Alone in the Dark (2008)

 PC
User Score
5.5

Mixed or average reviews- based on 180 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 74 out of 180
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 180
  3. Negative: 67 out of 180
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. JohnJ.
    Jun 24, 2008
    1
    The game has an interesting story, and an good method of telling that story, unfortunately the game is completely ruined by the terrible, awful controls. They are so bad, that I honestly think Atari tested the entire PC version using the xbox controller. The major problems were: 1. Constantly being pulled out of first person view to get a better view of nothing. 2. Having to turn your The game has an interesting story, and an good method of telling that story, unfortunately the game is completely ruined by the terrible, awful controls. They are so bad, that I honestly think Atari tested the entire PC version using the xbox controller. The major problems were: 1. Constantly being pulled out of first person view to get a better view of nothing. 2. Having to turn your character using the keyboard keys when holding a two-handed object such as an axe or a burning piece of wood. 3. Not being able to effectively use any of the objects you hold, if you stand in front of a door and attempt to bash the door in with a large object, you will swing it sideways and hit the wall, you always swing something the same way no matter what it is or what you are doing with it. Also, you can not swing something if it is on your left side, you have to pull it to the right using the mouse and then click to swing, why doesn't the mouse click just do that automatically (they the game doesn't inform you of this fact either). 4. Even at max settings, the game looks pathetic. Character textures look decent enough, but the far away textures and models (such as cars on the street far below you in the first level) look like they were rendered in Quake 3. The lighting is also terrible. In low lit areas, the game looks like it has an 8-bit color depth. A gray concrete floor will have swatches of green, blue, and orange swimming across it. Also, objects against a pitch black background will appear fully lit and objects in a partially, but still low lit area will appear pitch black as if texture-less. Bottom line, Atari failed to meet the minimum threshold of quality that any reasonable person would expect when purchasing this game. I gave it 1 point for installing without problems, running smoothly, and being entertaining for about 3 minutes. Other than that, the game is an epic failure.… Expand
  2. CanadianH.
    Sep 19, 2008
    9
    I really don't understand what all the fuss is about; I bought a Logitech Rumble 2 (great product) and had one of the best times in recent history playing through this game. I would highly recommend it if you own a good pad, or invest in one. Console ports are here to stay, and if they're like AITD, I'm more than a happy camper. Good on them!
  3. Entropy78
    Jun 3, 2011
    1
    If there is such thing as an 'anti-game', this must be it. I simply had the impression this wasn't a game, but rather an experiment by the game publisher to test how far they push the gamer into frustration with an endless stream of bugs, impossible control schemes, camera angles that don't work, stupid saving schemes...And oh boy, did they succeed ! After a few hours of gaming, theIf there is such thing as an 'anti-game', this must be it. I simply had the impression this wasn't a game, but rather an experiment by the game publisher to test how far they push the gamer into frustration with an endless stream of bugs, impossible control schemes, camera angles that don't work, stupid saving schemes...And oh boy, did they succeed ! After a few hours of gaming, the frustration and agony was so overwhelming that the only enjoyable satisfaction I had was uninstalling this game from my PC. Glad I picked it up from the bargain bin and didn't pay the full price as I would have felt pretty angry about it.
    Too bad, I did feel that there was some potential in it, but the developers have wasted it for me.    … Expand
  4. rickrey
    Sep 21, 2011
    4
    There were some innovative ideas used in this game but they didn't work for me. I spent too much time trying to get use to the awkward PC controls. The frequent need to switch between 1st and 3rd person views was the biggest problem. The 3rd person "fixed" view required orienting the main character with keyboard controls while the 1st person required using the mouse with the view rotating.There were some innovative ideas used in this game but they didn't work for me. I spent too much time trying to get use to the awkward PC controls. The frequent need to switch between 1st and 3rd person views was the biggest problem. The 3rd person "fixed" view required orienting the main character with keyboard controls while the 1st person required using the mouse with the view rotating. I know my description is not easy to understand but believe me the character controls were almost unusable. The illogical trial and error method of progressing through the game was too much for me with lots of failures and restarts. Please game developers, at least give me a clue what's going on! The music in the game was probably good but it gets very old listening to when you have to continually use trial and error to get through levels.… Expand
