The 1992 PC title Alone In The Dark created the survival horror genre by fusing early 3D
graphics with puzzles and Lovecraftian influence. Sixteen years later, a fourth
sequel under the original name attempts to redefine the genre by tweaking how
players interact with their character and his dark world, but it discards basic
game concepts. What remains is an ungainly mess.
Amnesiac Edward Carnby wakes up in a
posh apartment off Central Park just as the joint is besieged by evil cracks in
the walls. (These count as horror to Manhattanites who pay millions for a
one-bedroom.) The action soon moves to the dark of Central Park, though even
when human and animal threats converge, the atmosphere never gels into real
terror.
Fire is the game's visual signature,
providing light and consuming objects in a way few games have previously
managed. It also destroys evil, so Edward quickly becomes an accomplished
pyromaniac. His inventory is limited to roughly a dozen items, many of which
can be combined into improvised firebombs. Homemade objects also help solve
many of the simple puzzles, a small step forward from survival horror's old "find
the keycard" scheme. (In the unlikely event any section proves indomitable, a
mechanism lets you skip forward to see the whole story.)
Every clever use of objects or fire is
counterbalanced by sloppy basic design. Edward's movement is sluggish, and his
object control imprecise. Setting him on fire is often easier than burning enemies.
Combat is a distraction rather than a pressing concern. And the only car that doesn't handle like a skittering landscaping cart
is (perhaps appropriately) the landscaping cart.
Beyond the game: As if
Uwe Boll's Alone In The Dark pseudo-sequel movie wasn't bad
enough, a new film incorporating some of this chapter's story points is in the
works. The first film's writers are directing.
Worth playing for: The
moments when a bomb made out of several household products actually takes out a
room full of enemies in exactly the way you hoped it might.
Frustration sets in when:
You need access to the new inventory system, which has Edward opening his
jacket and slowly poking around within, as if he's selling watches in Union
Square. The health system, which has him looking down to spray wounds with
disinfectant, fares slightly better.
Final judgment:
Valiantly tries out new ideas, but misses the forest for the trees.