Finished Alan Wake 2 and well, that was a hell of a follow up after 13 years. My immediate and honest reaction, I really liked it, but unfortunately, was left with more criticisms than I would have liked for a game like this as it's riddled with many bugs and quality of life issues that should have really been ironed out by now.
For example, the stash in room 223 in the Oceanview Hotel that is clearly marked on the map displays the wrong prompt and can't be opened. There was even an optional objective to explore a previously flooded area that just wouldn't register as being completed despite having done everything there. I also had key items during a couple of Nursery Rhyme puzzles become inaccessible, making me think I had accidentally left some dolls behind that I absolutely dreaded needing to backtrack for, so I reloaded the game and magically had access to them again. Other times, I just needed to exit and enter the puzzle again to properly scroll through the items.
Which speaking of, I don't understand why key items aren't discarded after use like in Resident Evil. I shouldn't have to scroll through various one time stash keys just to access the screwdriver or bolt cutters.
There's also weird map icon issues like points of interests being marked with seemingly nothing to do to remove them which just creates confusion in what you're supposed to do. At the location of the final big fight, I noticed a strange conversation icon that appeared on the map that I've never seen before about having new choices available with no one in game to talk to... And that's not even factoring in the number of minor and more amusing visual glitches I've run into. It just seems quite unfortunate really because this game gets so much right yet seems to be lacking the polish of a game of this scale. I can't even imagine what it was like a year ago.
That aside, I think they absolutely nailed survival horror and have achieved something truly inspired and unique amongst its contemporaries. Alan Wake was a horror game in everything but game design and established a world as mysterious and captivating as the likes of Silent Hill and Resident Evil but couldn't back it up where it counted the most, until now. Taking clear influence from the Resident Evil 2 remake, Alan Wake 2 plays and feels like a true survival horror game that only Remedy can deliver. From its incredible world building, meta narrative, and complex themes to its colorful characters, transmedia storytelling, and amazing use of music.
Having revisited the first game before playing the second, I was completely blown away by the graphical leap and changes made as I got to explore Bright Falls again with Saga Anderson after having just been there with Alan Wake days before. It's honestly one of the most visually stunning games I've ever played, showcasing both beauty and dread in the ordinary. Whether you're exploring the mountainous woods in Cauldron Lake, the abandoned coffee themed amusement park, or a hellish dreamscape version of New York City and its various interiors like the movie theater, hotel, or talk show studio, it all feels extremely authentic and eerie.
Unlike the first Alan Wake, environments are now tightly crafted and designed with exploration and backtracking in mind, and filled with various puzzles and collectibles that are not only rewarding to the player but offer interesting details about the story and larger world of Alan Wake, adding to the authenticity of the characters and environment. Nothing ever quite feels like filler, like the meaningless coffee thermos and can pyramid collectibles of the first game.
As a long-time Remedy fan, there's just so many details to unpack and take in that enriches the experience as it cleverly integrates many elements from all of their previous works. Most impressive, is that it does so while still thematically serving the narrative whereas most games would just call it a day at surface level references. I've often cited Red Dead Redemption II as a narrative masterpiece that can only exist within the medium of video games, and I can honestly say I feel the same way about Alan Wake 2.
".