  5. bioshake
    Aug 31, 2008
    9
    This game is probably the most underrated title in the history of PC games... Apparently the FPS generation just doesn't get it and what I do not get is why a game that in its control scheme is so very similar to Resident Evil 4, why everyone is dumping on it. Like RE4, the controls are set up in easy FPS mode because its a SURVIVAL HORROR game. Take the time to learn them and This game is probably the most underrated title in the history of PC games... Apparently the FPS generation just doesn't get it and what I do not get is why a game that in its control scheme is so very similar to Resident Evil 4, why everyone is dumping on it. Like RE4, the controls are set up in easy FPS mode because its a SURVIVAL HORROR game. Take the time to learn them and you'll find the game is actually fun, very immersive and extremely atmospheric. There is destruction on a level of epicness in a game that I have never experience and I've been playing games for a very long time and it gets pretty intense. Sure you die a lot, but the game does a really good job and creating subtle little 'checkpoints' so you don't get frustrated at having to do everyone over again. The use of the physics and fire and how they play a puzzle role in the game is nothing short of brilliant. There is about 100 different ways you can dispatch enemies, create items and explosives and even trails to them. I also really enjoyed the inventory system, it's real time, looks very cool and keeps the game engaging while in combat. The graphics are amazinging. The fire effects are by far the best I have ever seen in a game and the level of detail on the characters models in jaw dropping. I mean you can see their pores and it looks fantastic. The lighting, shadows and bump mapping are all done extremely well too. And the game runs very well given how it looks. I have no idea about why people are complaining about the bugs, I have yet to find a single one. As far as the 3rd person and 1st person complains they aren't very well grounded. It's a very understandable design decision. The game goes into 3rd person mode automatically to give you a hint that you need to interact with the environment to advance and the transition between the two is seemless - you simply push a button to toggle between them. Why would you complain about having to use first person mode to use your fire extinguisher? It's not a weapon and the only time you need to go into 1st person mode to use it is to extinguish flame (non combat activity) the rest of the time you are using it to bash doors down and that's it. What's to complain about? If you could use the fire extinguisher in 3rd person mode you wouldn't hit a lick of flame because it requires precise use of the analog stick to do. DO NOT play this game without an xbox 360 controller, very frustrating to attempt analog feats in the game with the keyboard. Keep an open mind when you play this game and allow yourself to get into its style and I promise you won't be disappointed.… Expand
  6. AlexaL.
    Jul 1, 2008
    1
    I don't recommend it. a total waste of time and money. @atari: I am very disappointed.
  7. DanielM
    Oct 8, 2008
    8
    Great game. Controls take a bit of getting used to but if you go through the entire game you'll walk away feeling the experience was worth it. Most people giving these poor ratings haven't played the game from start to finish or have some kind of bias against the game.
  8. CloeteJ.
    Sep 4, 2008
    10
    Although this game has flaws its story line is great. It also has that epic feel to it. So it deserves a good rating.
  9. BellinoP.
    Jul 2, 2008
    10
    It a game that dares to be different and has some bugs, but over all it
  10. JohnnyM.
    Oct 14, 2008
    9
    Right from the beginning of the design of this game it was clear that those responsible were looking to skirt the boundaries of what (not just first-person) gameplay could mean. Far from the point-and-shoot-and-collect-ammo-from-the-fallen, this game forces you to think on your feet. Combining items in your inventory in the split second you've managed to avoid an attack, making quick Right from the beginning of the design of this game it was clear that those responsible were looking to skirt the boundaries of what (not just first-person) gameplay could mean. Far from the point-and-shoot-and-collect-ammo-from-the-fallen, this game forces you to think on your feet. Combining items in your inventory in the split second you've managed to avoid an attack, making quick decisions whether or not this is a fight you could win, for those who insist on interest and challenge in their games this is the real deal. Having played the game with only a mouse and keyboard, I agree to the criticisms of it being awkward... for the first five minutes. Through proper acclimatization (ie. actually taking time to figure out how the game works) it springs out at you from a genre dominated by the same old weapons, the same old regenerative health system, and lack of engrossing situation. As a gamer I looked at it tentatively, having paid too much to the critical feedback. I cannot say enough about this game to those looking for more from their game collection.… Expand
  11. ElsaB.
    Jun 26, 2008
    1
