Alone in the Dark (2024 video game)

Last updated

Alone in the Dark
Alone in the dark 2022.jpg
Developer(s) Pieces Interactive
Publisher(s) THQ Nordic
Director(s) Mikael Hedberg
Producer(s)
  • Claes Johansson
  • Michael Paeck
  • Andreas Schmiedecker
Designer(s) Magdalena Erlikson
Programmer(s) Carl-Oscar Lönn
Artist(s)
  • Rikard Ryberg
  • Robin Koitzsch
Writer(s) Mikael Hedberg
Composer(s)
  • Árni Bergur Zoëga
  • Jason Köhnen
Series Alone in the Dark
Engine Unreal Engine 4
Platform(s)
Release20 March 2024
Genre(s) Survival horror
Mode(s) Single-player

Alone in the Dark is a 2024 survival horror video game developed by Pieces Interactive and published by THQ Nordic. It is a reimagining of the original 1992 Alone in the Dark and is the seventh installment in the Alone in the Dark video game series. The game features a single-player narrative set in the 1930s, where players can choose to play as Edward Carnby (David Harbour) or Emily Hartwood (Jodie Comer), as they make their way through Derceto Mansion to uncover the mysteries within.

Contents

Alone in the Dark was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on 20 March 2024. Upon release, the game received mixed reviews from critics and failed to meet the sales expectations of THQ Nordic's parent company Embracer Group, which led to the closure of Pieces Interactive in June 2024.

Synopsis

Alone in the Dark follows Emily Hartwood (Jodie Comer) and private investigator Edward Carnby (David Harbour) as they travel to Derceto Manor, a home for the mentally fatigued, to investigate the disappearance of Jeremy Hartwood (Paul Mercier), Emily's uncle. [1] [2] However they will soon stumble upon Eldritch horrors involving hideous monsters, mental environments, cult conspiracies and connections involving a mysterious being known as "The Dark Man".

Gameplay

Alone in the Dark features an "over-the-shoulder" third-person perspective, doing away with the fixed camera angles of the original. This is similar to the Resident Evil franchise, which also chose this presentation for their recent remakes. Combat is available with a firearm, or melee weapon as shown by the reveal trailer. Players can choose to play as Emily or Edward, both campaigns featuring different cutscenes and levels. [3] [4]

Combat consists of firearms, melee weapons and throwable objects, along with environmental hazards that can be used to have an edge on the monsters. The environment is filled with items for the player to find, such as ammo, melee weapons, keys, collectibles such as journals, letters and lagniappes that unlock secret informations about the story and objectives.

Development

A remake of the original 1992 game Alone in the Dark was in active development by Eden Games after the release of Alone in the Dark: Inferno . But following the liquidation of the studio by Atari in 2013, the game was cancelled. [5]

Three years after the poor reception of Alone in the Dark: Illumination , then-owner Atari SA sold the Alone in the Dark franchise to THQ Nordic in September 2018. [6] Pieces Interactive, which was most known for making Magicka 2 , commenced development of the game in late 2019. [7] The game was written by Mikael Hedberg, who had previously worked at Frictional Games on Soma and Amnesia: The Dark Descent . Artist Guy Davis, best known for his work with Guillermo del Toro and his own comic series The Marquis , was recruited to design the monsters featured in the game. [1] Series creator Frédérick Raynal gave his blessings to the reimagining saying that Pieces Interactive did a great job preserving the "core feeling" from the original game. [8]

English actress Jodie Comer and American actor David Harbour were recruited for the voice and motion capture of the two protagonists. [9]

Release

In August 2022, Alone in the Dark was revealed at THQ Nordic's Showcase. [1] A playable prologue for the game, titled Grace in the Dark, was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on 25 May 2023. [10] The full game was originally scheduled to release for those platforms on 25 October 2023, but was delayed a month before release to 16 January 2024 to "avoid competing with" Alan Wake 2 and Spider-Man 2 . [11] In December 2023, it was again delayed to 20 March 2024 to "avoid any potential crunch over the Christmas holidays". [12]

Reception

Critical reception

Alone in the Dark received "mixed or average" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. [13] [14] [15]

Sales

Alone in the Dark failed to meet the sales expectations of THQ Nordic's parent company Embracer Group, [30] leading Embracer to shut down Pieces Interactive in June 2024. [31]

Related Research Articles

Alone in the Dark is a survival horror video game series originally developed by Infogrames. In most of the games, the player controls private investigator Edward Carnby, who goes to investigate a haunted house or town that is full of undead creatures.

