Alone in the Dark (2008)

Alone in the Dark (2008)
Developer(s)	Eden Games (PC, PS3, Xbox 360) Hydravision Entertainment (Wii, PS2)
Publisher(s)	Atari
Genre(s)	Survival Horror
Mode(s)	Single player

Alone in the Dark, originally named Alone in the Dark: Near Death Investigation, and informally named Alone in the Dark 5, is the fifth installment of the Survival Horror video game series under the same name created by Atari. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, X-Box 360 and Wii in Europe, North America, and Australia in June 2008. It was later reworked and ported to the PlayStation 3, renamed Alone in the Dark: Inferno, released on November 18, 2008 and includes several changes from the other versions, including a new stage. The PC, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions were developed by Eden Games while the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions were simultaneously developed by Hydravision Entertainment. The PS2/Wii version of Alone in the Dark is a completely different game from the PS3/X360 version; though both have a similar plot, it has largely different levels, interactivity, scenario and certain characters only appear on certain versions. Despite receiving mixed to negative reviews, Alone in the Dark was a financial success.

Story

The game begins with a disoriented Edward Carnby waking up from an exorcism and not remembering who the people in the room are or his own name, being taken to the roof of the building he is in to be killed. The guard is killed by an unseen force, allowing Edward to escape. He has amnesia and doesn't remember anything. As he wanders the building looking for a way out, he witnesses several people being killed or possessed by "demonic" forces. During his search for an exit, he meets Sarah Flores, an art dealer (city planner in the PS2/Wii version). Together, they make their way to the parking garage, where they find Theophile Paddington, an old man who claims to know what’s going on. He says that the chaos in the building was caused by a stone that, until recently, was held by Edward. It had been taken from Edward by a man named Crowley, who released its power. Paddington has the stone now, and finally states that in order to end the chaos, Edward must follow the "Path of Light", before it is too late.

The three of them take a car from the garage and head out into the city, finding it in the same kind of chaos as the building they just left, after outrunning an apocalyptic earthquake with giant fissure wiping out the streets as it follows them they crash the car in Central Park. There, Paddington claims that he lacks the strength to continue. He hands the stone over to Edward and asks him and Sarah to meet him at the museum, then kills himself.

On the way to the museum, Edward finds out that his last name is Carnby. He tells his name to a doctor that he meets who tends to his wounds. As the doctor checks Edward’s medical history, he informs Edward that the only Edward Carnby in his records disappeared in 1938.

At the museum, the ghost of Paddington explains more about the stone. It contained Lucifer after he was cast out of heaven, until Crowley released him. Lucifer now wants to use the stone to bring about the end of the world. Paddington tells Edward that there is a secret in Central Park that will allow Edward to stop Lucifer. As Edward makes his way back to Central Park, Sarah remains at the museum, e-mailing excerpts from Paddington’s diary that she believes will help Edward. Once at Central Park, Edward meets Hermes, who holds a stone similar to the one that Edward has.

Edward and Hermes return to the museum to find Crowley holding Sarah at gunpoint, demanding Edward’s stone. Edward shoots Crowley in the head, then Hermes opens a cavern in the museum that leads to Lucifer’s gateway to reality. Hermes combines his stone with Edward’s then tells Edward that Lucifer will soon be reincarnated. As Lucifer begins to take Edward’s body, Sarah grabs the stone to prevent Edward from being possessed. At this point, the player is presented a choice to shoot Sarah to prevent her from being possessed, or do nothing. If the player chooses to shoot Sarah, Edward becomes possessed by Lucifer. Otherwise, Edward and Sarah hug and say goodbye as Sarah is taken over. Lucifer, who possessed Sarah, taunts Edward and asks him how it feels to be alone, to which Edward responds, "I'm used to it", and walks away as the game ends. It is unknown what happens to Edward, Sarah, and Hermes.

Location

• Central Park

Characters

• Edward Carnby
• Sarah Flores (art dealer, or city planner on Wii version)
• Theophile Paddington: Carnby's former student
• Crowley
• Lucifer: main antagonist, fallen angel
• Hermes Treismajice
• Anna
• Anna's companion

Enemies

• Fissures
• Ratz
• Humanz
• Evolved Humanz
• Vampirez/Batz
• Roots of Evil
• Dark Liquid

Limited Edition

Trivia

• Alone in the Dark: Inferno is the first game in the series to be released under the brand Atari instead of Infogrames.

• The Game was dedicated to the memory of Jean-Michel Herve, 3D programmer in Eden Games.

• In The PS3 version (Inferno) the default movement for Carnby is running, unlike any other game in the series.

• The Game pays homage to the first game with many similar elements of gameplay but modernized. Obvious homages are the Tree of Evil, which recalls Ezekiel Pregzt, the maze in the dark in the Path of Light, refer to the labyrinth beneath the villa Derceto and the name of the antagonist, Crowley, refer to Aleister Crowley, British occultist repeatedly mentioned in the first 'Alone in the Dark.

• Alone in the Dark: Inferno is the first title in the series to not make use of the famous shot of the window, a historical trend of the previous game.

• In The room 943 of the museum, on the walls, you can see several photos of the Morton Mansion that appeared in Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare; the same photo that portrays Edward and Theo in 1936 has as its background the above villa.

• In The second chapter, once traced the eaves of the hotel and reached the room where you found Anna, you will see a picture with all members of Eden Games development. Another reference to the development team you can find in the subway, where some posters written report Eden's Yummies.
• On the canopies of Central Park Taxi is the logo of the game Test Drive Unlimited, another title developed by Eden Games.

• The First teaser trailer of the game site (even the Near Death Investigation version) shows some of disappearances in Central Park documents, the names of the journalists on the articles are Raimi Samuel, Jonathan Carpenter and Ashley Campbell. The first two are based on the directors Sam Raimi and John Carpenter and the third refers to Ash Williams (character from the series The House of Raimi) and the actor who plays him: Bruce Campbell.

• Some traces of the soundtrack has been remixed by DJ Tijs Michiel Verwest, aka Tiësto.

References

• Intervista di Everyeye a Nour Polloni
• Intervista di MondoXbox a Nour Polloni
• Hervè Sliwa, Lead Game Designer, Diario di sviluppo pt.1
• Hervè Sliwa, Lead Game Designer, Diario di sviluppo pt.2
• Hervè Sliwa, Lead Game Designer, Diario di sviluppo pt.3

See Also

• Xbox 360 Achievements

Video Games
1990's		Alone in the Dark • Jack in the Dark • Alone in the Dark 2 • Alone in the Dark 3
2000's		Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare • Alone in the Dark (2008)
2010's		Alone in the Dark: Illumination
2020's		Alone in the Dark (2024)