    Horrible gameplay - story sucks big time anyone giving a good rating must have been paid by Atari - just like the magazines... keep your hands off this game!
  12. FatkiBlatki
    Jun 24, 2008
    1
    Sucked. Bad story. Horrible controls. Just terrible. Eat my azz Atari.
  13. AlterEgo
    Jun 24, 2008
    0
    Horrible gameplay. I am deeply disappointed by this game. Atari used to be a great game factory - now they are not.
  14. PeterH.
    Jun 25, 2008
    0
    A complete waste of time - the gameplay sucks.
  15. Rayman225
    Mar 23, 2013
    10
    It's funny that how critic fanboys are discliking this game.
    Seriously dont listen to critic's this game is great!
    If you are listening to critic's then you are not a gamer.
    You should have your own opinion.
  16. RsinX
    Feb 4, 2013
    2
    Overall, just awful! What a pain in the a$$ to play… I’ve been a pc gamer for a long time (since the original Doom, around 1995), and AITD is just one of those games that was NOT designed with ease-of-play in mind. 1. The constant auto-swapping from 1st to 3rd person view is really annoying, [they could of at least created an option to keep 1st person on]… 2. Controls are ‘stiff andOverall, just awful! What a pain in the a$$ to play… I’ve been a pc gamer for a long time (since the original Doom, around 1995), and AITD is just one of those games that was NOT designed with ease-of-play in mind. 1. The constant auto-swapping from 1st to 3rd person view is really annoying, [they could of at least created an option to keep 1st person on]… 2. Controls are ‘stiff and floppy’, which makes it difficult to align to many objects [causes it to be ‘unplayable’]… 3. The lock-onto-enemy is a cheap addition for a game [it just proves that the 3rd person perspective for this game is so cheap that they had to make an extra function just to stabilize the movement]… The only things enjoyable about this game are some of the game play features such as item selection, the graphics, physics, and special effects, and the nice frame rate (e7400 9600GT). I don’t recommend this game, unless you collect games in hope that one day this one will be worth some money… lol!… Expand
  17. Jimmybean
    Jul 7, 2008
    10
    The people who don't like this game are simply those who are new to games. IOW, MTV gamers, people who have no appreciation of where games actually came from. If it was not for alone in the dark and virtua fighter i doubt we would have quite so many 3d games, or at least the 2d ones would have lived a lot longer. Yes, the controls do kind of suck, but so did those in the original. The people who don't like this game are simply those who are new to games. IOW, MTV gamers, people who have no appreciation of where games actually came from. If it was not for alone in the dark and virtua fighter i doubt we would have quite so many 3d games, or at least the 2d ones would have lived a lot longer. Yes, the controls do kind of suck, but so did those in the original. The people who liked alone in the dark will like this remake.… Expand
  18. DanyT
    Sep 10, 2008
    1
    Worst controls ever in a game, camera some times is a pain, the only horror in this game is the money I lost when I bought this.
  19. MartinW.
    Jun 25, 2008
    0
    I am very disappointed by Atari - this game is horrible.
  20. AlkaH.
    Jun 30, 2008
    0
    This game is a nightmare. gameplay is bad. Story is worse.
  21. DaveS
    Jul 1, 2008
    0
    This is the single worst game I have ever played. Avoid at ALL costs. Atari should be charged with a crime for releasing this steaming turd.
  22. DanielL.
    Jul 4, 2008
    0
    Any game of Atari should be downvoted to the max, because they tried to force some gaming magazines and portals, who had less favourable reviews of this game, to remove those reviews. No Atari game should be bought, unless Atari has to file chapter 7!
  23. DaveT
    Aug 4, 2008
    10
    10 Rating to offset the 0 from Daniel L who seems ot have a vendetta against the publisher.
  24. AlkaH
    Aug 4, 2008
    10
    This game is a nightmare. gameplay is good. Story is better.
  25. BenoitH.
    Nov 3, 2008
    8
    It's a different game with a different kind of immersion. I'm buying almost all the best games for PC and i have to admit that often the best critical successes are boring - always the same things to do, same control scheme, same graphics... I bought that game for 19.99, a real steal... Use a gamepad, a XBOX 360 controller if you have that hardware.
  26. MarioA
    Oct 26, 2008
    8
    Good game. The controls aren't much of a problem. I played it with mouse and keyboard. MAybe the controls are unfamiliar because the character moves on a 1st person perspective when using the 3rd person perspective. But those experienced gamers might remember, AITD1, 2, and 3 had the same controls. Great story and graphics, some bugs that's why the 8. Worth buying.
  27. BF
    Jun 29, 2008
    8
