Alone in the Dark (2023) Preview – A Forefather Of Survival Horror Returns

Before Resident Evil and Silent Hill, 1992’s Alone in the Dark helped lay the foundation for 3D survival horror before the genre even had a name. In Alone in the Dark, players explore a haunted mansion filled with frightening monsters. Resident Evil 2 adapted the idea of having two separate playable characters and scenarios. Numerous sequels of varying quality followed, but it’s been many years since the series was culturally relevant. 

Pieces Interactive revealed its plan to revisit and remake the first celebrated game for modern audiences last year. Alone in the Dark rides the recent wave of survival horror remakes, and a dedicated showcase gave us our first look at how the classic is being rebuilt from the ground up.  

This version of Alone in the Dark sticks largely to the blueprint from 1992. Emily Hartwood seeks out Edward Carnby, a hardboiled detective, after receiving a distressing letter from Jeremy Hartwood. Edward Carnby is tasked with finding the truth behind her uncle’s disappearance. The two visit the Decerto country hospital where Jeremy was admitted after claiming he had been plagued by a dark entity known as the Dark Man. Emily, who is suffering from a family curse known as the Hartwood Curse also joins in on this visit. It soon turns into a battle for their sanity. Jodie (Killing Eve, Enjoy Free GuyDavid Harbour (Violent night, Stranger ThingsEmily (left) and Edward (right), respectively, to provide their voices.

Alone in the Dark features two distinct campaigns. While the plot is the same as the original Alone in the Dark game, the way the story unfolds differs. People behave differently around each character, and they’ll also visit exclusive areas, encouraging players to experience the game twice to see everything. The game’s creators tease that the progress you make in the first playthrough will influence the second. The original story will be retold with new twists, but fans should also keep their eyes open for easter eggs and references. 

As you explore Decerto and beyond, you’ll be assaulted by all manner of supernatural monsters, from strange insect-like critters to grotesque humanoid creatures made from vines. You can blast them apart with firearms, but ammo is limited, so you’ll have to pick your battles and use your resources, and your environment, wisely. This means using melee weapons and throwing stray items, as well as triggering hazards like shooting gas pools to ignite enemy flames. Alone in the Dark places a heavy focus on puzzle solving. Decerto is laden with strange contraptions and riddles, and you’ll need to wear your detective hat to find clues pointing to the right direction. 

Alone in the Dark, a PlayStation 5 game and Xbox Series X/S title for PC will arrive on Halloween 25th. You can get a taste of what’s to come by playing a free downloadable prequel chapter called Grace In The Dark. Launching today, this brief demo is inspired by Alone in the Dark 2’s Jack in the Dark prologue game and stars the young Grace Saunders exploring Decerto weeks before the main game begins. 

With Resident Evil helping usher in a survival horror renaissance with quality new titles and Silent Hill making a comeback, now’s as good a time as any for Alone in the Dark to awaken from hibernation. Pieces must recapture the magic of this series and show players what made it so popular among horror enthusiasts.

 

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