Support NeoGAF

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

---

Game Information

Game Title: Alone in the Dark (2024)

Platforms:

• PlayStation 5 (Mar 20, 2024)
• PC (Mar 20, 2024)
• Xbox Series X/S (Mar 20, 2024)

Trailer:

• Alone in the Dark | Looking For Jeremy Trailer
• Alone in the Dark | The Dark Man Teaser
• Alone in the Dark | Announcement Trailer

Publisher: THQ Nordic

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 62 average - 40% recommended

Metacritic - 64 average based on 60 Critic Reviews

Critic Reviews


AltChar - Asmir Kovacevic - 75 / 100

Alone in the Dark, a remake of the beloved 1992 classic, endeavours to narrate a gripping horror story. However, while it excels in certain aspects, it falls short in capturing the essence of true horror.

AnaitGames - Víctor Manuel Martínez García - Spanish - 5 / 10

Pieces Interactive recovers the master lines of the 1992 original to create a reboot that fails to revitalize its proposal.

Atomix - Aldo López - Spanish - 75 / 100

I would not recommend making your purchase instantly, because in its first days it costs $60 USD, and the truth is, it is not worth it no matter how much it has decent elements. If you want to try Alone in The Dark, I suggest waiting for a discount after a few months or just being patient in case by some miracle they add it to Game Pass.

Bazimag - Bahram Bigharaz - Persian - 6 / 10

The latest attempt to revive Alone in the Dark is not considered a weak title but a disappointing one that failed because of incompetence or maybe even low budget. A title that can be enjoyed in some parts and even considered respectable, but in the end, due to the strange decisions of the creators and their inability to develop, it could not be a title worthy of the name of this series.

COGconnected - Jaz Sagoo - 84 / 100

Alone in the Dark is an impressive reimagining that successfully revitalizes the franchise. Instead of leaning into the action elements that have become more prevalent in the genre, Pieces Interactive respects its DNA by opting to focus on the puzzle aspect of the adventure. As a result, the game carves its own niche which will lure fans of the genre. Although the action segments feel a little rigid and dated, the conundrums are well thought out and a highlight of the experience which helps to make this a must for horror addicts.

Capsule Computers - Admir Brkic - 8 / 10

While this reimagining of the 1992 cult classic is lacking on some fronts, it makes up for the superb and unsettling atmosphere sprinkled throughout the whole game all while being a strong love letter to the original.

Cerealkillerz - Steve Brieller - German - 8.2 / 10

In conclusion, the Alone in the Dark Remake offers a compelling blend of detective intrigue, film noir atmosphere, and horror elements. While the narrative, graphics, and sound design excel in creating an immersive experience, shortcomings in gameplay mechanics, particularly in combat and stealth sequences, detract from its overall impact.

Checkpoint Gaming - Charlie Kelly - 5.5 / 10

Alone in the Dark has fumbled once again, with this reimagining circling the drain to a pit of mediocrity. Though the game itself and the environments can be beautiful, it doesn't take advantage of its star-studded cast nor does it tell a story that is remotely sensical or engaging. Always offering just the bare minimum of staples for the survival horror genre and nothing more, it's sad to see the grand daddy of the genre be a shell of its former self. Maybe Alone in the Dark should remain exactly like its namesake.

Cultured Vultures - Jimmy Donnellan - 7 / 10

While it has plenty of rough edges, Pieces Interactive's take on horror royalty is the best the series has been in decades.

Dexerto - Sam Smith - 4 / 5

Those looking for a third-person action shooter may lose patience with Alone in the Dark. However, those looking for a traditional survival horror experience, one with its PS1 roots still slightly visible, might be reminded why they fell in love with the genre to begin with. The main takeaway though, is that Alone in the Dark is finally back, playing to its strengths, and catering to those who’ve missed it.

Digitec Magazine - Cassie Mammone - German - Unscored

"Alone in the Dark" is a successful survival horror game. As a fan of the genre, I am pleased about a few sensible modernizations such as the simplified inventory management and the interactive map. I can overlook most of the old problems, such as the unspectacular shooting sequences.

