Alone in the Dark

As New York, the most expensive city in the world, struggles to find room for its residents, Central Park stands alone: a vast expanse of lush green land, rumoured to have a real estate value of more than 528 billion US dollars. Combined with stories of mutated trees, unusual aviary migration behavior and astounding insect invasion problems, theories abound as to what supernatural forces have weaved their way through the iconic park.

Now you’ll have a chance to find out just how deep the mysteries that surround Central Park go, as the fifth instalment of the Alone In The Dark series hits stores. Taking on the role of Edward Carnby, you’ll delve into the spooky surrounds of Central Park and spend a terrifying night uncovering some murky truths kept secret for generations.

One of the most exciting features looks set to be the incredibly high level of environmental interaction you’ll be able to have. Based on real world rules and physics, you will need to use your imagination and cunning to create unique weapons, overcome problems and get yourself out of some decidedly hairy situations. Experiencing real-time action with an in-game inventory, on-body damage and healing system, and resulting physiological effects will undoubtedly make for a pretty gripping adventure.

With the developers from Eden Games striving to make a title that will appeal to core fans, yet remain accessible to a wide gaming audience, the story will be presented in a season-style narrative structure. Gamers will be able to enjoy the levels in an episodic format, complete with cliff-hangers, starting recaps and more suspense than you could poke a stick at. The new format will also allow players to move on if they become stuck at a certain point in the game, alleviating the frustration of having to repeatedly attempt levels before being able to experience any more of the story.

Alone In The Dark will be available for the 360, PC, PS2, Wii and eventually the PS3 and PSP. Keep an eye on NZGamer for a full review in the near future.