Alone in the Dark Review – Back to Derceto

Alone in the Dark is the remake of the title of the same name, which was released way back in 1992 and was the progenitor of what is now a videogame genre, survival horror. For those who are not aware of the original game, in this Alone in the Dark review, we will tell you what our impressions of the game are. Have the guys at Pieces Interactive managed to pay homage to this great gaming classic?

Investigations at Derceto Manor

Alone in the Dark is a reimagining of the original game released more than 30 years ago, proving to be a love letter to a great horror classic. The game is set in the southern United States in the 1920s and intertwines elements of classic noir games and horrors that draw inspiration from the creations of H. P. Lovecraft.

The game begins with our two protagonists, Emily and Edward, traveling to Derceto Manor to investigate the disappearance of Emily's uncle. What at first glance appears to be an abandoned villa, in reality, turns out to be inhabited by many different characters, all close to Emily's uncle.

The player's task, therefore, is to take on the role of Emily or Edward (what you do and what you witness will be different based on your choice) and understand what is really happening inside the villa. Emily's uncle has disappeared and no one seems to know where he is; however, thanks to Edward's detective senses, players will be able to find clues that seem to lead to Jeremy's exact whereabouts.

Given the nature of the game, we won't spend much time talking about the plot, and talking about it without giving any kind of spoiler is practically impossible. Suffice it to say that Alone in the Dark is a very investigative game, so it is important that you pay attention to even the smallest details both in the settings and in the dialogues you will have to witness.

Exploration, Puzzles, and Collectibles

The gameplay of Alone in the Dark is very classic. You will have to fully explore everything Derceto has to offer in order to continue your adventure. Furthermore, as if that wasn't enough, there will be a myriad of different puzzles to complete, some simpler and others more difficult to complete. For this reason, relying on your wits is essential.

It goes without saying that, like any game belonging to this genre, there will be keys to find to unlock certain doors or areas that will be closed to you at the beginning of your adventure. This is why, as we said, exploration is truly a very important piece of the entire Alone in the Dark adventure. You will often be called upon to backtrace between the various areas to unlock previously closed paths or to find a clue that will allow you to continue your adventure.

To be honest, as soon as you start the game, in addition to being able to choose the difficulty with which to face Alone in the Dark, you can also decide what type of experience you want. That is, you can choose whether to have a more classic or more modern experience; just as you can also choose the difficulty of the puzzles. Do you want a start or are you confident in your abilities and want to continue without them?

Another thing not to be underestimated in a game like Alone in the Dark are the collectibles. They not only allow you to have a more in-depth overview of what is happening in the story, but they will also allow you to unlock different endings for both characters. So if you want to get the most out of the game, you can't leave out the collectibles.

A Stunning Remake

From a technical point of view, Alone in the Dark does not disappoint. The game's graphics are in line with today's standards. Speaking of the graphics, we would like to say that the filters used by the developers are on point and truly convey the idea of a game set in the 1920s. The same thing also applies to the soundtrack, which is very perfect and manages to immerse players even more in the adventure.

In some situations, we had frame drops, especially in areas with more enemies and where we had to be ready for action, but the development team has made it known that a patch will be released on day one, which will have the task of fixing this and other problems that are currently present. As a result, it is very likely that you will not have any problems whatsoever.

Alone in the Dark Review – 8,5/10

Alone in the Dark is an excellent remake that manages to modernize, without distorting, a video game classic. The development team did an excellent job from every point of view and there were no major problems that we encountered during our adventure. Longevity is average for a game of this kind, if you get lost a little in the exploration, you could exceed 10 hours, but it is still not a long game to complete.

Obviously, if you want to watch the version of the story as both Emily and Edward, the game times will be longer, as well as if you decide to see all the endings of the game. In fact, although the ending is identical in a normal playthrough regardless of your chosen character, there are things that will allow you to see different endings for each of the characters.

Even on the technical side, we said that there are no major problems that make the gaming experience less smooth. Consequently, we can say that it is an excellent game that perhaps only lacks in some details, such as a pace that is, at certain points, too slow. In general, however, Alone in the Dark is still a game recommended for all fans of the genre, especially if you haven't had the opportunity to play the original game.

*The game was reviewed on PS5 with a key offered by the developers.