Alone in the Dark Review Roundup

Alone in the Dark is a remake of the game that built the foundation for survival-horror genre. While the first Alone in the Dark was received well, the subsequent remakes, and sequels didn’t fare too well.

In an attempt to revitalize the series, the developer Pieces Interactive and THQ Nordic (publisher) have graced us with the modern remake of the original Alone in the Dark.

Is the game any good? Does it do a good job of bringing the series to the forefront of the horror genre? Let’s find out.

About Alone in the Dark (2024)

Genre: Alone in the Dark is a survival horror game. It emphasizes a haunting atmosphere, psychological horror elements, limited resources, and encounters with terrifying creatures inspired by the works of H.P. Lovecraft.

Developer: Pieces Interactive, a Swedish game studio known for titles like Magicka 2, developed the 2024 reimagining of Alone in the Dark.

Publisher: THQ Nordic is the publisher behind Alone in the Dark (2024).

Platforms: Alone in the Dark (2024) is available on the following platforms:

• PlayStation 5
• Windows (PC)
• Xbox Series X/S

Plot

Emily Hartwood receives a disturbing letter from her missing uncle, Jeremy, who resided in the eerie Derceto Manor—an asylum nestled in the Louisiana swamps. She enlists the help of private detective Edward Carnby to investigate.

They discover dark secrets lurking within Derceto’s walls: twisted residents, nightmarish creatures, and a pervasive evil rooted in a Lovecraftian cult with sinister connections to the manor’s past. Emily and Carnby must confront these horrors while unraveling the truth behind Jeremy’s disappearance.

Critical and Media Reviews

“Alone in the Dark Review – Flickers of Inspiration” – Wccftech (7/10)

The Wccftech review was on the positive side reflecting both the good and underwhelming aspects of the game. The review was positive about the atmosphere, settings, and interesting story. However, the performance wasn’t up to the mark, given that the game isn’t about high-end fidelity.

Read the full review here

“Alone In The Dark Review – Dimly Lit” – Gamespot (4/10)

The Gamespot review by Mark Delaney is mostly on the negative side but does highlight the good aspects of the game as well. The reviewer was impressed with the story, the setting and the exploration part of the game.

However, the reviewer was unimpressed with the whole combat system, some frustrating puzzles and a weird issue with audio lag while shooting the gun.

Read the full review here

“Same mansion, different horrors” – PC Gamer (76/100)

The reviewer, Alexander Chatziioannou, finds the story to be unsettling and ambitious, and appreciates the callbacks to the original game. The setting is a creepy mansion that changes throughout the game.

The gameplay is a mix of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving, with resource scarcity adding tension. The reviewer praises the acting and dialogue, but criticizes some of the combat sections and bugs. Overall, the reviewer considers this to be a successful revival of the Alone in the Dark series.

Read the full review here

“A perfunctory romp that doesn’t quite live up to the hype” – EuroGamer (2/5)

The reviewer, Vikki Blake, finds the story and atmosphere to be creepy and engaging, but thinks the game doesn’t reach its full potential. The article mentions bugs and glitches throughout the game. The reviewer also criticizes the combat system, calling it frustrating, and finds the puzzles to be repetitive.

In short, the game has a good story and creepy atmosphere but is brought down by bugs, frustrating combat, and repetitive puzzles.

Read the full review here

Gameranx

Jake Baldino from Gameranx highlights its strengths in atmospheric environments, creative scares, and intricate puzzles. The game’s reimagined setting and nods to classic horror elements offer a nostalgic appeal for fans.

However, it falls short in combat mechanics, with messy and awkward encounters detracting from the experience. Pacing issues and a lack of cohesion in storytelling contribute to a mixed reception. Despite its flaws, the game shows potential for the franchise’s revival, especially appealing to older school horror gamers or those forgiving of its shortcomings.

Gamingbolt

The game impresses with its well-designed exploration, offering a maze-like structure filled with rewarding collectibles and lore. Puzzle-solving proves engaging, although combat falls short due to janky mechanics and lack of challenge.

Despite inconsistent storytelling and technical issues like audio glitches, the game’s atmospheric visuals and nostalgic nods to the original series appeal to survival horror enthusiasts. While Alone in the Dark doesn’t quite reach the heights of its contemporaries, it offers enough redeeming qualities to satisfy genre fans.

User Reviews

The user reviews also echoed similar concerns about performance issues, janky controls and poor combat. However, most users were positive about the story, exploration and the atmosphere of the game.

Overall Review

Alone in the Dark does a good job with the atmosphere, story, and exploration of the Decerto. However, the combat seems to be unimpressive and some of the puzzles in the game seem to be frustration, although that can be very subjective.