Atari Reveals First Details About The Game Structure Of ‘Alone In The Dark’

-Innovative design keeps ‘Alone in the Dark’ ahead of the game

LYON, FRANCE – 2 May 2006 – Atari today revealed details about the innovative game structure of forthcoming action-survival opus Alone in the Dark, continuing the pioneering heritage that began with the first Alone in the Dark in 1992, the game that launched the survival genre in gaming in 1992. The next-generation structure of Alone in the Dark has been designed by the team at Eden Games to enhance the players engagement with the story and keep them riveted to the screen throughout.

Taking inspiration from the presentation style and structure of a number of acclaimed and globally popular TV action dramas, Alone in the Dark will be split into a number of distinct episodes in a season-style format. Ten hour games based on film-style scripts and structures naturally lose narrative intensity as they progress, whereas the TV-season format delivers a constant sustained pace and high level of narrative intensity, all of which is key to delivering Eden’s vision of a fiercely gripping and terrifying experience.

“Our new format for Alone in the Dark greatly enhances the pace and tension, keeping players permanently hooked into the engrossing story surrounding the mysteries of Central Park and beyond,” said David Nadal, Game Director, Eden Games. “You barely have time to breathe before the next cliffhanger hits you…”

With approximately 30-40 minutes of gameplay comprising each episode, the structure of Alone in the Dark is adapted for an audience familiar with the hard-hitting bite-size delivery of contemporary TV dramas, offering easy accessibility whether the player has hours to devote or only wants a quick TV-style fix.

Each time the player launches a saved game, the episode will begin with a video summary of the previous episode to quickly re-immerse the player in the story, removing the need to remember where they were or what they were doing. Every episode will close with a nail-biting cliff-hanger ending to rattle players’ nerves, and if the player is leaving the game a video teaser of the next episode will play to leave them wanting more.
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The original Alone in the Dark is the video game that launched survival gaming and set the standard within the genre. Alone in the Dark returns with a heart-stopping survival experience realized through the use of state-of-the-art real-time physics and unprecedented environmental interaction. Delivering an exhilarating action-orientated experience within a highly detailed, open environment, Alone in the Dark once again takes the lead for innovation and excellence within the genre.

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About Eden Games
The second largest game development studio in France, Eden Games has achieved international recognition through the creation of games including V-Rally 1, 2 and 3, Need For Speed: Porsche, Kya: Dark Lineage and Titeuf. Base in Lyon, France, Eden Games is a wholly owned subsidiary of Infogrames Entertainment SA.

About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is the next-generation video game and entertainment system that places gamers at the center of the experience. Available this holiday season in Europe, Japan and North America, Xbox 360 will ignite a new era of digital entertainment that is always connected, always personalized and always in high definition.

About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari
Infogrames Entertainment (IESA), the parent company of the Atari Group, is listed on the Paris Euronext stock exchange (ISIN code: FR-0000052573) and has two principal subsidiaries: Atari Europe, a privately-held company, and Atari, Inc., a United States corporation listed on NASDAQ (ATAR).
The Atari Group is a major international producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for all market segments and in all existing game formats (Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony) and on CD-ROM for PC. Its games are sold in more than 60 countries.
The Atari Group’s extensive catalogue of popular games is based on original franchises (Driver, Alone in the Dark, V-Rally, Test Drive, Roller Coaster Tycoon, etc.) and international licenses (Matrix, Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons & Dragons, etc.).

© 2005 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.
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