    I don't know what you all are expecting, but this is not the worst game in the world, as you try to make it seem. Graphics are great, not the best, but great. It does a good job of making you feel like your character, a "normal" man with no knowledge of who he is, waking up in a world that's falling apart around him, and you do whatever you can to survive. I also like that you I don't know what you all are expecting, but this is not the worst game in the world, as you try to make it seem. Graphics are great, not the best, but great. It does a good job of making you feel like your character, a "normal" man with no knowledge of who he is, waking up in a world that's falling apart around him, and you do whatever you can to survive. I also like that you ARE "normal" and don't have "superhuman" abilities. So don't expect to be Bruce Lee, or Marcus Phoenix coming in with fantastic fighting styles or evasive, experienced military moves for combat. Where would be the real sense in danger if you did? It is what it is, fellas. I also love the "healing" factor in the game, and the fact that your inventory is limited to what you can hold in your jacket. FINALLY some inventory realism, and not someone who's able to mysteriously carry 15 different automatic rifles, hiding 120 invisible clips (god knows where), which, even if there was a feasable graphic to show such an inventory, would encumber someone to immobility. Come on now... Voice acting is not the best, but it's by far not the worst. Have you ever played the original Resident Evil? My god... the voice acting on that was good for laughs, and that's it. This is far better than that... I also love the variety of weaponry you can create! Moltaiv Cocktails (however it's spelled), aerosol can and a lighter... now who hasn't imagined using that combo as a useful weapon? The only unrealistic weapon I see is adding fuel to your bullets, but one little thing isn't going to kill the game for me, I simply don' t use it. As far as the usage of chairs, or whatever else you pick up as a weapon... like I said, this is not Bruce Lee or anything, so your average joe will have a bit of difficulty using a chair as a weapon, so don't be expecting to fling it around as though you've been battling off hordes of enemies with a chair your entire life. It SHOULD be awkward at first. The only things I'll give you, are the control system is a bit clunky, and the switch to first and third person view can be disorienting, but you get used to it after a while; and the sound is a bit muted in my opinion. I have to crank my TV up higher than ever to get a satisfying volume from it. You'll especially notice a lack in luster in the sounds while in the driving scenes. All in all, it's not perfect. That I'll admit. But it is by far the best Horror Survival game I've seen since the Resident Evil series (which has taken bad turns in and of itself). So it lives up to it's genre. Replay value may be an issue, so it may end up being better in the "rental" setup... but then again, how different was the Resident Evil experience each time you played through it? That was one of the greats. It's all a matter of how much you can immerse yourself into the game. Also, today's society is spoiled, expecting everything to be easy and handed to them. Thinking the world owes them for the... endless... back breaking... "work"? God, does that even exist anymore? If so, why is the majority of our society insanely obese? Yah, y'all have it hard... Not all games are going to be easy, ladies. Also, if you're running on a PC version, well, all PC's are different, and most people who give games bad reviews are running on sub-standard equipment anyways, and are reviewing unfairly. There's also incompatibility issues which your standard joe-blow gamer out there are never aware of, and end up cursing computers left and right. Again, unfair reviewing.… Expand
  28. TimT.
    Jun 23, 2008
    0
    This is a complete waste of time. the game is horrible
  29. Insaner
    Sep 4, 2010
    0
    Possibly the worst PC game ever: useless, utterly unplayable, empty, unresponsive, bugged, broken... Pure garbage. It's quite difficult to realize how a publishing company could decide to put such a crap on the market. 0
  30. Liukas1992
    Aug 21, 2012
    9
    This game is with fantastic graphics, physics, interesting story line and gameplay.
    Two not big downsides is sometimes hard and strange control and not big bugs.
    After I grasp control I just love this game.
  31. Aedyn
    Oct 30, 2013
    9
    It may be a bit repetitive at times but it certainly does not deserve the bad reviews it got. I had a good deal of fun with this game. It certainly stands out from other horror titles.
  32. Nug
    Jul 2, 2008
    5
    Alone in the Dark could have been one of those games that stood out amongst the crowd, and it is... Only in a bad way. The game had lots of potential and some great ideas, such as the inventory system, analogue movement of objects and weapons, episodic gameplay, real time fire, etc. However, the game lets itself down on what should be the basics! For example, some functions are only Alone in the Dark could have been one of those games that stood out amongst the crowd, and it is... Only in a bad way. The game had lots of potential and some great ideas, such as the inventory system, analogue movement of objects and weapons, episodic gameplay, real time fire, etc. However, the game lets itself down on what should be the basics! For example, some functions are only available in a specific view (e.g. if you pick up a fire extinguisher you need to go into first person to spray it, but third person to hit stuff with it. that wouldn't be so much of a problem, however you cannot strafe in