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Unhappy he whose eyes alight upon that foulest of texts. Spoilers and plot details present in this article. |
Alone in the Dark is a survival horror action-adventure video game developed by Pieces Interactive and published by THQ Nordic for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Microsoft Windows. It is the seventh entry in the Alone in the Dark series following Alone in the Dark: Illumination.
In a love letter to the ground-breaking original, Alone in the Dark is a re-imagination of the classic 1992 survival horror game in a noir setting with classic Lovecraftian horror elements and moody atmosphere of darkness carried by terrifying visuals, with a deep psychological story by Mikael Hedberg, cult horror writer of SOMA and Amnesia, incorporating characters, places and themes from the 90’s original trilogy with no prior knowledge required, but filled with references for those feeling nostalgic.
Set in the gothic American south in 1930, Alone in the Dark follows Emily Hartwood and private investigator Edward Carnby arriving at Derceto Manor, a home for the mentally fatigued, and finding that her uncle Jeremy Hartwood has gone missing. In the strange manor they encounter strange residents, portals to nightmarish worlds, dangerous monsters and a plot of rising evil and its followers. The player may choose to play as Edward or Emily and uncover Derceto’s mysteries from two perspectives, each with their own unique approach to the story with different cutscenes and levels.
Gameplay[]
Alone in the Dark is a survival horror game played from an "over-the-shoulder" third-person perspective. The game revolves around investigating the environments for clues and solving puzzles to advance. The player may choose the difficulty, them being Easy, Standard and Hard, which will determine how much resources the player find and how tough the enemies will be. The game also features a Player Guidance that can be set to Modern to aid newcomers on finding clues and traversing the map, or to Old School to give the player an immersive detective experience, left to their own wits to read the clues and explore the map, the Player Guidance can be customized according to the player's wishes.[1]
Alone in the Dark bears an interestingly similar fashion to the first games' mechanics, but massively modernized and improved upon. Combat consists of firearms, melee weapons and throwable objects, along with environmental hazards that can be used to have an edge on the monsters. The environment is filled with items for the player to find, such as ammo, melee weapons, keys, collectibles such as journals, letters and lagniappes that unlock secret informations about the story and objectives.
Plot[]
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I'm Alone in the Dark, I'll explain some other time. This section is incomplete. You can help by expanding it. |
Development[]
Three years after the poor reception of Alone in the Dark: Illumination, former publisher ATARI S.A. sold the franchise's IP to THQ Nordic on September 2018. Pieces Interactive, known for making Magicka 2, commenced the game's development in 2019. Inspired by the success of the recent Resident Evil remakes, Alone in the Dark features an over-the-shoulder perspective to provide immersion when traversing the environments and intense combat with a variety of weapons, while having a multitude of challenging puzzles to solve.
The game is written and directed by Mikael Hedberg, mostly known for working on major horror games like SOMA and Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It will feature an original plot incorporating characters, places and themes from the first three Alone in the Dark games, with monsters designed by the legendary Guillermo del Toro collaborator, Guy Davis, and the works of Doom Jazz legend Jason Köhnen for a chilling noir soundtrack.
The story of Alone in the Dark was made by studying the original games and trying to understand what the original developer's creative intentions for the first game were while extrapolating and over-reading the game's content in order to bring a more fleshed out lore and relatable characters, which Mikael deemed too limited in the original game.
System Requirements[]
| Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|
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Release[]
On August 12th, 2022, THQ Nordic released an Official Announcement Trailer on YouTube, featuring snippets of gameplay and cutscenes, revealing the two playable protagonists Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood. The official website was officially launched with screenshots of the game, and the reveal that the game was being written by Mikael Hedberg, known for major horror games such as Amnesia: The Dark Descent and SOMA, with a whole new plot based on the first game, while maintaining characters, locations and themes from the classic 90's trilogy. Along with the reveal, the official demo and prologue chapter for the game was made playable at GamesCom under closed doors, featuring Grace Saunders as the main character. The game is to be launched on PS5, Xbox Series S/X and PC.
