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Alone in the Dark Reboot from THQ Nordic and the writer of SOMA
- Thread starter Wunderbar
- Start date
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- Tags
- survival horror
Hell Swarm
Learned
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- Jun 16, 2023
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Here is my review. You can read it down below, or on my site if you are interested.
Be warned, I'm basically gushing over the game.
There is no denying that the reboot of Alone in the Dark takes heavy inspiration from H.P. Lovecraft, which sadly most of the time falls short when it comes to gaming. However, this time around, I’m happy to tell you that Alone in the Dark does a slamdunk when it comes to tickling the old cosmic horror bone. You who know your Lovecraft lore probably won’t be too surprised by what is being presented. Regardless, it’s a superbly told story that takes the dark juicy parts – the parts drenched in unfathomable dread, and runs home with it. What is doubly impressive is that this remains consistent throughout the game, all the way to the end.
Derceto Manor
Alone in the Dark starts with Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood arriving at the Manor Deceto in Louisiana. Carnby is here as a private investigator/muscle hired by Emily. Emily is here to find out what has happened to her missing uncle, which gives her a direct connection to the manor. Don’t fret. Edward’s role has no less importance in the story, since he has his own demons to face and overcome. What is interesting with this setup – is while the story plays out mostly the same whoever you pick as lead, it comes with a few narrative differences. This just screams for a second playthrough. One complete session will give you a satisfactory ending, but to get the "true ending", you will have to finish the game as both (from what I understand, at least).
I’m still on one playthrough since I have only completed Alone in the Dark with Carnby – the poster boy of the franchise. While his story might not have the same attachment to the house from the onset, I did find his involvement and his slow descent into madness very fascinating. A fish out of the water type of guy, trying to fulfill his client’s request while reality morphs around him to make him even madder. Talk about dedication for a measly 150 dollars! But an investigator has to investigate. As you might expect the Derceto estate is not your ordinary mansion. While regular humans live here, being patients of a well-renowned psychiatrist, things here are swamp-deep in unsettling strangeness.
The story is well-told, and I would say it’s on the level of a good novel. It doesn’t take long until the cosmic horror manifests itself in the form of shambling monsters and fever dreams of lunacy. If you enjoy the classic tales of Lovecraft, you will absolutely love this – even if it’s nothing new from the mythos. The atmosphere, setting, and characters make this title what it is, a masterclass in adapting an author’s intention. In other words, the writer knew his stuff while creating the script for Alone in the Dark. Everything from background lore to the actual story is intriguing and makes for a great dive into the festering hole of terror that is Lovecraft. This feeling holds on through all the chapters, even if the “final boss” inclusion can be debated.
The reason I talk very little about the story beyond the initial setup is that I don’t want to spoil anything. I think the story should be experienced as fresh as possible with no prior knowledge. But to elaborate on the story is that the setting – the time period it takes place in (the 1930s) feels very authentic, with no modern sensibilities inserted anywhere. A huge bonus that adds to the atmosphere of the game. If you have read any of Lovecraft’s work, you know it’s a slow buildup with a lot of descriptive anecdotes to consider – often in the form of mad ramblings scribbled down in haste while a creeping mania consumes the writer. And of course, commentaries from a somewhat more sane third-party observer. Just to add a bit of normalcy to the perspective, and to cast a shadow of doubt on what is actually going on. Alone in the Dark is no different, and this narrative system works fine within the game – between the blasting of horrors from the far beyond. And this leads me to gameplay.
A tale of two cities
Alone in the Dark is for the most part separated into two parts – exploration and combat (even if you still explore in the combat segments). In exploration mode, which primarily takes place within the mansion, you will wander around, and collect evidence and other occult items in your search for the truth. It’s very atmospheric, and it does provide a sort of melancholic cozy calm to your meanderings through the estate. However, it’s not entirely without dangers, as reality shifts and bends to the will of the mansion, that can and will throw you in for a loop when you least expect it. While exploration can feel safe, the tension will be there in the back of your mind since you never know what surprises of terror the house will serve up next. I loved this aspect because while you often can tell when it’s time to load the double barrel shotgun and when it’s time to relax, you can never be certain that the next room won’t have turned into a deadly trap from a long-lost past.
You can argue that the combat is not the most polished, and I would agree to a degree. It also has its particulars, like for example the throwable items you can find scattered all over. You are meant to pick them up and throw them, either to lure away monsters or set them on fire (depending on the object). But its use is very restricted. While you can move around with an item, you can’t activate anything and you will be forced to move very slowly with it equipped. You can’t drop the item, which means you are forced to throw it – in other words, wasting it, if you say picked up a molotov cocktail. It’s an oddity for sure, but you will learn to understand its gameplay mechanics quickly enough. They are just there to provide an extra damage potential because on hard difficulty, you will need it. Ammo is brutally scarce.
