Alan Wake 2 Review – A Miracle Illuminated

Labeling a game as ambitious often comes with a caveat, suggesting that while it may strive for greatness, it might fall short. Alan Wake 2, however, stands as one of the most ambitious games I’ve encountered, and this claim is not accompanied by any reservations. Far from falling short of its lofty objectives, Alan Wake 2 successfully accomplishes everything envisioned by developer Remedy Entertainment. It exudes a sense of novelty and risk-taking, executed with confidence and a clear vision. The end result is a sequel that stands as a unique masterpiece, reshaping its series, pioneering new paths in video game storytelling, and serving as a testament to a studio that has fully realized its potential.

Set 13 years after the events of the original game, Alan Wake 2 caters to two distinct audiences: those new to its enigmatic plot and those who have been mentally connecting red strings on a figurative corkboard for over a decade. Remedy takes a clever approach to broaden the game’s appeal, dividing it into two campaigns, each unfolding through an unconventional structure.

In a single campaign, FBI special agent Saga Anderson delves into the once-quaint town of Bright Falls, Washington, investigating a series of disappearances and ritualistic murders. Accompanied by her partner, Alex Casey, Saga becomes the conduit for those unfamiliar with the eerie atmosphere of Bright Falls. Immersed in the town’s juxtaposition of understated eeriness and quirky townsfolk, Saga’s journey unfolds in crime scenes set against a haunting forest steeped in folklore. The storyline blends the rustic foreboding ambiance reminiscent of The Blair Witch Project with the unyielding grit of a dark crime drama inspired by Fincher.

Simultaneously, another campaign places players in the shoes of the titular Alan Wake, trapped in a nightmarish realm known as the Dark Place since the conclusion of the first game. This malevolent space consumes both art and memories, creating personalized prisons for those ensnared within.

Despite their distinctiveness, both storylines play integral roles in the overarching plot. While the temptation to follow one story exclusively exists, the game advocates for embracing the interconnected nature of the narrative. Players can seamlessly switch between protagonists using interaction points found in safe rooms, offering a dynamic storytelling element that adds personality and significantly alters the experience. However, the narrative retains its brilliance even if players opt for a more linear approach.

Saga’s and Alan’s narratives intertwine at times, with Remedy ensuring that tonal shifts enhance rather than detract from the overall experience. Depending on the order in which players tackle each chapter, events may appear sinister and foreshadowing for some, while others perceive them as dramatic irony, aware of impending wickedness. Exploring all angles unveils the full story, skillfully blending fiction with reality, where time flows differently in the Dark Place, creating an ambiguous truth within each scene.

While the 2010 release of Alan Wake incorporated horror elements, Alan Wake 2 evolves into a genuine survival-horror experience, embracing established genre touchpoints. Whether playing as Saga or Alan, players must navigate puzzle-like inventories, seek refuge from encroaching monsters in safe rooms, and strive for precise headshots with an array of unlocked firearms typically found in secured display cases.

In the initial game, combat encounters aimed for tension rather than outright fear, with frenetic gameplay involving navigating around multiple monsters simultaneously. In Alan Wake 2, the pace slows down, featuring fewer but more formidable enemies – a familiar recipe for horror enthusiasts. Managing a small group of varied Taken enemies, each with unique attack patterns, becomes an absorbing exercise in survival.

These adversaries often attempt to flank and overwhelm you, with some strategically attacking from a distance by hurling axes, demanding precise timing for dodges. The Taken in Alan Wake 2 resemble their counterparts from the original game but are tougher and more cunning. Dispatching multiple foes with a single round of ammo, as in the first game, becomes less common, requiring more evasive maneuvers and careful reload planning. Unlike the first game, using a quick burst of light to stun enemies comes at a cost due to limited batteries. Enemies can regenerate their darkness shields, forcing players to strategize when to apply pressure and commit resources.

This heightened awareness of surroundings and resource management adds depth, turning encounters into slower, more deliberate processes. Narrow paths or confined spaces can give enemies an advantage, prompting strategic use of flares, flashbangs, and Safe Haven light fixtures. While the original game’s combat prioritized style over substance, Alan Wake 2 strikes a better balance, aligning with its shift towards survival horror.

Although Alan Wake 2 doesn’t revolutionize genre gameplay, it skillfully employs established mechanics. Ammo scarcity forces thoughtful resource use, often leaving players limping to the next Safe Haven light for respite in the lush yet foreboding forest. Opting to flee scenes occasionally transforms encounters from gunfights against shadowy figures to intense slasher-style chases.

A distinctive aspect setting Alan Wake 2 apart from titles like Resident Evil or Dead Space is its comfort in not enforcing combat merely for action’s sake. Saga’s investigation incorporates side cases, including puzzle-solving around eerie nursery rhymes or exploring the story of a mayoral candidate with a crucial conclusion. These divergent paths occasionally offer long stretches without combat, but the rich atmosphere and detailed world ensure a fulfilling experience. Exploring cabins yields not only vital supplies but also items contributing to world-building, adding excitement, especially considering the shared story world with Alan Wake and Control.

While foundational survival-horror mechanics persist across timelines, the moods, aesthetics, and themes differ. Saga’s narrative unfolds as a police procedural, with the expert profiler using supernatural deductive skills to navigate a complex case of cult murders and enchanted folklore. The Pacific Northwest backdrop exudes a more “The Killing” vibe than the original game’s “Twin Peaks,” with peculiar yet often humorous residents, such as the Koskela brothers’ TV ads, providing impactful breaks from the horror tone. Character dynamics, whether consistently quirky or unsettlingly transformed, contribute layers to the cast, enhancing the narrative’s depth and tension.

