Solid third-person survival horror-gameplay helps carry that journey outside of a handful of technical issues.
But answers are like deep-sea diving; the more you learn, the more questions there are to ask.
Alan Wake 2is a messy game.
Mr. Door says what we’re all thinking.
The plot takes big leaps and doesn’t always land on its feet.
In doing so however, it weaves a fantastic tale of clawing your way through the hopeless dark.
Disclaimer:This review was made possible by review codes provided by Remedy Entertainment and Epic Games.
The companies did not see the contents of this review before publishing.
Second disclaimer:Unusually, this game was mostly reviewed on PlayStation 5.
My colleagues Jez Corden and Zachary Boddy tested the Xbox and PC versions of Alan Wake 2, respectively.
What is Alan Wake 2?
Alan Wake 2
There’s an ocean of darkness waiting in Remedy Entertainment’s latest game.
Alan Wake 2 is an artist’s rage unleashed.
Alan Wake 2 is metatextual to a level that makes Remedy’s prior works look simple by comparison.
That’s shown more directly in the unique gameplay mechanics that Saga and Alan employ.
Alan’s abilities are different.
This usually only took me back a few minutes, but it was irritating every time.
This is truly a horror game, and it earns its M-rating with abandon.
Stick with the presets, and then change the resolution upscaling until you reach the framerate you want.
Each step down noticeably improved my performance with hardly any noticeable degradation to visuals.
One thing is for sure, though.
Going through the connected Control isn’t a bad idea either.
Alan Wake 2 review: Should you buy it?
This game is as messy as it is beautiful.
Related:Should you play Alan Wake 1 before playing Alan Wake 2?
Mr. Door says what we’re all thinking.
In fact, it might be Remedy Entertainment’s most imperfect game.
Alan Wake 2 isn’t quite perfect, but the raw story presented here is instantly compelling.
Improved survival-horror gameplay and brain-teasing puzzles round out an experience showcased in gorgeous detail.
This is just the beginning.
Putting the pieces together.
Beat back the dark.
Shadows in the mist.
Hidden secrets in dark halls.
This game is absolutely breathtaking, but the cost on your hardware is high.
Even Alan Wake can’t believe how good this game looks.
Stay in the light.
Welcome back.