<i>Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare</i> 2001 video game

Alone in the Dark: The New Nightmare is a survival horror video game and the fourth installment and first reboot of the video game series Alone in the Dark, developed by Darkworks and published by Infogrames Entertainment, SA. The game was released in 2001 on several platforms including Windows, PlayStation, Dreamcast, and Game Boy Color. A PlayStation 2 version of the game was also released several months after and only in Europe.

<i>TimeSplitters</i> Video game series

TimeSplitters is a series of first-person shooter video games developed by Free Radical Design. The games are often considered spiritual successors to the Nintendo 64 titles GoldenEye 007 (1997) and Perfect Dark (2000), due to overlapping elements in gameplay, design, and development team. Each game features a time travelling element in which players battle across a diverse number of locations and periods in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volition (company)</span> American video game developer

Deep Silver Volition, LLC was an American video game developer based in Champaign, Illinois. Mike Kulas and Matt Toschlog founded the company as Parallax Software in June 1993, developing Descent and Descent II. By the time the sequel was completed, Toschlog had relocated to Ann Arbor, Michigan, with some employees to operate a satellite studio for Parallax. Kulas and Toschlog decided to split up the company, with Toschlog establishing Outrage Entertainment and Kulas staying with Parallax, which was renamed Volition in November 1996. With publisher Interplay Entertainment, Volition created Descent: FreeSpace – The Great War and its sequel, FreeSpace 2. The two companies parted ways during the development of Summoner.

Rainbow Studios is an American video game developer based in Phoenix, Arizona, best known for developing offroad racing games, such as Motocross Madness and the MX vs. ATV series. It was established by Earl Jarred in 1986 under the name Rainbow Multimedia Group and rebranded as Rainbow Studios in 1992. In January 2002, the company was acquired by THQ, under the ownership of which it was renamed THQ Digital Studios Phoenix in February 2010 and closed in August 2011. The studio was re-instated as Rainbow Studios in 2013 by Nordic Games, a publishing company that had purchased most assets of the then-bankrupt THQ earlier that year. The studio is now independent.

<i>Alone in the Dark</i> (1992 video game) Survival horror game

Alone in the Dark is a 1992 survival horror video game designed by Frédérick Raynal. Developed and published by Infogrames in 1992 for MS-DOS, the game was eventually ported to Mac OS, the PC-98, the FM Towns, the 3DO, the Acorn Archimedes, and iOS. Alone in the Dark is set in 1920s Louisiana and challenges the player to escape a haunted mansion. To advance, the player must solve puzzles while banishing, slaying, or eluding various ghosts and monsters. The player can collect and use weapons, manage a weight-based inventory system, and explore a partially nonlinear map.

<i>Alone in the Dark 3</i> 1995 video game

Alone in the Dark 3 is a 1995 survival horror video game developed and published by Infogrames Multimedia. It is the third installment of the Alone in the Dark video game series. The video game was released for MS-DOS in 1995. It was ported to the PC-98 later that year. Versions for Windows and Mac OS were also released in 1996.

<i>Alone in the Dark</i> (2008 video game) 2008 video game

Alone in the Dark is a survival horror video game published by Atari and is the fifth installment of the series under the same name. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii in Europe, North America, and Australia in June 2008. The PlayStation 3 version, titled Alone in the Dark: Inferno, was released in November 2008 and includes several enhancements from the other versions. The Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions were released by Electronic Arts in Japan on December 25, 2008.

<i>Dark Summit</i> 2001 snowboarding video game

Dark Summit is a 2001 snowboarding video game developed by Radical Entertainment and published by THQ. It was released for the GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox,

<i>Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy</i> 2003 video game

Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy is a 2003 action-adventure video game developed by Eurocom and published by THQ for GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. A version for mobile phones was released in 2004. THQ Nordic published a high-definition remaster for personal computer systems in 2017, and Nintendo Switch in 2019.

THQ Nordic GmbH is an Austrian video game publisher based in Vienna. Formed in 2011, it is a publishing subsidiary of Embracer Group. Originally named Nordic Games, as was the parent company, both companies were renamed THQ Nordic in August 2016 after the parent company had acquired the "THQ" trademark in 2014.

<i>Alone in the Dark: Illumination</i> 2015 video game

Alone in the Dark: Illumination is a 2015 third-person shooter video game developed by Pure FPS and published by Atari for Microsoft Windows. The game is the sixth installment of the Alone in the Dark video game series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jodie Comer</span> English actress (born 1993)

Jodie Comer is an English actress. She began her career in an episode of The Royal Today in 2008. Comer gained recognition for appearing in the series My Mad Fat Diary (2013–2015) and Doctor Foster (2015–2017), and starred in the drama miniseries Thirteen (2016).

