Alone in the Dark (2024) Reviews
Alone in the Dark breathes new life into the original's haunted house premise while adding a solid foundation of modern horror game design.
Alone in the Dark tempts you with some great ideas but inevitably provides no substance. Couple that with less than stellar gameplay and a hunger to tell a better story, I left Derceto Manor feeling unimpressed, frustrated, and ultimately dejected by the sum of its parts
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.
As remakes go, Alone in the Dark has a hard time measuring up to horror stablemates like Resident Evil. All of the requisite ingredients might be here, but they're poorly realised and implemented, resulting in a game that has its moments, but is hamstrung by shoddy combat, half-baked visuals, and more than its fair share of bugs.
Alone in the Dark is a scare-free horror experience, rife with technical issues, a nonsensical plot, and lacklustre performances from its two notable stars.
Alone in the Dark‘s revival has been a long time coming. And while this new take on the mysteries of Derceto Manor carry a decades-long weight of survival horror innovation, Pieces Interactive almost missed the mark. Barring underwhelming combat and a lack of polish, curious players will be met with an expertly acted, unnerving tale of madness that just might be the spark Alone in the Dark needs to reemerge from the shadows.
Alone in the Dark 2024 revitalizes a classic franchise with a compelling setting and exploration focus, despite being marred by bugs and lacklustre combat.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Alone in the Dark is a game that gets 60% right, and the rest is a mixture of poor or frustrating gameplay mechanics.
While certain design qualities feel anemic compared to the original's legacy, Pieces Interactive's reboot contains a special atmosphere & story that survival-horror aficionados will likely appreciate.
Alone in the Dark presents a promising yet imperfect reimagining that captures the essence of a mesmerising, atmospheric adventure game. However, it struggles to rationalise the inclusion of clunky combat and basic stealth elements that detract from the overall experience.
Jodie Comer and David Harbour delight in this devilishly dark reboot of a survival horror classic.
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.
Review in Italian | Read full review
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.
Alone in the Dark isn’t flawless, but it’s definitely one of the best entries in the series so far and an accomplished reimagining. Its story will keep you on your toes, even if sometimes you might feel like it could have a little more fleshed out. And while the game’s combat doesn’t impress, the oppressive atmosphere throughout is effective at keeping you on edge. Throw in a bucketload of enjoyable puzzles to overcome, and you have a survival horror that’s well worth spending some time with.
Alone in the Dark was a reboot I've been looking forward to and actually had on my list of pre-orders prior to receiving a review copy, so needless to say, I was excited to play it and it didn't disappoint. It lays a good foundation for a series relaunch, even if it seems quite polarising. There's a very noticeable disparity between how the game is scored by reviewers compared to how it's scored by fans, so I can't help but wonder if there's still a place in our hearts for an "old school" horror game like this, something that's more chilling than it is frightening. Me? I love this kind of stuff, and I can only hope that there's enough gamers who think alike to justify a sequel. C'mon Pieces, Hell's Kitchen awaits! Surely we haven't seen the last of Edward Carnby... right?