third person view, yet you can in first person. You can imagine this gets extremely frustrating as >> the player naturally tries to move around the same way, no >> matter what view is selected. To add to this, when the game loads an event (e.g. a wall falls down and the floor opens up in a room) the game automatically puts you in third person view, so you have to manually change view back to first person if thats what you prefer. These events usually happen more than once in a short space of time, forcing you to either stick to third person view, or keep changing back to first person! ggggrrr! Another really simple but annoying flaw is that the game has one button for open, and one for close! (you don't need two buttons for this! just one would have done!) There are also alot of other buttons that contribute to an over complicated control system that only serves to confuse the player, rather than help them through the game. Ultimately, this removes the player from the "experience" and the game loses all hope of immersing you in, what could have been, very atmospheric gameplay. This frustrating control system also applies to the way in which objects are held (maybe analogue sticks work on the 360) and the combat is badly effected. On one particular occasion i was fighting a bad guy, and had knocked him clean out. All i had to do was drag him onto the fire to finish him off. simple in real life, but frustratingly difficult in the game. Its a shame, because the game has some nice ideas, just nowhere near the polish of other AAA titles.… Expand
  33. NunoD.
    Sep 10, 2008
    8
    I think the game is not so bad. I think that is a good game and the criticism is anfair. I´ve played games much worst. I spend very good hours whith this incredible game.
  34. Pete
    Jun 22, 2008
    7
    Movement and controls are just something awful.
  35. DennisT.
    Jun 25, 2008
    10
    This is a good game. I can't understand why some guys and reviews give bad rating... The gameplay is not horrible, maybe you're a noob... yes the gameplay could be better, but it's not horrible. There some really nice ideas... I can write more and more good things about this game, but don't trust the press.
  36. JakeG
    Jul 15, 2008
    1
    This game was horrible, with unresponsive controls and a lackluster storyline i could only complete about 2 "episodes" of the game before i turned it off horrible game
  37. FreddyN.
    Jul 5, 2008
    2
    A very crappy survival horror game, even for hardcore survival horror fans. There really isn't much else to say.
  38. MarcP
    Jun 29, 2008
    7
    If this is your thing I would say get it, otherwise, probably not. The controls are clumsy but not as bad as people make out. The graphics are pretty stunning and the sequences are far more impressive than any other survival horror game.
  39. LeeK.
    Jul 13, 2008
    8
    This game is a wonderful once through experience. If you can get your head around the awful controls (that arent that bad once you've mastered them) its a pretty good game. Graphically its outstanding, technically... well... I can see what they were trying to do and it some parts have succeeded. To bad that the overall game isnt very consistent. I purchased this game for £20 This game is a wonderful once through experience. If you can get your head around the awful controls (that arent that bad once you've mastered them) its a pretty good game. Graphically its outstanding, technically... well... I can see what they were trying to do and it some parts have succeeded. To bad that the overall game isnt very consistent. I purchased this game for £20 and I have to say I've loved it (Not every second) but the music, acting (bad in a few places), locations and story (far fetched but worthy) cant really be the reason you point at this game and say... this games shit because of that. The controls I feel have let this entire game down and maybe the combat. Alone in the Dark is innovative, atmospheric and beautiful. If you brush aside the "hard to ignore" glitches and bugs.… Expand
  40. MattG.
    Jul 22, 2008
    0
    Hilariously terrible game - I'd sooner go back to playing the old-school ones than drag my soul through this one again. Plus, the fact that its made by Atari knocks what could have been a 2 rating to a 0. I only give zeroes to companies that don't learn - if your game sucks, pull up your big boy socks and make it better instead of trying to squash press freedom!
  41. PaulD.
    Aug 27, 2008
    0
    Thank God I burrowed it from a friend. This game is LOADED with crappy gameplay and bugs. The only thing that kinda worked were the car controls, and they were still pretty busted. I'm guessing they stand out because this game is made by Eden Games. Guys, what were you thinking? Besides the lame puzzles and frustrating controls, the worst part is the voice acting. "Where is tffhis Thank God I burrowed it from a friend. This game is LOADED with crappy gameplay and bugs. The only thing that kinda worked were the car controls, and they were still pretty busted. I'm guessing they stand out because this game is made by Eden Games. Guys, what were you thinking? Besides the lame puzzles and frustrating controls, the worst part is the voice acting. "Where is tffhis fffh*cking sfftone?" He really talks like that.. eh.. what'shisname.. And the sound when you use your "Heal mode", you know, the groints, sound like they were cut and pasted from a SNES game, and that's even a compliment. Please note that I did not finish the game, because the frustration overwhelmed me about halfway the game. But that's enough make up one's mind.… Expand
