Alone in the Dark Game Review – The Spooky Remake Falters in the Combat Department

There’s something in the gaming waters right now in terms of remaking classic games. While 2024’s Alone in the Dark isn’t the first remake of the seminal 1992 game that inspired the survival horror genre, it’s by far the most high profile. The protagonists Detective Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood bear the likenesses and voices of actors David Harbour and Jodie Comer respectively, adding a distinct Hollywood flavor to this game that feels like it should be an HBO series.

Much like the original game, Alone in the Dark sees Emily and Detective Carnby arrive at Derceto Manor in Louisiana to look for Emily’s missing uncle Jeremy. There, they follow the clues to uncover a supernatural mystery that ventures into Lovecraftian territory, confirming only terror lies in the dark, so yeah, don’t go there too often!

Choosing who to wander into the dark with

Alone in the Dark Review – The Spooky Remake Falters in the Combat Department

As a player, it’s up to you to decide which character to play as, while the other serves as a supporting act. There are slight deviations in how their stories unfold and how other NPCs relate to the protagonist chosen, so it adds to the replayability factor as it encourages players to revisit the game through a fresh set of eyes. Considering how new Detective Carnaby is to the case, he does stand out as the character that instantly connects with player who will also be going into the story with no preconceived notions of what’s going on or the Harwood history.

Alone in the Dark lures the player in with an eerie atmosphere from top to bottom. It’s impossible to feel at ease walking through the manor – or elsewhere. Even if it the area is a place that the player has encountered countless times before, there’s a lingering fear that something isn’t right and there could be a surprise lurking around the corner, or even an entire distortion of reality. This also plays out through the spooky design of the environment and the dialogue that shows the characters are feeling the tension too.

The puzzles rule, but the combat sucks

Most of the game is spent exploring the locations for clues and solving puzzles. Naturally, this means paying close attention to the surroundings and hints provided, as the pictures on the wall or items in a room could provide a clue to completing a specific section or unlocking another piece of the story. It isn’t a bad idea to do a quick run-through of the map in the beginning to become accustomed to what is where, as there will be a lot of back and forth taking place across the floors and areas. That said, remember that certain areas will only become accessible after completing a puzzle or finding a key to unlock it.

Surprisingly, the combat mechanism proves to be the weakest part of Alone in the Dark. The camera goes haywire when the monsters attack as it feels like a scramble to shoot them in a head rather than plan attacks. It’s certainly no Resident Evil 4 in this regard, which may disappoint those who want to roundhouse kick or go Rambo on the critters in the shadows.

Should you play Alone in the Dark?

Taking into account how many survival horror games copied the Alone in the Dark formula, there’s a certain familiarity to this story and how it all plays out. That said, this can’t be used as a criticism here since the title effectively created the genre. With all the star power in the voice cast and the upgraded classic formula, this remake is still as fun and addictive as it was in 1992.