Survival Horror is the kind of game we take for granted, but back in 1992, a little game called Alone in the Dark really kicked the whole idea off the ground, giving us a taste of limited resources and an investigative adventure against the odds. Now Pieces Interactive reworks that classic in a star-studded setting that promises to bring the classic horror plot to modern audiences. Leading the way is Mikael Hedberg, writer and director of Amnesia and Soma, and between his answers and answers from publisher THQ Nordic in the Q&A journalism, things look very promising as we prepare to return to the heavily haunted Louisiana Bayou around Derceto.
The big reveal is that Stranger Things actor David Harbor will play Detective Edward Carnby, a landscape-chewing boilerplate role that is a perfect actor for Harbor and he seems really excited to do. Meanwhile, Killing Eve actress Jodie Comer will take on the role of Emily Hartwood, the woman who hires Carnby to investigate her uncle’s fate as she delves deeper into her family’s secret, the enigmatic “Hartwood Curse.”
Slashes seem to retain many of the core elements of the early Alone in the Dark games in their remake, especially the classic melee combat series: while getting caught by a monster was a death sentence in later Survival Horror, carving Ghouls with a sword was always a better option. Lots of wasting precious bullets on them.
The original Alone in the Dark is a pretty big deal. It’s one of those things that, when you look at it, doesn’t seem like anything special unless so many games since then have done everything exactly as Alone in the Dark did. That still camera of 3D space? How is the mystery investigated? All creations of Alone in the Dark. It all came up again later in a little game called Resident Evil, which you may have heard of. This makes it even cooler to see where the new Alone in the Dark draws from the design work done on Resident Evil while still being unique. The over-the-shoulder camera should be a real improvement for both navigation and positioning, not to mention fighting monsters.
Being a Southerner, one of the most important parts of Alone in the Dark is the setting. The Louisiana Bayou is iconic for a reason, and Southern Gothic is a much older genre of survival horror. Mikael Hedberg gave me a fairly satisfactory answer as to whether Alone in the Dark will explore these roots, noting that expanding the story in the remake gave the pieces space to expand on local historical lore and connect the story more deeply to Voudou, among other things. He also referenced the oppressive atmosphere of 1986’s Angel Heart, a psychological thriller that I think will put him on the right track for some good old horror at home.
Although the setting is homemade to me, I’m more than pleased to hear the musical choices Bess made. Jazz is a Louisiana staple, but the directors of The Alone in the Dark did a modern European twist: the metal-infused vibe of Doom Jazz. Most horror games don’t want to risk a heavy soundtrack, but Cuts seems to know that you can’t have noir — even horror noir — without a good saxophone. Sharing Doom Jazz legend Jason Köhnen’s is a really solid choice for the aesthetic direction of Alone in the Dark: There’s not so much as the power these whimsical ambient riffs and compressed drum rolls can achieve.
Overall, the team and the drive seem right to deliver an exciting take on classic horror games. I look forward to learning more about Alone in the Dark as we get closer to release, and you can bet you’ll download the free Grace in the Dark prequel now.
#Dark #Preview #IGN