Alan Wake 2 is the follow-up to the 13-year-old action-horror game "Alan Wake." This sequel takes a different approach, embracing the Survival Horror genre for its storytelling.
I'm a devoted fan of Alan Wake 1, rating it 10/10. However, my feelings about Alan Wake 2 are mixed. It's a good sequel but the changes in style and gameplay didn't fully resonate with me. Additionally, the long wait and high expectations led to some unmet hopes.
Let's dive into why I enjoyed Alan Wake 1 and what made me feel that way. It's not just your typical action horror game; it's like a blend of a horror TV show, a Stephen King-style story, and enjoyable gameplay. The game immediately immerses you in its storytelling, posing questions along the way that it later answers in a plot reveal. It starts subtly and then things get intense, but it also gives you relaxing moments to catch your breath, like daytime breaks or the humor between Barry and Alan (I love Barry). I also really appreciated the game's Pacific Northwest setting, which had a great atmosphere and made me want to visit Washington for the first time!
Now, let's discuss why Alan Wake 2 is different. They made some changes, like reducing the game's overall map location to focus on a larger, more exploration-friendly world. Given that it's a survival horror game from 2023, this shift to a big map with side quests makes sense to add replay value. While I understand and support this decision, it felt like we couldn't fully revisit the original Bright Falls, as the entire Saga gameplay only consisted of three maps.
In terms of gameplay, they transitioned from the unlimited inventory and light-and-shoot mechanics to a Resident Evil-style system with limited enemy variety. While I appreciate elements like The Last of Us dodge, the inability to dodge and attack freely (to emphasize survival) felt awkward. It would be smoother if I could easily do a light-shoot-dodge-melee-shoot at will. The inventory management system also lacked user-friendliness, with no item rotation and too sensitive D-pad scrolling.
The flashlight charge mechanism also changed, going from a gradual depletion to a one-charge-per-button-press approach, which didn't guarantee to clear all darkness from enemies. This flashlight change disappointed me because the flashlight in Alan Wake 1 allowed for dynamic control. Even the new mechanic of the darkness shield recovering over time could have worked with the old flashlight system, but they chose a different path.
Let's talk about the game's pacing. Alan Wake 1 had a well-paced, engaging story that kept me hooked. However, Alan Wake 2 came after Quantum Break and Control, and it adopted a similar storytelling approach. Quantum Break had numerous live-action cutscenes with limited enemy encounters, and Control featured a complex narrative with minimal explanatory cutscenes, requiring players to piece things together themselves.
In Alan Wake 2, they leaned into a darker, more intricate narrative style. You're required to piece things together through file reading and world exploration, much like in Control. When they do include cutscenes, they tend to be lengthy live-action sequences like Quantum Break.
The gameplay in the first half of the game involves a lot of walking and puzzle-solving in Saga's Mind Place, with limited fights against The Taken. While I enjoyed The Mind Place, there was less storytelling to keep players engaged in the first half. Despite being labeled "Alan Wake 2," I found myself enjoying Saga's gameplay more. It not only expands beyond the Pacific Northwest but also offers more maps, side quests, and a wider variety of enemies compared to Alan's gameplay. Saga's story feels like genuine story progression, whereas Alan's feels like random encounters in The Dark Place that don't impact the main story. In Alan's writing room gameplay, there's very little to do, making it feel less engaging compared to Saga's Mind Place, which is far more entertaining and interesting. It seems like they placed a strong emphasis on Saga's gameplay and only included Alan to maintain the "Alan Wake" name.
The game also seems to have lost the humor and relaxing pace present in Alan Wake 1. The absence of characters like Wheeler, the shift towards a darker tone, and the game's semi-open world approach have eliminated those moments of humor and relaxation. In Alan Wake 1, these moments included when Alan rented a cabin with Rusty, woke up at the Hartman clinic, or visited Rose's Trailer Park. These allowed players to take a break from the gameplay and interact with characters like Tor & Odin, Barry, and Hartman, especially during conversations with Barry (their chemistry was the best).
In summary, Alan Wake 2 is a solid game and a commendable sequel. However, it would benefit from some refinements to reduce its "slow-burning" pacing. Additionally, more attention to improving Alan's gameplay is needed, as Saga's gameplay is significantly more enjoyable.
