Alan Wake 2 is undoubtably one of the finest narrative-driven experiences available on any platform currently.
It has been over 13 years since the original Alan Wake launched and told its mysterious story that grabbed fans instantly. Developed by Remedy Entertainment, Alan Wake 2 not only fulfills the long-awaited sequel expectations but also expands on everything that made the first game compelling in every possible way. Alan Wake 2 is, quite simply, one of the best games I have ever played.
I was immediately immersed from the very beginning due to the incredible atmosphere crafted by Remedy. Whether playing as FBI agent Saga Anderson, investigating mysterious disappearances in the small Pacific Northwest town of Bright Falls, or as Alan Wake himself, trapped within the menacing "Dark Place," every location feels alive and utterly creepy. Bright Falls has never felt more unsettling, with its dense forests and overcast skies perfectly setting the tone of lingering dread. Meanwhile, the Dark Place, depicted as a twisted version of New York, manages to be terrifying in how unfamiliar and isolating it feels.
Accompanying these haunting visuals is Alan Wake 2's masterful soundtrack. Like its predecessor, music plays a huge role here in elevating every moment, whether that be gentle piano or sinister synths. One particular standout is an extended live-action and in-game sequence, akin to Control's excellent Ashtray Maze, set to a mesmerizing original song that will undoubtedly go down as one of the most memorable moments in gaming. Both the sights and sounds draw you deep into Alan Wake 2's nightmarish world, making every new discovery feel genuinely unsettling.
It's not just the atmosphere but also Remedy's expertly crafted narration that keeps you hooked. The story manages to be at once cryptic yet continually pulls you forward with its labyrinthine plotlines. Long stretches of quiet investigation are suddenly punctured by bursts of terrifying action before delving back into the mystery. New clues are expertly laid for you to unravel, with various notes, radio broadcasts, found manuscripts and more fleshing out this rich universe further.
All of the clues you gather during the story can be reviewed in Saga's Case Board. Similar to boards found in detective dramas, here you will pin and link together the clues to solve the many different investigations. This makes keeping track of everything that has happened, is happening and will happen in this crazy story so easy. With the press of a button, you can quickly jump to the Mind Place where, apart from the case board, Saga has access to a bunch of other things like upgrade your weapons, rewatch the weirdly delightful Koskela's TV ads, listen to the Radio broadcasts, read the manuscript pages etc. There are also some other things you can find or do around the Mind Place, but I don't really want to spoil that.
Alan has his own version of the mind place called the Writer's Room. He doesn't have a Case Board, but instead he has a Plot Board and what this does is so fucking cool. The Dark Place is a twisted and terrifying place where fiction becomes reality. The more twisted and fucked up the fiction is, the worse the Dark Place will be. But you see, our boy Alan is a writer, so he can rewrite specific scenes, change a plot detail here and there, and ultimately alter this dark reality for the good of everyone involved.
Choosing a different plot for these specific scenes and seeing the environment change around me in an instant never got old. The stairs in a hotel lobby are blocked? Well, Alan rewrites this plot point and puff, the stairs are accesible now... but the whole hotel is fucked up, all bloody with dead bodies all over the place. Exploring all of these alternate rewrites was not only rewarding cause of the loot I'd find in these areas, but also just to see what fucked up environment the geniuses over Remedy had cooked up.
At certain points, you are able to swap between the two protagonists. Choosing which to experience first, Saga or Alan's storyline, will definitely alter how you unravel this story. Sudden reveals and twists might land with either menacing tension or dramatic irony. It's these clever ways Remedy has woven its dual narratives together that makes Alan Wake 2's story so compulsively engaging and re-playable.
Alan Wake 2 is a deep, layered story with many surprises buried inside it, waiting to be discovered. I'm ride or die when it comes to Remedy games. They are so unique, creative and you truly feel that the people who made them actually gave a shit about what they were making. You feel the love, care and passion on all their projects.
While I was playing through Control, a masterpiece and our 2019 GOTY, I was already immersed into that dark, creepy, twisted and beautiful world. Then, and I am not afraid to admit it, I lost my mind when I read a note where Alan Wake was considered to be a "prime canditate" for the Director role of the Federal Bureau of Control... then kinda died when the AWE DLC released.
It's all part of the Remedy Connected Universe and I am all for it. When I saw a document with the FBC logo in Alan Wake 2, I had such a big grin on my face. Then as I progressed more through the story, I lost my mind again and again and again. It's so good, so well put together and I don't know man, massive kudos to the narrative team for crafting this treat for us longtime fans.
Combat has also seen a welcomed evolution for the survival horror framework. Gone are the frantic shootouts of the original, replaced by slower, tenser encounters. Resources like ammunition and health items become precious in each battle against the Taken enemies. Foes also feel genuinely threatening thanks to increased health and smarter tactics that demand strategic evasion and precise aiming under pressure. The formula strikes a great balance where survival is never guaranteed, ramping up that anxiety with each new threat emerged from the darkness.
Visually, Alan Wake 2 is simply stunning. Remedy's in-house Northlight engine brings both the physical and "Dark Place" realms to life with stunning fidelity. Dense forests cast in golden sunbeams and rain-soaked streets awash with neon glow all feel cinematically polished. Animations are also remarkably life-like while technical feats, such as shifting seamlessly between in-game and live action sequences, feel groundbreaking. It joins few other games in legitimately feeling like a work of visual art that players can get lost within.
However, there is one notable flaw holding Alan Wake 2 back from absolute perfection - its performance on PlayStation 5. The Performance mode leaves a lot to be desired with uneven frame pacing and lots of frame drops. It severely damages an otherwise incredible production, creating unfortunate friction during combat or tense scenes that demands fluidity.
Alan Wake 2 is undoubtably one of the finest narrative-driven experiences available on any platform currently. Remedy Entertainment has truly outdone themselves in crafting not just a great sequel, but a masterwork of storytelling, atmosphere and gameplay that will surely stand the test of time. The performance on PS5 kinda sucks, but you would be hugely missing out if you let that issue prevent experiencing Alan Wake 2's haunting world. I strongly recommend this game. Thanks for reading!
The game was reviewed on a PS5 using a bought copy of the game. Alan Wake 2 is out now on PlayStation, PC and Xbox.
