Alone in the Dark 5 (PC) [Express Review]

The Fifth Alone in the Dark is packed with beautiful graphics and many innovations. The story is presented in an episodic TV series environment. However, the controls are clearly hindering the players experience. For example, you must enter the 1st person view in order to use a Pistol and Fire Extinguisher. To make things worse, the walking controls aren’t smooth. Everytime you make edward rotate his position, he will move a bit to the front of the direction you want him to rotate. Thus, making it hard for situations in narrow paths where you can easily fall. I dare to say the previous installment controls are much better and well balanced.

Graphics in AitD is quite heavy with all those fire and Havok physics effect running around most of the stage (Collapsing Building parts, Broken or Burned Chair, Wall Cracks, Broken Door, Burning Walls and Pillars). You will need a High-End Graphics card in order to play this in a well performed speed. My mid-range 3650XT can run it in High Detail, but the speed performance is somewhat a bit annoying with the slow response caused due to heavy graphics processing. Also, sharp pixellated textures can be noticed easily when not using a High-End GPU. Though it does not happen most of the time, it will probably ruin your gaming experience at a certain degree.

Enemies are quite challenging i’d say, you must hit them with a burning chair in order to defeat them for good. For bosses, you must throw and shoot cocktails to set them ablaze.

Aside from controls, the other issue which is most complained by gamers is the ending cutscene where both endings are siding to the evil. I won’t tell you what happened, search youtube.

As for the innovations, besides the 1st person view used to initiate certain items. You can also steal & drive cars, which has never been done in any other survival horror game.

If it wasn’t due to the bad controls, i’m quite sure most people would have enjoyed this even more. A sad revive for an already established title.

Interactivity: 5/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4/5
Controls: 3/5
Presentation: 4/5

Money Spent: RM65 (2nd hand, Thanks Michael!)
Current Price: RM119