GamesAdventureAlone in the DarkAlone in the Dark is a moody psychological thriller that’s trying to breathe new life into a survival horror classicWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesAdventureAlone in the DarkAlone in the Dark is a moody psychological thriller that’s trying to breathe new life into a survival horror classicWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: THQ Nordic)
The Derceto Manor oozes character. Wood-panelled halls give way to locked doors, creaking staircases, and no end of strangely evasive inhabitants – all of whom are guarding a secret I’m determined to uncover. The grand mansion which helped define the original Alone in the Dark has been transformed into a psychiatric hospital in the sprawling THQ Nordic remake, and it would very much feel like a third protagonist were it not somehow working against me.
THQ Nordic’supcoming horror gameclassic does a brilliant job of recontextualizing this survival horror classic, leaning into a new ’20s setting with confidence while holding fast to the spirit of the original. The result so far is an intriguing detective yarn that feels more thriller than all-out horror at times, and although I was hoping for a good scare, a creepy whodunnit seems a far better fit this time around.
Love the craft
(Image credit: THQ Nordic)
This isn’t the first time a developer has tried their hand at an Alone in the Dark revival. Developer Eden Games took a stab back in 2008, an ambitious effort which unfortunately missed the mark. Now, some 16 years later, Pieces Interactive is working together its own vision for the future of the series that is showing a lot of potential.
(Image credit: THQ)
Talking to his fellow patients, when you can find them, provides a little background for Jeremy’s case. Emily dismisses their oddities as clinical madness at first, but Derceto is not all it appears to be. There are a substantial amount of cutscenes in the first three chapters, each featuring a new character – patient, doctor, or otherwise – to help you get a clearer picture of what it’s like to live at the mansion.
There’s a distinct old-world Hollywood feel about these cinematics, with Jodie Comer and David Harbour’s famous acting chops sometimes making me forget that I’m playing a video game instead of watching a Stranger Things/Killing Eve crossover. Even the clues are fully voiced when examined in my inventory, and it all feeds into an impeccable sense of worldbuilding.
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That’s not to say I didn’t run into any problems while playing through this preview – it’s an early build after all, and the game was recentlydelayed yet again. But even with some roughness around the edges in terms of loading times and textures, what I’ve seen of Alone in the Dark’s atmosphere is stylish, authentic, and meticulously-detailed.
Worlds beyond
(Image credit: THQ Nordic)
While the mansion feels claustrophobic to explore, full of locked doors and puzzles through which to gain access to them, Alone in the Dark’s dreamworld is an ever-evolving liminal space filled with untold horrors. From the monster-infested French Quarter to an abandoned oil rig that feels somehow reminiscent ofResident Evil 7, I never know what to expect when I use my talisman to step through from Derceto.
These talisman puzzles are straightforward enough, largely involving a codex to work out symbols and their corresponding numbers, though playing on Modern mode, most of the clues pop up as interactable items when I walk past them. Turning this game mode off would help me lean into the detective aspects of Alone in the Dark a little more, if I so wanted to, as I’d need to pick through each room carefully to ensure I didn’t miss anything.
(Image credit: THQ Nordic)
Exploration is key in Alone in the Dark, yes, but it’s also a survival horror game. That means combat features heavily all the same, despite its heavy psych-thriller leanings. I’ve so far only unlocked a pistol and shotgun for both characters, with ammo for either weapon being plentiful. I’ll allow the fact that there happens to be a lot of pistol bullets, shotgun shells, and health-replenishing bottles of alcohol hidden in various rubbish bins and freezers throughout this quaint New Orleans-adjacent town.
In terms of the gunplay itself, I largely had no issues with it aside from the occasional sound drop-out when firing the pistol. Guns weren’t the only option, either, since I was also able to pick up heavy makeshift weapons for melee attacks should I run out of gun ammo. These included pipes, wrenches, and even a fire axe – though all of them broke after five or six consecutive whacks.
There’s a distinct old-world Hollywood feel about these cinematics, with Jodie Comer and David Harbour’s famous acting chops sometimes making me forget that I’m playing a video game…
There’s a distinct old-world Hollywood feel about these cinematics, with Jodie Comer and David Harbour’s famous acting chops sometimes making me forget that I’m playing a video game…
Alone in the Dark’s combat did start to open up toward the end of my three-chapter preview, with throwable items and flammable Molotovs offering unique environmental kills. What I’ve seen so far leads me to believe that unlocking guns will function similarly to other modern survival horror games likeAlan Wake 2,Resident Evil Village, andDead Space– I’ll have to solve puzzles to get them.
Ambient, brooding, and lovingly adapted from the original, I’m excited to see Alone in the Dark reach its full potential. It might not break any new ground in terms of its faithful survival horror machinations, but it more than makes up for that with vibrant characters, settings, and storylines that pulled me in instantly.
There’s a magnetic strangeness about Derceto, both in how you navigate it and how odd its inhabitants are, that can feel more otherworldly than the dream sequences at times. It begs one question: which is the real world and which is the nightmare? I’ll have to wait for March 20, 2024 to find out, but I’m happy to sit with the strangeness until then.
GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January.
GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January.
GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January.
GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January.
GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January.
GamesRadar+ is exploring the most anticipated video games of the year withBig in 2024, with new articles dropping every day throughout January.
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2
Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3
Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
1
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
2
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
3
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
4
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”
5
Cobra Kai season 6, part 2 review: “Returns to the sort of hard-hitting form that made it such a fan favorite in the first place”