ALONE IN THE DARK: Oscar Performances, Bargain Bin Combat
Gameplay
The gameplay is unfortunately where Alone in the Dark struggles the most. Combat feels unfinished and inconsistent throughout the experience, lacking the impact and refinement you would expect from a thriller game with horror elements. While the game offers different weapon types, they rarely change the way you approach encounters. Throwables are scattered generously throughout the world and are powerful enough to deal with almost every enemy, especially when combined with basic melee attacks, making the weapon variety feel largely meaningless. Simply put, combat isn’t particularly engaging or enjoyable.
One aspect I did enjoy, however, was the puzzles. They strike a nice balance between being challenging and accessible, requiring enough thought to feel rewarding without becoming frustrating. They consistently break up the pacing and ended up being one of the highlights of the gameplay for me. That said, Alone in the Dark is a difficult game to judge. Throughout my playthrough, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it would have worked better as a movie than as a game. That’s not to say it’s a bad experience, but the gameplay lacks the depth and polish needed to support its strong cinematic presentation. Its cinematic presentation is impressive, but the gameplay never feels strong enough to justify the experience being interactive rather than simply watched.
📕 STORY
The story is decent overall, but it never rises much above that. It has several intriguing moments, and there were times when I was genuinely excited to uncover more about the mystery surrounding Derceto Manor and the events unfolding around me. The game does a good job of creating questions that make you want to keep exploring, even if the answers don’t always live up to the build-up.
Unfortunately, the narrative also has its weaknesses. The surreal nature of the story can make it feel confusing at times, and while that style certainly fits the game’s atmosphere, it doesn’t always translate into a satisfying payoff. The ending, in particular, left me disappointed and didn’t deliver the conclusion I was hoping for. That’s ultimately what holds the story back for me. I could have overlooked the lackluster gameplay much more easily if the narrative had delivered a stronger and more memorable experience. Instead, it remains an enjoyable mystery with flashes of brilliance, but one that never fully reaches its potential.
🔈 Sound
The audio is led by the outstanding performances of Jodie Comer and David Harbour. Their voice acting, combined with excellent motion-capture work, brings a great deal of authenticity to both characters and helps sell even the more surreal moments of the story. Alongside the game’s impressive visuals, their performances are ultimately what carried much of the experience for me.
The rest of the audio does its job well, but it’s the performances that truly stand out. It may sound a little harsh, but I genuinely believe Jodie Comer and David Harbour deserved a stronger game around them. They both deliver excellent performances from start to finish, even if the gameplay and story don’t always reach the same level of quality.
Visuals
The visuals are undoubtedly one of Alone in the Dark’s greatest strengths. This remake looks fantastic, with detailed environments, impressive lighting, and an atmosphere that constantly pulls you deeper into its world. Even though the game presents itself as a survival horror experience, it felt more like a psychological thriller with horror elements to me. Rather than relying on constant scares, it builds tension through its presentation, and that atmosphere carries much of the experience.
I’m also a big fan of stories set in older eras, so the game’s noir-inspired setting immediately appealed to me. Alone in the Dark captures the look and feel of that period exceptionally well, creating a world that is both beautiful and immersive. Because of that I found it much easier to connect with both the setting and the characters right from the start. While I had my issues with other aspects of the game, I have very little to criticize when it comes to its visual presentation. It’s easily one of the remake’s strongest qualities and plays a huge role in making the overall experience memorable.
Alone in the Dark ended up being one of the hardest games I’ve scored in a while because it gets so many things right while being held back by a few major flaws. The visuals, atmosphere, voice acting, and puzzles are all genuinely enjoyable, but the combat never feels satisfying and adds very little to the overall experience. On top of that, while the story has its moments, it never reaches the same level of quality as the game’s presentation, making the ending feel more disappointing than rewarding.
I think players who primarily enjoy story-driven games will have a much better time with Alone in the Dark than those looking for engaging gameplay. Despite its flaws, I still had a good time exploring Derceto Manor and uncovering its mysteries. Overall, it’s a decent game that, in my opinion, would have worked even better as a movie than as a game.
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