What you need to know
- Alan Wake 2 is a sequel to the critically acclaimed Alan Wake of 2010.
- The game features both the return of Alan and a new character Saga.
- Saga gameplay will focus on horror survival, while Alan will be trapped in the Dark Place, facing equally dangerous puzzle mechanics.
- The game launches this Friday, October 27th.
Alan Wake is an action-adventure horror game beloved by millions across the globe. Over 13 years ago, Remedy created something special that left gamers thirsting for more; needing more, if you’re me. This Friday, just in time for Halloween and two weeks removed from Friday the 13th, Alan Wake 2 will be released.
The intricately detailed story of Alan Wake, driven from this world by the writing of his own words, now comes to the forefront in this sequel. While you’ll remain in control of the titular character for half the game, the remainder will cover the story of Saga. A rather cleverly named character, Saga, is searching for the missing Wake, who’s being held within the Dark Place.
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From Xbox Wire, Principle Narrative Designer Molly Maloney explains, “She provides an inroad for new players to the franchise. She has a fresh pair of eyes entering Bright Falls – she also gives us a way to be in Bright Falls… Having Saga here to take in the situation from an outside, unbiased perspective, trying to analyze and understand what’s going on here, is really critical to the telling of the story.”
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According to Joe Skrebels, who had his hands on it, the gameplay will be reminiscent of the original title but expect Wake to be focused on puzzle mechanics, and Saga to be the survival horror show.
“Saga’s also a key part of embedding you in the new gameplay ideas here too. While Alan’s sections are more (but not entirely) focused on puzzling, it’s Saga who exemplifies Alan Wake 2’s shift into full-blown survival horror. Where the original game saw a slightly uneasy mix of dark, measured storytelling and action set-pieces, Saga’s sections drop us into a slower-paced, more panicky form of combat.”
Instead of the traditional inventory menu during Saga sequences, players will be taken to a room that characterizes the inner workings of Saga’s brain. A full-on case board lines the wall, a desk suited for profiling suspects, and a TV to replay in-game videos you find. Players will use this “room” frequently during their playthrough to profile characters to uncover the mystery surrounding Wake’s disappearance.
Alan Wake 2 drops this Friday, on October 27th for Xbox X|S, Windows, and PlayStation 5.
