alone in the dark
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PS3 Alone in the Dark fixes coming to 360
There are a lot of things that Alone in the Dark does very well. Building yourself a Molotov cocktail and subsequently taping a box of ammunition to it is not without its charm. Throwing said contraption onto a hapless zombie? Well that's just awesome. Unfortunately, other much more simple things, like camera controls, driving and combat can be a chore. Thankfully, it looks like developer Eden games if fixing many of these issues in the PS3 version. Even better, an upcoming patch should implement many of the improvements into the Xbox 360 version.For example, Edward Carnby, the game's protagonist, now runs by default (rather than when the A button is held). Walking is accomplished by gently pushing the analog stick (what a revolutionary idea). Many other changes, including a better -- and manually controlled -- camera and improved driving controls, improve the game substantially according to Eurogamer. Exactly which PS3 improvements will make it into the 360 version remains unclear, but we'll happily take anything that can improve Alone in the Dark's more annoying aspects.
GC 2008: Eden bringing Alone in the Dark PS3 fixes to Xbox 360 with patch
Did you find yourself driven just a wee bit mad by some of the design decisions in Alone in the Dark for Xbox 360? Well, you're not alone, and developer Eden Games isn't in the dark about what it did wrong.During a Leipzig Games Convention presentation, the studio owned up to the title's shortcomings, promising that a number of them are being addressed in the upcoming PS3 version. Specifically, the camerawork is different (it's pulled back more, and players will have free control using the right analog stick); the player character, Edward Carnby, runs by default; and the atrociously twitchy car handling has been mellowed out.While this is good news for PS3 owners still eager to experience the game, they won't be the only ones to reap the benefits of Eden's hindsight and extra development time. It's been announced that an upcoming patch will bring these fixes – and potentially more – to the 360 version, although no firm date has been given for its release (it'll presumably hit when the PS3 game does in November).
Alone in the Dark may debut with budget price
The long-delayed PS3 version of Alone in the Dark looks to be coming with enhancements ... and a price cut? A Gamestop listing shows Atari's survival horror game with a very nice price of $30. Of course, considering the overwhelmingly negative critical reviews it received when it debuted on Xbox 360, a lower price may still not justify a purchase. It's up to Atari to prove whether or not the added development time given to the PS3 build will make it a better product.[Thanks, Kevin B.!]
Fanswag: Alone in the Dark goes to ...
Sadly, we only had one copy of Alone in the Dark to giveaway. The lucky person who was able to nab it? Why, that's none other than: Fin Diesel Better luck next time to all of you that entered. And, to everyone, thanks for reading!%Gallery-10200%
Alone in the Dark's 'enhanced' PS3 version at Leipzig
Sure, the PS3 version of Alone in the Dark is coming in November, but that's really quite a long time from now. The earliest chance for you to get your grubby hands on the title is this August 21-24 when Games Convention 2008 kicks off in Leipzig, Germany. It'll be the first time for the public to try out the newly "enhanced" PS3 version.These enhancements, however, can't possibly mean too much considering Atari remains mum on the details. Supposedly, bugs found from the already-released versions of the game (out now on every other major system) should be fixed and "a number of gameplay enhancements" are to be added. In all fairness, perhaps Leipzig will be the time when these new "enhancements" will be fully fleshed out.%Gallery-3898%
Reminder: Get a copy of Alone in the Dark
We're giving away one copy of Alone in the Dark to a lucky reader. What do you have to make sure that lucky reader is you? It's super easy! Head on over to the original contest post for our latest giveaway by clicking that highlighted text there. Time is running out, as the giveaway ends this Sunday night. So head on over and get all of the details already!%Gallery-10200%
Fanswag: Alone in the Dark
Were you curious about Atari's latest Alone in the Dark game? Well, here's your chance to check it out. And, for free! We're giving one lucky reader a copy of the game (valued at $50). How can you take a stab at getting this for yourself? Well, simply leave a comment between now and Sunday, August 10th at 11:59pm ET and you're entered. What should be in your comment? Well, why don't you tell us what you're most afraid of. Cool? Okay then!Of course, there are some stipulations. For one, you have to be at least 18 years of age or older. Second, you have to be a current and legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec). Third, you've got to read the official rules.Best of luck to you all and thanks for reading!%Gallery-10200%
Alone in the Dark and Wall-E demos now on XBLM
Major Nelson just sent word that, earlier this morning, two new game demos were lovingly placed on the Xbox Live Marketplace and are now available for download. The new demos include a 1.35GB Central Park horror experience in Alone in the Dark as well as a 1.44GB Wall-E demo. We'll probably give Alone in the Dark a test drive, but we're not sure about Wall-E due to his evil attack on Richard. Our fellow blogger couldn't sleep for weeks because of it.Source - Alone in the Dark demoSource - Wall-E demo
Dem-o-rama: Alone in the Dark, Wall???E samples on 360
We're rarely ever encouraged when we see a demo for a game come after it has already been released -- it always feels a touch like a last-ditch effort. But when, as is the case for both games today, the release date predates the demo by more than a month? That's not promotional material; that's a dead canary.But, as both Alone in the Dark and Wall•E will likely be headed to Bargainville soon, perhaps there's no better time to get a free sample. Just don't be surprised if there's a reason they kept these sludge-filled hors d'oeuvres out of your hands.