On October 31st, 2022, THQ Nordic release a short Halloween Teaser featuring ambient music of the game along with a small reference to Jeremy Hartwood's suicide in the attic from the first game.
On May 23, 2023, THQ Nordic released the Spotlight announcement on YouTube, to be streamed live on YouTube and Twitch on May 25th, at 5 PM PST / May 26 at 2 AM CEST.
On May 25th, the Spotlight was officially released, revealing the release date for October 25th, 2023, and David Harbour and Jodie Comer as the actors behind the main characters, along with gameplay and plot details by Mikael Hedberg and Frédérick Raynal, the creator of the original Alone in the Dark. Along with the Spotlight, the Alone in the Dark Prologue was made available on all platforms for free, and the Standard and Digital Deluxe Editions available for pre-order, along with new screenshots and info on the actors in the game's website.
On May 30th, 2023, THQ Nordic launched a release trailer for the Alone in the Dark Prologue on YouTube, featuring scenes from the game.
On August 1st, 2023, THQ Nordic launched "The Dark Man Teaser" on all social media platforms, announcing more to come on August 2nd.
On September 5th, 2023, an announcement was posted on the official Alone in the Dark Twitter profile that the launch date has been moved to January 16, 2024, due to the fierce competition in the month of October.[2] Along with the delay, the game's presence was confirmed at Fearfest 2023.
On October 31st 2023, the extended gameplay trailer "Looking for Jeremy" was first released on the Jeux Vidéo channel on YouTube.[3] On November 8th the video was made available on THQ Nordic's channel.
On December 7th, 2023, THQ Nordic made an announcement that the release of the game has been postponed to March 20, 2024 [4]
Editions[]
Standard Edition[]
This version of the game includes the Alone in the Dark Prologue and the Derceto 1992 costume pack on pre-order, to play with the classic characters characters from the original.
Digital Deluxe Edition[]
The Deluxe Edition of the game includes:[5]
- Alone in the Dark Prologue
- Derceto 1992 costume pack: Play Alone in the Dark with the original characters from 1992.
- Vintage Horror Filter Pack: Get some nice vintage horror filters while playing the game.
- Director's Commentary Mode: Play the game with commentaries from the director.
Collector's Edition*[]
*The Collector's Edition of Alone in the Dark is strictly limited to 5000 units worldwide.
This edition of the game includes:
- The game on XBox Series X, PS5 or PC.
- Collector's Edition DLC Package.
- Glow Alone in the Dark Steelbook.
- The Dark Man Statue - 26cm/10 inch height.
- Ostadte Miniature - 10cm/4 inch height.
- Derceto 1930 Wallstickers set.
- "Do not disturb" doorhang.
Additional content[]
Extra material was released along with the content from the Digital Deluxe Edition as separate DLC.
Official Soundtrack[]
Dive into the chilling atmosphere of "Alone in the Dark" with the exclusive Soundtrack Pack, featuring compositions by the renowned Árni Bergur Zoëga. This special collection, enhanced by Doom Jazz pioneer Jason Kohnen, includes 35 immersive tracks that create a haunting soundscape unique to the game's universe. Perfect for fans of atmospheric horror and music aficionados alike, each track delves deep into the abyss, promising an auditory experience that resonates beyond the game. Experience the depth of "Alone in the Dark" through its music, where each note crafts the backdrop of a world teeming with dark dreams and eerie silences.[6]
Digital Artbook[]
Step into the shadowy world of "Alone in the Dark" through the pages of our Digital Art Book. This comprehensive collection showcases the eerie beauty of the game's interbellum universe, featuring concept art, detailed monster renderings, and otherworldly visuals that will send shivers down your spine. Legendary monster designer Guy Davis lends his extraordinary talent, offering fans an exclusive look at the creative process behind the game's most terrifying creatures. Ideal for horror enthusiasts and art collectors alike, the Digital Art Book is a testament to the creative genius that transforms our deepest nightmares into virtual reality. Explore the hauntingly beautiful art that makes "Alone in the Dark" a masterpiece of horror gaming.[7]
Reception[]
Alone in the Dark received "mixed or average" reviews on Metacritic, with a metascore of 66/100 on PC[8] and Xbox Series X/S[9] and 63/100 on PlayStation 5.[10]
Most of the criticism was directed at sound glitches and game breaking bugs upon launch (mostly on PS5) and gameplay considered by some to be clunky and basic. However, the game was still praised for its atmosphere, soundtrack, intriguing story, character development and stellar acting from David Harbour and Jodie Comer as the main characters.
