Mark your calendars – it's time to return to Derceto Manor. Alone in the Dark, THQ Nordic's remake of the cult classic scare 'em up, is set to launch later this year on October 25. Set in the deep south of 1920s USA, the direct reimagining is a "love letter" to the 1992 original, building upon its atmosphere to bridge the gap between gothic noir and survival horror. With major Hollywood actors starring as Detective Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood, the emphasis on cinematics and historical context alone is already a huge leap from Nordic's first stab at it. The studio only acquired the IP from Atari in 2018, but its modern day take on Alone in the Dark launched back in 2008 and still sports mixed reviews on Steam to this day.
Stranger Things and Killing Eve stars aside, though, what really stands out to me is the newest game's proud acknowledgement of its place in genre history. Alone in the Dark is a remake in some ways influenced by the remakes of a game franchise that was influenced by its original title. We're firmly in the midst of a glittering horror remake renaissance, and Alone in the Dark doesn't shy away from its self-referential nature.
