Alan Wake 2 Review
Alan Wake 2
Publisher: Epic Games Publishing
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Genre:
PEGI: 18
Comments:
If you miss how Resident Evil and Silent Hill use to be, then boy do we have a game for you. Alan Wake 2 is a modern survival horror game that also feels like a throwback to the good old days. Should you check it out? Here’s our review of Alan Wake 2 for the Xbox Series.
In Alan Wake 2, you play as two different characters: there’s FBI agent Saga Anderson and at some point you’ll get Alan Wake of course. We don’t want to give too much away about this game’s plot but we say that it starts out having Saga Anderson go to a small town to investigate a cult murder and it gets much crazier from there. We never played Alan Wake 1 and weren’t too confused, until we got to the part with Alan Wake and things went off the rails a bit.
Plot wise, the Saga Anderson part of the game feels like its inspired by classic survival horror games like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. The Alan Wake part of the game feels like someone’s crazy nightmare. The plot doesn’t always make sense, but it will always keep you interested thats for sure. And there’s the gameplay, which feels like a throwback to older games while also introducing some new aspects.
Alan Wake 2 feels like an old school Resident Evil or Silent Hill game whether you’re playing as Saga or Alan Wake. There is an inventory much like those old school games and you’ll find supplies all over. Instead of a typewriter like Resident Evil, you’ll find lit rooms in which you can save. Exploring the town and other areas feels much like Silent Hill. Even the crazier Alan Wake sections are bit similar to old school Silent Hill.
While the game takes a lot of inspiration from those classics, it also introduces a unique “menu” room where as Saga or Alan you can arrange clues, examine evidence, and more. Its pretty neat.
Alan Wake 2 definitely controls better than those old games and its pretty easy to change to different weapons by assigning them to the d-pad. Shooting in easy and so is aiming your flashlight. Thats not to say that Alan Wake 2 is an easy game, its not. Some of the battles are pretty tough. Also you can easily lose your way in shadowed forests and other places. The game has a lot of backtracking too. There is a map but its not always handy. There are also some difficult puzzles and adventure elements that can be challenging. Alan Wake 2 does not hold your hand. Its a wonderful game though and it looks great too.
The graphics are fantastic. The game especially shines when things are dark and moody, which is pretty often. However, we did notice that the people’s faces in the game were better during cutscenes, looking almost realistic, while not being as realistic during gameplay. Alan Wake 2 is a great looking game overall.
That said, its audio is better. The voice acting in this game is movie quality acting, all the music is brilliant, and the sound effects are perfect. The audio in this game will delight and creep you out too. Alan Wake 2 is a pretty great game.
Alan Wake 2 is a modern survival horror game that hasn’t forgotten its roots. It often feels like a throwback, a game inspired by the classics. The graphics are movie quality for the most part and the audio is excellent. If you love survival horror games, then you must check out Alan Wake 2. Its one of the best horror games of the year! Alan Wake 2 will scare you and leave you wanting more.
A digital code was provided for this review. Alan Wake 2 is out now on the Xbox Series X/S.
Trailer
Article By Daniel Fugate
Daniel Fugate has wanted to be a writer since he was seven years old. He has a bachelor's degree in English and he's a huge Animal Crossing fan. The Wii U and 3DS are currently his favorite video game systems!
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