Duuro Magazine - Krist Duro - Recommended

Although the performance of the two main actors is bad, the setting, the story, the weird gorgeous locations you get to visit and the gameplay make it worth your time and money.

EIP Gaming - Dylan Graves - 8.5 / 10

Alone in the Dark has such a fantastic pulp horror aesthetic that it makes up for very lackluster gameplay. Stand out performances, a clear reverence for horror, and some great writing make it work. Though it might not quite be worth the price...

Enternity.gr - Stylianos Almpanidis - Greek - 6.5 / 10

Fans of the original game will feel nostalgic, but if they look at the leaps that have been made in recent years in terms of development, their fervor will quickly subside.

Entertainium - Gareth Brading - Worth your time

Alone in the Dark is a slightly more campy form of horror compared to Resident Evil, with its focus on occult magic and otherworldly monsters over evil megacorporations unleashing deadly bioweapons. The performances and story of this remake kept me engaged, but weren’t groundbreaking. That said the atmosphere was strong throughout and included a number of moments which felt genuinely unnerving, although nothing as terrifying as Resident Evil Village for example. As a tribute to its original namesake, Alone in the Dark certainly lives up to being the best game in the franchise since The New Nightmare in 2001.

Evilgamerz - Dutch - 8 / 10

Pieces Interactive has chosen the Unreal Engine 4 and that choice has turned out very well. The environments are detailed and stylish. The characters generally look convincing and the facial animations are also convincing enough. It's not at the level Naughty Dog is at, but certainly good enough. It's a shame that the animations of the monsters are less convincing. They often feel a bit clumsy, which does not improve the tension. Of course we can't forget to mention the soundtrack. Musician Jason Köhnen creates the perfect oppressive atmosphere with his jazzy music that is needed in Alone in the Dark. At no point does the music miss the mark, and that's great. Developer Pieces Interactive has created a beautiful game with the reboot of Alone in the Dark. You will not easily come across a game that exudes so much atmosphere and constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. The convincing characters, the beautifully designed Derceto Manor and the oppressive atmosphere make it an exciting adventure. And although the horror element of the dream world is the least exciting, the tension of walking through the enormous mansion makes a huge impression. The puzzles are varied and challenging enough to make you stop regularly to think. Add to this the excellent acting of Emily and Edward and you can say that the return to Derceto Manor is more than successful.

GAMES.CH - Olaf Bleich - German - 80%

Quote not yet available

GGRecon - Tarran Stockton - 2.5 / 5

The game certainly gets better as time goes on, and the story is well-told enough that it's worth experiencing for survival horror fans. However, it comes with the caveats that the overall gameplay leaves a lot to be desired, and its survival horror contemporaries just do a better job on nearly every front.

GameLuster - Jess Clayton-Berry - 8 / 10

If you liked the Resident Evil 2 remake, you will easily enjoy Alone in the Dark which makes for a solid survival horror game.

GameMAG - Russian - 5 / 10

Alone in the Dark is a B-class game that can be compared to projects like Daymare: 1994 Sandcastle and Song of Horror. But it can't even come close to the legendary original.

Gameffine - Subhasish Das - 80 / 100

‘Alone in the Dark is an impressive reimagining of the original 1992 game, enhancing the premise in every conceivable way. It boasts a stellar cast, whose performances bring the story’s beats to life. The unlockable secret endings significantly enhance its replayability. Its highly customizable difficulty settings make it accessible to a broad mainstream audience. Minor issues such as clunky gunplay and movement can be easily overlooked given its superb atmospheric immersion and ambient soundscapes.

Gamer Guides - Chris Moyse - 77 / 100

Alone in the Dark serves up a classy and confident slice of old-school survival horror, all sliding puzzles, creaking floorboards, and long, dark shadows. Though it lacks the grander scope of its Shock & Gore contemporaries, this quaint tribute to yesteryear impresses with its kooky cast, strong atmosphere, and vintage ‘ghost story’ vibes. Crucially, Alone in the Dark finally fans have a new adventure they can be proud of.

GamingBolt - Shubhankar Parijat - 6 / 10

There are bright spots here that genre veterans can and likely will latch on to, but Alone in the Dark feels a bit too rough and unpolished in areas that are too critical to the experience to ever be able to truly meet its full potential.

