Alone in the Dark's legacy as a pioneer of survival horror may not be as widely recognized as some others that usually take the spotlight, but its mark on the history of the genre is undeniable. Introducing audiences to an unsettling and isolating game experience, Alone in the Dark established many of the aspects that survival horror would be built upon and evolve in its wake. And though it continued to release titles until 2015, the franchise's popularity waned with the latter games being somewhat uneven, receiving mixed-to-negative reviews at launch.

With the forthcoming 2024 entry, though, developer Pieces Interactive strove to strike the right chords for a modern entry, no less so with its composition than its visual or gameplay designs. Sound and audio design in horror games is in many ways more of a focus versus other genres, as setting up a mysterious and tense atmosphere via music is a key genre component. Game ZXC recently spoke with Alone in the Dark's main composer and sound designer, Árni Bergur Zoëga, about how this process came together, and his collaboration with other artists to realize the game's auditory vision.

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Alone in the Dark Composer Outlines its Four 'Musical Pillars'

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Zoëga explained how, early on, four main musical elements/styles were chosen to represent facets of Alone in the Dark's atmosphere, setting, and story. These were Drama, Horror, Mystery, and Noir, and it was established quite early in development. One benefit of this was the ability to experiment with everything from semi-humorous lounge jazz to old-school film noir beats. All of this was driven by the narrative, he explained.

All of these expressions are warranted by Alone in the Dark's narrative , which is part of what makes it unique. Among the biggest challenges was to tie all these different elements together into a coherent package while staying consistent with the game world and general themes. I wanted the music to contain an underlying melancholy, while not being overtly emotionally dramatic...wind instruments that struggle to produce sound, strings that mimic the cry of an animal, etc. I imagine it like the [Derceto] mansion struggling to stay afloat in the dank Louisiana bayou.

Alone in the Dark's Use of Doom Jazz Stylings to Enhance its Horror

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Speaking more about AITD's soundtrack, Zoëga noted his collaboration with well-known doom jazz artist, Jason Köhnen, and how his contributions work with the other aural elements to heighten its horror. It began with the rendition of "The House of the Rising Sun," heard in one of Alone in the Dark's trailers, and developed from there.

Since it's quite a particular genre of music, we decided that commissioning original songs from an established group or individual would only enhance authenticity. Jason provided ample material which I used in a variety of ways. Working with Jason was a great pleasure, and we definitely felt we got more than we needed. I've tied the whole soundtrack together by having our various musical styles touch and intermingle to create a more coherent macro-narrative. These are some of the things that inspire me as an artist, so using them in a Lovecraftian horror game definitely feels like home.

As 2024 looks set to continue the streak of great horror games that began last year, the latest Alone in the Dark's sound design strikes all the right chords. For the full experience, however, fans will have to wait for the game's forthcoming release.