Alone in the Dark Retro Game Review: The Granddaddy of Survival Horror Games

Lovecraftian Horror

Inspired by the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, Alone in the Dark horror game's story is original but simple. The game begins in a haunted house where, Jeremy Hartwood, the owner, dies under mysterious circumstances.

While most assume it to be a suicide case, private detective Edward Carnby sets out to investigate the mysterious death of Hartwood. He overcomes his fears and tries to solve the mystery of Jeremy’s death by fighting hideous monsters and zombies while searching for hidden clues.

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Gameplay Features

The game begins in the attic where an important clue is hidden somewhere and players are given no time but to fight monsters bare-handed. As the game progresses, players will find weapons in the form of swords and guns to fight with. At first it will look like a typical arcade-styled game, but in later stages, the game will need your grey cells to solve the mystery behind the death of Hartwood.

Apart from its arcade sequences, the gameplay involves a good number of mind-bending puzzles. The puzzles are mostly inventory based and are displayed in the option screen. The option screen also displays a list of actions available and life points to keep track of the health for both player and enemies.

Players can control the movements of characters with the help of cursor keys. Many puzzles are inventory-based with a medium level of difficulty. Players will not get bored as each environmental puzzle has multiple solutions.

There are many combat sequences, which can disappoint adventure lovers. Gamers will be given a choice between two characters, the protagonist Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood, Jeremy’s niece.

Credit: Abandonia (http://www.abandonia.com/en/games/91/Alone+in+the+Dark.html )

Graphics

The game was developed by Infogrames, a software developer based in France. Alone in the Dark was one of the first games to offer three-dimensional graphics and used multiple camera angles to create a cinematic feeling. While playing, gamers will experience as if they are viewing a movie owing to multiple camera angles.

The graphics combine polygonal characters with beautiful static backgrounds. The sounds are creepy and convincing. Try to play inside a room alone with the volume turned up and you will surely experience the creepiness.

All in all, Alone in the dark game, with its impressive graphics and gameplay, is one of the most influential games of the DOS era. With a great combination of action and adventure it still promises fear and excitement for adventure lovers.

Rare Alone in the Dark Game Intro