Summary
With the resurgence of survival horror, fans of the genre have been gifted with a glut of great games in a short span. 2023 saw the release of a number of quality entries, including theDead SpaceandResident Evil 4remakes, and most recently,Alan Wake 2. While the firstAlan Wakewas mostly a cult hit, the sequel is a bonafide blockbuster.Alan Wake 2’s shift to full survival horror, combined with developer Remedy’s trademark flair, made for one of the best experiences to date.AW2has already earned widespread acclaim and counts itself alongside the aforementioned titles as one of the genre’s latest and greatest.
Meanwhile, theAlone in the Darkserieshas lain dormant since 2015. Though it played a seminal part in establishing survival horror itself, through a subsequent string of missteps and lackluster releases, it fell out of relevance in the gaming world for some time. But now, with a new title set to release June 14, 2025, fans who enjoyedAlan Wake 2have plenty of reasons to consider checking out the upcomingAlone in the Dark.
Alone in the Darkwas originally scheduled to release the same month asAlan Wake 2before being delayed twice to the above date.
Alan Wake 2 Fans Should be Excited About Alone in the Dark (2024)
Alone in the Dark Past & Present
Alone in the Darkhas a long and winding history. The franchise started in 1992,predatingResident Evil,and utilized a fully 3D environment; one of the earliest games to do so. As such, it is considered a respected progenitor of horror games. Multiple follow-ups were released between then and 2015, many of them attempting to emulate the spirit of the original, usually unsuccessfully. This was mainly due to the IP changing hands numerous times between developers and publishers, with long gaps between releases and an ill-defined vision and execution regarding the evolution of its direction and design.
Each timeanotherAlone in the Darkgame was announced, it claimed to be aiming to rejuvenate the series via a fresh reboot or remake. Yet, time and again, they failed to make an impact on audiences and the industry and ended up largely forgotten in lieu of more polished titles. Based on the information revealed about it, though,Alone in the Dark(2024) looks poised to finally deliver on that promise of recapturing within the current climate what the original title did for the genre decades ago.
Alone in the Dark (2024) & Alan Wake 2’s Similarities
The upcomingAlone in the Darkbears some striking resemblances toAlan Wake 2and looks to be checking many of the boxes thatAW2did to achieve its status as a top-tier survival horror experience. Among them are:
Specifically regarding the last point, David Harbour and Jodie Comer (ofStranger ThingsandKilling Evefame respectively) have been cast as the leads. Along with them, Mikael Hedberg, thewriter for 2024’sAlone in the Dark, previously worked onSOMAandAmnesia:TheDark Descentandwill be penning an entirely new story for the game. Given all these facets, fans who lovedAlan Wake 2and want more in the same vein would do well to give the latestAlone in the Darka chance, as it’s shaping up to have the same ingredients to make for a similarly excellent survival horror adventure.
