Video Game Gazette
In the early 90’s the horror genre finally blossomed. This was partly the result of the 32-bit revolution and CD technology. Game studios could finally create high-resolution 32-bit graphics and the data capacity of CDs allowed them to store engrossing three-dimensional worlds. Gamers were also growing up, and with them, so was the content of the games. Classics from this period include 7th Guest, Phantasmagoria, Mansion of Hidden Souls, and D. One such game that was very much ahead of its time was Alone in the Dark. It excelled in so many areas. It featured polygon graphics and an incredible 3D house when most other games still used hand drawn sprites. It also had a story that was on par with the best role playing games. It was also one of the first games to really make good use of suspense, an element that is so important to the genre.
The story of Alone in the Dark begins with the mysterious death of the well-known artist Jeremy Hartwood. The police quickly come to the conclusion that he committed suicide. However there appears to be more to the case. There are rumors that there is an evil presence in his old mansion, The Derceto. Jeremy was racked by horrific nightmares, and spent many sleepless nights translating the ancient manuscripts from Derceto’s library. You play the role of Edward Carnby, the detective of paranormal, or Emily Hartwood, a relative of the late Jeremy Hartwood. You return to The Derceto to uncover the truth about Jeremy’s death and discover the secrets of the mansion.
Well, at this point, if you have never played the game you are probably wondering what it is like. It is a horror mystery, very much like Silent Hill. You are free to explore the mansion, although some doors may be locked. You have a wide range of actions including searching, pushing, opening doors, and three types of jumps. Most of these are accomplished by pushing a button. The house is full of details to investigate and puzzles to solve. In-screen menus are used to select special actions and to use items. This does detract from the overall feel, but no other interface offers the range of options and ease of use that are provided by menus. There is not as much action as Resident Evil, but there is a lot of suspense. You have a full range of fighting techniques from kicking and punching, to swordplay and firearms. However, this is not Virtua Fighter, so don’t expect great controls, just be happy to survive.
Most games from the early part of the polygon era could just have easily been made with sprites. This was not the case with Alone in the Dark. The polygon graphics allowed for a cinematic presentation that is essential to the game. The ¾ camera shots provide you a great view of the world that helps draw you into the game. Without the real time 3D world, the suspense just would not have been there. Even games with compelling stories and high-resolution graphics like Myst, lack the real time element that the polygon graphics provides this game. By modern standards the graphics are primitive. However, the designers did a great job of creating a very spooky house.
If you have not played Alone in the Dark and are a fan of story driven horror games then pick up a copy. If you have played Alone in the Dark, take a trip down memory lane and revisit this classic.
