Despite Turning A Year Old, Alan Wake 2 Remains Immersively Unforgettable

Remedy stayed silent for 13 years more or less with regard to the Alan Wake franchise, leaving no stone unturned in putting the franchise to sleep. In 2021, however, the developer came swift with the much-awaited announcement of Alan Wake 2, shocking fans and setting us up for a ton of expectations. 

Now that we’re here 3 years later, it’s safe to say that Remedy has delivered beyond what we had imagined, cultivating a title from the ground up that’s dripping in sheer quality. I’m not easily impressed with things, but there’s not a soul out there that can doubt the magic that Remedy has spread all over the psychological thriller, save for a few hiccups here and there, of course. 

As the title turns 1 year old today, I’ve taken the time to shed light on the brilliance of Alan Wake 2, and how the moment calls for replaying the game if you’ve beat it already. 

Alan Wake 2 Is Incredibly Immersive With Its Cerebral Horror

One of my favorite parts about this game is its immersion. In simple terms, it’s the ability of Alan Wake 2 to suck you in and engross you on such a deep level, that you really forget what’s going on in the back of your mind, and you’re fully focused on the events unfolding in-game. Those looking to maximize this even further should fire up the title at night, preferably on a large screen, with their room lights turned all the way off. 

And the best thing about it is that you do not need to have any prior knowledge of the Alan Wake IP to be able to enjoy the sequel. The game does a great job of telling the player who’s who, but I can’t say the same about its overarching storyline. I mean, I’m pretty sure that much is intended by Remedy, and the player is left in mystery on many, many occasions.  

You’re just itching to find out what’s going to happen next, and I think that is what makes Remedy Entertainment such a brilliant video game developer studio. 

Alan Wake 2 – A Masterpiece
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As for the cerebral horror part, Alan Wake 2 isn’t the scariest title out there — ideal for those too terrified to dive into the Silent Hill 2 remake — but the way it frightens the player with its concepts, ideas, and plotline is beyond praiseworthy. I’m trying my best to keep it spoiler-free here, so if you haven’t given it a go yet, you can experience the greatness on display totally blindly. 

Alan Wake 2 is not only the best possible sequel fans could have hoped for, it’s also an incredible survival horror game in its own right,” writes Huzaifah Durrani for eXputer’s 5/5 review of the game.

The Combat Woes Rage On

Creative storytelling, admirable visuals, and fantastic characters aside, one of the biggest — if not the biggest altogether — complaint that people usually make about Alan Wake 2 is its relatively slow combat, which may not be for everyone. I get that Remedy wants to build tension with the gameplay, but for many, that may come across as straight-up annoying.

That said, I might be overstepping here and comparing Alan Wake 2’s combat with that of the recent Resident Evil remakes and Dead Space. People getting used to faster-paced combat will have a tough time embracing the change of style when switching to another format. This is a noteworthy factor that most overlook. 

Critique: The combat in Alan Wake 2 is inferior to the first game.
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So, the slow combat is one thing, but balanced gameplay is another, and this is yet another facet where Alan Wake 2 takes a considerable nosedive. I couldn’t help but get to the final chapter of the game with a truckload of ammunition and a ton of health supplies, ultimately going to waste. Even on Nightmare difficulty, I found the resources to be unfairly excessive.

No Steam Release Yet A Bright Future Waiting Ahead 

Despite rolling over 1.3 million copies and becoming Remedy’s fastest-selling title ever, Alan Wake 2 failed to generate royalties on a level that it was initially expected to. This, of course, comes without surprise, because the game in question was not released on Steam — the global hub for the majority of PC players in the world — and skipped a physical edition on launch. 

Both of these contributed to low sales, and it’s no wonder how. On the bright side, however, Remedy has still affirmed that its future plans heavily revolve around Control and Alan Wake, which means more stuff for us teary-eyed fans who just beat the sequel and are now craving more content.  

We are happy with the start of Alan Wake 2’s sales. The price point has also remained at a high level, and the game has already recouped a significant part of the development and marketing expenses. We now have two established franchises: Control and Alan Wake, which are linked through the Remedy Connected Universe. Growing and expanding these franchises will be a key part of our future,” said Remedy’s CEO Tero Virtala.

Make sure to check out our interview with Sam Lake as he goes more in-depth in all things Alan Wake.