Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare

I still have ghastly recollections of the first time I played the original Resident Evil, walking down an ominously empty hallway and actually getting startled when two large bloodthirsty dogs burst through the window to rip me to shreds. It was the sort of adrenaline-raising gaming occurrence you could only get from a good survival-horror game.

Just in time for the Halloween season, there’s a new entry into the survival-horror gaming world. We (finally) have the fourth installment in the Alone in the Dark series, Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare. Once the best of its genre, the Dreamcast version of AITD unfortunately comes along a few years too late, as it reeks of outright plagiarism of the title that re-invented the survival-horror game, Resident Evil.

It was the initial AITD that originated the survival-horror gaming scene. But the Resident Evil series has perfected it. It drips with just a little irony that the creator of macabre gaming cannot measure up to the high distinctive level of one of its offspring. The plot, the characters, and the look of the game all give you that déjà vu feeling with just cause. If you have played a Resident Evil game, then you have played The New Nightmare.

forces and monsters of Shadow Island. Ultimately they must defeat evil as embodied in the form of the maniacal Alan Morton to preserve the world of good.

Not that the storyline isn’t good or that you won’t want to see how the story unfolds and ends, but it just contains too many all-too familiar elements to make it fresh.

Just like Resident Evil, you have a choice of playing either a stereotypical male or female main character. Choose either Carnaby, your typical renegade He-man P.I./cop figure, or Cedrac, your standard mysterious babe-o-licious booty-mama (could they have made her jeans be ANY tighter?) in danger. You’re better off starting with Carnaby though. Unlike Aline, at least he starts off with a weapon, his handy revolver. Don’t fret, though, because you will keep in contact with the character not selected with the help of the provided walkie-talkies. And although you will take a different path depending on which character is controlled, the ending for each is exactly the same, although the replay value increases by being able to play the game from another character’s perspective once you complete it the first time.

Opening up the game is a Hollywood movie-worthy opening CG sequence. You might think you are sitting in the local movie house munching on some popcorn while viewing it. Rather unfortunate is the so-so quality of the CG movies that flesh out the game during your adventuring and the slightly disappointing ending (in light of the outstanding commencement). I don’t know if the producers just ran out of gas after punching together a great beginning, but the rest of the CG movies are a bit of a letdown. All the CG movies (even the opening) have the standard "Godzilla" dubbing. You know what I’m talking about. If you ever have watched one of the Japanese Godzilla movies, the infamous bad dubbing where character’s mouths are moving but the dialogue spoken is way behind or ahead gives you a good idea of what to expect out of AITD’s cut-scenes.

Dialogue and voice acting is your typical video game quality. That is, average at best and even out-and-out unintentionally laughable. If I just ran into a mutant zombie trying to kill me, I don’t think I would be able to keep such a nonchalant attitude. You almost expect dialogue like, "Aline, I just saw the most grotesque being ever trying to kill me. Oh, by the way, how’s every lil’ thing?" Just once one of these days I’d like to have an Oscar-worthy acting performance show up in a video game.

AITD really shines as an enjoyable gaming adventure in two areas: Graphics and sound. First, the visuals and atmosphere are really, really great. The incredible pre-rendered dark 3D environment of Shadow Island and the Morton Mansion is simply Tim Burton-esque beautiful. It reminds me of the gorgeous, eye-pleasingly creepy setting of the movie Sleepy Hollow. This is where the game really impresses. You actually get a sense of tension and chills as you get ready to turn another dimly lit corner, where only your flashlight keeps you aware of the shadowy surroundings. The flashlight’s beam and the game’s lighting texturing are amazing. The Dreamcast has always been capable of providing excellent lighting effects and you won’t be disappointed with it in AITD.

AITD sports some of the best graphics the Dreamcast has seen this side of Shenmue. From the woods you start off in (as Carnaby), to the Morton Mansion, down to the vast other-dimensional creature-infested caverns whose deep bowels you would swear came right out of a H.R. Giger artwork, you are absorbed into the ultra-realistic and interestingly varied world of Shadow Island (couldn’t they think of a less juvenile-sounding name than SHADOW Island?).

Switching from one area to the next creates a slight delay but that’s only to be expected from the expansive Shadow Island surroundings and the Dreamcast’s slightly limited rendering capabilities and doesn’t really disconcertingly effect the actual gameplay.

The characters you are able to control, either Carnaby or Aline, were given an excellent graphical aura and clarity. Both measure up to some of the best-rendered characters seen on the Dreamcast. Others you meet along the way aren’t up to the same level of graphical definition as Carnaby and Cedrac, but the Morton Mansion’s residents, including the caretaker Edenshaw, and the twin brothers Obed and Alan Morton aren’t too far behind as far as graphical quality is concerned. So many Mortons fill Shadow Island dead, alive or in photographic form you’ll be surprised NOT to see Robert Morton Downey, Jr. (although he may have been the mansion’s most frightening occupant if he happened to be one of the game’s characters).

