Survival horror classic Alone in the Dark is being 'reimagined' by Soma writer

THQ Nordic is reimagining survival horror classic Alone in the Dark, with Soma and Amnesia: The Dark Descent writer Mikael Hedberg at the helm.

Alone in the Dark, for those too young to remember, is widely considered to be the granddaddy of the survival horror genre, with the 1992 original pioneering the fixed-camera spook-house formula that would go on to influence the likes of Resident Evil and Silent Hill.

THQ Nordics reimagined version of Alone in the Dark – which is being handled by Swedish developer Pieces Interactive – takes the basic premise of the 1992 original, in which private detective Edward Carnby helps Emily Hartwood investigate her uncles suicide at the gloomy Derceto Mansion, and shakes it up a little for modern audiences.

Pieces says the goal for its reimagining is “psychological horror done right”, and its focusing on what it considers the core tenets of the genre: exploration, combat, puzzles, and story.

For this new Alone in the Dark, though, writer and director Mikael Hedberg is playing up the Southern Gothic angle implicit in the original with its Louisiana setting, and will be opening that out with exploration sections that see Carnby and Emily Hartwood venture away from the Derceto Mansion, travelling through portals to forgotten cemeteries, bayous, and beyond.

There are story changes – Jeremy Hartwood, who hangs himself at the start of the original, is now a missing guest at the Derceto Mansion, reimagined as a slightly more populace mental hospital for the rich and wealthy – but the core remains the same, meaning players will control either Carnby or Emily on their single-player adventure, with the choice of character said to have a significant impact on how the game plays out. NPCs will, for instance, react differently depending on who youre playing as, cut scenes will unfold differently, and there are “quite a few areas” exclusive to each character.

Theres a first look at Alone in the Darks third-person action, including its puzzling, exploration, and combat (a blend of gunplay and melee, if youre wondering) in the announcement trailer above. Youll also catch snippets of its evocative period score by “doom jazz legend” Jason Wohnen, alongside creatures by Guy Davis – whos previously worked as a concept designer on Guillermo del Toro movies including Crimson Peak, the Shape of Water, and Nightmare Alley.

Alone in the Dark, which has been in development since 2019, doesnt have a release date yet, but its currently scheduled to release on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC at some future time.