To enhance your involvement in the investigative aspect of Saga’s mission, you’ll engage in populating Saga’s Case Board. This not only fulfills the detective fantasy of connecting clues with taut red strings and solving the case but also serves as an effective visual guide through the intricate narrative. The Mind Place, Saga’s mental map, makes it notably easier to recall names, events, and locations within the twisting (and twisted) story.

In the later stages of the game, my experience in the Mind Place encountered a bug, requiring me to troubleshoot my way through a 15-minute scene for about 45 minutes. However, Remedy has since released a patch addressing this issue. While it momentarily affected the pacing of the finale, it didn’t significantly tarnish the overall experience. Although some players have reported rough experiences, my own and other GameSpot team members’ encounters have been generally smooth, barring the mentioned bug. While a pre-launch patch has addressed several concerns, there remains the possibility of lingering bugs.

Considering the game’s stunning detail, I am intrigued by its technical achievements, such as the seamless transition between the Mind Place and the real world. The in-house Northlight Engine appears to be a testament to the studio’s capabilities, enabling the game to run smoothly, look incredible, and occasionally defy my understanding of video game technology. The game’s portrayal of light and darkness is mesmerizing, using each scene to craft a virtual portrait of settings, from amber sunlight filtering through thick trees to heavy rain soaking a forest, creating a dreary mood.

After spending over 15 hours primarily in Saga’s timeline, Alan Wake 2 already felt like one of the year’s best games. However, playing Alan’s campaign further solidified this impression, as it consistently subverts expectations in novel ways. Alan’s version of the Dark Place manifests as a haunted noir metropolis, complete with neon signage and jazz-filled hotel lobbies, juxtaposed against shadowy assailants lurking throughout the ever-shifting city. Echoes of Alex Casey’s investigation resonate in Alan’s journey, adding layers of intrigue and confusion that Remedy expertly plays with.

Introducing Alan’s Plot Board as a gameplay analog to Saga’s Case Board, the mechanics differ significantly. It empowers Alan to alter reality by discovering story details that serve as abilities, tools, or weapon upgrades. For instance, in the Oceanview Hotel, uncovering an Echo of a Casey story allows Alan to rewrite his narrative, resulting in a technically impressive instant-switch in the environment. The puzzle mechanic, based on narrative merit, demands player consideration, with clear rules despite intentionally dizzying paths to prevent scenarios from becoming overly complex.

The dynamic environmental changes remained captivating, and anticipating the combination of settings and plot details to progress the story added an extra layer of engagement. The game seamlessly integrates live-action scenes into its rendered world, creating some of the most elaborate and beautiful imagery in the medium. Remedy’s use of live-action elements, evolved from Control’s Hotline segments, introduces visions of characters and echoes of voices into scenes, offering a unique audiovisual flourish. This innovative approach, marked by expert cinematography and distinct style, brings the story’s characters and locations to life in a mesmerizing manner, setting a potential trend for future video game narratives.

Elevated by a profound emphasis on music that surpasses even Control’s Ashtray Maze, Alan Wake 2 pushes the boundaries of traditional video game definitions, evolving into a captivating multimedia fantasy that few studios would likely have the audacity to undertake. Numerous scenes, particularly in Alan’s campaign, are destined to be scrutinized and discussed with the same reverence as Control’s Ashtray Maze. Even if you’ve eagerly anticipated this sequel, delving into every theory and exploring every corner of the story universe, Alan Wake 2 promises surprises beyond your expectations.

Another remarkable aspect of Alan Wake 2 is its metafictional nature. Beyond being a visually stunning and immersive game, it delves deep into metanarratives. The game intertwines nightmares with time loops, distorting the monomyth within a metaphysical world that blurs the line between reality and fantasy, all while spawning doppelgangers in a multitude of ways. Yet, it does this not merely for the sake of peculiarity but to narrate a complex story about writing, balance, irony, and more. Despite its perplexing nature and the haziness surrounding some mysteries, Alan Wake 2 appears to seek understanding, challenging players to unravel its intricacies while retaining a deliberate sense of mystery.

Certain aspects of the game seem to reflect Remedy’s own journey in returning to the Alan Wake universe after an extended hiatus. This reflection is embedded within a layered and endearingly bizarre story that, even after the narrative ambitions of Control, establishes a new benchmark for Remedy. At one point, there was a concern that Sam Lake, Remedy’s creative director, might retire after crafting such a vision-complete experience, akin to a last hurrah. Now, having completed the game, the anticipation lies in how the studio will surpass this achievement.

Alan Wake 2 also brings the Remedy Connected Universe (RCU) into sharper focus, not merely serving as an Alan Wake sequel but also weaving in elements from Control’s story, subtle nods to Max Payne and Quantum Break, and setting the stage for the next RCU installment. The intricate connections within the RCU unveil exciting and unique possibilities, standing out in an era where spin-offs and tie-ins dominate various entertainment mediums. While Alan Wake 2 can be enjoyed as a standalone gaming experience, those versed in (or curious about) RCU elements are in for a mind-bending journey.

The evolving concept of what Alan Wake 2 could be over the years aligns with Sam Lake’s satisfaction in the final iteration. His joy in delivering this version, unique in its accomplishments, from a studio unafraid to tread unconventional paths, renders Alan Wake 2 a brilliantly illuminated miracle.

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