GamingTrend - Henry Viola - 70 / 100

Alone in the Dark plays more of a moody psychological thriller with a heavy emphasis on puzzles rather than a traditional survival horror experience. That combined with the plethora of technical issues hold another remake of an original masterpiece back from reaching its true heights.

God is a Geek - Chris White - 7 / 10

Alone in the Dark is a faithful take on the original, with some smart puzzles and a charming Southern tone despite some frustrating combat.

IGN Spain - Rafa Del Río - Spanish - 8 / 10

After several installments that have failed to do justice to the Infogrames classic, Alone in the Dark returns in a new episode somewhere between a reboot and a remake. An original story with an all-star cast that modernizes the classic and offers a new starting point for this mix of Lovecraft and intelligent humor.

Life is Xbox - 60%

Alone in the Dark is back, but ultimately falls short of the expectations.

NookGaming - Andrew Camac - 8 / 10

While not a complete triumph, falling down in the same places as many other survival horror titles, and a rather iffy last act to boot, there is still so much to fall in love with in Alone in the Dark (2024). It is a must-play for horror fans and would also make an excellent pool to dip your toe into if you're new to the genre, with the fantastic options on offer to make the game as accessible or as masochistic as you need it to be

Alone in the Dark (2024) is exactly what this dormant series needed after the deathblow that was Alone in the Dark: Illumination. It sticks to what made the series famous with classic horror clichés, hammy acting, a great atmosphere, and an engrossing mystery. It's not only a fantastic stand-alone title, but is in the upper echelons of reimaginings, leaning on the original title where it counts, but not enough to make it a crutch. It adds its unique ideas to further the experience and gives gamers a true dark-fantasy horror that would please any avid fans of Lovecraft.

PC Gamer - Alexander Chatziioannou - 76 / 100

Unsettling and narratively ambitious, this is the best Alone in the Dark game since 1992.

Press Start - James Berich - 7 / 10

Alone In The Dark is an ambitious reimagining that does little to differentiate itself from the games it's inspired by. While it's clearly taking inspiration from both Resident Evil and The Evil Within to be a survival horror powerhouse, the flat feeling combat and timid horror elements stop it from standing above the games that inspired it. Despite this, a unique take on the story and the strong setting makes it well worth a look for horror fans.

Prima Games - Patrick Souza - 8 / 10

Alone in the Dark is a perfect example of how to reboot a series without deviating too much from original source nor shying away from a new direction. If you're looking for some spooky vibes, you found them.

Push Square - Liam Croft - 6 / 10

There are too many flaws at the heart of Pieces Interactive's Alone in the Dark reboot for a blanket recommendation, but anyone with a love for classic survival horror gameplay should - after a few post-launch patches at least - find a relatively worthwhile experience. The combat sections are awful and there's very little to actually spook you, but the puzzle-solving gameplay at the game's core shines. For that alone, it'll find just enough of an audience ready and willing to love it.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Jon Bailes - Unscored

Returning to its interwar period roots, Alone in the Dark successfully reworks and expands the original game's scenario and characters, but its exploration, puzzle solving and combat largely stick to now familiar survival horror routines.

SECTOR.sk - Matúš Štrba - Slovak - 8 / 10

The new Alone in the Dark game is slow and the action is secondary. There are a lot of puzzles and you have to read journals, notes and clues to solve them. You'll enjoy the atmosphere, the intelligently written story, the two well-crafted perspectives, the great music, and just the puzzles. Want to shoot zombies in the head and not strain yours? Find something else.

Spaziogames - Domenico Musicò - Italian - 7.2 / 10

Due to the clumsy and imprecise combat system, as well as the outdated graphics, Alone in the Dark fails to relaunch the series among the big franchises of the survival horror genre.

Stevivor - Steve Wright - 3.5 / 10

While true fans of the franchise might get a kick out of seeing a new take on an old story, Alone in the Dark is a tonal and functional mess that frustrates more than it entertains.

The Games Machine - Gabriele Barducci - Italian - 7 / 10

Alone in the Dark is, unfortunately, a missed opportunity. Despite an absolutely fascinating aesthetic and artistic structure, the game encounters terrible technical problems, so much so that it affects the performance of the game itself in terms of gameplay mechanics.

