Eden to fix Alone in the Dark 360

By Tom Bramwell Published 21 August, 2008

Patching in the PS3 ver's changes.

Eden Studios has said that it is working on a patch for the Xbox 360 version of Alone in the Dark to bring it into line with the heavily reworked PS3 version.

The developer was at Games Convention in Leipzig this week to show off the new PS3 version and own up to all the things we said were insanely rubbish during our Xbox 360 review.

Changes include streamlined inventory systems, more coherent integration of the irritating final section of the game with those flipping trees, and a better camera system and controls for on-foot and driving sections.

Eurogamer's Kristan Reed, who did not enjoy the 360 version, reports that it feels much better now that he's played a bit of the PS3 one.

Eden has not specified precisely which tweaks will appear in the 360 patch, or given any idea when it will come out, but if you want to build up a wish-list then head over to our just-published Alone in the Dark PS3 hands-on and get a pen out.

In its original form, Alone in the Dark was a flawed but occasionally brilliant stab at survival horror with just about enough going for it to squeeze a 7/10. Although the same couldn't be said of the hilarious Wii version.

If the PS3 version is genuinely an improvement, it will be very interesting to see how it scores relative to its older brother...

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (35) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • yupyup #1 4 years ago

    I'm at the tree bit. Dunno if I could be bothered waiting.

    Also the Xbox now says the disc is unreadable.

  • RedboX #2 4 years ago

    Waht about the PC version?

  • asphaltcowboy #3 4 years ago

    Was vaguely interested in AotD, so will pick this up when the patch comes out!

  • DUFFMAN5 #4 4 years ago

    So do I keep in the hope they fix it?. I'm only on chapter four and haven't gone back for weeks due to spending all my game time on Overlord. I think I will wait and see what the fix, it would need to be a fair amount for me.

  • NegativeZero #5 4 years ago

    @yupyup: If it does it consistently, then your 360 is probably one of the ones that likes to make tiny scratches on discs. Mine does that - had it scratch to the point of unreadability Mass Effect, Bioshock and it's done it to Dynasty Warriors no less than four times. Investing in one of those scratch repair devices that are basically very fine sandpaper and dilute rubbing alcohol that can buff off the scratched surface will resurrect it.

  • Whizzo #6 4 years ago

    How it got 7/10 in the first place is a mystery that Arthur C. Clarke should investigate.

    Well if he wasn't dead.

  • TipTop #7 4 years ago

    I had this on the shelf and played it last night for the first chapter. The controls drove me mad. I was hitting the NPCs with chairs, flailing after head crabs with an axe to no avail and falling off ledges backwards. Mad set up. Will now place back on the shelf to the patch comes out.
    Edited by 1 at 21/08/08 @ 15:46

  • yupyup #8 4 years ago

    Thanks NegativeZero - not had the problem with any other game though. Not sure if it's worth getting a cleaner kit :/

  • neilka #9 4 years ago

    How many people just gave up at the tree bit?

    /raises hand

  • Colin8703 #10 4 years ago

    @yupyup and negative zero

    I had this happen to me while my machine was still under warranty and they replaced it.

    Might be worth a try.

  • andywilkie35 #11 4 years ago

    so if this is vastly improved as they are suggesting, will this be rereviewed along with the PS3 initial review?

  • Retroid #12 4 years ago

    @Whizzo: they reviewed the Crystal Skull version.

  • Artemus #13 4 years ago

    For once PS3 delay = good.

  • miiiguel #14 4 years ago

    evilfoxhound
    18-Dec-07 17:35:30 Oh christ. Can't xbox owners stick to posting comments on news about the xbox? Why must they flood every fucking PS3 news article?
    ignore poster

  • Colin8703 #15 4 years ago

    This is an xbox news article.

  • miiiguel #16 4 years ago

    I guess you missed the point...

  • Colin8703 #17 4 years ago

    Highly probable.

  • miiiguel #18 4 years ago

    evilfoxhound
    21-Aug-08 16:14:22 "Also the Xbox now says the disc is unreadable"

    That's not the games fault. That's shitty MS hardware LOL


    now add this one:

    evilfoxhound
    18-Dec-07 17:35:30 Oh christ. Can't xbox owners stick to posting comments on news about the xbox? Why must they flood every fucking PS3 news article?
    ignore poster


    Got it?

  • Colin8703 #19 4 years ago

    Now I do.

    Very funny also.

  • Aphexman #20 4 years ago

    7 was too much for this game

  • sd99 #21 4 years ago

    The controls are awful, but no way will they be remapping the right stick to be full camera control like most games - it'd require a complete redesign - and that aint gonna happen. It's just PR shit to fool PS3 owners...