  42. DanL.
    Sep 1, 2008
    9
    Brilliant game, i don't understand at all how most people came to think this game was flawed, apart from the drawn out end.
  43. KainK
    Feb 13, 2009
    9
    If judging by "how good the GAME is". But the great game itself is, unfortunately, buried under a pile of bugs, crashes and stupid decisions. It needs a patch, so it will turn into something you have never played before
  44. smyers
    Jul 24, 2009
    9
    it should score higher than its has done. great story and great game play. good dramatic events and lots of interesting ideas. you owe it to yourself to try it. you can buy it for £5 now money well spent.
  45. ShaunM.
    Jun 19, 2008
    10
    A fab game, love everything about it, the problem? Well I completed it in a day.... and theres no multiplayer, but otherwise its 100% one of the best survival horrors I've ever played.
  46. JB
    Jun 25, 2008
    3
    This game is horrid, poor voice acting, The controls are too geared towards the xbox controller, for some reason you keep getting taken out of first person view to 3rd person, at which point the controls invert, the gameplay is too rigid, there is no immersion, you get stuck on a fixed path and all you do is basically walk around the map in an obvious fashion completing the objectives. I This game is horrid, poor voice acting, The controls are too geared towards the xbox controller, for some reason you keep getting taken out of first person view to 3rd person, at which point the controls invert, the gameplay is too rigid, there is no immersion, you get stuck on a fixed path and all you do is basically walk around the map in an obvious fashion completing the objectives. I Agree with John J with all the points he raised, especial the texture and color depth. Deus Ex has better textures.… Expand
  47. JuriO.
    Jun 26, 2008
    1
    This is bad _ i cant get the controls to work properly - the guys seem to have not tested it on pc. gameplay is terrible.
  48. CobusS.
    Jun 27, 2008
    10
    This is not a FPS, so if that is what you were looking for, please read the details on the box. Give a game an honest rating according to it's gatagory.
  49. BryanC.
    Jun 29, 2008
    7
    It's not the best game, but it's pretty good.
  50. toms.
    Aug 28, 2008
    9
    I really enjoyed this game, and I think you will too if you are a fan of games like Resident Evil 4, Call of Cthuhlu: Dark Corners of the Earth, and that old Gamecube game Eternal Darkness. If you are expecting a traditional FPS shooter, prepare to be disappointed with the somewhat wonky controls and uneven pacing - but this is a really fun and ambitious action/adventure game despite its I really enjoyed this game, and I think you will too if you are a fan of games like Resident Evil 4, Call of Cthuhlu: Dark Corners of the Earth, and that old Gamecube game Eternal Darkness. If you are expecting a traditional FPS shooter, prepare to be disappointed with the somewhat wonky controls and uneven pacing - but this is a really fun and ambitious action/adventure game despite its flaws. I definitely recommend the console version as I imagine the game's flaws will be amplified more on the PC. Normally an 8.5 but I want to bring the average up a bit since I feel this game has been unfairly rated due to inappropriate expectations.… Expand
  51. TrueGamer
    Sep 16, 2008
    10
    I don't know if it played differently on other systems but i played it on PC with a 360 controller.... I LOVE THIS games! Yea the learning curve on the controls was about 30 mins but after you get them down you don't want to go back to the traditional controlling of games... dont put the game down just because your to dumb to figure out how it works.
  52. iddqd4
    Mar 16, 2018
    6
    Очень слабая во всех аспектах игра, хотя ей пророчили чуть ли не переварот в жанре. Переворот не получился.
  53. Ilham
    May 27, 2014
    10
    The game is good I played it 5 hours nonstop and it actually makes me eager to play the game, the graphic is good, Nice story and some of Its features are also very satisfying, I love it
  54. Mellow_Online4
    Apr 7, 2016
    2
    What the hell happened to this franchise? Alone in the dark was a classic survivl horror and was the basis of what would become the popular Resident Evil franchise, however, newer games with new ideas started coming out and Alone in the Dark was left out in the dust. Atari quickly put their minds to work and decided to resurrect this forgotten franchise but make it fit in with the newWhat the hell happened to this franchise? Alone in the dark was a classic survivl horror and was the basis of what would become the popular Resident Evil franchise, however, newer games with new ideas started coming out and Alone in the Dark was left out in the dust. Atari quickly put their minds to work and decided to resurrect this forgotten franchise but make it fit in with the new demographic of gamers by taking out everything that made Alone in the Dark great and adding in every sort of cliche in horror game history.

