Alan Wake 2 Horror Review (2023)

For 13 years fans of detective action-horror about writer Allan Wake have been waiting for the sequel of their favorite game, and finally they waited for it! On the 27th of October Finnish Remedy Entertainment released its most ambitious project – Alan Wake 2. The studio put a lot of effort into creating the game, attracting Finnish actor Ilkka Willi to the development of the title. In addition, the developers decided to experiment and added another game character – Agent Saga Anderson, who will reveal to the players his own, creepy story. We suggest going to the mysterious Bright Falls together and find out why the game community praises the game so much.

About the game

Alan Wake 2 is a third-person survival horror game in which players have to survive in gloomy locations, while exploring the terrain and trying to unravel the skilfully twisted mysterious story of the game. Thirteen years have passed since the dramatic finale of the original game. Now the intrepid writer will have to get out of his “Dark Place” literary nightmares by surviving them himself. In addition to Wake, we will also play as FBI agent Saga Anderson, who will be trying to get to the truth and solve a series of mysterious murders. The australia best online casino also offers slots dedicated to this theme.

Plot

The game has two story campaigns, one with Wake and the other with Saga Anderson. They are characterized by an overarching atmosphere, locations and story. The story arcs are deep and keep you constantly in suspense without lowering the level of intrigue. Occasionally taking the player by surprise, the story will have sharp and unexpected turns of events. In addition, you can switch between characters as you play. Saga and Alan’s storylines will also intertwine with each other. According to the developers, the story campaign is designed for 20 hours of playthrough.

Saga Anderson

In the sequel Remedy decided to add a second character to the game, it became FBI agent Saga Anderson, who is accompanied by her partner Alex Casey (played by Sam Lake). The agents have to solve a series of horrifying ritual murders in the quiet town of Bright Falls.

The developers were inspired by the True Detective series to create a story campaign with Saga. The measured gameplay for Anderson perfectly dilutes the nightmare-filled and tense campaign for Wake. This further emphasises the different personalities of both characters. Also note the very interesting and fascinating investigation that the heroine has to conduct throughout the game.

Atmosphere and gameplay

The game became similar to the remake of Resident Evil 4, with a greater emphasis on survival (in a psychological sense, too). The fights with enemies became much bigger, and monsters got more variety. In addition to the standard small arms, which do not have a lot of ammo, players can also weaken enemies with a torch. In addition to shooting, players can explore locations, conduct Saga’s investigation and find ideas for a book by Wake, which also play a big part in the game.

Mind Rooms

During the game we can move to “mind rooms” that are available to both characters. Here you can improve weapons, listen to music, watch TV and rest from nightmares. Alan can post on the board different ideas for the continuation of the book, which he will find during his travels. After all, only by writing his way out will he be able to get out of the anomaly.

However, playing as Saga, this room becomes more interesting as this is where the physical evidence for the case, witness statements and residents’ files are located. You can progress through the investigation and try to piece together the big picture of the case. Also, as the game progresses, the room will be replenished with different interesting interior elements.

Graphics and location

Using the Unreal Engine 5 game engine with advanced visual technologies, the game has cinematic visuals and looks fantastic. The locations of the alternate New York are darker and more corridor-like, but no less beautiful than the more expansive terrain of Bright Falls. The level designs are amazingly varied and detailed environments, you’ll want to explore every corner, so well designed is the terrain. On the levels you can find childish riddles, solving which you will get a special amulet with amplification.

Verdict

It seems that fans of the series did not wait for the game for nothing for so many years, as Remedy has created a masterpiece without exaggeration and set a new benchmark for the whole gaming industry. Alan Wake 2 has amazing graphics, an intriguing story, fascinating investigations, interesting game mechanics, and a depressing atmosphere. Add to it really scary enemies and you will get a high-quality survival horror.

Also note simply incredible “live” scenes, which are a unique chip of the studio. The only thing that really upset us, apart from some bugs and other technical problems, is the localisation, which is on a rather primitive level. We highly recommend Alan Wake 2 for a playthrough! The game is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Alan Wake 2: Where and how to find all the extra weapons?

There aren’t many additional weapons in Alan Wake 2. During the storyline, Saga can unlock four additional weapons, while Alan can only unlock one. Saga has a pistol from the beginning and Alan has a revolver. Here we will explain how to get all the additional weapons in Alan Wake 2.

Shotgun

At the very beginning of the game, you, along with Saga Anderson, go in search of Agent Nightingale. Here you will pass by a department store. Inside, you will be attacked by a cultist who breaks out of a secret room.