  • sneetch #22 4 years ago

    @miiiguel

    Come on now, surely you don't expect him to actually practice what he preaches? :)

    Anyway, on the subject of scratched discs the game stores around here offer disc repair services for something like €4-5 a pop, if the disc repair kit thing doesn't work or you can't find one then give your local stores a call, it's quicker and cheaper than mailing it to MS.

    I'm interested in seeing what kind of difference these changes make to the game, I really liked the sound of it but I don't feel like struggling with a broken game.

  • stepneg #23 4 years ago

    I have just started AitD and have just finished the drive to central park, it has to be one of the worst sections of any game ever.

  • Raz76 #24 4 years ago

    What? Now!? I already finished it and sold it. Now I feel downright cheated.

  • krudster #25 4 years ago

    I actually played the game today. Yes they have used the right stick for full manual control.

  • Waldo #26 4 years ago

    Waht about the PC version?

    Patch it yourself, pirate. ;)

    And as far as the "trees" section goes, couldn't you just skip it?

  • crozon #27 4 years ago

    hmm need a patch for the PC verison

  • SpaceMidget75 Verified Senior Software Developer, Minerva Computer Services #28 4 years ago

    miiiguel
    21-Aug-08 16:18:41

    I guess you missed the point...

    Colin8703
    21-Aug-08 16:20:01

    Highly probable.


    Made me chuckle.

  • Hobo #29 4 years ago

    Yeah it sure as hell does suck that it was never playtested, but at least Eden have stepped up and admitted their mistakes!

    I was mega pissed with how bad this game was, i thought this could've been a Resi 4 beater!

    Bring on the patch!

  • brommers #30 4 years ago

    @yupyup/negativezero try laying down your xbox if it's standing up. They don't tell you but when standing the xbox vibrates and causes the disc to move slightly thus causing the scratches. I've had to clean my rock band disc 3 times due to excessive scratching and there is a limit to the amount of times it can be buffed.

  • Ryze #31 4 years ago

    Copy / Paster from PS3 thread:

    Now - this is an excellent way of doing things - the PS3 version is going to take a lot longer to optimise, so get the 360 version out, with the best online play and in a finished state, get it reviewed and continue to work on the PS3 version.

    Then release the PS3 version 6-8 months later, but as a deluxe version with the 1080p 10-year cinematics and all of that bollocks, but essentially - with all of the main criticisms of the 360 version fixed.

    Then if the 360 version is patched to include the improvements, or updated via DLC, then everyone's happy - both games will get a sales boost from the renewed hype and publicity for the PS3 launch, plus many publications will re-review the game.

    The PS3 version can even get another launch window when a 360-esque compressed version is released on PSN 6-12 months later, hopefully with improved online functions where applicable.

    This sounds ideal. Alone In The Dark service pack 1 - what is the gaming world coming to!?

    Delivering what we, the gamer, enjoy and demand - I hope.

    ryz

  • Chaote-Imagicka #32 4 years ago

    Um, is there going to be anyway of selecting what "improvements" one likes? Because I just want better car handling. And I certainly do not want them to fuck up the roots of evil section, that was the first bit after chapter one that I really enjoyed and the main reason why I got into the gameplay enough to replay the whole thing.

  • muscleblade #33 4 years ago

    "7 was too much for this game"

    The director of the biggest scandinavian gaming magazine believe that Eurogamer where paid in on way or another for giving the game a 7. There are other sites that gave the game ok reviews aswell so im not so sure.

  • Connobi #34 4 years ago

    Too little too late, suckers. Traded it in. Got Soul Calibur 4. The game was average at best, with god-awful controls. Not worthy of a purchase unless you see it going for a tenner.

  • matabhaine #35 2 years ago

    this game is (to put it politely) CRAP!!! The camera angles all over the place and have you walking backward and forward in total confusion, everything the character does causes the landscape around him to react, cars flying up the side of the tower block destroying the ledge he was trying to grab, this appears to make him the unluckiest man alive. The movement is dire, half the time I dont know which button to press, fighting kust to open a door or drop something. Bugs aloft and no patch still, think atari have given up. Cut scenes which confuse, dying all the time and no idea what was coming that could have avoided it, I now view the press the green button to dodge the rocks; ala tomb raider; with a welcoming fondness: Utter crap, even for five pounds new from Game UK, still annoyed with purchase, an insult to my video game collection and the dusty shelf, where the other non returnable crap sits.