Monsters aren’t overly impressive, at least not until the end of the game (for Carnaby) when you do battle with the mutated Alan Morton. It’s mostly filled with Resident Evil-similar zombie-like inhabitants and buggy and/or mutated alien beasts. They look okay, but one suspects that the Dreamcast version of the game’s creatures were capable of a scarier appearance.

Not too much gore presented in AITD, although there are some blood-soaked zombies and other nightmare creatures as well as some decapitated heads lying around. Blood loss is also kept at a minimum. Killing enemies doesn’t set off a crimson shower.

Following up the visual quality is the music that pervades throughout. All the music was written, produced and co-performed by none other than the Police’s Stewart Copeland, and damn it’s downright good and scary. Following the breakup of the group, Copeland has had a long career producing tunes for movies, and the experienced touch of a great musician like Copeland gives the game its greatest attribute. The climatic musical arches throughout the game get you thinking, "Uh-oh, what’s around the next corner?" Any time you hear a tense musical build-up, trouble in the form of some creepy creature can’t be too far behind.

Also impressive are the many sound effects that pervade on Shadow Island. The convincing background thunderstorm is an eerie reminder of the tempestuous game environment that you have fallen into. The creaking floorboards, moaning and growling abominations, and weapons fire all are excellent auditory vehicles that help to integrate the game’s level of belief in your mind.

There are some issues that prevent AITD from being more polished and enjoyable than it actually is. The biggest problem is your character’s control scheme, which can get pretty frustrating throughout the game, especially if you are low on ammo and you have an enemy hot on your heels. Trying to back or run away from an onrushing or pursuing enemy isn’t easy at all. There are times that your character seems to have a mind of its own when you are moving, because they’ll be going nowhere near your intended direction.

Also, the camera sometimes isn’t too optimally set. There are areas in the game when you see the game from behind you, others when you get a frontal view. Many times you wish that there was a better camera angle, like in the library when Carnaby battles the winged beast with the ray-gun breath or in the final fight with Alan. The camera angle the game places you in during these fights make it difficult to get an effective battle strategy into place and leads to some unnecessary dying on your part. Better build up those charms of saving, because you’re going to need them.

Weapons, ammunition, clues, and puzzles fill the game’s sizeable levels. The best technique to unearth the harder-to-see items is to use your flashlight to shine upon the pink-radiating glow that gives away the placement of an item or light switch. Pay special attention to the names, dates, and red text in the many books, journals, and photos you discover. These are important clues to help you solve the game’s many ambiguous puzzles. One bad facet concerning the items you find is you don’t always know where to use them, particularly the keys. None you find give you any idea which door they open, so you are left to exasperatingly wander around door-to-door looking for the one the key fits.

Constant re-spawning creatures are really irritating. If you kill a zombie couple, for instance and enter a room you need to search, when you exit those two zombies you just blew away are back again. This wastes a ton of ammo you will need later on in the game and is one of AITD’s most negative elements.

Running out of ammo isn’t good, because one annoyance in the gameplay is if you waste all your ammunition, you are basically defenseless until you can find some more to replenish your weaponry. There isn’t any ability to punch or kick enemies if you have run out of bullets or your weapon’s battery runs out. Not that it would do you any good later on in the game against some of the tougher enemies, but it’s ridiculous not be able to fight at all against the little creepy-crawly bug-like creatures in the mansion. Instead, your only option is to take flight and hope there’s a box of ammo in the next room you run into. You would think a big, strapping young dude like Carnaby would at least be able to use a knife if he’s out of ammo, but I guess he lost it in the plane crash or something, because he certainly doesn’t have one.

AITD suffers from its too-close resemblance to Resident Evil. If as the saying goes imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the creators of Resident Evil should be ecstatic. But despite some flaws, I actually enjoyed the game. The Dreamcast could use one last decent survival-horror title before it heads out to console pasture, and AITD does a nice job providing it. Unfortunately, compared to Resident Evil: Codename Veronica, The New Nightmare is left behind alone in the Dark. Codename Veronica set the standard on the Dreamcast for the survival-horror genre. AITD falls short of that benchmark, but comes within striking distance. If you just can’t get enough survival-horror gaming, then this is an enjoyable way to consume 8-12 hours of gameplay. Those with a weak heart or who don’t like things that go bump in the night, however, may want to leave a light on.

Reviewed by Lee Cieniawa