I don’t think the combat is bad at all as many others are implying. The clunkiness, especially its melee system works in favor of the survival horror setting. It might sound like premium copium, but the protagonist you play as is not exactly Leon S. Kennedy, a special OPS ultimate zombie killer. It translates well to the more normal guy or gal put in an extraordinary position – fighting abominations beyond human existence. There aren’t too many to fight either, which adds to the immersion and believably of the setting. I do think there is a scariness factor to the creatures, specifically the ones that look like the weird body horror experiments from the Lovecraftian movie The Resurrected. [Thanks Fedora Master] Unfortunately, their AI has a tendency to break down from time to time, which lessens the horror impact. The undead beasts are pretty cool otherwise, and they will easily make short work of you if they get close.
As mentioned, the combat sections are not without exploration, but the puzzles and reading take a backseat to the extermination of evil wildlife from another dimension through the barrel of a gun. These areas are not cleansed from things to find, however. There are many secrets to find that only the one with an observant and patient mind will discover. These secrets are more than just the random knick-knack since they affect the ending and story. They also provide so-called hidden knowledge to the narrative – that otherwise would be left untold. Overall, I think it’s a nice mix, even when these two segments intertwine at places. Gameplay-wise Alone in the Dark is very enjoyable with a few blemishes that the excellent storytelling makes up for.
The look & sound of the 1930s
Visually, Alone in the Dark looks fantastic, and surely plays its part in providing an apt graphical interpretation of the 1930s with a Lovecraftian twist. It ran well too, keeping a steady 90 fps throughout the game. However, it did stutter occasionally when the textures loaded in, and when the game autosaves. Annoying, but not life-ending. Beyond the more mundane stuff of reality, I found the general presentation a step above, with documents and other items having true-to-life representation. It’s something else picking up a diary and being able to take a peak at the author’s writing handstyle. It’s easy to tell if someone is mad when the letters look like Gothic architecture.
The voice work is also great, and so is the soundscape of the creaking mansion. The celebrities playing the roles of the leads did a swell job. But once again, the thing that got my attention was the presentation. All the documents have the correspondent reading his or her words with great believably and conviction. In combination with the jazzy background music, it makes it a joy to mellow out and listen to. The moody tunes are also very fitting and played perfectly into the setting. Just take a listen to the piece below:
In conclusion
Alone in the Dark is a no-brainer if you enjoy Lovecraft and like the survival horror genre. This is one of the few reboots worth its name – it’s that good! It’s a strong recommendation from me. The only issue I find with it is that it was too short. My playthrough lasted about eight to nine hours – if the game would let me, I could easily play for nine more. Slowly untangling the Lovecraftian mystery of Derceto Manor was a pure delight. The only other game that reaches the same kind of praise if we go by Lovecraftian standards is Dreams in the Witch House. A game that also plays into the cosmic horror strengths really well. My only hope now is that THQ does not collapse in on itself and takes the developers (Pieces Interactive) with them into the abyss because as of right now, it’s a gem of a studio! I hope they produce more of the same in the future.
Thanks for reading.
Derceto Manor
Alone in the Dark starts with Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood arriving at the Manor Deceto in Louisiana. Carnby is here as a private investigator/muscle hired by Emily. Emily is here to find out what has happened to her missing uncle, which gives her a direct connection to the manor. Don’t fret. Edward’s role has no less importance in the story, since he has his own demons to face and overcome. What is interesting with this setup – is while the story plays out mostly the same whoever you pick as lead, it comes with a few narrative differences. This just screams for a second playthrough. One complete session will give you a satisfactory ending, but to get the "true ending", you will have to finish the game as both (from what I understand, at least).
The story is well-told, and I would say it’s on the level of a good novel. It doesn’t take long until the cosmic horror manifests itself in the form of shambling monsters and fever dreams of lunacy. If you enjoy the classic tales of Lovecraft, you will absolutely love this – even if it’s nothing new from the mythos. The atmosphere, setting, and characters make this title what it is, a masterclass in adapting an author’s intention. In other words, the writer knew his stuff while creating the script for Alone in the Dark. Everything from background lore to the actual story is intriguing and makes for a great dive into the festering hole of terror that is Lovecraft. This feeling holds on through all the chapters, even if the “final boss” inclusion can be debated.