Embracer Group AB is a Swedish video game and media holding company based in Karlstad. The company comprises 10 operative groups: Amplifier Game Invest, Asmodee, CDE Entertainment, Coffee Stain, Dark Horse Media, Deca Games, Easybrain, Freemode, Plaion, and THQ Nordic.

<i>Gothic</i> (upcoming video game) 2024 video game

Gothic: Remake is an upcoming action role-playing video game developed by Alkimia Interactive and published by THQ Nordic. It is a remake of Piranha Bytes' 2001 action role-playing game of the same name.

References

  1. 1 2 3 McWhertor, Michael (12 August 2022). "Survival horror game Alone in the Dark is getting a remake". Polygon . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 1 November 2022.
  2. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (25 May 2023). "Alone in the Dark remake stars David Harbour and Jodie Comer". Polygon . Vox Media . Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  3. ↑ DanielD (20 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark Offers a "Delightful Sense of Matinée" - Interview with Producer Andreas Schmiedecker & Creative Director Mikael Hedberg". EIP Gaming. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  4. ↑ Earle, Sharnelle (20 March 2024). "Alone In The Dark: Should You Play As Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood?". TheGamer. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  5. ↑ Seibert, Dustin J. (6 February 2014). "Canceled Alone in the Dark Remake Footage Released". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  6. ↑ Wales, Matt (19 September 2018). "THQ Nordic has now acquired survival horror classic Alone In The Dark". Eurogamer . Gamer Network . Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  7. ↑ Peppiatt, Dom (12 August 2022). "An Alone in the Dark reboot is coming from the Soma and Amnesia: Dark Descent writer". VG247 . Gamer Network . Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  8. ↑ Alone in the Dark - Spotlight Video. YouTube . PlayStation. 25 May 2023. Event occurs at 6:22. Retrieved 26 May 2023.
  9. ↑ McWhertor, Michael (25 May 2023). "Alone in the Dark remake stars David Harbour and Jodie Comer". Polygon . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 14 January 2024.
  10. ↑ Colantonio, Giovanni (25 May 2023). "Alone in the Dark launches in October, and a free prologue is available now". Digital Trends . Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  11. ↑ Yang, George (5 September 2023). "Alone in the Dark Reboot Delayed to January 2024 to Avoid the Likes of Alan Wake 2 and Spider-Man 2". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  12. ↑ Jarvis, Matt (8 December 2023). "Alone in the Dark reboot delayed again, will now land in March so devs "avoid any potential crunch"". Rock Paper Shotgun . Gamer Network . Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  13. 1 2 "Alone in the Dark for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  14. 1 2 "Alone in the Dark for PlayStation 5 Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  15. 1 2 "Alone in the Dark for Xbox Series X Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  16. ↑ Deneschau, Nicolas (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review". Adventure Gamers . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  17. ↑ Colantonio, Giovanni (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review: an unabashed ode to a '90s horror classic". Digital Trends . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  18. ↑ Blade, Vikki (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review – a perfunctory romp that doesn't quite live up to the hype". Eurogamer . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  19. ↑ Delaney, Mark (19 March 2024). "Alone In The Dark Review - Dimly Lit". GameSpot . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  20. ↑ Hurley, Leon (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review: "Lacks the life or coherence needed to give it any momentum"". GamesRadar+ . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  21. ↑ Ogilive, Tristan (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark Review". IGN . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  22. ↑ Brown, Andy (19 March 2024). "'Alone In The Dark' review: more trouble than terror in this disappointing reboot". NME . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  23. ↑ Chatziioannou, Alexander (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review". PC Gamer . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  24. ↑ Smith, Ed (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review – the death of survival horror's pioneer". PCGamesN . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  25. ↑ Croft, Liam (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark Review (PS5)". Push Square . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  26. ↑ Denzer, TJ (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review: A heady head case". Shacknews . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  27. ↑ Lane, Rick (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review – Jodie Comer and David Harbour can't save this soporific horror". The Guardian . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  28. ↑ Scullion, Chris (19 March 2024). "Review: Alone in the Dark is anotherfrustrating reboot for the classic horror series". Video Games Chronicle . Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  29. ↑ Bardwell, Tom (19 March 2024). "Alone in the Dark review – a thrilling reimagining of a pioneering classic". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  30. ↑ Batchelor, James (23 May 2024). "Embracer Group full-year sales rise to $3.9bn, but $1.5bn debt remains". Games Industry. Gamer Network . Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  31. ↑ Dinsdale, Ryan (17 June 2024). "Embracer Shuts Down Alone in the Dark Developer Pieces Interactive". IGN. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.