Alone in the Dark finally coming in November
Still waiting for Alone in the Dark? Is a release date of autumn 2008 too vague for you? Not to worry, Eurogamer just got official word from Atari that Alone in the Dark for the PS3 will be arriving in November. Obviously, Eurogamer reports on European release dates, but since Alone in the Dark for the PS2/360/Wii launched in the US four days after the European release date, we are assuming the US will get the game in November as well. Hopefully, we'll see some of that episodic content to make up for the time PS3 owners had to wait. Or did the five-month delay (coupled with hilariously bad reviews) cause any disinterest?
Zero Punctuation unleashes the fury on Alone in the Dark
Zero Punctuation's Yahtzee has himself an awful game this week with Alone in the Dark, and he uses the opportunity for all that it's worth. This is a classic episode for the amount of ire it dishes out. Yes, it's everything one expects from Yahtzee reviewing Edward Carnby's latest misadventure in the well-intentioned, but ultimately flawed, game.The NSFW clip can be found after the break.
Wii leaves India alone and in the dark
While most readers of Wii Fanboy don't have to face this kind of problem, there are many nations throughout the world that force gamers to resort to the gray market to pick up their system of choice. Take India, for example, the second most populated country in the world.Sony and Microsoft have distributors in the country, but the Wii doesn't. However, that may change soon enough, after Milestone Interactive tests out the market for Wii software. We're not entirely confident in Milestone's approach, though. For one, it hardly seems smart to base results on game sales when the console itself hasn't even officially released yet. On the other hand, since that's just how things are in India (and they're not likely to change anytime soon), we can understand Milestone's rush to get the ball rolling.Here comes the other, less excusable problem: the game Milestone chose to distribute is Alone in the Dark Wii. Not even critics are playing the Wii version of Alone in the Dark, so is it fair to assess the Wii's chances based on Atari's survival horror title? Also, because Indian gamers import their Wiis, we wonder if the region of the disc will have any effect on sales.At least this is a step in the right direction, but now that supply for the Wii is starting to meet demand globally, we hope Nintendo branches out into some of the areas it currently neglects. Gallery: Alone in the Dark [Thanks, Vijay!]
Video: Alone in the Dark meets Benny Hill
Speeding up a film and adding "Yakety Sax" as the background music makes anything funny. We all know that. While that holds true for this Alone in the Dark video, it's also interesting to note that the additions make it particularly poignant as well. You see, Alone in the Dark has greatness tucked inside of it, but often the greatness is hampered by the difficulty inherent in the simplest tasks.Case in point, this video covers a sequence early in Alone in the Dark in which the game prompts you to break a car window so that you can open the door and steal it. The only problem is that the game's inventive yet wonky control scheme makes breaking that itty-bitty window about as difficult as taking down a Big Daddy.Out of curiosity, how many of you out there are trudging through Alone in the Dark despite its faults?
X3F TV -- Points>Life: Shedding Light on Secrets
Each week, X3F tips gamers to the tricks of the trade of Achievement hording in Points>Life. Every week a new achievement is unlocked to help you continue your unhealthy obsession with the Xbox 360 meta-game. This week in Points>Life we tackle the return of Alone in the Dark. From developer Eden Games and publisher Atari, Alone in the Dark is a strange game to judge. What it does well, it does very well but major technical issues could halt your desire to progress through the survival-horror classic's revamp. Either way bad game design has never been an issue for achievement fiends and this week we uncover three secret achievements in the game.Due to Canada Day celebrations Points>Life is hitting today rather than Tuesday. Expect Points>Life next week at its regular time.[iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[MP4] Download the MP4 directly.
