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
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  1. 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.
  2. 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
  3. 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 ****
  4. iddqd4
    Mar 16, 2018
    6
    Очень слабая во всех аспектах игра, хотя ей пророчили чуть ли не переварот в жанре. Переворот не получился.
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. 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
  10. 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.
  11. 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
  12. 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
  13. 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
  14. 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.
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  18. 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
  19. 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.
  20. 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!
  21. 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.
  22. 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.
  23. 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.
  24. 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.
  25. 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.
  26. 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
  27. 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
  28. 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
  29. AlkaH
    Aug 4, 2008
    10
    This game is a nightmare. gameplay is good. Story is better.
  30. DaveT
    Aug 4, 2008
    10
    10 Rating to offset the 0 from Daniel L who seems ot have a vendetta against the publisher.
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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 »