Alone in the Dark Review: Welcome Back to Derceto (PC)

The horror genre has found much success in the video game space, with franchises such as Resident Evil consistently delivering exceptional entries. One IP that hasn’t seen much success since its original release in 1992 however, is Alone in the Dark. It was praised at the time for being a groundbreaking piece of horror media that influenced the likes of the original Resident Evil with its fixed camera angles. Unfortunately, the franchise wasn’t able to adapt as well, spawning many poorly received sequels and reboots. 

THQ Nordic has given Alone In The Dark another go with influence from the recently rebooted Resident Evil titles. While the game doesn’t hit a home run on all fronts, the passion that the developer pour into the setting and characters is noticeable in every scene. Alone in the Dark took about 8-10 hours to complete. Players will likely opt for a second playthrough to get the full experience. It’s something I was eager to jump into as I enjoyed my experience with the title. I don’t think every aspect works here, but it’s a great step in the right direction. This Alone in the Dark review will avoid spoilers. 

Alone in the Dark releases on March 20th for Xbox X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

See Also: Ad Infinitum Review: An Engrossing Surrender to the Mind (PS5)

Story – Depression at Derceto

Alone in the Dark isn’t a direct remake of the original although it appears to be on the surface. It’s a reimagining of the original story. Emily Hartwood, and private investigator, Edward Carny, arrive at the Derceto Mansion, an asylum for the mentally ill, after a mysterious letter was sent to Emily from her uncle. Upon arriving, they are told that Jeremy is missing. While Alone in the Dark uses the same setting and main characters, the reason why these two characters arrive at the mansion is different. In the original, the uncle is already dead and you’re trying to essentially figure out what happened. In this reimagined story, you’re looking for him. 

Otherwise known as depression

While progressing through the manor, Emily and Edward start to realize things are stranger than they initially gave it credit for. The walls of Derceto themselves transform and players are thrust into a dangerous new setting. A variety of nightmare-like monsters appear and these characters will be forced to survive against them. These monsters however are only present in an alternate “Dreamscape” world. Players will frequently travel between the real world and the nightmare one, using the information of both to further progress in the mystery. As a result, I found this investigation aspect of the story to be quite gripping. I think they each have their unique purpose. Having these dual worlds comes at a cost however. 

Alone in the Dark is just not scary. The lack of tension in this game also has to do with other elements as well. But just purely from a story perspective, much of the tension was defused by the pure fact that when traversing through Derceto, there are no threats present. Those who are okay with this tradeoff are in for a treat though, as the narrative is fantastic. 

Edward and Emily

Players investigate this disappearance as either Emily or Edward. While the story doesn’t completely change depending on which character you choose, some differences make Alone in the Dark worth replaying. I enjoyed playing the game again from a different perspective. Characters interact differently depending on the character you choose. 

Which character will you start with?

I thought both actors did a great job with the material that was given. Edward honestly felt like a regular dude trying to do the right thing, but in over his head. You can see in the performance how confused he is about everything that is happening but believes in himself. He extrudes this confidence that made his character fun to watch. David Harbor is right at home with this role.

Emily on the other hand has her own worries. Jeremy was initially admitted to the hospital due to his mental illness. He believes the Dark Man is out to get him. Emily’s family has a history of mental illness, and the longer she stays at Derceto, she begins to feel herself slip. Is it her time? Can she trust her mind when no one else will? I’m a sucker for these types of stories and this one got me.

I wish these two were on screen together more

My only complaint is that these characters are not consistent when playing the other. For example, Emily wasn’t “slipping” when I played with Edward. And when I played at Emily, Edward was less convinced of the strange events occurring at the manor. I really wished this wasn’t the case. I would have also liked to have seen Edward and Emily interact with each other more as I found their banter to be fun. 

The Residents

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the various residents that inhabit Derceto. Each resident is at the hospital for a reason. Although we never get to know them intimately, we do get a glance in their mind through the letters they write. These letters not only serve at clues for the players to progress in the manor, but they also help piece together a picture of underlying evil.

What is Grace’s story?

