When the original Alone in the Dark launched in 1992, it had a massive impact on the video game industry, influencing future horror games like Resident Evil. More than 30 years later, THQ Nordic will offer a reimagined take on the series, and ComicBook.com was able to attend a special preview of the game, where the publisher revealed an all-star voice cast, release date, gameplay footage, and more. Alone in the Dark will launch at $59.99 on October 25th on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. A playable prologue of the game will be available today (May 25th), on all of the game’s upcoming platforms.
Videos by ComicBook.com
One of the first things revealed during our preview was the game’s cast. This time around, David Harbour (Stranger Things, Violet Night) will provide the voice for Edward Carnby, while Emily Hartwood will be played by actress Jodie Comer (Killing Eve). During the preview video, Harbour offered some insight into his experience with the original game, as well as his interest in the genre.
“I knew of past iterations of the game. I mean, the video game world is something that I’m very interested in, in general. The horror game genre, specifically,” said Harbour. “[Carnby is] kind of a gruff detective and he’s like searching for something. He’s hardboiled, but he’s got some humor to him and stuff like that. He’s a bit of a trope, or a type. And I like that, and I like the world and sort of how he’s exploring this insanity amidst all this horror and stuff.”
Like the original game, Alone in the Dark sees Edward and Emily investigating the mysterious disappearance of Jeremy Hartwood. Set in 1920s Louisiana, the game takes place in Derceto Manor, a “home for the mentally fatigued.” The preview began with the two protagonists arriving at the manor, disembarking from their vehicle with the intention of getting Jeremy, who happens to be Emily’s uncle. Players choose between the two characters, and will experience a different take on the same story, depending on their choice. Character interactions will be significantly different as a result, and there will even be areas exclusive to each character. As such, the developers are encouraging players to play the game twice to experience everything Alone in the Dark has to offer.
The playable prologue will not put players in control of either ofthese characters; instead, they’ll play as Grace Saunders, a little girlthat also plays a role in the main game. The prologue is meant to giveplayers a better idea of what to expect from the full release, most notably theatmosphere and story. Fittingly enough, the prologue is titled “Grace in the Dark.” The prologue was previously playable at Gamescom and PAX 2023, but will now be available to a much wider audience. THQ Nordic states that the presentation has been improved from that release, and there is an additional cutscene that will play at the prologue’s conclusion.
While Alone in the Dark is clearly inspired by the 1992 game, the reimagining seems to take a lot of inspiration from other games in the survival horror genre. Most notably, the atmosphere and visuals bring to mind Capcom’s Resident Evil remakes. Like those remakes, Alone in the Dark has abandoned the fixed-camera system seen in the original in favor of an over-the-shoulder perspective. The recreated locations look absolutely stunning, and the atmosphere seems like it will be a huge draw for fans of the genre. Of course, it also looks like the game will have plenty of enemies to contend with, and they look significantly creepier than they did 30 years ago. Last but not least, the game will feature a “doom jazz” soundtrack meant to add to the tension.
Without getting a chance to actually go hands-on with Alone in the Dark, it’s difficult to tell whether THQ Nordic will be able to deliver a game that truly lives-up to the original. That said, I came away from the preview very impressed. The game looks gorgeous, and the team clearly has a lot of reverence for the IP; the preview video even featured Alone in the Dark creator Frederick Raynal, who had a lot of praise to share about the new game. Longtime Alone in the Dark fans will also want to check out the game’s pre-order bonuses, which will include skins based on the 1992 game. Right now, everything looks very promising. Hopefully THQ Nordic can stick the landing when the game releases this October.
Are you looking forward to Alone in the Dark? Did you ever get a chance to play the original game? Let us knowin the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk about all things gaming!
