The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii in Europe, North America, and Australia in June 2008.

The environment plays a big part of the core gameplay, as the player can pick up any object (such as pipes, wood, etc.)

If Edward takes too much damage, the screen will flash red, and a heartbeat sound will be heard indicating that he is bleeding out.

The game begins with an amnesiac Edward Carnby, a paranormal investigator recovering from an exorcism performed on him by a group of occultists led by Crowley.

He wanders the collapsing building in search of an exit; witnessing several people being killed in a similar fashion as the guard, as well as a young woman becoming possessed by a demon which claims to know of his past.

They make their way to the basement parking garage where they meet Theophile Paddington, the occultist who performed Edward's exorcism and an old apprentice and friend of Carnby's.

Hijacking a car, they drive into New York City, finding it in the same destroyed state as the building; supernatural fissures erupting from the earth.

They crash in Central Park and Theo gives Edward the Stone, telling him to find him in a room of a museum before killing himself.

Forged by Lucifer after his fall from Heaven, the Stone tempted men with promises of mass wealth and immortality; in actuality, it merely made them vessels for the Devil's soul.

Sarah stays behind in the museum to research Paddington's notes, emailing Edward various texts as well as receiving some from Crowley, both of which reveal more of his past and the Stone.

Inside the chamber, they find a large portal between the living world and the afterlife; a gateway for Lucifer to return to a body.

Needing both halves of the Stone to unlock it, Edward and Hermes reunite it on the pedestal only for the Light Bringer to begin repossessing Carnby.

The player is given a choice: to kill her and take the Light Bringer into his own body, or to let her live and allow the Devil to use her as his vessel.

[42] GameSpot said of the Xbox 360 version: "If you can endure some vexing technical flaws, Alone in the Dark can be a clever, satisfying adventure.

"[19] GameTrailers said: "The game needed more gestation to really iron out the interface issues, but it remains an adventure worth pursuing...".

[21] The PlayStation 3 version, Alone in the Dark: Inferno, received far more favorable reviews due to the improved movement and driving controls, as well as the extra scenes.

[citation needed][44] In the meantime other editors of various other gaming magazines stated that poor reviews were possibly published to garner attention and clicks on their websites, due to the predictability of Atari's reaction.