Alone in the Dark 3

Alone in the Dark 3 is the final game in Infogrames’ original trilogy, released for DOS in 1995 and later for Windows, the Mac and the PC-98. It was the first in the series to ship only on CD-ROM, with full voice acting in several languages.

It’s July 1925. A film crew shooting a western in the Mojave ghost town of Slaughter Gulch has vanished, and among them is Emily Hartwood from the first game. Edward Carnby heads into the desert to find her and soon discovers that the town’s dead don’t stay buried.

Gameplay

The Wild West setting gives the trilogy’s last entry its own identity. The opening enemies are undead cowboys who duel with you in saloons and on rooftops. Further on, the threats grow stranger, and the town’s secrets turn out to be far more dangerous than ghosts.

• Western setting: Saloons, streets, mines and other corners of the ghost town.
• Gunplay: Western firearms feature heavily.
• Puzzles: Item puzzles and clever ways to defeat enemies who can’t be shot.
• Transformation: A mid-game twist changes how you play for a time.
• Voice acting: Full speech throughout.

The graphics are a step up from the earlier games, with sharper backgrounds and more fluid animation, and the controls are slightly more responsive. The difficulty remains high, and there are plenty of sudden deaths.

Verdict

Alone in the Dark 3 is an entertaining end to the trilogy. Its western setting is fresh and fun, though it doesn’t add much new to the formula. PC Gamer gave it 88%, and fans of the series will find it a satisfying conclusion.