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.