    Gameplay is the biggest thing that's been butchered in Alone in the Dark as it literraly doesn't live up to it's name. You're not alone because there are tons of people that will follow you around at some point and you're rarely in the dark. You can play the game from a first or third person perspective but the controls for both of these perspectives are terrible. When in first person, your sight is limited to what you can see an you'll most likely get stuck on something and half the time, you won't even know what you're stuck on. In third person, the controls feel restricted and you'll struggle to pull of basic actions in the game. The camera is awful in the third person view because your mouse is terrible for controlling the camera and it constantly fights with you. I failed doing a certain jump near the beginning of the game and it took me 6 attempts to get right because the camera switched perspectives when I went to jump. There are a few gameplay elements which seemed like good ideas but weren't used up to their full potential. The inventory management is one of them. In game, when you want to look through your inventory, the game doesn't pause and you need to look down at yourshirt and actually select the items you want to use which is a great idea but, you might be shocked to hear this, the controls suck in the inventory screen. You will constantly try and navigate over to a certain item that you want, only for the game to take you to an item that you've never needed before. The game is also buggy as hell and some bugs will prevent you from proceeding with the game.

    The story is that Mr. forgettable and unlikeable main character wakes up shortly before he is meant to be killed by some men for whatever reason and the thing is Mr. forgettable and unlikeable main character can't remember anything about himself. However some weird creatures stop him from being killed and he escapes the building with a little bit of information about his task and he also escapes with Ms. Obvious girlfriend for unlikeable and forgettable main character. So the 2 go out and try and complete the task he's been given and also figure out who he is. By a horror stand point, this plot has been done to death but most horror games add a unique thing to it to make their specific telling of this plot memorble. Alone in the Dark doesn't. It literraaly takes the bear bones of a plot structure and uses it as it's final product.

