Analysis of Alone in the Dark

The new opus of Alone in the Dark invites us to relive tense moments in the Derceto mansion with characters who are very familiar to us.

Just as one might consider Doom the father of the first-person shooter, Alone in the Dark could be considered the father of survival horror. At the time, it was a technological revolution thanks to that fixed camera, the tension of having few supplies in the backpack and a dark story designed for adults. And even though the saga has had its ups and downs over all these years, we can’t forget what it did for the industry. Ups and downs that he wants to redeem THQ Nordic and Pieces Interactive with this new iteration which offers us a reimagining of the classic. Will he succeed, or will he plunge into the deepest darkness of the mansion where the plot takes place?

Red carpet among the rubble

Borrowing the essence of the original trilogy, in this new opus We will relive the nightmares contained within the walls of the Derceto mansion. This time we will control one of the two playable characters available: Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood. As in the first resident EvilDepending on who we choose, there will be changes in the puzzles and in the development of the story, making the title replayable if we want to exploit its full potential.

Beyond the two parallel stories, the claim of the two protagonists is carried by the actors who play them: David Harbor and Jodie Comer. A good way to capture the attention of those who do not know the saga, although as we will see later, there are important aspects of improvement.

Family visit

Needless to say that This review of Alone in the Dark is still a survival horror textbook. Also, in its most classic facet, for better and for worse. No matter who we choose, we will have to investigate the disappearance of Jeremy Hartwood, the protagonist’s uncle.

Our investigations will take us further into a bizarre story where we will teleport to parallel nightmare worlds, where creatures move freely. This is due to a special amulet that will be the cornerstone of all the problems surrounding the Hartwood family.

Every corner counts

The whole story has an essence that reminds us of the works of Lovecraft. Not because there are underwater beings or sinister octopuses, but because of this hidden fear that everyone in the house knows and never wants to talk about. The mansion has many rooms to explore, and like games of the time, there will be rooms that require keys, special mechanisms or objects that allow us to unlock new areas.

The truth is that it is not very difficult to solve these puzzles. Typically, all objects are visible to the naked eye, and their resolution is usually not very complex. Moreover, as long as we are in the mansion itself and do not travel to the parallel hellish world, we will not find enemies who will hinder our path. Or at least not to the point of putting our lives in danger. This makes The experience is fairly linear, with no scares or frequent moments of tension. And even if there are situations where we will have to surround pieces and look for new routes, we will at all times have the feeling that they are guiding us by the hand.

Come say hello to my little friend the shovel

Where we will experience a little more tension will be when we activate the talisman and travel to the infernal regions surrounding Jeremiah. We will start with a weapon, but little by little We will discover new weapons like the shotgun, other utensils for body combat. melee and we will even have to throw objects like stones or Molotov cocktails.

We won’t always have to face the creatures that come our way. There will be moments of stealth and others where you will have to flee. to escape areas infected by these beasts.

Fear, but not so much

The part which represents The biggest controversy about Alone in the Dark concerns its graphics. Even though everything seemed outrageous in the first trailer, the truth is that the final game doesn’t look the same. This cannot be seen or felt. The character design is sloppy and the expressions of Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood are not up to par. The house seems empty, so there isn’t as much immersion as other games of the same genre.

The control isn’t very precise either, especially in the slower moments where you have to explore each room. Both protagonists feel very light, which makes them less fluid in each piece. Because it’s light, even the shots seem light. The gun doesn’t provide the force you’d expect when a bullet explodes in the head. And the sound of the gunshot isn’t appropriate either, aside from the fact that it’s sometimes somewhat out of sync with the action on screen.

Through what prism should this game be evaluated?

And now comes the million dollar question I ask myself while playing Alone in the Dark. Should I analyze the title like any other survival horror, or like a new opus in this great franchise? Do I analyze what is… or what should be? A battery of questions which will depend on the love you have for the saga.

If you have never played an Alone in the Dark game, You are going to find a very bearable horror proposition that you can complete in 10 to 12 hours without any problem. It’s not tedious, and beyond the audiovisual issues, the plot and playable scheme work well.

Now, if you are a fan of the saga, you may be looking for something else. A tribute which is not limited to presenting the classic characters of the main trilogy and which brings a special addition. Something revolutionary or complex in line with the weight that the franchise has within survival horror. But overall it shows that this is a title suitable for all audiences. Nothing else General public, which, without losing the pearls of nostalgia, wants to make itself known not only to fans of the mysteries of the Decerto residence.

Alone in the Dark Conclusion

THQ Nordic and Pieces Interactive invite us to the Derceto mansion to immerse ourselves in a new opus of this famous survival-horror saga. The plot itself is not bad at all, and depending on which protagonist we choose we will have one path or another. The protagonists, moreover, are very well known since they are David Harbor and Jodie Comer. But a few minutes will be enough for us to realize that something is wrong in this new iteration of Alone in the Dark.

Despite its great reputation, we found errors that should have been fixed. Its graphic appearance is not its greatest virtue… with models, expressions and home decors that could stand out much more. And by removing this visual slowdown, I find worse a playable system which seems linear and without too many innovations, despite the presence of one of the fathers of the genre. If you’ve never played a title in the series, you might overlook the lack of tension it should cause. But if you enjoyed the original trilogy, you probably have mixed feelings. That said, we are in front of a title that will provide different sensations depending on who enjoys it, but as a general rule it is very fun and with an interesting story that will move us between several dimensions.