| Platform | Studio | Release | Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS5 | Remedy Entertainment | October 2023 | December 2023 |
Alan Wake II follows the events of the 2013 prequel allowing you to play in the role of writer Alan Wake in a psychologic horror scenario. This time besides Alan you play in the role of FBI agent Saga Anderson who investigates the events happening around Cauldron Lake.
Switching between both roles adds quite some diversity to the gameplay. The sequences in which you follow Alan Wake are more focused on the psychological horror whereas with Saga the gameplay is closer to classic survival horror games like Resident Evil. Audiovisuals are excellent and the mix of in-game graphics and real videos is well designed. Allowing to change between Saga and Alan adds some nonlinearity to the gameplay without losing focus on the story. This also aids the exploration of the more open levels and motivates to return for finding collectibles and exploring of the small open areas.
Action sequences lack behind a bit as enemies often move very fast but as typic for the genre movement and gunplay are quite slow, thus making some of the enemy encounters too hectic. The same holds for boss fights which suffer from the same drawbacks and too small arenas to fight them. It often takes multiple attempts just to figure out how to defeat a boss leading to unnecessary repetition and trial and error. Similar problems hold for some scenes in which Alan can change the world setting by his writing skills and change the level surroundings. As the idea is a good one and visually impressive often only trial and error between the different options allows you to figure out how to progress further.
Alan Wake is a true next generation experience, both visually and acoustically. However, the flaws in gameplay making it lacking behind genre classics like Resident Evil 4 or Dead Space.
Positive
- excellent audio-visuals
- combination of in game cut-scenes and real videos
- exploration of wider areas and not strictly linear gameplay
- side quests and collectibles are motivating and not just fillers
Negative
- hectic gunplay and controls
- trial and error in environment puzzles and boss fights
Verdict
87
“Alan Wake II is a very good horror game. Excellent graphics, storytelling and level design create a unique survival horror atmosphere and immersion which is sometimes hampered by hectic gunplay and too much trial and error in puzzles and boss fights.”
Sources: Screenshots: own screen captures