Silicon Knights has been developing this game for several years now (originally planned for the N64). It is amazing that an unknown developer like Silicon Knights can come out with such a magnificent game. Eternal Darkness is the American version of Resident Evil, but with so much more depth. It is also one of the scariest games of all time, if not the most.
Plot: You are the female heir to a mansion, which you inherit after your Uncle mysteriously dies. You head over to the mansion and try and discover who killed your father. The character comes across an ancient book that warps you to the different time periods, to live out different people's lives. They all are related to this mysterious plot that has been in the works for thousands of years, and it is up to you to discover the truth.
Style: Quoting an Edgar Allen Poe line at the beginning gives you just a taste of what is to come in Eternal Darkness. Insanity effects, gruesome facial expressions, and gothic environments all portray a very gritty world with almost no hope left. It makes the game much more realistic by the depth they go into making sure environments look and feel right.
Gameplay: Eternal Darkness immediately makes a few changes to normal survival horror games. First you can auto aim to different parts of enemies, which really helps to kill enemies effectively in combat. Also the camera goes where you go, and it works perfectly. However as a sacrifice, there are no more pre-rendered backgrounds. The biggest surprise about Eternal Darkness is the sanity effects. When the player sees a monster his sanity meter comes slightly closer to reaching insanity. Push it a little to far and many strange surprises happen. The environments are also a lot more interactive and inviting.
For combat, the game has several unique weapons. There are all sorts of guns, knives, and swords to use at your disposal. There is also a unique magic system that is sometimes crucial in defeating enemies. Enemies have a smart AI and the difficulty is just right. Boss battles are huge and provide the player with massive environments, each providing a unique challenge.
Graphics: Since this was an N64 game, the graphics aren't the "best". They are great at the start but progress as you continue in the game. The graphics get better and better, until they look absolutely amazing. Maybe it is a reward to the gamer who keeps playing, but the quality greatly improves. A few redundant enemies with bland textures is enough to take over 1 point.
Sound: The sound in this game is some of the best I have ever heard. It faithfully creates an atmosphere of doom (in gothic proportions). You don't know what is going to happen next, things may pop out of the shadows. The music is eerie and is played at the right time.
Replay Value: Once you beat the game you can go through it again in the two other paths to unlock the final ending, which is quite good. However there is no "time attack" or "grenade mode" as seen in other games, which is a let down.
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