    Graphics are a mixed bag and the graphics is probably the best thing this game has going for it. Certain things in Alone in the Dark look amazing. The fire looks brilliant and it's great just to watch the fire spread across more of a surface. The game overall looks OK but there are quite a few badly textured things you will come across throughout playing Alone in the Dark. Sound is relatively bad aswell, mainly because some sounds are actually missing from th game, mainly in the SFX. Some sounds cut out randomly and for no reason at all aswell.

    The game is quite short for a horror game and you can complete it within about 12 hours (my timer counter is broken for this, probably because my steam account had mercy on me and it didn't want anyone else to know that I had played this game for 12 hours.) There is no reason to replay Alone in the Dark either because there are so many bad things that are included in this that youwill not want to put yourself through this torture anymore.

    This was meant to have been the great return of a classic survival horror video game series but instead we were left with a buggy, ugly and unfinished mess

    Final verdict

    Pros
    + Some great ideas
    + Decent graphics

    Cons
    - Awful controls
    - Buggy as hell
    - Forgettable story
    - Unlikeable characters
    - Missing sounds
    - Some ugly textures    … Expand
  55. Babutto
    Mar 20, 2021
    3
    First time I strictly do not recommend a game.

    Pros.: - Story? It's very simple. Even though you may think it's interesting the story is very similar to all the paranormal things in the movies and video games. I assume games like The Evil Within are much better in this kind of storytelling. Cons.: - Graphics glitches. - Physics. - Bugs. Tons of them. - The game does not allow to    First time I strictly do not recommend a game.

    Pros.:
    - Story? It's very simple. Even though you may think it's interesting the story is very similar to all the paranormal things in the movies and video games. I assume games like The Evil Within are much better in this kind of storytelling.

    Cons.:
    - Graphics glitches.
    - Physics.
    - Bugs. Tons of them.
    - The game does not allow to use of graphic options. It's insane in 2021. Nobody really tried to fix it. The fixes work not for everyone.
    - Sometimes the game freezes.
    - But the worst are controls. One of the most horrible controls ever seen.

    Guys, do not waste your time on this one.    … Expand
  56. GarettArthur
    Jun 28, 2019
    0
    **** this game, peice of **** wast of time how the **** does this have a 55?! this game is a waste of plastic id rather rip up my led Zeppelin poster than play this peice of ****
  57. FRIST_008
    Jun 14, 2021
    9
    Игра так то на 8.5 балов из-за очень спорной системы сохранений в последних уровнях. Однако я получил незабываемый игровой опыт основанный на физике в этой игре и не видел ничего подобного и в 2021 году. Потому всем любителям необычных геймплеев строго рекомендую.Игра так то на 8.5 балов из-за очень спорной системы сохранений в последних уровнях. Однако я получил незабываемый игровой опыт основанный на физике в этой игре и не видел ничего подобного и в 2021 году. Потому всем любителям необычных геймплеев строго рекомендую.

Awards & Rankings

34
#34 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
51
#51 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
55

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 19
  3. Negative: 5 out of 19
  1. VideoGamer
    60
    It has more than enough good ideas to make a brilliant, must-own game, but features even more bad game design and gameplay issues. As such it's without doubt the biggest disappointment this generation of consoles has seen and a game that's impossible to recommend.
    Read full review
  2. Gamer 2.0
    78
    Alone in the Dark proves that with a little time and patience, a good game can be created from innovative ideas.
    Read full review
  3. Boomtown
    60
    There are some unique ideas concerning health replenishment and inventory management.
See all critic reviews »