Alone in the Dark (2024) Reviews
The team at THQ Nordic has managed not only to bring Alone in the Dark back to life, but to breathe so much new life into it that it has become a stand-alone work perfectly in keeping with the modern era and, at the same time, with a noir-like charm that only games of yesteryear had.
Review in Italian | Read full review
As buggy as the bayou, Alone in the Dark is a disappointing return for the classic horror franchise. Derceto Manor has corners worth exploring, and the puzzles are smartly designed. However, the clunky combat, lack of scares, unengaging story and drab voice acting sully the overall package.
Adapting a classic like Alone in the Dark to modern times has been a very tough gamble, improving a timeless classic and a precursor to what for many was the horror genre of the 90s is something very difficult, so we can't help but applaud trying. Unfortunately, we have to say that they have tried to innovate so much that the idea of what they should have really focused on, being alone in the dark, has been diluted. Far from being a bad game, it entertains, but it has completely lost its essence and does not give the real feeling of being a survival horror as its original was, but rather a simple action game. As if this were not enough, it needs a good polish, since we have experienced quite a few situations where we have been forced to restart the game because the character has gotten stuck between two elements of the scenario. Fortunately, the game allows recording at any time and this is easily corrected by loading the nearest checkpoint with all the objects taken up to the time of saving (and there are checkpoints every so often!). The game has a Deluxe edition that includes comments from the director, a 20s-style sepia filter and, most interestingly, the possibility of playing with the skins of the original 1992 characters! By the way, finishing the campaign with one character took us around 8 hours, so if we want to do it with both it will easily take us about 12 hours (the second round will be faster because we will already know what we have to do and where to go). And finally, mention that by completing some sets of collectibles in the second and third game you can unlock different endings or alternative scenes, a good incentive for the curious and that will further extend the duration of the title.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Great ideas and a storied history are mired in mediocre combat and a disappointingly unpolished delivery.
Although sometimes a little rough, Alone in the Dark is a fantastic remake/reimagining that brings the series back in line with its most interesting events and timeline. This is essential for players looking for a semi-old-school survival horror title that has excellent world design, acting and a host of interesting mysteries to solve. A really great return to form!
Alone In The Dark is a loving remake, as well as an epic stand-alone. Even if you have not played the original, this is well worth a play. The scares are effective, and the tense nature of the game can’t be expressed enough; you will be terrified every time Dercito changes into something more sinister. The stealth elements aren’t perfect, and some of the movement and gunplay need some tweaking, but overall, the story is amazingly told with complex characters and a stunning narrative.
Alone in the Dark is definitely turning out to be a masterpiece that needs to be experienced by new players and those looking for a blast from the past. Between the world and character design, along with the brilliant voice acting, you’re in for a hell of a ride while possibly running for your life at times.
Alone in the Dark is a collective of issues and fails to impress or add anything to the genre. It is hard to revive the beloved series, but the previous attempts and the final package here all signal that Alone in the Dark should remain a nostalgia.
Review in Persian | Read full review
Alone in the Dark is the confidently silly horror remake the 1992 classic deserves.
Alone in the Dark is, interestingly, a more communal game than I tend to expect from survival horror. You're frequently running into the other inhabitants of Derceto. I enjoyed talking to them, though the writing isn't especially good, but the game never really delivers on its title and all that company prevents it from ever really getting scary. This is a solid enough retread if you've played through Dead Space and the Resident Evil remakes and want more. But it won't bring many converts to the genre. We'll have to settle for being alone, together, in the dark. Which sorta defeats the entire point when you think about it.
Alone in the Dark is back, and frankly, it may have been better left alone. THQ Nordic's revival isn't a bad game - we enjoyed chunks of it especially towards the beginning of the adventure - but it doesn't stand out in any meaningful way, and ultimately feels a little pointless in the end. We'd recommend keeping an eye on that launch patch to see how the game is shaping up on release, but it's best not to expect a Resident Evil-level reimagining from this Alone in the Dark reboot - even if it stands as a serviceable third-person adventure.
A spirited attempt to revive the former glories of gaming's original survival horror but a lack of scares and sub-par action can't defeat the ghosts of the past.
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.
A lackluster and fragmented game that never really comes together in any meaningful way. In almost every sense that matters, from story to combat, horror, and atmosphere, Alone in the Dark leaves much to be desired.
The stars are lost in a swamp of poor writing and buggy combat in this wearisome reimagining of the 1992 survival classic
Alone in the Dark is a weak survival horror pastiche largely devoid of original moments. The occasional dash of character in its 1920s Deep South setting can't make up for repetitive puzzles and the feeling we've seen all of this before.
Atmospheric detective thriller with a great setting that gets in its own way during the action.
Review in German | Read full review
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. The second playthrough is where it becomes apparent that there isn't much to the game. At best, it's an incredibly basic and generic survival-horror game that's stuck in the past, and at worst, it's buggy and doesn't justify its $60 price tag.
Well worth a look if you’re seeking the comfort of nostalgia with some quality acting talent.
Alone in the Dark is the best entry in the franchise in over two decades, although there wasn’t much competition for that title. So-so combat, technical issues, and a frustrating lack of consistency sometimes cast a shadow over the game, and yet, there’s still something enticing here. The game’s intricately-designed Derceto Manor hub, thick Lovecraftian atmosphere, and surprisingly-varied level design ought to be enough to light a spark of enthusiasm in some hardcore survival horror fans’ dark hearts.