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that each letter is voice-acted. I was even more surprised to hear how exceptionally each voice actor portrayed their character. These characters have this curiosity, worry, and optimism in the way they speak that I found engaging.

Gameplay – Halfway There

Alone in the Dark essentially has two primary gameplay loops. The first is exploring the eerie gothic manor, Derceto. This manor serves as one large puzzle where players are constantly confronted with barriers preventing them from progressing. Players will find keys and clues through letters scattered around the manor. Puzzle difficulty can change depending on the “guidance” difficulty selected at the start of the game (old school or modern). While the puzzles themselves do not change, the hints given throughout the game will become less noticeable.

The map design is akin to that of the Resident Evil remakes. Each section of the house is color-coded to help illustrate when something is in the process of being completed (finding everything in that room) and when something has been completed. If you’re playing modern mode, players can also see when a door can open or when a puzzle can be done through the map. While progressing, players can be taken to Jeremy’s mind, a place called the Dreamscape, where players are introduced to the second gameplay loop.

You’ll get lost in this large building a few times

While in the Dreamscape, Alone in the Dark takes a more action-horror approach. Players will encounter different monsters. That being said, although monsters change in appearance, there isn’t much variety in their actions except one that sneaks around. There also aren’t many enemies in general. Numerous times I found myself with full ammo on all weapons. I did try to conserve my ammunition at first as I thought the title’s survival aspects were eventually going to kick in, but they never did.

Survival Horror

I think gameplay will be what divides players the most in Alone in the Dark. The title gives the illusion of being a survival horror game during the first few encounters with the various gameplay mechanics it introduces. Besides shooting enemies, players can use a melee weapon, throwables, or even stealth in certain areas to conserve bullets. There’s a nice dodge mechanic as well that helps with melee. 

Beware of the Dreamscape

Personally, I only used the melee weapons I found and my guns to get through enemies. I sometimes used throwables, but that was mostly for when I wanted the enemies to give me time to reload. As for melee, without dodging, you’re essentially just trading blows with enemies as it’s rather slow and feels stiff to use. It felt better to control when I got used to being more strategic. Throwables on the other hand is something I never got used to, unfortunately. You can hold the throwable by holding down the throw button, but you’ll be in a throw animation where you’ll move awkwardly and slowly while holding the item. 

These monsters like to dig underground. Make sure to dodge!

Players can also opt to use stealth in certain areas. There isn’t a stealth takedown which means you’ll only be using this to bypass enemies. To be fair, I believe these mechanics might come in handy to speed through certain areas or when playing on the hardest difficulty. It’s just not something I used very often. With all that said, I did enjoy the Dreamscape sequences even with the lack of enemies.

Graphics and Audio – Gothic Jazz

Visually, Alone in the Dark looks better than I thought it would. Most of the game’s heart is in the setting. Derceto’s gothic architecture and intricate interior layout are sumptuously rich in its history and design. Because of the size of the building, however, I found myself not to be as intimately familiar with its layout as I was with other buildings in other horror titles.

I think Alone in the Dark looks better when in the Dreamscape sequences though. The game works best when switching between the two worlds in an instance. I loved that the manor could randomly take you to another place, one where the world isn’t too friendly to outsiders. While the manor’s interior was straightforward with the objects and aesthetics on display, the Dreamscape sequences felt more chaotic, hosting untamed wildlife, decrepit and abandoned structures, and a sky that appeared to mirror Jeremy, a voice crying out for help.

The Dreamscape sequences lend themselves to some creative environments

The dichotomy of these two worlds is also present in the music. Navigating through Derceto and talking to the residents while jazz background music plays transported me to this period. The choice of elevated the worlds. I do wish that it helped create a more suspenseful atmosphere though. It never does. That is not entirely the music’s fault. I believe there are moments when the audio attempts to evoke tension through footsteps or loud unexplained noises in the manor. Unfortunately, there isn’t much to fear in the manor. 

Is Alone in the Dark on your radar? Have you already played it? Do you agree with this Alone in the Dark review? Let us know!

Alone in the Dark was reviewed on PC with a review code provided by Dead Good Media.