“Alone in the Dark” looks back on a long, but not always glorious, past. The horror series is considered a co-founder of survival horror, but has always been overshadowed by “Resident Evil” and “Silent Hill”.
However, the first parts in the early 1990s set new standards, especially thanks to their fully 3D presentation. Later, the saga went astray in several relaunch attempts: “Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare,” released in 2001, was a solid game, but had no chance against the overwhelming competition.
“Alone in the Dark,” which was released seven years later, was unfortunately a graphics blur – it looked great, but the gameplay fell far short of expectations. Later, the series fell off a cliff with Alone in the Dark: Illumination and ended up in no man's land.
“Alone in the Dark,” which will be released on March 20, 2024, could be the last chance for an (almost) burned brand. Developers Pieces Interactive and THQ Nordic see the game as a reboot, but also as a declaration of love for the series that is intended to focus on the successful virtues.
In the test, “Alone in the Dark” presented itself as an atmospheric action adventure that almost seemed a little out of time with its slow narrative pace and psychological horror.
Two characters, one story
“Alone in the Dark” takes you to deepest Louisiana. Strange things are going on in the Derceto Estate mental hospital: Jeremy Hartwood has disappeared. He was once a well-known painter, but was committed after he explained that he was being followed by the Shadow Man. His niece Emily Hartwood and private investigator Edward Carnby go on the search together.
At the beginning of “Alone in the Dark” we decide which of the two main characters we want to control: This doesn't change the basic gameplay experience, but it does influence the story. While Edward and Emily begin the adventure together, they are not constantly attached to each other.
Depending on the character you choose, we can expect some exclusive areas and modified lines of dialogue. A second playthrough is definitely worth it. It took us around 14 hours for our first hike. However, the playing time also depends heavily on how much time we spend searching the areas for collectibles or reading or listening to the hidden notes.
Relaxed psychological horror
One thing should be said at this point: “Alone in the Dark” is not a horror thriller like “Dead Space” or “The Callisto Protocol”. The game doesn't chase you from one jump scare to the next. Instead, “Alone in the Dark” takes a lot of time: the game world and its atmosphere are the real heroes here and remain the focus for a long time.
Our primary task is to find out what happened in the mental institution and why it changed so many people in such a way.
To do this, we search the premises for clues and walk every inch of Derceto piece by piece. The game captivates you with its pretty environmental graphics, but above all with its very successful acoustics. The dark jazz tones fit the setting perfectly and always gave us goosebumps.
“Alone in the Dark” gives us many options to customize the difficulty level. For example, we decide ourselves whether active objects should be displayed with a white circle or hidden. The game is therefore very reminiscent of the early “Resident Evil” parts. The puzzles themselves are fair and yet challenging.
A recurring element is Jeremy's talisman, which we operate with the help of number combinations that we previously solved in puzzles. For example, we first have to arrange pictures correctly and then match the names there with zodiac signs. With the help of our documents we will then receive the necessary figures.
Similar to the early “Resident Evil” games, “Alone in the Dark” is pleasantly puzzle-heavy, with action passages serving more as disruptors to temporarily increase the tension and pace of the game.
With the exception of two puzzles that stuck with us for a long time, all puzzle mechanics were well explained and implemented. “Alone in the Dark” strikes a balance between good game flow and classic puzzle requirements.
Fight like back then…
The handling of the main characters turns out to be sluggish and not very dynamic. Although we switch between walking pace and relaxed running and can even sneak, there are no evasive movements in close combat. We also cannot jump or even climb freely over objects or otherwise dynamically interact with them.
As the game progresses, we drift more and more into the world of Jeremy Hartwood's thoughts and get to know the demons that haunt him and Derceto. This is where the combat system comes into play. In “Alone in the Dark” we use standard weapons such as pistols, shotguns or a machine gun.
There are no upgrade options or even anything like a loot spiral here – and that's a good thing. As already mentioned, the fights with the dark horror figures primarily serve as a variety within the areas characterized by puzzles and exploration.
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Nevertheless, it is precisely the changes in worlds that provide excitement and thrills here. As soon as we are suddenly no longer in the corridors of the property, but in foggy forests and other areas, the mood and intensity of the game changes significantly. Ammunition is scarce, so every shot needs to be well placed.
But the battles are quite unspectacular: We shoot from a distance, throw and ignite Molotov cocktails that are standing around, or attack advancing monsters with shovels, axes or pickaxes.
Navigation is imprecise and confusing in close combat. Emily and Edward have an extremely difficult time, especially against faster enemies like the annoying giant ticks. On the one hand, these hurdles naturally increase the intensity, but on the other hand, the inaccuracies and, above all, the wild flailing around in the close combat always cause frustration.
Despite the obvious weaknesses, we played through “Alone in the Dark” with motivation. This was also due to the successful story and the many twists and developments.