The reason I talk very little about the story beyond the initial setup is that I don’t want to spoil anything. I think the story should be experienced as fresh as possible with no prior knowledge. But to elaborate on the story is that the setting – the time period it takes place in (the 1930s) feels very authentic, with no modern sensibilities inserted anywhere. A huge bonus that adds to the atmosphere of the game. If you have read any of Lovecraft’s work, you know it’s a slow buildup with a lot of descriptive anecdotes to consider – often in the form of mad ramblings scribbled down in haste while a creeping mania consumes the writer. And of course, commentaries from a somewhat more sane third-party observer. Just to add a bit of normalcy to the perspective, and to cast a shadow of doubt on what is actually going on. Alone in the Dark is no different, and this narrative system works fine within the game – between the blasting of horrors from the far beyond. And this leads me to gameplay.
A tale of two cities
You can argue that the combat is not the most polished, and I would agree to a degree. It also has its particulars, like for example the throwable items you can find scattered all over. You are meant to pick them up and throw them, either to lure away monsters or set them on fire (depending on the object). But its use is very restricted. While you can move around with an item, you can’t activate anything and you will be forced to move very slowly with it equipped. You can’t drop the item, which means you are forced to throw it – in other words, wasting it, if you say picked up a molotov cocktail. It’s an oddity for sure, but you will learn to understand its gameplay mechanics quickly enough. They are just there to provide an extra damage potential because on hard difficulty, you will need it. Ammo is brutally scarce.
I don’t think the combat is bad at all as many others are implying. The clunkiness, especially its melee system works in favor of the survival horror setting. It might sound like premium copium, but the protagonist you play as is not exactly Leon S. Kennedy, a special OPS ultimate zombie killer. It translates well to the more normal guy or gal put in an extraordinary position – fighting abominations beyond human existence. There aren’t too many to fight either, which adds to the immersion and believably of the setting. I do think there is a scariness factor to the creatures, specifically the ones that look like the weird body horror experiments from the Lovecraftian movie The Resurrected. [Thanks Fedora Master] Unfortunately, their AI has a tendency to break down from time to time, which lessens the horror impact. The undead beasts are pretty cool otherwise, and they will easily make short work of you if they get close.
As mentioned, the combat sections are not without exploration, but the puzzles and reading take a backseat to the extermination of evil wildlife from another dimension through the barrel of a gun. These areas are not cleansed from things to find, however. There are many secrets to find that only the one with an observant and patient mind will discover. These secrets are more than just the random knick-knack since they affect the ending and story. They also provide so-called hidden knowledge to the narrative – that otherwise would be left untold. Overall, I think it’s a nice mix, even when these two segments intertwine at places. Gameplay-wise Alone in the Dark is very enjoyable with a few blemishes that the excellent storytelling makes up for.
The look & sound of the 1930s
Visually, Alone in the Dark looks fantastic, and surely plays its part in providing an apt graphical interpretation of the 1930s with a Lovecraftian twist. It ran well too, keeping a steady 90 fps throughout the game. However, it did stutter occasionally when the textures loaded in, and when the game autosaves. Annoying, but not life-ending. Beyond the more mundane stuff of reality, I found the general presentation a step above, with documents and other items having true-to-life representation. It’s something else picking up a diary and being able to take a peak at the author’s writing handstyle. It’s easy to tell if someone is mad when the letters look like Gothic architecture.
The voice work is also great, and so is the soundscape of the creaking mansion. The celebrities playing the roles of the leads did a swell job. But once again, the thing that got my attention was the presentation. All the documents have the correspondent reading his or her words with great believably and conviction. In combination with the jazzy background music, it makes it a joy to mellow out and listen to. The moody tunes are also very fitting and played perfectly into the setting. Just take a listen to the piece below:
In conclusion
Alone in the Dark is a no-brainer if you enjoy Lovecraft and like the survival horror genre. This is one of the few reboots worth its name – it’s that good! It’s a strong recommendation from me. The only issue I find with it is that it was too short. My playthrough lasted about eight to nine hours – if the game would let me, I could easily play for nine more. Slowly untangling the Lovecraftian mystery of Derceto Manor was a pure delight. The only other game that reaches the same kind of praise if we go by Lovecraftian standards is Dreams in the Witch House. A game that also plays into the cosmic horror strengths really well. My only hope now is that THQ does not collapse in on itself and takes the developers (Pieces Interactive) with them into the abyss because as of right now, it’s a gem of a studio! I hope they produce more of the same in the future.
Thanks for reading.
Be warned, I'm basically gushing over the game.
Last edited:
The second ending sucks fyi, it's a joke ending.
Robber Baron
Arbiter
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2020
- Messages
- 1,009
Finished it and I fully agree with Alienman, the game is really good at what it does and is consistent from start to finish. Some 4-6 hours of extra content would've greatly benefited it but I'm yet to play Emily's route. A weekend spent well overall like a really good TV mini series
Does the writing in this reflect the Hedberg reputation?
