Classic Games Database
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Alone in the Dark

Review
Also known as
AITD Call of Cthulhu: Doom of Derceto In the Dark Screams in the Dark アローン・イン・ザ・ダーク 鬼屋魔影

This survival horror game challenges you to solve puzzles and fight monsters to escape a haunted mansion.

Alone in the Dark was first released for MS-DOS in 1992 by Infogrames; the legacy year 1993 likely reflects a later regional or re-release.

About Alone in the Dark

Alone in the Dark is an action-adventure game with survival horror elements set in a Louisiana mansion called Derceto. Players assume the role of either a private investigator or the niece of the deceased owner, investigating a suicide that quickly reveals supernatural threats.

The gameplay involves navigating the three story building from fixed camera angles, with pre rendered 2D backgrounds and 3D character models. Progression depends on solving puzzles, which often require locating specific items and using them in the correct locations. The environment also contains readable books and documents, as well as restorative healing items.

Combat is a significant factor, as the mansion is inhabited by hostile creatures including zombies and mutated animals. Weapons and limited ammunition are available, but some enemies cannot be defeated through direct force alone, requiring alternative strategies. This makes resource management and tactical thinking challenging aspects of the experience, with the core objective being to escape the haunted house.

Alone in the Dark Screenshots

10 images
Title screen
Choosing your character - Edward or Emily
Copy protection! Ahh, the good old days...
The game opens with a cinematic introduction
A masterful shot from the intro - if this doesn't give you the creeps, I don't know what would!
Entering the house... what lies ahead?..
Exploring as Emily. This is the first room you'll get into
The menu allows you to choose various actions
Fighting a pretty scary creature. Note how the camera angle changes in a cinematic way
The Necronomicon is one of the books you'll discover in the game. Yes, it was inspired by Lovecraft