Creepy children in horror media are a grand tradition from the possessed Regan ofThe Exorcistto the sinister twins ofThe Shiningand many more. When developing the re-imagining of the horror classicAlone in the Dark,Pieces Interactive quickly found the perfect chilling child to include: Grace Saunders, a character from the previousAlone in the Darkgames. Re-imagined as an inhabitant of the Derceto Manor sanitarium, Grace serves as a key figure in the newAlone in the Darktitle as one of the figures at the heart of the mansion’s mystery.
In an interview with Game Rant, the team atTHQ Nordicand Pieces Interactive discussed the choice to bring back Grace Saunders alongside returning protagonists Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood. Grace is the point-of-view character for the game’s Prologue and has also played a key role in many of the trailers released forAlone in the Dark.She is a major part of the series' mythos who is being given a new life in the re-imagining - and perhaps an even more terrifying one than before.
Who Is Grace Saunders?
Grace Saunders is a young child who initially appeared inJack in the Dark,a short game that was released around Christmas 1993 to promote the then-upcomingrelease ofAlone in the Dark 2.In this game, Grace became trapped inside a toy store populated by living toys, where she had to rescue Santa Claus from an evil jack-in-the-box. Mikael Hedberg, the creative director and writer ofAlone in the Dark,explained that this game was what inspired the team to choose Grace for the prologue player character. As Hedberg said,
“Since we had already repurposed Grace to be a patient at the asylum, it would almost be silly not to take the opportunity to play as her.”
The character of Grace Saunders made another appearance inAlone in the Dark 2,where she was kidnapped. Her kidnapping was investigated by recurring series protagonist Edward Carnby. With Carnby’s help, Grace survived the events of the game but did not go on to appear in anyfurtherAlone in the Darksequels.
The New Grace Saunders Provides A Unique Lens for Horror Storytelling
Grace as she is re-imagined is not simply an innocent victim. The trailers forAlone in the Darkare quick to portray her more sinister side, featuring her voice actress Glory Joy Rose singing a chilling, slowed-down version of the classic folk song “House of the Rising Sun,” a song which perfectly encapsulatesthe Southern Gothic feel of Derceto Manor. She’s also shown performing various creepy actions, like ripping up anAlone in the Darkmanuscript or hanging dolls from nooses. Describing the team’s interpretation of the character, Hedberg said,
“Playing with the innocence of Grace is fun. While she is a cute kid, Grace is definitely not alright. She is seemingly okay with a lot of things and used to a bit of insanity.”
Grace Saunders has always been a character willing to face the supernatural and believe in monsters beyond human comprehension. She seems to be to some degree already aware of the chilling,Lovecraft-influenced horrorsinhabiting Derceto Manor. This serves as a foil to Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood, who discover the horrors in store for them only gradually throughout the game, at least in the original anyway. Exactly what Grace Saunders' full role in theAlone in the Darkre-imagining is will likely not be revealed until the game’s full release, but the previews and trailers already indicate that she is not a character who players will be likely to forget anytime soon.
Alone in the Dark
WHERE TO PLAY
Alone in the Dark weaves a chilling tapestry of psychological horror and Southern Gothic charm, reimagining the iconic game that set the benchmark for the genre. We invite you to join us on a journey into madness, where each encounter could be your last. With each step you take closer to unravelling Derceto’s mystery, the eyes that watch from the darkness grow hungrier.Every bullet means the difference between survival and an unthinkable end. The next door you unlock could lead to a nightmarish realm offering nothing but slashing claws, grasping tentacles, and frayed sanity. Journey to interbellum Louisiana, where an era of decadence hides a darker tale - of escape from past traumas and an intolerant society, into the waiting grasp of something darker, something that has patiently lurked for impossible eons.This is Alone in the Dark as you’ve never seen it - a skillfully-woven narrative of Southern Gothic elegance and eldritch madness that pays homage to its legendary origins while taking the next step forward in survival horror storytelling.
