Alan Wake 2 is a massive achievement in every way and is one of 2023's best video games.
Remedy has gone above and beyond everything I've been expecting from Alan Wake 2 in my 13 years of dreaming about it. As someone who played the original the week that it launched back in 2010, Alan Wake 2 is something that I have been pining for Remedy to make for nearly half of my life. Oftentimes, when I look forward to a piece of media for this long, my lofty expectations fail to be met for one reason or another.
The most impressive part of Alan Wake 2's story is how much depth it boasts without ever feeling overwhelming. Not only is Remedy trying to tell its own story here, but it's also working on folding Alan Wake 2 into its larger"Remedy Connected Universe" that began to take shape with Control. Outside of this balancing act, there are an unreal number of self-referential and meta moments scattered throughout Alan Wake 2 that call back to other Remedy games .
Much of AW2's bonafides as a horror title are thanks to the fantastic visuals that it boasts. With no hyperbole whatsoever, I believe that Alan Wake 2 is the most gorgeous, photo-realistic video game that I have ever seen. The game's lighting, in particular, is absolutely stunning and is showcased particularly well during Alan's missions. Outside of simply being pretty to look at, Remedy's art direction in Alan Wake 2 is also downright excellent.
What sets Alan Wake 2 apart from other games in the genre are some unique abilities that both Alan and Saga have at their disposal. As a detective, Saga has the ability to enter what is called her"Mind Place," which is a physical manifestation of her thoughts. It's here that she's able to assemble the clues on her Case Board that she's uncovered over the course of her detective work to tie them all together.
Across the entirety of Alan Wake 2, the thing I remained most consistently roused by was the game's performances. From returning Remedy veterans such as Ikka Villi, Matthew Porretta, and James McCaffrey, to new faces like Melanie Liburd, everyone that is part of Alan Wake 2 gives it their all and enhances the story and writing that much more. These performances get even more time to shine in AW2, thanks to the inclusion of a lot of different live-action cutscenes.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Review: ‘Alan Wake 2’ is Remedy at it most unsettling and weird‘Alan Wake 2’: The Finnish studio continues to tell mind-blowing and intriguing “X-File”-ish narratives with the long-awaited sequel
Read more »
Alan Wake 2: Do You Need To Play The Original & American Nightmare First?Alan Wake 2 returns 13 years after the original story concluded, introducing a new cast of characters for a brand-new audience of people.
Read more »
New Alan Wake 2 Update Released for Xbox, PS5, and PCAlan Wake 2's latest patch is small but fixes a lingering bug for those on Xbox.
Read more »
Kaitlyn Bristowe Doesn't Talk to Alan Bersten After 'DWTS' ClaimsKaitlyn Bristowe admitted that Alan Bersten won’t talk to her since she called him ‘a d–k’ after ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Read more »
The Best Sunrise Alarm Clocks to Wake You Gently in the MorningWe tested dawn-simulating alarms, and these three are worthy of a spot on your nightstand.
Read more »
'Succession' Star Alan Ruck Says He's Fine, Thankful No One Died In Truck Crash'Succession' star Alan Ruck says he's fine after crashing truck in Hollywood, thankful no one died.
Read more »