I usually start the review by saying: “One of the most anticipated games of the year…,” “After a long period of waiting (in this case 13 years, of which 4 years were in production…) from fans…” Or “Alan Wake II, released last October 27th came as a sequel to his first title Alan Wake from 2010.” But after spending this weekend involved in this story and having a typewriter in front of me, it would be very generic to start this review like this and I couldn't help but make an introduction worthy of what this title brought us.

The intriguing story of our protagonist Alan Wake, who after 13 years imprisoned for corruption in the Dark Place, leads us to other perceptions of what the human mind is really capable of creating. Wake who since then writes and rewrites his own story until he sees the light of day again. This title brings to light the outcome of his first story, between interconnected CONTROL arcs in the same universe and a frightening story involving sects, murders and a mysterious force that is still indecipherable.

Depth is the word and that is what this story brings us, one within the other and within the other, transporting the player to a surreal and immersive reality of the dark. I know that many theories have emerged, but I know that all these stories have their answers and a starting point, the mind of the creator: Sam Lake - who plays Alex Case, an FBI agent here.

For me, he is the creator of one of the richest and most intriguing universes in fiction. And we, mere players, will try in every way to connect the dots that are constantly released by Lake's creative mind. So, it's up to us to play and marvel at this entire universe and everything that Alan Wake II has to offer.



Escaping your own story - The story

Without going into too much detail so that you can read this review without spoilers, the game begins after a pair of FBI agents arrive in the city, right after a macabre murder has taken place. The opening of the game, before this scene, is already a strong declaration of intentions for this horror game. From whispers to silence, from escaping to the picnic table, the feeling of being unprotected and persecuted is present at all times.

Agent Saga Anderson, presented as one of the two main characters in the story, along with her partner Alex Case, go to the scene of the murder to investigate when they come across numerous clues that lead them to investigate a macabre sect with members who wear deer masks. . What I can say here is that it was all written by Alan Wake trying to escape the darkness.

The story then takes the agents to the small town of Caudron Lake, where they meet the sheriff and interrogate a couple and then go to the basement of the police station where the autopsy of the victim of this sect is carried out. At this moment supernatural events happen and after escaping from the police station the duo is tasked with returning and solving the case, which does not happen immediately as our main character soon returns to the world of the living and from then on several lines of investigation intertwine.



Alan Wake II's narrative masterfully maintains continuity from the previous game, however, it introduces a notably darker atmosphere. If the first game was, so to speak, "scary", Alan Wake II offers us a genuine survival horror, full of brutal confrontations, tense forays into the abyss of darkness and unexpectedly bloody scenes of violence.

What really impressed me about Alan Wake II is its narrative. It offers us one of the most intriguing, peculiar and creatively told narratives ever seen in a video game. Furthermore, there is a balance between the sinister and surreal with hints of humor in addition to a gigantic and intriguing lore.

The characters have very striking characteristics, which makes it fun to hear some dialogues, like the man in the sauna or recognize old faces like Thor and Odin or the Cleaner.



Traversing the real and the obscure - Gameplay and controls

The basis of Saga's gameplay is exploration in search of clues and collectibles while Alan continues in search of a new trajectory for his story and prevent the Dark side from invading the real world. The game allows players to switch to both characters, intertwining and paralleling their narratives, with the ability to switch between them at strategically defined moments, providing a unique and immersive experience.

The inventory is limited, but files are not. Radio audios, TV videos, manuscript pages stay in a room in Saga's mind, where she organizes the clues, analyzes the profiles and deciphers each case, while Wake gathers her ideas in the writing room and directs the plots accordingly. with the places you are in.

For both Saga, in the real world, and Alan, in the Dark Place, the key to survival lies in the careful management of ammunition and resources, as well as unlocking abilities for weapons and characters. While Alan finds Words of Power, Saga discovers places with colored stones where “Alex Case” lunch boxes are left with manuscript fragments to upgrade his skills.
​
Alan Wake II has easy gameplay mechanics with quick access buttons in addition to upgrading weapons, some protection and regeneration skills are also found. For Wake in the Words of Power graffitied on the walls and for Saga on the amulets, unveiling the Chants spread across the maps. The inventory of the two are a little different, including the weapons, but it does not negatively influence the game.



Besides the possessed enemies, the shadows and the various jumpscares, the most terrifying enemies in this game are, in my opinion, the wolves hidden deep in the forest. While they are not monstrous creatures, nor are they difficult to eliminate, the way they chase the player, running and growling in the shadows and watching for an opportunity to attack, are memorable cat-and-mouse scary moments.

Running is not really an option, as both characters have more of a quick “trot” style step, which is not quite a run, but this is not an obstacle to escaping your enemies. In addition to this little run, the game has dodging and pushing, which helps a lot during combat.

What bothered me a little during the escapes was the habit of looking back repeatedly, it always came to my mind: “Who looks back that much while running away from a supernatural force that destroys everything it passes?” But it doesn't hinder the gameplay at all.

Another point to note are the quick access buttons, which are quite intuitive and you can choose where to leave the medicine and weapons to be used on the button that best suits your gameplay, which in my point of view was very good. taken advantage of. A positive point is also the option of returning to pick up an item at another point or on another map.



Is there beauty in the darkness? - Graphics

The graphics are exquisite. Hair, skin, fabrics, wood, textures in general have been meticulously designed to give us a full sense of the material we are looking at. Wool is there, wood has wood texture, walls, floor everything is very detailed and designed for the new graphic generation.

The environments, whether in cities, closed locations or in the forest, are surprising even when playing on the Xbox Series S, which doesn't allow me to run the game's native graphics, which is considered one of the heaviest of this generation. My resolution was around 800 P and 30 FPS, which is the maximum achieved on the Series S and that didn't mean the graphic quality was below acceptable.

Even in low-light locations, the game's photography is impressive and the ambient occlusion sets the tone for the game, providing immersion in both shadows and reflections in water or glass. During the battles I felt a lack of better fluidity but with access to the game menu I increased the Motion Blur and this sensation ended up improving the gameplay and giving more fluidity in the battles.



Whispers, growls and Rock’in roll - Audios and sounds
In addition to an entire episode transformed into a musical, complete with a band and dance, one of the narrative's comic reliefs, Alan Wake II's soundtrack is fundamentally immersive, making wind, sounds and whispers the basis of the gameplay. These sounds are fundamental to the total immersion of the game.

There are 11 songs made for the game and they are found between the chapters, always divided at the end of each chapter and the last one in the credits and are a toast to the brilliance of the game. The dialogues are in English with subtitles and other audios can also be found along the way playing on radios or televisions.

The long moments of silence that precede a confrontation add a fascinating layer of atmosphere and tension, as well as providing extra time for managing items, placing clues in their proper cases, or piecing together story elements.


It's a Spiral

Alan Wake 2 is a masterful example of a survival horror title, packed with gritty storytelling and some of the most memorable moments in any game released this year besides the good scares. Every time we are faced with a new chapter that challenges our spectator side to enjoy what we are watching while at the same time encouraging the player to search for new elements.

We thank the team at Epic Games and Remedy Entertainment for providing us with the access key for the Xbox Series S on which this analysis was carried out.