Robber Baron
Arbiter
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- Jun 15, 2020
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- 1,009
Unless there's some secret after completing boths routes that's exactly what happens
the way everyone shrugs it off as as nothing special is kinda amusing in the context of mass hysteria unfolding
I like to think that you don't. You maybe wounded it a little, then the house collapses on it through lucky timing and you book it.
Terenty
Liturgist
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2018
- Messages
- 1,464
I found this
https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Young_of_Shub-Niggurath
Apparently it was one of her minions, which makes more sense
https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Young_of_Shub-Niggurath
Apparently it was one of her minions, which makes more sense
kangaxx
Arbiter
Hang on so this game is actually ok??
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2017
- Messages
- 31,737
Ok but not outstanding.
Wunderbar
Arcane
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2015
- Messages
- 8,825
Ppl here gush over it like it's the second coming, even though it's an average game with a ton of flaws.
Nice environments, a couple of good puzzles, cool readables and collectibles, Carnby not being a groveling feminist cuck despite the game releasing in 2024 - that's pretty much it. The story feels like devs had to cut the whole chapter that would've taken place inbetween Chapters 4 and 5, and the actual survival horror gameplay sucks and feels like an afterthought.
Nice environments, a couple of good puzzles, cool readables and collectibles, Carnby not being a groveling feminist cuck despite the game releasing in 2024 - that's pretty much it. The story feels like devs had to cut the whole chapter that would've taken place inbetween Chapters 4 and 5, and the actual survival horror gameplay sucks and feels like an afterthought.
Robber Baron
Arbiter
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All true
The atmosphere and the story progression are just that good though, the gameplay is also ok on its own. There're just not that many games like this in existence. Blair Witch 1, Eternal Darkness, Realms of the Haunting. It's a little gem for the people who dig that kind of thing
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It feels a bit like a "and the kitchen sink" approach. You visit pretty much every typical Lovecraft location except the deep sea and New England.
Also
Also
if all the monsters are essentially shat out by the Spawn, and it wants to be free, shouldn't it just let me do my thing? I find the whole NOOO WE MUST BREAK THE CONTRACT angle a bit odd.
Robber Baron
Arbiter
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Hard to tell, still playing through Emily's route, some new info here and there and an interesting detail - she doesn't hear voices of the tree. There's a interesting theory(that I read on reddit) that it's her bloodline mania (the cosmic knowledge or smth smth) that stops it and that Jeremy was protected from this as well but the cult wanted some info from him for the ceremony but he wouldn't talk so they orchestrated the "Dark Man" show to make him scared and snap, the maid was the one who played the "Dark Man" - you even encounter her in that costume. After lobotomy Jeremy loses his protection and the cult gets info from him and proceedes with the ceremony.
DoWhocares
Novice
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2024
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- 94
Way I understood it, there are two edlritch beings at play here - Nyarlathotep (Dark Man) and Shub Niggurath (Goat of the Woods). They're essentially fighting a proxy war with the cultists on one side and Hartwoods on the other. When they strongarm Jeremy in the infirmary for info after he fails to kill himself in the attic, they learn the words to summon the Goat (you can hear this in the recording where you get the bullb for the x-ray puzzle). Then he makes his pact with the Dark Man to disappear in the dreamland and ensure that the summoning fizzles. The cultists are trying to find him. The protagonists are trying to find him too, they get wind of the Dark Man and try to break the contract thinking it's the main problem and all the demons are a product of the Dark Man, while not paying much heed to the cultists and ignoring the Goat threat. That's why the cultists aren't trying to stop you. There are even some scenes where they're all - look, there's that Carnby cat again, what do we do with him? Eh, just leave him be, he's helpful in his own way.
So in the end, you break the contract and return Jeremy to the real world. This allows the spell to work. The cultists let you stick around cause to them, you just helped them succeed, you're on their side. But then the protagonists ruin the ritual, the tentacle tree goes mad, eats the cultists, you kick its ass, the end.
From what I understand, the alt endings have the girl joining the Dark Man, detective joining the cultists, and the joke ending where it's all a play.
So in the end, you break the contract and return Jeremy to the real world. This allows the spell to work. The cultists let you stick around cause to them, you just helped them succeed, you're on their side. But then the protagonists ruin the ritual, the tentacle tree goes mad, eats the cultists, you kick its ass, the end.
From what I understand, the alt endings have the girl joining the Dark Man, detective joining the cultists, and the joke ending where it's all a play.
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Elttharion
Learned
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ferratilis
Arcane
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RIP
As I said on page 1, cursed title. Anyone trying to pick this up must have a death wish.
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Ouch.
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