Game review: Alone in the Dark (PS5)

When it comes to the survival horror franchise, nothing is more famous in the video game industry than the Resident Evil franchise. The reason the series is so popular is that it manages to balance both horror and action gameplay really well. 

However, there is one horror franchise that people seem to forget. One of the earliest survival horror games of all time was the original Alone in the Dark. Alone in the Dark was released back in 1992, and it became a cult hit. 

It's 2024, and the Alone in the Dark franchise is back with a new version. Alone in the Dark 2024 is a remake of the 1992 original, although this time, the main characters are now portrayed by two famous Hollywood stars. 

In this remake, Emily Hartwood is played by Killing Eve's Jodie Comer, and Edward Carnby is played by Stranger Things' David Harbour. Both characters need to investigate a mysterious place called the Derceto Mansion because they want to find Emily's missing uncle, Jeremy Hartwood. 

Since this is a horror game, you can expect to see many twists and turns in the game's plot. Derceto Mansion is not a normal place because it is filled with monsters and other supernatural horrors. It's a game that is sure to surprise and scare you a lot of times. 

Before I begin talking about the game itself, there is one thing I have to get off my chest. The game's biggest flaw is the fact that this game wasn't ready to be released because there was a major glitch that affected many players at launch. 

The game's biggest glitch is that the entirety of Chapter 2 has no sound! I thought my TV or PS5 was broken, but it was the game itself that wasn't producing any sound. I'm unsure if a patch has been released to fix it, but I had to play Chapter 2 with no sound when I reviewed the game!

Another thing that people have to know about Alone in the Dark is that it's not as action-packed as the recent Resident Evil remakes. Resident Evil 4 offers the best action in the RE franchise, but you won't experience that type of fun in Alone in the Dark. Sadly, Alone in the Dark is a slower-paced game that might deter some gamers that want to blast guns all of the time. 

When Alone in the Dark does offer combat, it is sadly underwhelming compared to modern gaming standards. It's best to describe the combat as slow and clunky because the animation doesn't feel smooth or satisfying. There are both melee attacks and some cheap guns that you can use in this game. 

Melee weapons are a bit annoying, though, because they can break easily after extensive use. Not to mention, ammo is somewhat rare in this game, so you will need to ration it and your supplies if you want to survive. 

Movement in this game is also not that great. When I played the game, I would normally get stuck in the background for no apparent reason. Again, this just proves that the game isn't finished because it's full of bugs that shouldn't exist in the first place. 

While combat in this game might be sparse compared to a Resident Evil title, there are a lot of great puzzle-solving segments you need to do in Alone in the Dark. You will have to investigate and find clues to solve the many puzzles that you will encounter. If you are stuck on something like I was, you can search for a guide on YouTube if you're struggling with a specific puzzle!

This game also has some pathetic stealth mechanics that rarely seem to work for some odd reason. The game doesn't react easily with prompts, and it was hard to distract ghouls with bricks and bottles that I found in the environment. 

The level design in Alone in the Dark is somewhat faithful to that of the original game. This is because this remake is set predominantly in the mansion, although there are many weird dream sequences that take place in the eerie horror world, too. 

The last thing I can say about Alone in the Dark is that it's a pretty short experience. There are only five chapters in the game, and you can complete the story in just around seven hours. However, there is some replay value on offer here because you can play the game from two different perspectives. For example, you can play as Emily first and then play the game again as Edward. 

Overall, Alone in the Dark is sadly not the best game I have played in 2024 thus far. The amount of glitches that I encountered is alarming. Not to mention people who like action might think this game is a bit boring. The only thing that this game does well is its atmospheric graphics and the realistic-looking character models. 
 
 Verdict: 6.0/10