13 (real-world and in-game) years have passed since we left Alan Wake in the Dark Place. The 2010 action game/psychological thriller gained a cult following thanks to a compelling narrative that blends Stephen King-esque psychological mystery with the quirky charm and evocative surrealism of Twin Peaks. In the decade-plus since, Remedy has grown to become one of the industry’s premier development studios, and now it’s writing an all-new chapter with its first survival-horror game, Alan Wake 2.
Alan Wake 2: Exclusive Hands-On Preview First
11.09.2023 - 16:01 / ign.com / Saga Anderson / Alan Wake
Deliciously pulpy horror storytelling was at the heart of the original Alan Wake. It returns for the sequel, too, but the Stephen King-isms look to be confined to The Dark Place; the New York-styled nightmare cage the titular writer is trapped in. Out in the real world (or at least what seems like the real world) – the domain of our second protagonist, FBI agent Saga Anderson – developer Remedy Entertainment has crafted a new collage from pieces of its favourite detective stories. The eerie shadows of True Detective, Seven, and The Silence of the Lambs creep through Alan Wake 2’s gorgeous digital depiction of the Pacific Northwest.
For this month’s IGN First, I visited Remedy’s studio in Finland to play Alan Wake 2. Across more than an hour of play I experienced the entirety of Local Girl, the third chapter of Saga’s story. Within it, I saw plenty of things that will make long-term Alan Wake devotees happy. Manuscripts still litter the world, as do blue thermos flasks. There are generators to power up, and your shadow-burning flashlight is still a fundamental part of combat. A pair of ageing rock stars make a very welcome return. But the shift from nightmare horror to grisly detective thriller on Saga’s side of the story is the first sign of the bold, sweeping changes that Remedy has made in its long-awaited sequel.
Where the 2010 original was a relentless action game dressed in a Halloween costume, Alan Wake 2 is a full-bore survival horror. It comes complete with puzzles, exploration, backtracking, and a crime fiction library’s worth of creeping dread. It feels like almost every element of Alan Wake’s gameplay has been reinvented. And, from what I can tell thus far, it’s all for the better.
Local Girl begins with Saga arriving in Watery, a town established by Finnish settlers. It’s just down the road from the original Alan Wake setting of Bright Falls, and carries a similar David Lynch vibe; quaint, but off-kilter. In these opening minutes, it’s clear that Alan Wake 2 is unlike any other game Remedy has made before. There’s no urgency as I wander down Main Street, chatting with the locals about a nearby trailer park – a lead in my wider investigation into the Cult of the Tree, the story’s looming threat. But while this may be slower-paced than Remedy’s previous action romps, it’s no less weird: everyone seems to already know who I am despite this being Saga’s first visit to Watery. And Ahti is performing a rousing number at the local cafe. Yes, Ahti, the janitor from Control. I don’t know if the coffee here is damn fine, but the atmosphere certainly is.
A chat with entrepreneurial oddballs the Koskela brothers puts me on the trail of some spare keys for the trailer park, which are locked up in the
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theverge.com
29.09.2023 / 20:35
October’s video game release calendar is a little too stacked
By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.
gameranx.com
29.09.2023 / 18:43
Sam Lake Catches Players Up Before Alan Wake 2 Launches
Alan Wake 2 is nearly here. I can’t believe I’m actually typing that. For over a decade now, we’ve been waiting for a proper sequel to land for this game franchise, and now we can prepare for its release. However, since this game franchise initially launched so many years ago at this point, you might need a refresher on what happened to Alan Wake before we embark on this new journey. Well, fortunately, who better to offer a discussion on what happened to Alan Wake over the years than Sam Lake, the creative director at Remedy Entertainment?
gamingbolt.com
28.09.2023 / 21:07
Alan Wake 2 Gameplay Clip Showcases Alan’s Writer’s Room
Plenty of Alan Wake 2 gameplay has been showcased of late, with Remedy Entertainment ratcheting up the hype surrounding the game in the lead-up to its launch, which is now less than a month away. Now, the developer has released another short gameplay clip that focuses on something pretty specific.
gamedeveloper.com
27.09.2023 / 22:57
Why Remedy revived Alan Wake by reviving Alan Wake in Alan Wake 2
Seeing Remedy Entertainment's cult favorite horror game Alan Wake make a comeback is a strange feeling. Arriving 13 years after the original, Alan Wake 2 sees the return of the titular protagonist who can rewrite reality, all while evading the creeping dark forces that's always one step behind him.
gamingbolt.com
26.09.2023 / 19:13
Alan Wake 2 Video Explains How it Fits into the Remedy Connected Universe
With 2019’s Control, Remedy Entertainment established the Remedy Connected Universe, which, like its name suggests, pulls two of Remedy’s owned properties – Alan Wake and Control – into a shared universe.
ign.com
26.09.2023 / 16:17
Alan Wake 2: Building The Remedy Connected Universe First
13 years after the launch of its predecessor, Alan Wake 2 finally continues the story of gaming’s favourite haunted novelist. But the sequel is expanding more than just Alan’s tale. This game is the third entry in the Remedy Connected Universe, an idea that will see the Finnish studio’s works overlap, connect, and influence each other.
ign.com
22.09.2023 / 16:31
Alan Wake 2: Creating The Dual Protagonist Experience First
His name may quite literally be the title of the game, but Alan Wake is not the only main character in Remedy Entertainment’s upcoming survival horror. The ‘2’ in Alan Wake 2 doesn’t just point to its sequel nature, but also to the duality that runs through the entire game. Two protagonists. Two perspectives. Two worlds. And two approaches to gameplay.
gamingbolt.com
21.09.2023 / 21:13
Alan Wake 2 Behind-the-Scenes Video Discusses Blurring the Line Between Sound Design and Music
Remedy Entertainment has released a few behind-the-scenes videos in the lead-up to Alan Wake 2’s launch, highlighting different aspects of the game and its development process. In a new behind-the-scenes video, the developer has turned its attention to the music and audio design of the highly anticipated survival horror sequel.
gamingbolt.com
21.09.2023 / 11:33
Alan Wake 2 – Hands-on Impressions and New Details Coming September 27
As we get closer to Alan Wake 2’s long-awaited launch, developer Remedy Entertainment is continuing to dole out new details and gameplay footage for the survival horror sequel at a steady pace. And soon enough, there will be plenty more of that for fans to dive into.
ign.com
19.09.2023 / 17:32
Alan Wake 2: Alan Meets Alex Casey Gameplay Clip (4K RTX) First
The latest part of our Alan Wake 2 IGN First is a section of exclusive 4K RTX gameplay played from the perspective of titular writer Alan Wake himself. The above video takes place in The Dark Place – a nightmare New York he’s trapped in - Alan finds a familiar face lurking in one of its many shadowy alleyways. This jacket-wearing, paisley tie-sporting detective is no other than Alex Casey, the hero from Wake’s successful crime book series.
pushsquare.com
19.09.2023 / 00:40
Alan Wake 2 Is Over 20 Hours Long as Remedy Makes Its Biggest Game Yet | Push Square
Finnish team Remedy has revealed its upcoming PS5 survival horror game Alan Wake 2 will be its longest yet, clocking in at more than 20 hours. Creative director Sam Lake shared the respective playtime in the latest episode of the Kinda Funny Games Daily show, revealing the studio has wanted to makes its games longer for some time. «So Control was our longest game to date, and Alan Wake 2 is going to be longer than that — 20 hours plus,» he said.