Alone in the Dark review: the worst fights in the world


Driven by a well-managed atmosphere and an encouraging achievement, Alone in the Dark derails as soon as action gets involved. Too bad, as this reinterpretation of a title that marked its time deserves consideration.

In the Derceto mansion, lost in the middle of dark Louisiana, characters played by David Harbor and Jodie Comer lead the investigation as best they can: the young woman’s uncle has mysteriously disappeared and she has charged Edward Carnby, private detective (David Harbour), to discover the truth. This is the starting point for a strange story with a Lovecraftian flavor, nestled in a disturbing if not creepy atmosphere. Hallucinations, bizarre monsters and other fantastic levers mix on the screen.

Alone in the Dark is a name that will speak readily to older people. It was in 1992 that this horrific saga was born. Today, we are thinking more about resident Evil as a tenor of the genre, even if he was born later. But, at the time, the title, creation of Frédérick Raynal, made a strong impression. The 2024 game is a reinterpretation which, according to the official description, is “ a true love letter to the 90s classic. » At the helm, we find Pieces Interactive, which wanted to do too much despite a glaring lack of resources.

Alone in the Dark // Source: PS5 Capture

Alone in the Dark is an old-school horror game

Two adventures?

You can choose to play as David Harbor and Jodie Comer at the start of the game. But the differences are small. This still allows you to double a fairly short lifespan (7/8 hours without forcing).

Alone in the Dark is broken down into two phases. Most of the time, we carry out the investigation within the Derceto mansion, each room of which contains mysteries and truths about what is going on in this cursed place. Then, sometimes, we find ourselves propelled into a parallel reality, either by losing our minds or going through portals. We then become the prey of aggressive monsters, which we will have to fight. Alone in the Dark therefore mixes moments of tranquility with scenes of high tension. The problem: they are far from offering the same quality.

An elaborate production for a production which did not have to benefit from a large budget

The game is much more at ease when you are forced to think about the few puzzles that dot the story (apart from one far-fetched one, they are hardly complicated). They allow you to enjoy a successful atmosphere, carried by an elaborate production for a production which did not have to benefit from a large budget. The lighting, in particular, is striking, while the variety of decor is illusionary. The choice to tighten the action also allows you not to skimp on details. An excellent point.

Alone in the Dark // Source: PS5 CaptureAlone in the Dark // Source: PS5 Capture
The eyes of fear? // Source: PS5 Capture

The main cast is pretty well modeled. It’s just a shame that the facial expressions and animations are sketchy. Having known faces (who could have weighed on the budget) is good, using them properly would have been even better. The visual part is also overtaken by certain bugs: much less penalizing slowdowns when you know that you can find yourself stuck in an element of the environment. Here again, Alone in the Dark comes up against ambitions that are disproportionate to his frail shoulders.

But these grievances are nothing compared to the battles that are both necessary and painful. It’s simple, the sensations aren’t there. At a distance, the feeling is non-existent and the aim is unconvincing, regardless of the weapon chosen (pistol, shotgun or submachine gun). There is also no advanced damage management based on the impact zone, which reduces the shooting phases to a simple saving of ammunition. In close combat, it’s even worse. Not only does the makeshift arsenal we pick up break too quickly, but, as a bonus, we constantly have the impression of hitting the void. It’s imprecise and we spend our time praying that the shots hit their target. On screen, it’s ridiculous, especially with stiff animations that don’t help with credibility. For now, it’s less a question of budget than of know-how.

If Alone in the Dark is sometimes annoying, even exhausting, he also turns out to be very charming. The impression of living an old-fashioned adventure is there, an argument which will speak much more to those who have been fed with these old horror games, mixed with dusty mechanics (the close-ups on the keys which insert into locks, simplistic puzzles, tables to order). This old-world charm with a familiar taste allows you to soften your standards a little and ignore the few flaws. It takes a little effort, but Alone in the Dark is shot through with this je ne sais quoi that makes you want to see the end of it. The power of mystery, when it is captivating enough.

The verdict

Despite some pretty horrifying flaws (the fights, for goodness sake) and a lack of budget that is obvious, Alone in the Dark is not a bad guy. It poses as the direct descendant of old-fashioned horror games, taking on their rigidity to make it a Proust madeleine. It takes a good dose of indulgence to follow David Harbor and Jodie Comer on their Lovecraftian adventure, but the experience is far from bitter.

We would almost come back to regret the action component, inseparable from the monsters which abound in Alone in the Dark. It imposes itself like a sword of Damocles, a box clumsily checked which penalizes the overall experience. The game remains saved by its atmosphere and its surprisingly brilliant production. In the end, the Pieces Interactive studio took care of certain assets to make the magic happen.

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