Alan Wake 2 sees you play as FBI Special Agent Saga Anderson, sent to the town of Bright Falls to investigate what seems to be a series of ritualistic cult murders.
Soon, you realise all is not as it seems, and a twisting, turning investigation starts to play out as you tumble into the writing of Author Alan Wake.
You initially play as Saga, starting her investigation into the cult murders, and the game expects you to investigate. You have the ability to visit a Mind Palace where you can view an investigation board and, depending on your findings, profile certain people you meet along the way. It is not just about collectables; the things you investigate and find help you progress the story, solve puzzles and open new avenues but also close certain leads in the case.
It could have easily gone wrong, but the investigation mechanism is a highlight of the sequel, making you more invested in the story, the people you meet and the places you end up. Searching for clues and collectables has meaning and value.
As the story continues, your findings help you understand the motives and reasons behind what you think you know about yourself and also of the other inhabitants of Bright Falls.
As the game progresses, you also play as Alan Wake, trapped in the Dark Place, a more dark and deranged place literally of his own making. With Saga, you investigate, but with Alan, you write.
With Alan, you uncover more about your own story, which leads you to see different versions or drafts of it and allows you to change your surroundings by writing them into existence. Alan’s version of a Mind Palace is his Writing room, where he can use his board to alter the fabric of the world he inhabits, from page to reality.
New pages create new paths through levels and flashbacks to the different aspects of the story play within Echo’s that you find as you travel through the story arc.
Alan’s part of the game is more cerebral and visual in its depiction of what Alan is going through, whilst I preferred Saga’s, I don’t think one would be as good without the other. Saga’s part is more action, while Alan’s is more internal, whilst there is still action, it’s more a discovery of one’s mind.
As the two parts progress and merge, you gain the ability to switch between them at will, giving you the choice to decide which part you play and progress.
Without giving too much away, you meet some familiar faces within the Remedy world. Control’s AWE makes an appearance much like Alan Wake did in the later released DLCs for Control, opening up speculations of what may be planned for the future.
As light and dark is the basic premise for the series, it would be no surprise that Alan Wake 2 is a fundamentally dark game. This makes it somewhat easier in terms of graphical prowess, but there are some beautiful moments, neon lights breaking over buildings and moonlight beaming off tree branches.
Alan Wake 2 is a linear game in as much as the story needs progressing, but there are wide areas to explore without much, if any hand holding. There feels like a bit of a homage to the original Resident Evil series, with tight corridors, eerie sounds and a somewhat always limited supply of munitions.
Remedy has taken care to split the tone and feel of both character journeys. Saga’s is very much action-horror, there are overlaps between hers and Wake’s as things progress however, Wake’s is a more chaotic tone, delving into a psychotic horror.
A great deal of live-action is used throughout, mainly within Wake’s flashbacks, memories and delusions, with some levels being batshit crazy but some outstandingly brilliant.
This is also a scary game, you are in dim light for most of it, searching around with your flashlight, hearing clicks and brushes in the distance. At times, the audio takes over with thumps and high tempos, leading you to certain expectations and messing with you. Whispers in the dark from those you are hunting or those hunting you give way to visual on-screen flashes and jumps as the mind suffers and delves deeper.
Where Alan Wake 2 suffers the most is with certain aspects of combat. When within those tight corridors with one or two enemies, it works well, when you expand those enemies or events to bosses, it starts to feel sluggish and less fluid. Switching between weapons, health, or reloading can be a frustrating experience. The packed areas make dodging or running sometimes difficult, with you finding yourself trapped beside something you couldn’t see before. There seems to be a trade-off between the exploration action and the more boss-like set-piece action, with one losing out over the other.
Remedy has crafted an engrossing world full of story, history and meaning, I don’t know of many currently who can match their mix of weird, crazy and emotional.
Alan Wake 2 is an exceptional story-driven survival horror game, deep storytelling and character building are usually at the heart of a Remedy game, but this is taken to a new height, soaring even. With some of the best-designed levels in some time. This is occasionally let down by some frustrating gameplay, but it never takes away from what is an amazing achievement.