Alone in the Dark originally launching in 1992 and is widely considered to be one of the games responsible for launching the survival horror genre. Unfortunately, many may not have heard of it before, but that seems to be changing.

Although the franchise has waned in recent years with other IPs such as Resident Evil taking the genre by storm, it appears that Alone in the Dark is attempting to stage a comeback. With THQ Nordic recently announcing a modernized reboot of the original title, there are two distinct playable characters that will most likely feature, who fans should be aware of.

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Alone in the Dark - Edward Carnby

alone in the dark monsters

Considered to be the main protagonist of the Alone in the Dark franchise due to his consistent appearance throughout different installments, Edward Carnby is likely the character that most fans will remember. A professor and private investigator, Carnby is as intelligent as he is proficient in combat and self-defense.

A decidedly no-nonsense and jaded individual, Edward Carnby was first introduced within the original Alone in the Dark as one of two main character choices. Should the player choose Carnby as the protagonist, he is sent into the sinister Derceto Manor to obtain a historic piano for an antiques dealer. Upon entering the mansion, Carnby discovers a litany of nefarious secrets and dark magic, forcing him to fight an array of paranormal monsters. Edward's gameplay differed from the title's other protagonist in that he had a longer reach and a wider array of kicking styles during combat, making him a much more proficient fighter. Eventually escaping the tumultuous mansion, Carnby would go on to be the sole protagonist of most other Alone in the Dark franchise installments.

Alone in the Dark - Emily Hartwood

emily hartwood alone in the dark

The other protagonist available within the original Alone in the Dark was Emily Hartwood. Emily is the niece of Jeremy Hartwood, the deceased owner of the aforementioned Derceto Manor, whose surprising suicide directly led to the events of Alone in the Dark. Sensing that there must have been foul play behind her uncle's suicide, Emily travels to Derceto Manor in search for an explanation.

Playing as either Emily or Edward, the player will eventually discover that the occult happenings within the mansion can be attributed to the spirit of a pirate named Ezechiel Pregzt. Obsessed with the occult during his life and building Derceto Manor after purchasing a slavery plantation, the cruel and vindictive nature of Pregzt would follow him into the afterlife. With Pregzt driving Jeremy Hartwood to suicide and possessing the house, it is up to either Emily or Edward to defeat Pregzt and thus end Alone in the Dark's story.

In terms of differences in gameplay when controlling Emily over Edward, the former runs slightly faster than the latter. When considering the combat advantage that Edward possesses, it can be said that Emily's gameplay is suited more towards evasion and agility as opposed to direct fighting. It is highly likely that both Emily and Edward will feature within the upcoming THQ Nordic remake of Alone in the Dark, although likely with more modern twists and differences to how they were originally portrayed. Regardless, the return of two historic and iconic video game protagonists will surely bring a lot of attention to the upcoming remake.

Alone in the Dark is currently in development for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

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