Alone in the Dark 2 is twice as hard as the original; if you didn't have the option to save at any point, impossible.
AITD2 is much longer than the original, and the graphics are slightly improved.
The game is more weapon-oriented than the original, but still features the hand-to-hand option that we've grown to find a necessity in any realistic survival horror game.
The combat physics are so unpredictable and, at times, frustrating (gun-toting ghost pirates have surprisingly good accuracy) that the player is relegated to saving after the defeat of virtually every opponent, retrying various battles again and again to get the best results.
I, personally, had to watch episodes of Seinfeld (this was before the DVD release, I had recorded them commerical-free on SP tapes, I own the DVDs now) on a separate television to prevent myself from getting frustrated.
The trademark eerie music from the original has been replaced with a 40s-gumshoe type theme that can tend to get annoying after a while.
For those who are fans of the original, I recommend this game, for those new to the Alone in the Dark series I advise you to play the original first.
Blessed Be