It’s been 13 years since Alan and his typewriter first made their way onto Xbox 360, in a twisted and often perplexing story that ultimately left the author in the Dark Place, a surreal alternate dimension where works of art shape reality. Now, ahead of Alan Wake 2’s long-awaited October release, I’ve gone hands-on to find out how our favourite fictional writer is holding up.
At a very basic level, much of Alan Wake 2’s gameplay will feel familiar to those who have played the original. Players have access to firearms, torches are used to burn away shadows, Alan can dodge attacks and also heroically sprint away when a little more distance is needed (something I did quite often). Outside of combat, there are plenty of shadowy environments to explore, and light will once again be key to overcoming many obstacles in your path. All much as to be expected from an Alan Wake sequel.
But while Alan Wake 2 may feel quite familiar from this angle, there is so much more that sets the sequel apart from its predecessor, with Remedy taking great strides away from the original with new settings, mechanics, characters and a whole new genre for players to wrap their heads around.
Most obvious is the fact Alan Wake 2 has a second playable protagonist, Saga Anderson, an FBI agent sent to the Bright Falls area to investigate a series of ritualistic murders and the Cult of the Tree. She is strong, empathetic, and clearly holds a vast intelligence as evidenced by her Mind Place (more on that in a moment).
My preview began with Saga’s third chapter, which showed her arrival in the town of Watery, a quaint but decidedly idiosyncratic locale that boasted a sauna area for residents to bask in and a town hall venue currently playing host to the vocal talents of a familiar face: Ahti. Those who played Control will immediately recognise Remedy’s offbeat yet endearing janitor, as the developer continues to build its connected universe. For now, it’s unclear if Ahti’s presence in Watery is limited to this one moment, or if he will return again later. Either way, Ahti has clearly charmed the Watery locals – when Saga tries to engage with a resident during his performance, she is quite rightfully ‘Shh’d’. I understood the need for silence during Ahti’s show, and continued on with my exploration.
The rest of Watery lived up to its name, with an omni-present dampness permeating the surroundings. There was something off-kilter about the whole area, and despite never feeling like Saga’s life was in any immediate danger, there was an unnerving aura in the air. In true Remedy fashion, before I left the main street a sense of uneasiness had managed to worm its way under my skin. After collecting supplies, I headed to the far end of the town to meet with Ilmo Koskela and his brother, Jaakko. Both of these characters seemed familiar with Saga, and stated she shared a trailer in Watery with her young daughter. And yet, Saga did not know them. To try and make sense of things, I went with Saga into her Mind Place.