Thumb Culture - 5 / 5

Alone in the Dark is brilliant and ticks all the boxes for me. The setting, storyline, characters, gameplay and puzzles are fantastic. If you enjoy a mix of combat and puzzle solving with a horror vibe running through it, you certainly need to pick this game up.

WellPlayed - James Wood - 5.5 / 10

Alone in the Dark marks a fine attempt at contemporary survival horror mechanics but is completely adrift with an incoherent narrative, dull design, and baffling tonal choices.

WhatIfGaming - Rizwan Anwer - 8 / 10

Alone in the Dark is a strong return to form for the series that helped kickstart the survival horror genre. Its excellent atmosphere, strong mystery, and largely engaging combat design lend to a satisfying and thrilling experience. Some of the character work feels underdeveloped, and a few design choices don't always make sense, but Alone in the Dark is worth the scares, and offers a decent amount of replayability for multiple playthroughs.

XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8 / 10

Alone in the Dark has come a long way from its initial showings. Clever writing, great performances by its two leads, and solid gameplay come together to give the franchise a new life.

 

[adamsapple]

Rental it is then.

 

[Draugoth]

Big oof

 

[Arsic]

Of all the games in 2024 this is one of them.

 

[Physiognomonics]

and the story is well-told enough...it comes with the caveats that the overall gameplay leaves a lot to be desired

This is what's often wrong with many of those western AA or AAA games and why Indie and Japanese developers often get it right. Western developers try to make a movie first while the others try to make a game first.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

6 out of 10 from IGN.

 

[Faust]

Survival horror and low review scores. Name a more iconic duo.

Will def pick this game up, but DD2 takes priority.

 

[Flabagast]

70 is ok for this type of game, will probably try it out

 

[lh032]

6 out of 10 from IGN.

i thought IGN praised it

 

[fart town usa]

I'll be playing it tomorrow.

 

[Valt7786]

Too much budget spent on actors that weren't necessary.
I'm gonna pick it up 'cause I wanna support the genre though.

 

[Gudji]

6 out of 10 from IGN.

 

[Kacho]

i thought IGN praised it

Their video preview was more of an advertisement

 

[lh032]

 

[Arsic]

i thought IGN praised it

That’s their job since they are paid or given access. They try to be misleading until the review. Exceptions are games that they have a hate boner for like suicide squad or are already confirmed dog shit like walking dead last year.

While they write those previews they are basically thinking :

 

[Physiognomonics]

I am really disappointed because I loved to death the original PC game. I played that game using floppy disks!

 

[Beer Baelly]

 

[Kacho]

Too much budget spent on actors that weren't necessary.
I'm gonna pick it up 'cause I wanna support the genre though.

Yeah, wasting money on actors is really questionable when you see those janky animations

 

[SolidQ]

Those looking for a third-person action shooter may lose patience with Alone in the Dark. However, those looking for a traditional survival horror experience, one with its PS1 roots still slightly visible, might be reminded why they fell in love with the genre to begin with.

I'm In, don't need shooter in Survival games

 

[JimmyRustler]

So how woke is the writing? I can handle clunky gameplay, “progressive “ writing I cannot.

 

[Fake]

Remakes and remasters.

 

[drganon]

Isn't this like the third time they've rebooted this series?

 

[winjer]

 

[Giallo Corsa]

The way I see it, this is more like Alan Wake 2 than something like Resident Evil in that you'll be spending more time doing investigations/interacting with the environment etc compared to a more straightforward survival horror game where you're bathing in the game's atmosphere blasting enemies when needed.
And yes, I've played the OG game so...

I'm gonna get it when it drops to the 20-15 Eurodollars mark, can't be worse than Atari's X360 era reboot (which was horrible).

 

[ShadowNate]

Hmm, I still hope it's good.

The summary of these reviews read like they don't really know what made the original special. And this is a remake of the original.

And though one does expect certain gameplay aspects to have been improved upon considereably, I don't really want a RE remake clone from this. I want it to attempt to do its own thing (and hope that the devs at least tried to do this).

