by theygamesWhen is the Alone in the Dark release date? Survival horror is going through a bit of a renaissance in recent years, so it’s high time that we bring back the one that started it all. After a 16-year hiatus (no, we’re not counting Illumination), Alone in the Dark has emerged from the shadows in the form of a rebooted reimagining, and we’ve got all the details on the release date, news, and story to get you up to speed.
2024’s Alone in the Dark is a love letter to Frédérick Raynal’s original game of the same name, which rose to critical acclaim following its release back in 1992. It’s often hailed as the grandfather of survival horror, having inspired the development of Resident Evil – and, by proxy, all the survival horror games thereafter. However, the days of MS-DOS are long gone, and developer Pieces Interactive has breathed new life into this classic experience with modern-day graphical fidelity and Hollywood A-listers. Here’s everything we know ahead of the Alone in the Dark release date.
Alone in the Dark release date
Alone in the Dark is due to release on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. This was confirmed by Pieces Interactive and THQ Nordic in a joint statement following its second delay. It’s coming to PC via Steam, as well as on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S for console users.
Alone in the Dark was initially set to release in October 2023, but was subsequently delayed to January 2024 due to the exceptionally busy release calendar, with publisher THQ Nordic citing Alan Wake and Spider-Man as the stand-out competitors during this time. It then received a further delay in early December to prioritize staff wellbeing. A joint statement released by Pieces Interactive and THQ Nordic clarified that “both companies want to avoid any potential crunch over the Christmas holidays.”
Long-time fans of the series have the chance to pre-order Alone in the Dark and receive the Derceto 1992 Costume Pack, allowing you to switch out the new character models to the original retro skins for a true ‘90s throwback.
Alone in the Dark demo
The Alone in the Dark Prologue demo is currently available on Steam. This playable teaser offers a brief glimpse of the modern visuals and gothic horror through the eyes of Grace Saunders, a plucky young girl who takes on the seemingly innocuous task of delivering a letter from Jeremy Hartwood to his niece. As she makes her way through Derceto Manor, reality begins to warp, and strange eldritch creatures begin to take shape.
Alone in the Dark trailers
The Alone in the Dark announcement trailer was released in August 2022, offering a quickfire look at Derceto Mano and its residents, as well as the environmental puzzles and terrifying encounters that await within. Conversely, the ‘Welcome to Derceto’ trailer below shows off some of the more surreal sequences that await Emily and Edward during their investigation into the eponymous manor and its occupants.
Finally, the ‘Dark Man’ teaser trailer gives us a glimpse of Alone in the Dark’s antagonist: the eponymous dark man that haunts Jeremy Hartwood’s every step. He appears to resemble an Egyptian pharaoh, though we’ll refrain from delving into any ‘90s-era spoilers here.
Alone in the Dark gameplay
The Alone in the Dark extended gameplay trailer gives us a taste of what to expect as we assume the role of either Edward or Emily to investigate Derceto Manor. Without the technical limitations of yesteryear holding it back, Pieces Interactive has done away with the fixed camera angles and adopted a third-person perspective in the vein of more recent Resident Evil games.
Most notably, Emily and Edward are fully voiced by Stranger Things’ David Harbour and Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer. The personalities, motivations, and fears of these two distinct characters come into play as the story unfolds – a huge departure from the original’s silent protagonist. The manor’s inhabitants will also react to them in drastically different ways, either choosing to divulge or withhold information as they desire.
There’s also plenty of spooks to be had, as routine exploration of the manor turns into a descent into surrealist horror. As you might expect, light and darkness play a key role in setting the tone – as does the occasional jumpscare. However, there’ll also be plenty of logic and environmental puzzles to diffuse the tension.
On the whole, Alone in the Dark’s combat delivers a traditional survival horror experience, as limited ammo forces Edward and Emily to get up close and personal with melee weapons as they fend off the horrors. Naturally, Molotov cocktails and the ever-present shotgun make their appearance for some heavier firepower to fend off bigger threats.
Alone in the Dark story
Alone in the Dark’s story sticks to the premise of its ‘90s progenitor, charting a Southern Gothic tale of eldritch horror set in Louisiana during the Roaring Twenties. The story itself is split by its dual protagonists as Emily Hartwood turns to private detective Edward Carnby to help her investigate the disappearance of her uncle.
While the narrative beats remain the same regardless of which protagonist you choose, Pieces Interactive promises plenty of unique standout moments to make a second playthrough worthwhile.
This Southern Gothic horror is helmed by creative director Mikael Hedberg, best known for his work on Frictional Games’ horror cult-classics Amnesia and SOMA. Given that both titles take clear inspiration from Alone in the Dark through their narrative-driven exploration and Lovecraftian horror, we’d say this is a match made in heaven.
Alone in the Dark special edition
Aside from the standard edition of the detective game, there is are two special editions of Alone in the Dark: the digital deluxe edition and the collector’s edition.
The Alone in the Dark digital deluxe edition is available for $69.99 and comes with several special features to enhance your gameplay experience.
The Alone in the Dark digital deluxe edition includes:
- Derceto 1992 costume pack
- Vintage horror filter pack
- Director’s commentary mode
The Alone in the Dark collector’s edition is available for $199 and is limited to 5,000 units worldwide. This physical bundle contains plenty of merchandise that’s perfect for long-time fans of the series.
The Alone in the Dark collector’s edition includes:
- Derceto 1992 costume pack
- Vintage horror filter pack
- Director’s commentary mode
- The Dark Man 26cm statue
- Ostadte 10cm miniature
- Glow-in-the-dark steelbook
- ‘Do not disturb’ doorhang
- ‘Derceto 1930’ wall stickers set
Now that you’re all prepped for Alone in the Dark, take a look at the best upcoming PC games to mark on your calendar while you wait. We’ve also got some of the best puzzle games and story games to keep you occupied before you set off on your search for the unfortunate Jeremy Hartwood.