
The lack of a map caused a little bit of panic, but the items and objectives glowing on the map were enough to traverse the somewhat linear locales. In addition to finding light sources, strategic movement was also necessary as I opened and closed doors to stop the flow of creatures when chased by large groups.

With Illumination's over-the-shoulder view and the scarcity of ammo that even plagues the Hunter, my experience felt quite a bit like Resident Evil 4 mixed with Alan Wake. I later hopped into the role of the hunter. During the course of my session, however, we stuck to single-player as the developers on hand showed me the Witch's moves. While none of the classes are ever completely powerless (each of the four can wield a pistol), you won't need to squabble about character choices with teammates, as multiples of any class can be present in a match. To add some variety to those sessions, there are four distinct classes: the heavy-gun capable Hunter, the lightning-wielding Witch, the light-repairing Engineer, and the creature-summoning Priest. As for the other half of the name, you can avoid going alone in Illumination, as online teams of up to four can fight creatures of darkness.

While a few flame-based weapons and attacks provide simultaneous illumination and immolation, combating these foes usually requires you discover and activate temporary light sources (from streetlights to incendiary barrels) before luring baddies into the light. Darkness is indeed a major element as the enemies populating the three campaigns (set in a cemetery, a mining complex, and a company town) are invulnerable when in the shadows. Alone in the Dark: Illumination looks to both honor and defy its own name.
