Alan Wake II

 

This is yet another *very* late game review after the absolute new-game-bombing we got near the tail end of last year, coupled with a busy personal life (new job, holidays, etc.). I was kind to Alan Wake II in the Rath Awards, where it earned the #3 Best spot in a highly competitive year. It comes from developers, Remedy, who are making names for themselves in the industry by pushing the boundaries of storytelling and generally experimenting in lots of unique ways. To most gamers, they started with the old Max Payne I and II series (while Rockstar took over the phenomenal third entry...where's my new Max Payne?), and Alan Wake - the first game - was a strong Xbox exclusive overall, but not without its issues. 

Lots of moody red lighting...

Although it's not reviewed on Rath's Reviews (but the pretty-great Quantum Break is), Control is their best game to date and I eagerly await the release of Control 2. Even cooler is the "connected universe" that Control and Alan Wake now share, seemingly connected by small points here and there in the past, and much larger ones in this sequel. 

My time with this sequel is an interesting one because it's a product that started so damn strong - part of the reason it was #3 on my 2023 Best Games list - but eventually suffers from some massive pacing issues on the tail end. It's a game and story with lots of experimentation, most of which works really well, but that also doesn't know how to quit while it's ahead. The sum of all its parts are still an utterly bonkers experience, and the foundation is second only to Control's phenomenal action/control scheme. 

Alan Wake II does a pretty good job filling in the gaps and making this feel like a standalone experience. That's a must when your previous game was 13 years ago and as someone who never played the original, I never felt all that lost (though a recap would have been appreciated, unless I missed it?). Our tale has two protagonists: Wake and FBI agent Anderson Saga, of which the story switches back and forth between. Saga begins by investigating a mysterious and gruesome death outside of the town and eventually gets ensnared with Alan's attempt to escape the Dark Place. What starts off as a straight-forward and engrossing murder mystery eventually becomes convoluted by the end, with new rules about the Dark Place, and how Alan's writing of the story impacts the real world created at whim. And while Anderson's portion of the story feels mostly taut (it's the stronger of the two), Wake's narrative is increasingly repetitive and hard to follow. Some of that is intended, I'm sure, but that doesn't mean its effective. It all culminates in a pretty exciting conclusion - that also extends and extends itself too much. 

Yeah...the graphics and lighting are insane

These distinct pacing issues will bleed into gameplay as well, where there are chunks of backtracking in certain locales, exacerbated by a character that cannot sprint. Throw in Saga's "Mind Place" organization - which I generally really enjoyed - and there are moments where I was asking myself: "How did the developers not know this was too much?". A perfect example of this comes in the conclusion of the game, after an exciting "final" battle no less, where I was trapped in Saga's Mind Place, piecing together clues and profiling various characters for at least 20 minutes. For a game that was already starting to lose my interest in its final hours, this felt like the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of my final opinion of the game. It is a far cry from something perfectly paced like last year's incredible Resident Evil 4. 

And by now, you're probably asking: "Are you just going to s**t on this game the whole time? Did you even like it?" to which I would answer: I started off loving this game. There was a point I was convinced it was potentially a 9.5 or 10. I ended Alan Wake II liking it a lot, but frustrated with its issues that felt avoidable. Still, there's lots of good things to evaluate too. 

Um. Yeah. So there are some weird, bonkers moments in this game

For starters, the atmosphere is a truly living thing in this game. The lighting, graphics, locales, and sound all combine to present distinct moods and experiences throughout your journey. Pacific Northwest forests feel different than New York City subways, and even elements within each of those - like a coffee-based theme park or a skyscraper hotel - can feel unique too. It's thanks to this atmosphere that Alan Wake II rarely feels repetitive in location, even if it may in story beats or objectives. And I'll double down emphasis on how gorgeous this game looks and sounds; there's a reason it won Best Graphics last year. 

Why yes, that IS a live-action Alan Wake. 
Classic Remedy

Our gameplay is bolstered by two protagonists who are compelling, though I side more with Saga Anderson in terms of likability. Similar to other third-person horror games, there's an emphasis on ammo scarcity and less enemies, but tougher ones. In addition to this, there are "mental" rooms for each: The Writers Room for Alan and The Mind Place for Saga. The aforementioned latter is generally more effective and interesting, but these "pause" menus help to break up moments of the game's more intense portions. And boy - can Alan Wake II get intense. Some of its biggest scares are pretty unfair (but highly effective) jump scares. I enjoy these, but I know some view them as cheap shots, so take that into consideration. Actual enemies, particularly when there're multiples of them, can be fearsome creatures. They take too many several bullets to take down, and close in quickly. Remedy has done a good job at making the gameplay feel realistic, while avoiding being clunky or unfair. Sure...there are moments I was screaming at the screen: "Jesus, Saga! Reload the f**king gun!" BUT, that's part of the charm and intensity of these games. 

While Alan Wake II may not have progressed as strong as it started, it's still a game I highly recommend supporting, if only for the reason that we need more videogames that push the boundaries like this. Developers like Remedy are the ones who will progress this medium and Alan Wake II is a swing for the fences where, to be fair, all of its extreme elements work pretty damn well. It lacks restraint, and that shows, but it's also an experience that you won't soon forget. 

CONS

• Pacing issues plague the latter third of the game pretty significantly. Spending 20 minutes in the "Mind Place" within the last hour is a wild [ly boring] decision
• The story has many Pros (see below) but is also convoluted as hell. It also makes up rules as it goes, adding to the "...huh?" moments I experienced
• Decent amount of backtracking - especially if you're trying to collect everything. I desperately wanted a sprint button

PROS

• The shared universe being built is exciting, particularly as a fan of Control. How/if these ever connect outside of brief mentions remains to be seen
• The dual protagonist setup - complete with switching worlds - is fantastic. Saga is particularly compelling and likable, I enjoyed her segments most, while Wake is clearly uh...going through it...
• Gameplay [mostly] reigns supreme throughout. It's clear that Remedy has grown since the original and taken best practices from examples like Control
• The Mind Place can be fascinating and somewhat addicting, particularly during times where you get to choose your own pace at accessing it
• Both Saga and Wake control similarly, but this core gameplay is exciting and intense. Slower than other games of this nature, it's a bit more methodical and just a handful of enemies can feel overwhelming
• Some of the best atmosphere I've ever experienced in a game. Always dark, but more varied across the locales than you would expect. An abandoned subway tunnel feels distinctly different than a coffee theme park, yet each is terrifying
• 2023's best graphics and lighting - both are ridiculous - and some of the year's best audio too. This game is consistently gorgeous
• There are some...bonkers (best word I can think of) moments in this game. Unforgettable, WTF, "what the hell is going on?" moments
• This game pushes the boundaries of storytelling, the fourth wall, and character sanity/mental health. Remedy loves to experiment, and this is another example of one gone right

Rath's Review Score | 8.5/10

Enjoy some additional screenshots of my playthrough!