Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare
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| Alone in the Dark 4 The New Nightmare | |
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| Developer(s) | Atari
Pocket Studios (Game Boy Color) |
| Publisher(s) | Interplay |
| Release date(s) | March 30, 2001: GBC May 15, 2001: WIN June 27, 2001: PS1, DC 2001: PS2 |
| Genre(s) | Survival horror, Action Adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ELSPA: 15+ ESRB: M ESRB: T (GBC version) |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows, PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Dreamcast, PlayStation 2 |
Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare is the fourth installment of 1992 survival horror video game series Alone in the Dark created by Atari. The game was released on several platforms including PC, PlayStation, Game Boy Color, Sega Dreamcast and PlayStation 2.
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[edit] Plot
Edward Carnby's best friend, Charles Fiske, has been found dead off Shadow Island, a mysterious island near the coast of Maine. Carnby's investigation quickly leads him to Fred Johnson, who informs him of Fiske's search for three ancient tablets with the ability to unlock an incredible and dangerous power. Johnson pleads with Carnby to take the place of Fiske and reopen the investigation in order to recover the tablets. Carnby accepts the mission making it his life's goal to avenge Fiske's death and find the tablets.
Carnby isn't alone on his quest. Aline Cedrac, an intelligent, determined young archaeologist joins Carnby on the mission to Shadow Island. This high-spirited adventurer has taken it upon herself to find the missing tablets, but is there another reason she was so determined to come to Shadow Island? Time will surely reveal the secrets and the intentions, so on October 30, 2001 they approach Shadow Island.
From their first steps on Shadow Island in the cold winter night, Carnby and Aline are immediately confronted by terrifying, evil creatures that are determined to halt their progress. Throughout the course of their investigations, every step they take, every corner they turn, they are met with suspense, intrigue and a sense of impending doom. Relying only on their instincts and limited resources, Carnby and Aline must destroy this sinister evil and uncover the truth.
[edit] About the game
The game's story is a return to the pure horror atmosphere of the original, with nary a "Voodoo Pirate Gangster" or "Zombie Cowboy" to be seen. However, while the original game used the Cthulhu mythos to explain the supernatural goings-on, New Nightmare leans more toward biological horror of the H.R. Giger variety, with the enemies being more alien than phantasmal.
The player takes the role of either Edward Carnby (a rugged paranormal investigator) or Aline Cedrac (a feisty scholarly type), and find themselves marooned on Shadow Island, a haunted place where the shadows are rumored to come alive. The player soon comes under attack from "Creatures of Darkness" that appear out of nowhere and seem to be living shadows. These "Creatures of Darkness" are eventually revealed to be reptilian, silicon-based life forms from the center of the Earth, an enormous world of dark caverns known as the "World of Darkness". Shadow Island apparently contains one of the many entrances to this underground world. True to their name, the game's enemies are averse to light (which apparently turns them into sand), and this figures heavily in gameplay. Players can use their flashlight to repel certain creatures, and killing them is accomplished with such light-producing ammunition as "magnesium bullets" and "phosphorus shells."
Light plays a significant role in this game. One of the game's main gimmicks is the use of a flashlight that players can use to light up the game's darkened pre-rendered screens, revealing hidden details and uncovering items.
Other than the name of the game's protagonist, there is no apparent direct storyline connection between this game and the original trilogy.
Also, the change in Edward Carnby's physique reflects the trend toward increasing the 'masculinity' of the lead characters. It bears very little relation to the original portrayal earlier in the series. The original character was portrayed as having a thin to average build and wore gentleman's clothes befitting a private investigator. The new character has a heavy, muscular build, and wears a large leather trench-coat.
[edit] Game Boy Color port
While older handheld systems would often abandon 3D environments entirely (in favor of easier to render 2D sprites), the Game Boy Color received a relatively faithful port of the home console game. The Game Boy Color's cartridge-based format necessitated the loss of the full motion video cinemas from the other versions, and many game play areas had to be shrunk in size (some were eliminated entirely). However, the basic pre-rendered environments and 3D character imposed over top of them remained, and the result was an amazing graphical quality for a mere 8-bit handheld system. While the home console versions could be completed in six to eight hours, the Game Boy Color port could be completed in just one.
[edit] Trivia
Some box versions of the game include a real mini flashlight branded with the "Alone in the Dark" logo. This gimmick obviously plays to the use of flashlight inside the game to repel certain monsters.
[edit] Sequels
The game as of 2006 has a sequel planned for PC and Xbox 360. A Playstation 3 release is currently "word of mouth".
[edit] Film
In 2005 an Alone in the Dark film was released, directed by Uwe Boll. An immediate sequel to The New Nightmare, it takes place roughly one year after the events of the game.
The film was a Box Office failure.
