Remedy, the Finnish studio behind "Max Payne" and "Control," is ready to show us all what they can really do with enough resources. With backing from Tencent, and a publishing deal with Epic Games, this long-awaited follow-up to 2010's "Alan Wake" is ready to help make 2023 one of the best years of all time (for video games).
OpenCritic has more than 40 reviews for "Alan Wake 2," and it's sitting at a "Mighty" 89/100. "Control," widely seen as Remedy's best game to date, averaged an 83/100. As it turns out, the hype is real this time. But let's not read too much into the numbers — let's see what critics are really saying.
It's scary as hell
"Alan Wake II" is a single-player adventure that seamlessly shifts from slow-burn psychological terror to frantic survival-horror action, from gorgeously rendered game worlds to striking full-motion video sequences, and from morbid investigations to show-stopping musical surprises. It's bloody, it's bonkers and for the most part it's utterly brilliant.
"Alan Wake 2" is the best psychological horror game I've played in generations. It summons thoughts of "Silent Hill," at its best. This expedition into the deepest, darkest parts of our protagonist's minds takes us into The Dark Place, comparable to the Otherworld of "Silent Hill," but the terror submerged in the recesses of your psyche aren't half as explicit as Masahiro Ito's horrors.
It's one of the prettiest games ever made
From a visual perspective though, "Alan Wake 2" is an extraordinary effort. On current-gen consoles, there's not much that can rival the incredible density of detail and fine-grained lighting on display here.
Those whispers and the surreal imagery are all part of what makes "Alan Wake 2" a viscerally terrifying adventure. This game gushes atmosphere and keeps it thick and meaningful throughout the game. The sound design, visuals, dream-like scenarios mixed into reality, and even fourth-wall breaking moments all blend incredibly well to create a sense of confusion and dread that was never so brutal as it was an effective attack on the senses. I particularly like how far Remedy has come with blending live-action into the game. TV and drama serials were always an interesting part of this franchise. In "Alan Wake 2," live-action segments are meshed so well into the ongoing events that there's often seamless shifts between those moments and the gameplay. I don't think you could sell that feeling so well if graphics hadn't come so far as to make that transition back and forth such a seemingly effortless one.
The story is just as strong as the visuals
It would be so easy for the game to lose track of all its threads, especially when playing across two dimensions, but "Alan Wake 2's" story, thankfully, remains strong throughout. There's an incredibly creepy feeling from the second you start the game that persists throughout.
Once both characters have been introduced you are able to pursue their parallel stories as you choose, switching between the logical world of Saga and the wild dreamscape of Alan. However you choose to experience the story, the two sides grow more entwined as they progress. As Alan rewrites the Dark Place, his changes bleed out into the real world, affecting Saga's investigation and her personal connection to the story.
TL;DR
Remedy has always been seen to push boundaries, or experiment with different ideas using its own kooky melting pot of creative innovation, but never has it felt as accomplished as it is with "Alan Wake 2."
This game is a monster. It will lodge itself inside your head, and threaten to stay there forever, if you'll only let it in.
"Alan Wake 2" launches on October 27 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Need something a bit less spooky? Try "Ghostrunner 2" instead.
[Image: GameSpot]
