How Alone in the Dark Is Borrowing From the Games It Inspired - gamescom 2022

ign.com:

Often lauded as the original 3D survival horror game, Alone in the Dark arrived on the scene in 1992 and created a genre that still stands firm in 2022. But now, with the recently announced re-imagining, it’s clear to see Alone in the Dark is taking it’s own inspirations from the series that pioneered the genre, Resident Evil.

During a brief presentation I saw at Gamescom 2022, the developers from Pieces Interactive were very clear that Alone in the Dark is not a reboot, or even a remake, choosing to refer to their upcoming release as a love letter to the 1992 original. Despite lead characters Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood making a return, the story is a completely fresh take for the series. Writer Mikael Hedberg – of Amnesia: The Dark Descent and SOMA fame— shared that he only used certain elements from the 1920s-set original as jumping off points, choosing to work on a completely new story for the series.

That’s not to say there isn’t something for long-term fans here though. The player will still investigate the Derceto mansion, dealing with all kinds of supernatural beings along the way, but apparently everything else is fresh. Those familiar with the story and characters from the original will recognise names and locations from that era, but perhaps in a different context or setting. The developers shared that certain names - which may have only been mentioned in passing in 1992 - have now been fleshed out to be part of the modern telling.

Also like the original, players can choose to play the story as either Edward Carnby or Emily Hartwood, the male and female protagonist options from 1992. This could present Alone in the Dark’s first distinct step away from its roots and push it firmly towards Resident Evil