Alone in the Dark (2024) Review

Alone in the Dark is one of the ancestors of survival horror. The original appeared back in 1992, after which it grew into an entire franchise and spawned many psychological horrors. After traveling through the labyrinth of the human mind, both successful and not so successful, Pieces Interactive decided to revive the franchise by reimagining the original title. Let's sort out whether this return to the mad mansion will be able to convey those feelings of dread that made those very original games iconic.

The events take place in the American south. Emily Hartwood enlists the support of private investigator Edward Carnby and heads to Derseto Manor to help her uncle Jeremy Hartwood. Upon arrival at the asylum for the mentally ill, events quickly spiral out of control, and the couple try their best to uncover the secrets hidden deep within the gloomy walls. Because of the eerie setting, the atmosphere here is overwhelming, and it puts you in a state of constant fear as every step echoes through the empty corridors. The mansion itself changes throughout your journey, becoming more than just an ordinary building with cold walls. At times, you are plunged into Jeremy's visions: the environment changes right before your eyes, making you question reality.

Emily and Edward differ in character, which makes both campaigns unique. David Harbour personifies the fierce, battered detective trying to take a sane view of any supernatural events, while Jodi Cormer's character is a melancholy nature who believes rather than seeks disproof. Their facial expressions are gorgeous, conveying every emotion with subtle facial expressions. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the supporting actors/characters. What unites all the characters, however, is the high quality, strong voice acting. Every note, memo, or clue you find in the game is voiced by the characters who wrote them. While the basic storyline for each main character is nearly identical, the sequence and approach to events varies, making it worthwhile to replay.

I enjoyed the trivial exploration of the mansion, but to be fair, it turned out to be relatively small. Moving between worlds adds to the variety of this adventure. Each place you visit advances the narrative and contains memorable snippets that enhance the immersion. Each area is based on the best puzzles of the genre. Unlike modern games, Alone in the Dark doubles down on these segments with multiple puzzles that require care and study to solve. Though they are challenging, they don't hinder progression.

The intuitive map shows the location of puzzles, rooms that still have interesting items, and more. Although this feature can also be turned off. This ensures that you always have places to return to in order to progress through the story. You can disable all of these options by activating the old-school mode, or you can leave them available in the modern mode. While both options work fine, I preferred the modern style, as the game prompted me where I needed to go, where I hadn't found everything yet, and so on. That being said, puzzles have to be solved on your own. Other additions and customizations include difficulty levels, visual filters, and the ability to switch to the original character models. The developers' commentary is another nice bonus, allowing you to delve into the spirit of design decisions and learn a lot more.

As for the combat, you'll have to use different firearms (pistol, shotgun, Tommy Gun) to destroy monsters. At the same time, you can beat their brains out in melee combat. While both are sufficient, the arsenal feels outdated, and the physics don't convey the precision and fluidity of wielding these tools. In addition to ammunition scattered everywhere, you'll find Molotov cocktails and other throwable items. You can use them to distract or set enemies on fire, and spread fire across the area. Although the effects are impressive, the slow movement of picking up these items makes you wonder if it's worth it.

Every aspect of the environment is rich, varied and carefully crafted. Cinematic lighting accentuates the scenery, playing with your state of mind, evoking feelings of nostalgia for a time (that you never actually lived in). While the game never reaches the same level of scares you can experience in full-blown horror games, it still retains an unsettling atmosphere that keeps you immersed in this crazy world. The 1920s setting and jazzy OST give the game a distinct personality and appeal. And who to appreciate it if not horror fans!