All roads lead to the same destination as we return to the fictional town of Bright Falls and delve deeper into the Dark Place. Created by the ingenious minds at Remedy Entertainment, Alan Wake II lets players step into the shoes of the titular writer once more. However, this time he’s not alone. Joining Alan as a playable character is FBI agent Saga Anderson and there’s more on her later. For now, let me wax poetic on the people behind the story, the makers of merry and dreamers of a vast lake that never stops flowing.
Sam Lake, Clay Murphy and Molly Malone are the proud creators of a surrealist spectacle that’ll go down in the history books. This is where you know they took the best parts of Alan Wake, Quantum Break and Control and put them into Alan Wake II.
Without these people behind the scenes, this easily could have been a run-of-the-mill story. But, there’s nothing run of the mill about it. To see what I’m talking about, check out the trailer below:
The Writer’s Story
If there’s one thing Remedy can do it’s spinning a story that twists and turns until it gives you whiplash. This is Alan Wake II in a nutshell. In fact, I’d go as far as to say it’s even more true this time around. From the second the story starts it leaves you guessing where it goes next and after the credits roll, you’ll want to stay with your thoughts for a while.
On top of this, the scale of its meta-ness gives Deadpool a run for his money. You play a writer who’s writing a story to get him out of a place while his writing comes true and you’re the player experiencing all of these stories at once. I wouldn’t blame anyone for fearing this but Remedy is up to the task of reminding you what’s real and what isn’t. It might not stare you in the face but the answers are there. Sometimes, you only need to shine a light on it.
The basic story sees the introduction of two new characters who come to Bright Falls to investigate a murder. Saga Anderson and Alex Casey are FBI agents whose pasts and relationships intertwine with the story changing around them. It’s Saga who we take control of firstly. For those who haven’t played the first game, Saga is more than ready to be their introduction into the world. As the story progresses, Saga’s world transforms and it’s perhaps the most compelling narrative of the game.
Now that’s not to say Alan’s side isn’t compelling. It is, but Saga’s story stayed with me more. But, Alan’s will be the one that causes you to be like Kate Hudson in Glass Onion and ask “what is reality?” His story also deals with hard-hitting themes as the writer descends into the Dark Place, desperately writing his escape.
Don’t let me fool you though, it’s not all doom and gloom. This may be a survival horror but there’s still a lot of fun throughout. At one point, you will see the champion of light.
The Faces and Voices of Alan Wake
As it has before, Alan Wake II pulls double duty for certain characters. The titular character is portrayed by two different people. His likeness, motion capture and live-action presence is Ilkka Villi. Meanwhile, Matthew Porretta provides the voice throughout, including during the live-action sequences. Their combination is electric, providing the ultimate idea of who Alan Wake is. There’s a certain sequence where Ilkka gets to shine and it’s my favorite part of the game. Matthew is no stranger to the Remedy universe as he also portrays Dr. Darling in Control.
Another character whose creation hinges on two different people is Alex Casey. The character shares the same name as Alan Wake’s famous Detective and that isn’t lost on the characters. The likeness and live-action presence is none other than Sam Lake. His voice is James McCaffrey. Their marriage of face and voice creates a hard-boiled Detective straight out of an old-fashioned Noir. Remedy fans will find this familiar as James is the voice of Max Payne, a character Sam Lake provides his likeness for in the original Max Payne game.
Saga Anderson’s motion capture and voice are provided by the same person. Melanie Liburd becomes the surrogate for the player but she’s much more. Without spoiling where her character goes, Melanie runs with what she’s given and leaps into character with no hesitation. She made me fall in love with Saga Anderson very quickly and I hope to see more of her in the future. Saga may very well be one of my favorite characters in gaming this year.
In the live-action sequences, Alan is interviewed by the mysterious Marlin Door and this was one casting I was particularly excited about. As a fan of Supergirl, as well as this man in general, I was over the moon to learn David Harewood was in the game. I can say he didn’t disappoint and I couldn’t stop smiling whenever I saw him. Again, I hope to see more of him.
Alan Wake II boasts an impressive cast. This review would be far too long if I singled everyone out. So, let me at least say this is a great cast. I mean, hey, Shawn Ashmore’s in this. There’s also an appearance by Janina Gavankar, who’s quickly becoming a name in gaming that makes me excited. Alan Wake II has a lot to be excited about and its cast is one of the reasons why.
Gameplay
Do you like survival horror? Is Resident Evil your jam? If yes is your answer to both of these questions you’ll mostly enjoy the gameplay. The only difference between Resident Evil and Alan Wake II is the dark shield around the enemies in the latter. However, I learned you don’t need to always use your torch to burn it away.
Sometimes, if you’re lucky enough, a simple headshot will suffice. Either that or go for the knees. This time around, the torch has charges that automatically disappear when you focus the light on your enemy. To replenish you need to find batteries that are usually hiding in a container. There is also a selection of weapons as the game progresses, and is even one of the achievements. Actually, it was the final achievement I needed before getting the platinum trophy on the PS5.
One thing I wish for the game is fast travel. I don’t mind running around the stunningly gorgeous map during the story. But, while searching for collectables it certainly would have been more helpful. Even if it was only available at the save points. There are several different collectables to find but they aren’t too difficult. This sequel is an improvement over the original where gameplay is concerned. I’m grateful for the lack of objects attacking you, especially as there were times it felt overbearing in Alan Wake.
The enemy types aren’t that varied but it’s not that sort of game. There are animals possessed by the Taken as well as bigger enemies to go with the ones from the original game. They also don’t overwhelm you as much either, usually only being three or four at a time. There’s also no slow motion when the enemies appear, electing to let you find them for yourself. It’s definitely a step up.
Overall
Alan Wake II is Remedy’s love letter to Twin Peaks, the Twilight Zone, detective noir and horror. It’s a surrealist horror that may very well be Remedy’s magnum opus. But, we aren’t done yet. DLC is coming next year, along with a New Game Plus mode. The only other thing it needs is a photo mode for the incredible graphics. Seriously, the Cauldron Lake woods are hauntingly beautiful.
Alan Wake II is available on digital only via Playstation, Xbox and PC.
