Alone in the Dark (2008) Preview

Copying DVDs, you'll be able to skip scenes if you want to get to the end faster.

With the game nearing its Xbox 360 release I'm still not sure about this. The game is a graphical tour de force, for sure. It combines many gameplay elements - from action to driving to sandbox. But will I be able to resist pressing fast forward when the going gets tough? Will the promise of Xbox LIVE achievements be enough to prevent me from turning straight to the last page of the book, or watching the final episode of the DVD box set? Like I said, I'm not sure.

This doesn't prevent Alone in the Dark from looking like a superb, high budget, single-player narrative-driven game, something new Infogrames president Phil Harrison has said has no place in publisher Atari's portfolio going forward. Its opening reminds me of BioShock's first half hour, that cinematic, claustrophobic, intense assault on the senses. But it is perhaps more interesting to note what it does not remind me of, and that's previous Alone in the Dark games.

Nour describes it as a "rebirth" to me after the presentation. And I agree with her. While there's still a great sense of survival the horror element that gave birth to the Resident Evil and Silent Hill series has been scaled back in favour of more action. It's designed to appeal to the fans as well as newcomers. "We want players who knew Alone in the Dark to say 'OK I see that I lived from the first Alone in the Dark', and those who don't know what Alone in the Dark is will say 'oh, this is what Alone in the Dark is about'."

Episode two kicks in. We see Ed boost Sarah Flores, one of Alone in the Dark's main characters, up and out of a lift, complete with cringe worthy dialogue - "Don't try and take advantage of the situation." "Don't flatter yourself." We see Ed take shots at small, scuttling demon bugs with a pistol from a first person perspective. We see him move an axe above his head, the position controlled with the thumbstick. We see a possessed body explode after Ed drags it into a pool of fire. We see a mini-game - where Ed moves together two exposed wires to complete a circuit with a spark.

Ed drives a car from one objective to another. He pierces the tank, leaving a trail of petrol along the path of his journey. He lights the end and watches the car bomb explode.

But it's not until Ed escapes the apartment building and enters night time Central Park, Alone in the Dark's Liberty City, that we see the game show its spurs. Ed fashions a Molotov cocktail from within the confines of his coat, or the "lab" as Nour calls it. The map screen is a PDA with a GPS. Ed drives a car from one objective to another. He pierces the tank, leaving a trail of petrol along the path of his journey. He lights the end and watches the car bomb explode. In Alone in the Dark Central Park is the playground and fire is the name of the game.

This is what I'm most excited about - unravelling the mystery behind Central Park my way. I want to play with fire, I want to mess about with the game's undoubtedly impressive physics, I want to create bombs and poke possessed people with flaming chair legs. I want to push this game engine to its limit and see what it's got.

Atari suggests that the game could take up to 30 hours to fully complete

The presentation ends and Nour opens the floor to questions. No difficulty levels. Shooting is only in first-person. Manipulating objects is only in third-person. 20% of the game takes place in the art deco apartment block from the beginning of the game, the rest of the time players will be in Central Park. The game takes place over a single night. Ed's scar has some secret meaning. Central Park itself will have loads of hidden secrets for players to find. Nour can't confirm downloadable episodes but it seems certain to happen. The game will take about 15 hours not counting exploring the park, 30 hours if you do. You can create a circle of fire but it will only defend you until the fire burns out. There will be plenty of ammo about, but it will be logically placed. Enemies can't use objects or weapons. Enemies are possessed people - something has happened to them and they are tortured, angry people. They are all linked to one entity. They can see you through glass and can jump very far. They can even smell you if you leave a trail of blood. The story revolves around what happens when you die and the various religious theories that explain the afterlife. There is a water enemy type that's afraid of the light. There is a human antagonist who will be chasing you throughout the game. And breathe.

I leave the presentation puzzled. There is much to look forward to in Alone in the Dark, chiefly exploring Central Park and playing with fire. But then there are also causes of concern - the hammy dialogue and, crucially, the ability to skip massive chunks of the game. As I prepare for a quick post-presentation interview with Nour, which you can read right here, I decide that the potential positives outweigh the potential negatives.

Alone in the Dark is due out for Xbox 360, PC, Wii and PS2 on 20 June, with a PS3 version to follow.