Alone in the Dark is a franchise that began in 1992, spanning six games and featuring various stories and settings. Pieces Interactive's Alone in the Dark brings the franchise back into the spotlight 32 years later with a brand-new story and a star-filled cast, including David Harbour playing Edward Carnby and Jodie Comer as Emily Hartwood, the protagonists that players can choose between. 2024's Alone in the Dark is also a love letter to the original game, which influenced many other beloved franchises, including Resident Evil and Silent Hill.
In an interview with The Best War Games, THQ Nordic producer Andreas Schmiedecker spoke about how Alone in the Dark relates to the franchise overall, even looking ahead to the future. Additionally, creative director and writer Mikael Hedberg shared his thoughts on Alone in the Dark as a re-imaging rather than a remake.
Alone In The Dark's Original Trilogy Connections
To understand Alone in the Dark's place in the franchise, it's first important to note that it is primarily a re-imagining of the namesake 1992 classic survival horror game rather than a remake. It offers players a new story, with no knowledge of the original games required. However, it's impossible for a reimagining to not have connections to the entire franchise. Fans of the original game will find an "absolute reference bender" waiting for them, according to Hedberg.
Players can also expect to find references from the original three Alone in the Dark games, though the 2000 games also get a small nod or two. Its stance as a re-imagining also indicates that it's not relying on the success of past Alone in the Dark games but is innovating to take it to a whole new level.
While 2024's Alone in the Dark primarily takes cues from the 1992 original game, Schmiedecker added the team also references the second and third Alone in the Dark games, something which could still delight fans eager to discover all the hidden Easter Eggs. As Schmiedecker explained,
We took our cues primarily from the first game and some also from the second and third.
As to the games that came after the original trilogy – they tried different things and exist in their own right, but were not really relevant to our approach in terms of gameplay and story (except for some very, very well hidden references in some names …)
THQ Nordic is Committed to Alone in the Dark
Schmiedecker also hinted there is a possibility that it may only be the beginning, with potentially more games to follow for the Alone in the Dark franchise, depending on how the re-imagining is received. This could also be incredibly exciting for the franchise's evolution and legacy, especially when considering the possible changes to the original game's story, characters, and endings. As Schmiedecker went on to explain,
We're committed to the franchise in the long run and will be happy to explore it further if audience reception stays as positive as we have been experiencing since the announcement.
Alone in the Dark
- Released
- March 20, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Alone in the Dark weaves a chilling tapestry of psychological horror and Southern Gothic charm, reimagining the iconic game that set the benchmark for the genre. We invite you to join us on a journey into madness, where each encounter could be your last. With each step you take closer to unravelling Derceto's mystery, the eyes that watch from the darkness grow hungrier.
Every bullet means the difference between survival and an unthinkable end. The next door you unlock could lead to a nightmarish realm offering nothing but slashing claws, grasping tentacles, and frayed sanity. Journey to interbellum Louisiana, where an era of decadence hides a darker tale - of escape from past traumas and an intolerant society, into the waiting grasp of something darker, something that has patiently lurked for impossible eons.
This is Alone in the Dark as you've never seen it - a skillfully-woven narrative of Southern Gothic elegance and eldritch madness that pays homage to its legendary origins while taking the next step forward in survival horror storytelling.
- Developer(s)
- Pieces Interactive
- Publisher(s)
- THQ Nordic
- Franchise
- Alone in the Dark
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