I'm a devoted fan of Alan Wake 1, rating it 10/10. However, my feelings about Alan Wake 2 are mixed. It's a good sequel but the changes in style and gameplay didn't fully resonate with me. Additionally, the long wait and high expectations led to some unmet hopes.
Let's dive into why I enjoyed Alan Wake 1 and what made me feel that way. It's not just your typical action horror game; it's like a blend of a horror TV show, a Stephen King-style story, and enjoyable gameplay. The game immediately immerses you in its storytelling, posing questions along the way that it later answers in a plot reveal. It starts subtly and then things get intense, but it also gives you relaxing moments to catch your breath, like daytime breaks or the humor between Barry and Alan (I love Barry). I also really appreciated the game's Pacific Northwest setting, which had a great atmosphere and made me want to visit Washington for the first time!
Now, let's discuss why Alan Wake 2 is different. They made some changes, like reducing the game's overall map location to focus on a larger, more exploration-friendly world. Given that it's a survival horror game from 2023, this shift to a big map with side quests makes sense to add replay value. While I understand and support this decision, it felt like we couldn't fully revisit the original Bright Falls, as the entire Saga gameplay only consisted of three maps.
In terms of gameplay, they transitioned from the unlimited inventory and light-and-shoot mechanics to a Resident Evil-style system with limited enemy variety. While I appreciate elements like The Last of Us dodge, the inability to dodge and attack freely (to emphasize survival) felt awkward. It would be smoother if I could easily do a light-shoot-dodge-melee-shoot at will. The inventory management system also lacked user-friendliness, with no item rotation and too sensitive D-pad scrolling.
The flashlight charge mechanism also changed, going from a gradual depletion to a one-charge-per-button-press approach, which didn't guarantee to clear all darkness from enemies. This flashlight change disappointed me because the flashlight in Alan Wake 1 allowed for dynamic control. Even the new mechanic of the darkness shield recovering over time could have worked with the old flashlight system, but they chose a different path.
Let's talk about the game's pacing. Alan Wake 1 had a well-paced, engaging story that kept me hooked. However, Alan Wake 2 came after Quantum Break and Control, and it adopted a similar storytelling approach. Quantum Break had numerous live-action cutscenes with limited enemy encounters, and Control featured a complex narrative with minimal explanatory cutscenes, requiring players to piece things together themselves.
In Alan Wake 2, they leaned into a darker, more intricate narrative style. You're required to piece things together through file reading and world exploration, much like in Control. When they do include cutscenes, they tend to be lengthy live-action sequences like Quantum Break.
The gameplay in the first half of the game involves a lot of walking and puzzle-solving in Saga's Mind Place, with limited fights against The Taken. While I enjoyed The Mind Place, there was less storytelling to keep players engaged in the first half. Despite being labeled "Alan Wake 2," I found myself enjoying Saga's gameplay more. It not only expands beyond the Pacific Northwest but also offers more maps, side quests, and a wider variety of enemies compared to Alan's gameplay. Saga's story feels like genuine story progression, whereas Alan's feels like random encounters in The Dark Place that don't impact the main story. In Alan's writing room gameplay, there's very little to do, making it feel less engaging compared to Saga's Mind Place, which is far more entertaining and interesting. It seems like they placed a strong emphasis on Saga's gameplay and only included Alan to maintain the "Alan Wake" name.
The game also seems to have lost the humor and relaxing pace present in Alan Wake 1. The absence of characters like Wheeler, the shift towards a darker tone, and the game's semi-open world approach have eliminated those moments of humor and relaxation. In Alan Wake 1, these moments included when Alan rented a cabin with Rusty, woke up at the Hartman clinic, or visited Rose's Trailer Park. These allowed players to take a break from the gameplay and interact with characters like Tor & Odin, Barry, and Hartman, especially during conversations with Barry (their chemistry was the best).
In summary, Alan Wake 2 is a solid game and a commendable sequel. However, it would benefit from some refinements to reduce its "slow-burning" pacing. Additionally, more attention to improving Alan's gameplay is needed, as Saga's gameplay is significantly more enjoyable.