According to Embracer Group, the game failed to meet sales expectations which lead to the layoff of multiple developers. Soon after, Embracer Group shut down Pieces Interactive.[11][12][13]
Media[]
Official art[]
Official website[]
Play Station Store[]
Promotional screenshots[]
Steam[]
Trailers[]
Trivia[]
- This is the first title in the series that is not published by ATARI.
- Alone in the Dark features many easter eggs and references to the 90's trilogy, and also to other games in the series and its vision as a reimagining of the title.
- Alone in the Dark returns to form with several aspects of the classic titles:
- The cover art returns to the classic composition of a back view of protagonist facing the setting of the story, being the first featuring two protagonists.
- The classic window shot returns.
- Like previous titles, Alone in the Dark begins in a holiday eve, this time during the Saint John's Eve. But unlike the others, this holiday is relevant to the plot.
- The protagonists actively express their current situation to the player, such as when they run out of bullets, when a key is missing or when they can't go a certain way.
- The clues (such as books and documents) are read with the voice of the author who wrote them.
- Just like in the 1992 title, Emily Hartwood sprints slightly faster than Edward Carnby.
References[]
- ↑ Alone in the Dark difficulty and accessibility options detailed - Sportskeeda, retrieved May 14 2024
- ↑ "Horror games thrive on the eerie embrace of solitude, something that is impossible to achieve in a gaming month as busy as October. To ensure a breathtaking experience for everyone, we have made the decision to move the release of #AloneInTheDark to January 16, 2024." - https://twitter.com/AITDGame/status/1699045029535179071?t=I5WzMBnqSxakadKYGq9kXw&s=19
- ↑ Alone in the Dark | "Looking for Jeremy" Gameplay EXCLUSIF 4K
- ↑ "Together with PiecesInt, we have decided to postpone the release of #AloneInTheDark. The well-being of our teams is a top priority, and both companies want to avoid any potential crunch over the holidays – this is why we have decided to move the release date to March 20, 2024." - https://twitter.com/THQNordic/status/1732772101357031475
- ↑ Alone in the Dark - Digital Deluxe Edition - Pre-Order
- ↑ Alone in the Dark Soundtrack on Steam
- ↑ Alone in the Dark Digital Artbook on Steam
- ↑ Metascore for Alone in the Dark on PC - Metacritic, retrieved May 7, 2024
- ↑ Metascore for Alone in the Dark on Xbox Series X - Metacritic, retrieved May 7 2024
- ↑ Metascore for Alone in the Dark on PlayStation 5 - Metacritic, retrieved May 7, 2024
- ↑ Alone in the Dark Reboot Flopped, Embracer Says After Laying Off Staff - IGN, retrieved May 27, 2024
- ↑ Embracer Shuts Down Alone in the Dark Developer Pieces Interactive - IGN, June 17 2024
- ↑ Thanks for Playing With Us - Pieces Interactive
| Video Games | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1990's |
Alone in the Dark • Jack in the Dark • Alone in the Dark 2 • Alone in the Dark 3 | |
| 2000's |
Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare • Alone in the Dark (2008) | |
| 2010's |
Alone in the Dark: Illumination | |
| 2020's |
Alone in the Dark (2024) | |