Gaming Alone in the Dark

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2008/06/27/alone-in-the-dark/1

Alone in the Dark, one of the oldest and most celebrated series in the history of computer games, is back. Set in the expansive Central Park and pitting players against an ancient evil, can Carnby and co restore the franchise former glory, or should the game itself be alone in the dark?

 

i dont get why you guys don;t play these types of games with a gamepad. if it's so clearly a pad based game...then why not use a pad?

 

Shame really. I so wanted this one to be great - nay, I wanted it to be superb! I really loved the original, I liked the second sequel and I had a few good times playing through number 3 and 4. Oh well, all good things must come to an end.

 

Because not everyone has a pad or enjoys playing with one - this is a PC game afterall and should be able to work with a mouse and keyboard. Sure, you can get a better experience out of it with an Xbox 360 pad if you want - but then why not just play the console version?

In the end, that was the conclusion we came to - that this game is best played on a console where you can play with a natively supported pad that the game has obviously been designed for. On a 360 it could be a 7 or 8, but on a PC it falls rather flat.

 

It's not terrifically better on the 360, I found it enjoyable after attempting to get round the fiddly controls, but the controls didn't make much sense, neither did the main point of the game:

Spoiler

Why on EARTH would fire destroy demons? They come from a land OF fire!

Some bits were extremely fun

Spoiler

when you discover you can kick ratz like footballs around

I did feel like it was trying to do an old school point and click adventure game in the style of a modern first/3rd person shooter. But it just came out as a genre confused baby.

 

I still think you should at least give it a go with a pad, as I said, particularly with a game like this. let's face it, xbox pads plug straight into PCs, do they not? and how many of us have xbox's? quite a lot of us. And I'm damn sure you guys must have some gamepads at the bit-tech offices!

having said that, I don't have an xbox, i've just an xbox pad, so no, I can't just go and play the xbox version.

I feel that you seem to recognise that it is a console port, but are unable to recognise that therefore it should be played as an console game.

Most of us agree that a mouse and keyboard is far superior in many games, but in others this just doesn't suit. sports games are one particularly strong example.

While I'd agree that your score should reflect the PC version, (we're reviewing a PC game so give it a PC rating, and rightly so) I still think you should at least give the controller a go. it would just be a better informed judgement and improve the quality of the review. something to bear in mind for the future perhaps?

 

heck, i've even just noticed that your banner has an xbox pad in it!

 

I have two xbox pads right here, but I think that since I recognise it should be played as a console game I also recognise that it should be played as a console. There are games we review on the PC (See GRID) which we play with a pad because although they can be played with they keyboard, they are ideally played with the pad.

Alone in the Dark isn't like that. It could work perfectly with a keyboard, but for no particular reason it doesn't and it therefore really requires a console pad to play it - which is reflected in the review and the score and is implicated as part and parcel of the 'better on a console' arguement we make.

I've kind of lost your point tbh. Do you want us to try every game with a 360 pad, or are you just saying that in this case since the game is best played with a pad then it should be played on a pad even though its a PC version? Either way, I think to base a PC game review like this on the assumption that players have a console game pad is a bit self-defeating.

The PC version should be made for a PC, with a pad to enhance the experience, not make the experience available in the first place - that isn't the case here.

Likewise, we could flip this arguement around and start playing all PS3 FPS games with a keyboard and mouse since the PS3 supports that - but it isn't how most gamers on that platform would expect to experience the game.

 

I remember when people used to scorn console games for being inferior ports of PC games with significant flaws, now the tide appears to have turned the other way, Console gamers scorning PC gamers for poor ports of Console games.

 

As dev costs have gone up, the 'lowest common denominator' method of making games for multiple platforms has taken over. There are a few notable exceptions, but they're the exception that proves the rule.

I did want this game to be good. But friends I've talked to that have played this have said steer clear - whether PC or console.

 

That's an excellent idea Joe! And whilst your at it, I want you to now review every game using also a Trackball, Trackpad, Joystick, Joypad, Tablet, Dance Mat, Lightgun, Guitar Hero guitar, Novint Falcon, Cup-and-string, Hamster-in-a-ball, Stick-up-your-ass and finally only your own face. Only that way will us the readers get a proper feel for the game.

 

if its on the pc it should be playable with a mouse and keyboard...i hate pads on the pc, leave them to the casual console crowd.

even so, u've given this a much more generouse review than most of the reviews of th 360version...so I doubt a pad will help the game much.

 

NO GAME in the AitD franchise captured the fell of "alone" and "dark" like the first one. The second one was "fun" too, still it didn't caputured the same atmosphere as the first one.

It apears to me if they do a remake of the first one they would sell lot more.

Well, looks like they won't sell those 3 million copies of the game that they wanted, and Atari will bankrupt for good. Thats a pitty, since Atari could make some nice games.

Goodbye Atari, twas good knowing you.

 

Not making it enjoyable with a mouse/keyboard combo on the PC just points to another lazy port of a console title.

 

does the game just hook straight up to the 360 pad without any messing about then? in that case i may give it a go.

it has to be said that the first game was probably one of the most awkward games to control EVER (anyone remember trying to find your way around when wounded? now that was a genuinely painful experience), so i guess in that respect they are remaining true to the original(!)

 

Fair points made Joe. You're right not to assume that everyone has a control pad (but as a side point, you've assumed that everyone who wants to play Dirt has a controller, no? And surely AitD is, to quote your words, "ideally played with a pad"). To a point I'm willing to concede the argument, but largely on the ground that this is a PC game or rather a console game for the PC and they haven't bothered to make a few key refinements.

I just feel that you've seen a problem and it wouldn't have taken any effort to at least have a go. I'm certainly not suggesting that every game be tried on every possible form of control pad, that's just being silly.


@ minimal fuss - I agree with you that I don't like pads on the PC, but hook up your pc to your Tv and you've got a nigh on identical experience to a console. And I'm definately not spending hundreds of pounds on a console just to get the console experience!

 

+1

 

OMG! It's keanu reeves!

 

A) Harry reviewed that.
B) It's the case that DIRT can be played well perfectly with a keyboard, but the experience can be made more fun on a controller. It's the difference between choosing to have a pad and being required to have a pad.
C)

 

no strafing? i don't consider this a PC game sir, i consider this a bad port! at least do standard WASD and then QE for turning!

what's your test system? is there Dx10? (or have i mixed up with Alen Wake?)