ALONE IN THE DARK

Bad Manor

RELEASED OUT NOW! Reviewed on PS5

Also on Xbox Series S|X, PC

Publisher THQ Nordic Some of the reception to this reboot of the original groundbreaking 1992 game has been so hostile that you’d think Uwe Boll was directing again. Shame, because there’s actually a lot to like here.

Playing as either Edward Carnby (David Harbour) or Emily

Hartwood (Jodie Comer), you explore Derceto Manor, a building with a sinister past and not exactly a joyous and lovely present.

Though there’s the odd effective jump scare, combat is often more tedious than terrifying, and too many of the horror tricks (sneak past the blind monster, throw bottles to distract enemies) have been seen way too many times before. It’s sad to see that the series which started 3D survival horror is now so utterly derivative of the far superior Resident Evil.

Still, exploring the manor is actually a lot of fun. You gradually unlock this sprawling space by collecting keys and solving puzzles, and this is where Alone In The Dark steps out of the shadow of better games. Its best brainteasers are clever, beautifully constructed conundrums. Often you’re given a bunch of clues and left to figure things out for yourself. It’s great to see a modern game with the confidence to stall your progress unless you properly engage your brain.

If that confidence had been seen in the rest of this reboot we could have had something really special here. Books you find contain wonderfully sinister bits of spooky writing too, that the game frustratingly never makes good on. Alas, it’s just too generic to earn a place among gaming horror’s modern greats.

Abbie Stone

People who pre-ordered the game are able to play as the hilariously outdated skins from the 1992 original.

Brainteasers are clever and beautifully constructed