Developed by Pieces Interactive and published by THQ Nordic, Alone in the Dark is a reimagining of the 1992 survival horror game, the seventh of its franchise. It was released on 20 March 2024 after more or less three delays.

The narrative opens with two characters: Emily Hartwood, a young governess, and Edward Carnby, an investigator. Hartwood hires Carnby to escort her to Derceto Manor, a home for mentally exhausted people, so they can look into her uncle’s disappearance. We see in the first scene that her uncle is seeing things—more exactly, a strange man—and we’re swallowed up by Emily’s fear that this melancholia runs in the family and that she might get affected by it eventually. A very interesting setup, got me hooked. The cutscene is mysterious, noir-like, with dark jazz music that might as well become a thing within the Dark Academia YT playlists. 

Unfortunately, its development doesn’t deliver that well.

Getting into Derceto Manor, the player must make the choice between playing with Edward and Emily. Which is great and all, but: although the choice is there, very little changes depending on which character you choose. It got me excited during my first playthrough, not going to lie. I kept wondering that everything was happening due to Emily’s curse, that the purpose was to leave us wondering, especially when the story kept mentioning it every so often. But I was left disappointed. Carnby goes through the same path as Emily’s, even though considering the plotline, it doesn’t make much sense to see an investigator being swallowed up by a fantasy world. After all, he is not the one afraid of going crazy.

Which brought me to the question: was it really worth it to blow the budget hiring famous actors, when the company could maybe use the money to develop a different storyline and a different combat for the investigator and in doing so, make the story coherent, enhancing it, and enhancing the user experience?

So I stopped the investigator’s playthrough midway. The differences in dialogues didn’t justify the second playthrough, it makes the story weightless. Especially considering the combat gameplay.

Now there are very different ways of doing survival horror. I expected, considering once again the initial choice given to players regarding characters, that going with Emily meant no combat, just investigation. After all, she’s a normal woman, with a regular job, fighting is not included in her duties, I’d imagine. In my head, I thought she’d have to run or hide from monsters. I thought that if I wanted to fight, that’s why the investigator is there for, he’ll give you the action part of the game.

Right?

Wrong.

Again, no difference between the characters. We’re given a stiff combat, with the choice of throwing things at monsters that do nothing, really, just enhances the hate for life and the feeling that this was a wasted opportunity. As it goes on, and it brings the worst in our hearts, we remember all those little boxes that we thought would give you nice loot, and that were empty. And finally we remember reading that back in the old days, Alone in the Dark influenced Resident Evil, and now, look at us.

Rants aside, this is not to say that the game is not entertaining. It is. The puzzles are engaging and the game thrives when you’re given the chance to investigate the hospice. The sudden changes between reality and alternate universe feel like a feverish dream, which again, would be fantastic if it was only part of Emily’s story. Wouldn’t it be more interesting if Carnby’s story discarded the illusion elements and focused more on what was really happening? I truly enjoyed the atmosphere, the colours used. The lore is a gem, and what a nice addition, to have someone reading the letters to you (this is a good use of the budget. Hiring Hollywood actors is questionable). 

The side characters are interesting, although little explored. The villain is creepy. All of this was great, and it is a pity that in order to get into those moments we have to go through the least enjoyable parts. 

Again, I wish the story was also more well-thought. There’s a lot unexplained. A lot of little lines left in the air. Thrown, never to come back. It could be because the game is not very long ― but honestly that might be for the best.

All in all, Alone in the Dark follows the contemporary trend of bringing remakes and sequels. It seems to have been produced by a team that likes the original material. And you can see this in a very specific section which harkens back to the fixed camera angles of the original that is a beautiful homage. Even the dialogue becomes more quirky and fun. 

However, when you compare Alone in the Dark with Alone in the Dark, there is so much more that could have been done to truly make it shine on its own and among its own franchise.

Oh, but hopes and dreams.

Alone in the Dark is available for PS5, Windows and XBOX.