Big Versus tweaks format while Alone in the Dark
Our friends at Big Download took both the PC and Xbox 360 versions of Alone in the Dark for a spin in an updated version of Big Versus. In their words, "Shying away from our original concept of which is better than the other, Big Versus has transformed to a comparison piece regarding our overall experiences." So which version left them with a more positive half-smile? Check it out here.%Gallery-14429%%Gallery-25959%
New Nintendo Channel Videos are still getting fit
A new video of "Get Wii Fit with Alyson" was added to the Nintendo Channel, this time featuring the dancer and friends trying out the yoga exercises. If you think watching someone else do yoga might be exciting, you'd be wrong. The most entertaining part is when Alyson says about the virtual male trainer, "I think I'll call it Brad. You're rad, Brad." Ironically, that's also that part that made us start sobbing, wondering when it would end.You can also watch "info" videos that promote Alone in the Dark, Order Up!, Magnetica Twist, and a number of other games. The highlight for us was watching Wall-E being adorable in the Wall-E TV Spot, but that's not to say it made us want to buy the Wii title. It did make us want to go and see Wall-E, though.Here's the full list of the new videos on the Nintendo Channel, for you to check out at your leisure: Get Wii Fit with Alyson: Yoga Magnetica Twist Info Video Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Hall of Fame Induction Cabela's Trophy Bucks Info Video Alone in the Dark Info Video Wall-E TV Spot Order Up! Info Video Paws & Claws Pet Vet Healing Hands TV Spot (DS) My Weight Loss Coach Info Video (DS) Guitar Hero On Tour Launch Video (DS)
WRUP: Certainly not Alone in the Dark edition
Click for hi-res image How do we know you aren't playing Alone in the Dark? Because nobody is playing Alone in the Dark. Seriously, we can't find any reviews for the Wii version anywhere. So, with that, we wonder what exactly are you playing? There's plenty of new games to choose from this week. What are you playing?%Gallery-10200%
A Dark Past: An Alone in the Dark Retrospective
Before the "survival horror" of Resident Evil and the foggy streets of Silent Hill, there was the original Alone in the Dark – the granddaddy of the game that hits Xbox 360, Wii, and PC today. It set the course for horror games to come and spawned three sequels that have all led up to Atari's latest stab at creating a next-gen blockbuster.Summon up your courage and join us for a terrifying look back at the series' evolution from perilously pointy polygons to an ominous Old West set and beyond. Don't be afraid – let's get started!
Some Alone in the Dark footage to ponder
With Alone in the Dark finally shipping this week, we thought it fitting to cram one last post with a few gameplay videos. The first video is a melange of scenes from the game, giving a glimpse at the game's story (and more than a few bleeped f-bombs). It certainly looks exciting, though the other three videos (embedded after the break) definitely reveal some of the clunkier elements cited in European reviews so far (voice acting, controls). As of right now, there aren't exactly a lot of choices for 360 survival horror fans (though there are plenty on the way). As such, will you be overlooking the noted faults in Alone in the Dark in the hope that the game is more than the sum of its parts?
Scared stiff: Why should we care about Alone in the Dark?
The survival horror genre is set to get a shot in the arm in 2008 with a number of high profile, not to mention highly anticipated entries all vying for the opportunity to keep us jumping at shadows and screaming like little girls. Or, for those gamers who are, in fact, little girls, just keep them screaming. But as all of us know, build-up seldom equals pay-off, leaving us to look upon these titles with what could be described as a mixture of cautious excitement and malaise. However, rather than simply sit and wait to see what the games have in store for us, we decided to corner the teams working on this year's more notable survival horror titles, and pick their brains in true survival horror fashion -- with an ice pick. But having left the ice pick at the office (my bad!), we opted to simply ask those working on these titles why we should keep their games on our collective radar. This week we'll be talking with people working on such games as Dead Space, Silent Hill: Homecoming and Project Origin, and kick things off today by asking Eden Games' producer Nour Polloni about her studio's re-imagining of survival horror architect Alone in the Dark, particularly, why should we care?%Gallery-14429%
