What would you do if you got a second chance? Would you fix that one big mistake in your life or take a chance on that certain something that you missed out on when the opportunity came up? Atari and Eden Games gets a second chance at fixing a game that showed a lot of promise but just fell apart by the weight of its ambition and weak gameplay. Alone in the Dark: Inferno for the PlayStation 3 is an improvement over the Xbox 360 and PS2 version of the game but it’s still far from a completely better game because of it.

 
“It’s called Inferno … by Calvin Klein.” 

Inferno still tells the same story as the previous version of the game and it still plays out like an episodic television show. Once again, Alone in the Dark fans take up the role of Edward Carnby but a lot has changed since the last time we’ve seen him. Waking up in a strange room surrounded by strange men, Edward finds himself wondering why he doesn’t remember anything about himself. Suddenly, the walls begin to rip apart and the building around him begins to burst into flames. Stuck in a high-rise building in New York City, Edward Carnby fights for survival and for the answers to his questions.

The story, told in a series of episodes complete with closing credits, takes Carnby through various areas throughout NYC as well as a large section of Central Park. The problem is that the story isn’t very compelling nor is it very original. I won’t give away the revelations that are made in the game but let’s just say you’ll see it coming a mile away. In fact, even the ending leaves much to be desired. Still, that’s not to say that some interesting do happen in the game because there are a number of interactive moments that really stand out nicely.

One of the major improvements in Inferno happens to be how you control Carnby as well as the camera. On the Xbox 360, Carnby brought back memories of the early Resident Evil games that made the characters move like a tank. Inferno, on the other hand, improves movement greatly so it feels more like Resident Evil 4. Even the over-the-shoulder camera is implemented during third-person mode and you can swivel it around a bit to see your surroundings better. Of course, it’s still not perfect but the change is noticeable and, well, appreciated. The first-person view is actually a lot better as well and it’s one I tend to turn to often during exploration.

 
“What? Do I have something on my face or something?”

The interactive moments I spoke of earlier does spice up the game and many of them are enjoyable while the rest are downright frustrating to get through. While strictly trail-and-error in nature, these moments often have you trying climb out of the way of crumbling balconies while you’re in the burning building to attempting to swing your way down an elevator shaft while burning debris comes raining down on you. The game also features a number of puzzles to solve … a few of them are actually quite inventive in their own way.

Aside from the puzzles and exploration of segments of the city, you’ll be driving vehicles in the game. The driving controls weren’t so bad the first time around but it just didn’t feel like you were driving a car thanks to a few balance issues. Inferno manages to fix a few of the problems, making driving through the city a lot less burdensome and definitely a lot less awkward than before. As I mentioned before, Carnby moves a bit more naturally now and, although there are no exclusive SIXAXIS control features, you just have to love the analog control to bash things in with certain objects. Even shooting your gun is simplified and improved as a result of the control improvements.

Sadly, combat is still not quite satisfying thanks to the fact that you have to drag almost every possessed demon into the fire in order to get rid of them for good. Carnby can still concoct his own weapons such as a small flamethrower when you don’t feel like dragging a knocked out demon into the flame but battles just aren’t as satisfying as they should be in an Alone in the Dark game. The boss battles are interesting - especially the new one found in this version of the game - and the new areas are a nice touch.

Visually, the PS3 version of the game looks just as good as the 360 version. The wonderful details in the environments and character models are a highlight and the lighting effects are excellent. Aside from the fact that character’s faces look plastic; the game handles the atmospheric creepiness rather well. The visual effects really stand out in this game to the point that everything from flames to the demonic presence the shows up often in the game look good.

“Dude, just remember where we parked the chopper.”

The game also has a great score that plays throughout the game and becomes more intense during all the right moments. It does a great job of accompanying the detailed sound effects that is good enough that you’ll known when something bad is going to happen like falling segments of the roof in the earlier episode. Unfortunately, the voice acting in the game is definitely cringe-worthy and the dialogue is just as clichéd as the story itself.

Unfortunately, even with the improvements, Alone in the Dark: Inferno for the PlayStation 3 just doesn’t take advantage of a second chance at making this a far superior version. This is actually quite disappointing seeing as there was a lot of great potential and interesting concepts that should have made this an excellent survival-horror game filled with creepy thrills and chills worthy of the genre.

Gameplay: 5.0
Moving Edward around feels less awkward now and the camera has improved greatly but not all of this makes much of a difference when combat is still more of a chore than an enjoyable experience. Driving has improved as well and the new boss battle isn’t bad. Still, the story is far too clichéd to be interesting.

Graphics: 7.0
The lighting effects look good on the PS3 and Central Park looks exceptionally pleasing to the eyes but the characters still have that shiny plastic sheen that makes them look unreal. Is it me or is Edward Carnby now looking way too creepy?

Sound: 7.0
As far as the sound is concerned, the soundtrack is appropriately creepy and wonderfully cinematic. Even the sound effects will run shivers down your spine … just like the horrible voice acting and dialogue in the game.

Difficulty: Medium
You’ll be up against a number of supernatural foes and the fact that you can’t kill them unless you drag them into fire adds an extra challenge to the mix. There are a number of cool sequences in the game but these are mostly trail-and-error challenges.

Concept: 5.0
The Alone in the Dark franchise attempts to push the series into new and interesting heights that is certainly appreciated but it ultimately falls flat in a number of areas. Inferno does fix a few of the original release’s various flaws such as the driving segments and Edward’s movements but it’s ultimately the same game as the 360 and PS2 version of the game.

Overall: 5.0
Inferno for the PS3 might have fixed a few of the problems that plagued the Xbox 360 release of Alone in the Dark but, sadly, it’s not enough to make this a completely better version of the game. This is really too bad seeing as the game has a number of great ideas that could have made this a great entry in the series.