Sony's PlayStation Showcase aired this week and among its many reveals was a brand-new trailer for the highly-anticipated Alan Wake 2. The trailer offered fans a lengthy glimpse at the title's story, setting, and characters. While some gameplay elements appear to have been translated over from the original, Alan Wake 2 looks darker, scarier, and altogether Lovecraftian. Remedy's Alan Wake 2 wears its survival horror influences on its sleeve, resulting in a title that ushers the author into the modern era of survival horror and promises to deliver one of the best experiences of 2023.
Alan Wake 2 was officially announced in December 2021 at The Game Awards, over 11 years after the first game's release. The original title told the story of bestselling writer Alan Wake, as he seeks to uncover the mystery behind his wife's disappearance in the small town of Bright Falls, Washington. During his search, Wake experiences blackouts and horrifying real-world visions of elements derived from his latest novel. Players combat these dangerous visions by utilizing light sources, as the title's dangers are directly tied to surrounding darkness. Now, that tense and atmospheric gameplay seems to be leaning wholly into its new direction as a survival-horror game.
Alan Wake 2 Is Going Full Survival Horror
Alan Wake 2's gameplay trailer introduced fans to a new playable character, Saga Anderson, and revealed the game's deep dive into modern survival horror, making good on Remedy's earlier claims that the title would be a pure horror experience. Anderson's gameplay, in particular, appeared to draw heavy inspiration from Resident Evil 2 Remake, as Alan Wake 2 appears to adopt a very similar over-the-shoulder angle to that of the recent Resident Evil remake titles.
Reports indicate that Anderson and Wake will both be playable characters, each in a very different environment. While Anderson investigates Bright Falls, Alan will be trapped in the Dark Place, allowing the title to explore a wide range of horror influences. The original title made players question its events, but Alan Wake 2 appears to paint the author as an unreliable narrator.
In Remedy's Control, fans discover that Bright Falls fell victim to an AWE, an event stemming from a para-natural entity called the Dark Presence. A file in Control details the FBC's research into a small town named Bright Falls, where a writer named Alan Wake fended off the forces of darkness, as they were turning fiction into reality.
In connecting the dots, Remedy dragged Alan Wake's horrors into a larger, and more horrific, world, and set the stage for the AWE DLC, in which Alan and Control's Jesse Faden join forces to combat a combination of their games' evil forces. With the character exploring the Dark Place in Alan Wake 2, his ability to perceive reality, and author the game's narrative, are potentially compromised.
Alan Wake 2 Still Honors Its Prior Influences
Alan Wake 2 is Remedy's first true survival-horror title but continues to honor its prior influences. The first title was heavily inspired by Twin Peaks and the literary work of Stephen King. In fact, the first spoken line in Alan Wake is a direct quote from the acclaimed author. Alan Wake 2, in a set-up quite similar to Twin Peaks sequel, The Return, sees Wake attempt to escape the Dark Place by influencing the town through his writing, with his replacement in the real world, Mr. Scratch, playing a major role.
Alan Wake 2 will launch globally this Fall and promises to be Remedy's biggest game yet. Remedy has shared that it will be a digital-only release, with two versions currently available to pre-order. Time will tell whether Alan Wake 2 can successfully recapture the magic of its many influences. However, this week's trailer all but confirms that fans are in for a unique and truly horrifying return to Bright Falls.
Alan Wake 2 launches on October 17 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.