Survival horror fans have been treated in recent years with the revival of classic games in the genre. Resident Evil has led the charge, with the likes of Dead Space and Silent Hill following. Now, developer Pieces Interactive and publisher THQ Nordic hope their Alone in the Dark reimagining can follow suit, and deliver a fresh-feeling experience for a modern audience while sticking closer to the survival horror genre’s roots than perhaps we’ve seen recently.
This point was one producers Andreas Schmiedecker and Michael Paeck were keen to emphasise during an early look at the game a couple of weeks ago. As I was shown snippets of the game through a hands-off demo, two key tenets of survival horror were highlighted: non-linear exploration and puzzle solving, and linear combat sections.
Most of Alone in the Dark’s puzzle solving happens within Derceto Manor, a care home which protagonists Emily Hartwood (played by Jodie Comer) and hired private investigator Edward Carnby (David Harbour) travel to in order to find Emily’s uncle Jeremy. Many of the rooms in the manor are inaccessible at the beginning of the game but are eventually unlocked as you progress. Manor exploration is recorded on the map in the standard ways – rooms will turn from red to blue if everything of interest has been completed, blocked off doors will be marked with symbols to let you know what’s needed.
