Alone in the Dark II

Copyright (c) 1994 Lee Perkins

For Edward Carnby, Supernatural Private Eye, the nightmare begins again. In his desperate search for a kidnapped child, Carnby's investigations have led him to a decaying seaside mansion in California. This is not just any old house, but "Hell's Kitchen", the headquarters of an infamous bootlegger named One-Eyed Jack. Upon gaining entry to this sprawling estate, Carnby discovers that there is something far more sinister about One-Eyed Jack than any other two-bit hooch-peddler who has sunk low enough to snatch someone's kid... Something from beyond the grave!

Alone in the Dark II is a rather spiffy 3D graphic adventure, being something like a cross between Doom and Ultima Underworld. As in these games, AITD II's basic premise has been contrived to provide a balanced mix between solving logic puzzles and wreaking some pretty serious pre-emptive violence. The most striking feature of AITD II is its cinematic treatment of how one views the action. Instead of the old first-person "tunnel vision" style, AITD II (and its prequel) are displayed from a variety of angles. As it so happens, this view allows the player's character to perform some fairly complicated actions, such as inching along a narrow walkway, sneaking up on an unsuspecting foe, or mainpulating various mechanisms and puzzles.

Edward Carnby and his hordes of ghastly opponents are rendered as slightly bizarre looking polygon-based animations, although the scenery is slightly more convincing. As he wanders through the hedge-maze that surrounds Hell's Kitchen, he is able to find various items that will help him in his quest. Initially armed only with his trusty .38 Special, Edward must locate more ammunition and larger weapons if he is to survive the "stiff" opposition that he will encounter later on.

If wounded, Edward can recover some of his health by taking a nip from any of the hip-flasks that he may find. Be warned... I made the mistake of thinking that a bottle of One-Eyed Jack's foul brew would have the same healing effect. As it turns out, his brand of whoopie-water is only slightly less lethal than battery acid, and apparently, about half as palatable!

Alone in the Dark II is eminently playable, but tends to be one of those maddening games where the player runs out of everything useful. It is hard to conserve ammunition or health points during combat, as some of the action viewpoints make it hard to judge precisely where Carnby is aiming. Some of the zombie goons are extremely tough, so it is advisable to soften them up with a ranged weapon before wading in for fisticuffs. AITD II's keyboard control system can be a bit of a pain to use, but this is more than compensated for by an engrossing storyline, moderately tricky puzzles and some rather nicely executed graphics. Overall, AITD II is well worth investigating!

Reviewed on: PC 386 SX-33, Sound Blaster Pro audio card.

Recommended retail price:  Not provided by supplier.
Suggested audience rating: M (moderate violence/horror).

Challenge:     80%
Entertainment: 75%
Sound:         80%
Graphics:      85%