gamesecosse

Alone in the Dark - Playing with Fire

This title would be a pyromaniac's wet dream...
The idea of using fire, whether it be extinguishing or starting, to aid progression through action adventure games is 'age old', but the recent Alone in the Dark iteration takes the use of fire to new heights...
From the reviews I've read, the main entity in Alone in the Dark seems to be fire. It is apparently the only method of killing enemies, and is also used to solve the plethora of problems that confront the player during the course of the game (problem solving being an integral gameplay element to almost every survival horror title). Without even playing the game, you can imagine many of the situations that occur frequently throughout the adventure - combining bottles with flammable liquid to make molotov cocktails, attaching gasoline cans to structures to destroy them, or just simply using fire extinguishers.
This practical, 'hands-on' approach the game takes to solving problems is interesting; the developers have designed an inventory system that allows for a lot of item manipulation. Although it does depend on the gamer, this system is likely to appeal to many casual gamers - mind-bending puzzles are an acquired taste (I do have a fairly analytical mind) and can destroy certain gamers enjoyment of AAA titles. This extensive use of fire is a great way of keeping the practical element abundant throughout.
Alone in the Dark is an old franchise, but this modern day release has received mixed reviews and although the fire effects were heavily praised, the game was criticised for having many glitches and abysmal driving sections. Nevertheless, it is a sequel to what was regarded as the first ever survival horror.

posted by qmchaz64 @ 3:41 pm