I briefly mentioned Alan Wake 2 in my review of 2024, and here I want to delve deeper and share my thoughts on the game and the impact it’s had on me.
I connected deeply with Alan Wake, the eponymous protagonist of Alan Wake 2. While that is partly because of the good job Remedy did with creating and developing the character, the main reason for me was that I personally related to Alan’s artistic struggles. In a way, I think Sam Lake created Alan as a reflection of his own writing and creative processes, and I respect him for that.
The story’s focus on the importance of writing really struck a chord with me, motivating me to start writing more again. Also, I realized the importance of good fiction in learning a language, and in this instance, English. This game is one of the reasons why I’ve decided to read more fiction in my spare time.
On the technical side of things, I was very impressed with the visuals of the game, and also with what people can achieve nowadays with Unreal Engine. The Pacific Northwest was depicted breathtakingly, and The Dark Place and its inhabitants were visually stunning as well. The scene where Mr. Door and Alan were dancing to a song by The Old Gods of Asgard was a graphical achievement, too.
I found the sound design of the game incredible as well. This was especially noticeable in The Dark Place and the way hostile shadows talked to you when you got close to them, or when something bad was about to happen and the game informed you about it using eerie sound effects.
While a lot can be said about the visuals and sound effects, I think what really brought the game to life were the story, the characters, and ultimately the incredible quality and sheer amount of voice acting. So much so that at times I found myself narrating what I was doing inside the game, like Alan Wake usually does in his monologs.
As I write this personal review of Alan Wake 2, I can’t help but feel a deep respect for Remedy and the people bringing these incredible experiences to life. The fact that they have created an organization that’s been successful for close to 30 years is something I feel envious of, and the budget that was spent on this game frankly scares me. I think Remedy’s founders have succeeded in achieving what I’ve always aspired to, and they serve as excellent role models for me and many other people in the games industry.
The game’s available on several major platforms. I highly recommend you give it a try, if you haven’t already.
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