After defeating him, you will be able to enter this room where you will see a glass cabinet on the wall to the right with a cutscene. You can also pick up the cutscene at any point in the story after this event. By the way, today the best online casinos real money USA also offer money games with quests. Users can go through the storyline and earn winnings along the way.

This showcase is protected by a code lock that requires a three-digit access code. You will be informed that you need to go to the store’s cash register to get the code. Here you can see pieces of paper on which you can see sequences of numbers. Older codes are also listed here: 705, 713, 717, 723.

Compare these codes with the lottery ticket next to them. Here you can see the number sequence: A 05 13 17 17 23 39 39 45

If we look at 7 as a constant in the gun safe codes – because it always came before the previous four codes – we just need to identify the next two digits. You’ll notice here that these two numbers follow the lottery ticket numbers. After (7)23 was last, and the next in the series is 39. It leads to the cutoff access code: 7-3-9.

If you now enter the number combination 7-3-9 into the window lock, it will release and you will get the cutoff. This weapon is especially useful against large and powerful enemies at close range. Thanks to the scatter, you can also hit multiple enemies close to each other. At close range, this weapon does a lot of damage, while at long range it does almost no damage.

Crossbow

If you arrive in Wateree village with Saga, you will walk down the main street towards the water where you will meet two Kalevala brothers on the right. Talk to them so they will eventually open a path behind you. Run north to the hunting lodge. In front of it, you will find a geocache with a crate. This crate is also locked with a code lock.

The solution to breaking this code lock can be found in the pieces of paper with numbers hanging on the right. Three of these pieces of paper contain crossbow bolts. The number of each bolt indicates the order of the three numbers. The number with one crossbow arrow is 5. The number with two crossbow arrows is 2, and the number with three crossbow arrows is 7.

So, the combination of numbers for the crossbow box is 5-2-7. If you enter the number combination 5-2-7 into the lock, it will open and you can get the crossbow from the box. You can also collect the crossbow bolts you just counted, so you’ll have ammunition right away.

Hunting Rifle

In the chapter “Return 5: Old Gods,” you’ll reach the retirement home west of Bright Falls. Hidden in the health center room of the complex is a rifle that you can take. But before you can do so, you’ll have to follow the storyline until you find the old rocker Thor inside the health center.

Once inside, you will have to enter the security room and enter the access code on your PC, which unlocks the doors of the building. So, you now have to find out the password to the PC, but how? Look around the room and look at the calendar with a few days circled on it. In the further information, you will read that it is about “the day after the new moon”. It means August 17, 2023. Accordingly, the PC code for the Wellness Center is 170823.

After you enter the code on the PC, all the doors in the building will be unlocked. But to get the rifle, you need to do something else: you can’t enter the workshop where the rifle is, because the door handle to the workshop is missing. So, first, you need to find the doorknob.

Go to the entrance and enter the front desk. The entrance is now accessible because the access code on the PC has unlocked the door. You will find the door handle in the drawer opposite the door. Collect it and return it to the workshop. Select the door handle and enter. You will then find a rifle to the right of the blue lockers on the opposite wall.

Pompom Shotgun

You can find this weapon in the chapter “Return 6: Erase”. Go to the Bright Falls police station. Enter the office of Sheriff Tim Breaker. The rifle is hanging in a display case on the wall to the left. This weapon is also protected by a code lock, the combination of which you will have to learn first.

Go to the sheriff’s desk and examine the books and the sheet of paper to the right of the monitor. The sheet of paper next to the books shows how the letters are numbered: I=9, J=0, K=1, etc. Now check the first letter of each of the three authors mentioned and assign the numbers corresponding to the key: Q=7, B=2, J=3. Now you assign these results to the order of the books.

So if you enter the numbers 7, 2, and 3 into the lock on the gun cabinet on the opposite wall, it will open and you can grab the pump action shotgun. It doesn’t do as much damage as the sawed-off shotgun, but it has more ammo and can be loaded faster.

Double Barrel Shotgun

The only firearm Alan can carry, other than the revolver he gets at the beginning of the game in the story, is a double-barreled shotgun. You can get it in Chapter “Beginning 5: Room 665”. In the story, you will reach the hotel through alleys and rooftops.

Go to the bar and use the lamp to change reality. Now the bar is open and you can see the food/drink menu. Through this, you will also learn the code to open the door to the hotel. Go to the bar and use the lamp again. The bar is closed again, but you are inside and can just grab the double-barrelled gun from the shelf.