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. 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.
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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 »