill feelings as both characters do actually have slightly different game play styles and two different endings.
Alone in the Dark is hailed as the granddaddy of survival horror games. Back then, I never encountered the panic of being truly stuck and the feeling of hopelessness than what this game did produced. There were naturally games that try and replicate this however what made Alone in the Dark such an outstanding feature was that the action took place all in 3D instead of the ‘ever popular top down/platform’ view. Even movies back then try to utilise 3D affects by wearing specially made glasses (which is basically red/green shades) to capture this ‘being there’ affect. Nevertheless, Alone in the Dark put forward a game that promotes terror and has done so efficiently and believe it or not, I was actually relieved when I left the house!