 

[Gamer_By_Proxy]

I'm almost relieved this isn't scoring well. I'm drowning in games atm.
Juggling helldivers, rebirth and outcast while also needing to finish up a few others.

 

[Kacho]

So how woke is the writing? I can handle clunky gameplay, “progressive “ writing I cannot.

Not sure yet. The reviews dropping today are sponsored so I doubt they touch on that subject. IMO the only potential red flag is how they handle the mental health subject.

 

[acm2000]

so bang average as expected, wait for sale or gamepass/psplus

 

[Chuck Berry]

The summary of these reviews read like they don't really know what made the original special. And this is a remake of the original.

They don't. Im sure 99% of them werent even swimming in daddy's balls yet when these games released and were popular.

 

[Bartski]

 

[The Cockatrice]

They spent more time and money on hiring Hollywood actors and marketing than the actual game. I called it since day 1 that it looks bad. Another pass.

 

[SolidQ]

, wait for sale or gamepass/psplus

Today, almost every game for sale

 

[Agent_4Seven]

Video game journalism these days..... ugh.

Fuck you all with 2,5/5, 4,5/10 scores and fuck IGN especially.

StopGame gave the game the highest award and it's more than enough for me to buy and play it eventually.

 

[Kacho]

The more I see the more I'm sold on this. What a twist.

 

[Maddoxswe]

Good, i don't have the time for another good game until i'm done with ff7 rebirth ( yes, yes i know, DD2 and rise of ronin coming this friday )

 

[justiceiro]

I guess I will just get the heavily discounted collection for now... and wait for this one to be heavily discounted too .

 

[Bartski]

anybody know what time it unlocks?

edit: 7am PDT / 10am EDT/ 2pm GMT / 3pm CET / 11pm JST looks like cross platform sync launch god I hate those

 

[balls of snow]

Gonna start Rise of Ronin and continuing Vii Rebirth. I will catch Alone in The Dark in the scary month of the year.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Gonna start Rise of Ronin and continuing Vii Rebirth. I will catch Alone in The Dark in the scary month of the year.

Ooh election time in November. Good call.

 

[Fabieter]

It looks alright but rise of the ronin and dragons dogma is more important tho.

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Finished adding the rest of the reviews that went up on Opencritic so I'm done with updating the OP for a while.

 

[Denton]

Wow, what a spread. From 3s to 9s. I am pretty sure I will enjoy it somewhere around 8 on the scale.

Some of the reviews just invoke the "you don't hate journalists enough" meme. Like game rant giving 3, with The 2024 Alone in the Dark is a deeply flawed game, but at least it's never boring. The first playthrough is fun despite its issues, mostly thanks to the campy story, and exploring Derceto is rewarding, even with the simplistic puzzles

 

[amigastar]

63? They had only one job...

 

[Futaleufu]

63? They had only one job...

What job? Turning a survival horror into a third person shooter like Resident Evil?

 

[amigastar]

What job? Turning a survival horror into a third person shooter like Resident Evil?

To make it good, actually.

 

[Doctor Hades]

Despite the lukewarm review scores, I am still very much looking forward to playing this game on PC as I have been enjoying a couple of double AA games with "jank", namely Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden and Outcast: A New Beginner, far more than the big triple A exclusives. Even with the flaws they somehow feel more ambitious and interesting to me, perhaps because they're made on a smaller budget by fewer developers.

 

[Dazraell]

I've read some reviews and watched some videos and it seems I may like it. I expected 6-7/10 AA game that looks janky, but has some redeeming qualities and it seems this will fit the bill. I'm quite intrigued it's apparently less focused on combat and more on action, exploration and puzzles. Will definitely pick it up

 

[NeverYouMind]

It is likely going to be the best survival horror title to release this year and the best title in its franchise.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Mixed reviews to me are always a weird plus.

Im probably going to end up checking it out. I love being on the guinea pig crew for titles like this. Im in the exact same position as Doctor Hades with really enjoying the AA landscape lately so this looks like it could fit the bill nicely.

Seriously, as long as it doesn't crash on me endlessly, Ill probably enjoy it.

Sorry Danjin44 , Fat Cop From Stranger Things here I come

 

[fart town usa]

To make it good, actually.

Maybe try playing the game first.