Treatment is thought for its bizarre and subversive video games. Nonetheless, what’s much less acknowledged is simply how steadily the studio has considerably influenced and adjusted the trade.

Max Payne popularized bullet time in video video games, whereas Management was some of the complicated implementations of ray tracing at its launch. With Alan Wake 2, Treatment has executed it but once more, this time with its narrative, providing a mind-bending postmodern expertise that goes locations no different gaming story has.

Alan Wake 2 (PC, PS5 [reviewed], Xbox Sequence X/S)
Developer: Treatment Leisure
Writer: Epic Video games Publishing
Launched: October 27, 2023
MSRP: $59.99

Welcome to Vivid Falls!

In my Evaluate in Progress, I went fairly in-depth relating to the gameplay, visuals, and audio. After finishing the sequel, my opinion solely improved, and I’m satisfied that Alan Wake 2 is among the best-looking video games you may get your arms on at the moment.

There are such a lot of attractive moments that make me curse the absence of picture mode. When Saga’s exploring Vivid Falls at nightfall, the setting solar offers all the pieces a deep crimson hue, and the sunshine reacts to the surroundings in astonishingly life like methods. Within the Darkish Place, I used to be handled to an fascinating medley of lights and baroque structure. Wet, remoted streets and dirty subways set an eerie, nightmarish temper that’s nonetheless irresistibly stunning.

I’ve spent extra time toying round with each High quality and Efficiency mode, and I’ve seen that the framerate isn’t as secure as I initially thought. It’s particularly evident once you dodge as Alan and the framerate out of the blue tanks. On the identical be aware, Treatment simply launched one other hefty patch, so these hiccups are most likely on their approach out.

With Alan Wake 2, Treatment aimed to set new graphical benchmarks. That purpose has inarguably been achieved. The studio teamed up with longtime associate Nvidia, and the sport is among the first to characteristic the “new Ray Reconstruction characteristic in DLSS 3.5.” It additionally pushes boundaries with its gameplay, utilizing the quick SSD to load new environments quickly, which makes touring between the common world and the Thoughts Place/Author’s Room seamless.

In comparison with its predecessor, gameplay enhancements are bountiful however nonetheless not incredible. About midway by my playthrough, I slid the problem all the way down to Story mode as a result of I needed to get previous the fight as quick as doable and get again to exploration and progressing the story. The encounters with the few bosses had been principally forgettable, with maybe the final boss being the exception.

Nonetheless, the place Alan Wake 2 does succeed lies in its horror — exploring eerie environments make the moment-to-moment trudge ahead a delight. The soar scares felt like a jolt of electrical energy that saved me on edge, and there have been a number of moments the place I opened a door or turned a nook and was not ready for what I encountered.

The story is a monster

My final report additionally talked about Alan Wake 2 was nonetheless throwing loads of surprises my approach, and that by no means modified. After ending the sport, I’m left surprised by what Treatment crafted. Its postmodern narrative pushes ahead storytelling inside the medium, and whereas it’s not good, it’s unimaginable to hate a sport that sincerely has one thing to say.

I discovered myself captivated by the thought of the Darkish Place and its intimate relationship with creativity and the humanities. Because the story unfolded, it grew to become evident that the Darkish Place was a fan of swallowing up artists particularly. Nonetheless, it’s also by artwork that one has a hope of escaping the corrupting Darkish Place. The Darkish Place additionally has a damaging affect on Alan’s writing, twisting it into one thing extra wicked than he ever needed.

The general writing will likely be divisive. Alan’s inner monologues are typically lengthy, flowery, and dramatic. I appreciated it, but it surely’s straightforward to see how some will discover it pretentious. The sequel additionally successfully builds up completely punctuated moments of rigidity, making you ache for solutions to the mysteries raised. A lot of the sequences contain shocking twists which might be nearly unimaginable to foretell. Others are left dangling, however extra on that later.

A love letter to the humanities

A part of what makes Alan Wake 2 stand out among the many cornucopia of AAA hits launched this 12 months is simply how a lot real ardour exudes from it. In fact, the sport is beholden to capitalistic calls for. It was funded by Epic Video games Publishing, and because of this, it’s an Epic Video games Retailer unique title on PC. Moreover, there have been no bodily copies launched on any platforms to chop down on prices.

None of this will get in the way in which of what’s evidently a honest love of the humanities. Virtually each medium will get some appreciation in Alan Wake 2. With its two protagonists and survival horror gameplay, it pays homage to the Resident Evil franchise, a cornerstone of the gaming trade. Heavy film references are plentiful, with The Shining being one of many largest influences. The Oceanview Resort is harking back to the movie’s Overlook Resort, and the winding street Saga drives down appears borrowed from Stanley Kubrick’s movie primarily based on Stephen King’s horror novel.

There are additionally a number of literary allusions current. Most notably, the sport contains a postmodern narrative that blends horror with the detective style. It’s set in New York, and options an artist whose true id is questioned because the plot progresses. This intently follows Paul Auster’s Metropolis of Glass, which additionally contains a New York detective with a plot that bends again on itself and ultimately options Auster himself. It shouldn’t be a shock to see Auster parts pop up, as Treatment’s Sam Lake has named the creator as an affect.

Music maintains simply as a lot prominence in Alan Wake 2, with prophetic lyrics and melodies built-in into gameplay at a number of factors. On this entrance, the Poets of the Fall are of nice support, they usually help in bringing a chapter that manages to surpass Management’s Ashtray Maze. There are additionally a number of extra obscure artwork kinds you’ll discover littered all through the sport, akin to images and graffiti with subliminal messaging.

The tip result’s an eclectic mixture of influences that coalesce to type a singular and infrequently bizarre expertise that solely Treatment may pull off.

A useless nightmare

The fervour poured into Alan Wake 2 is obvious. The whole lot from the music to the visuals to the live-action performances are top-notch, and with this sport, Treatment has as soon as once more solidified itself as an trade chief. Nonetheless, there are particular factors the place the eagerness appears to cross over into self-importance, and the general expertise turns into a bit of too navel-gazey.

This happens with the looks of Sam Lake, who you’ll see as Alex Casey and likewise as himself. You’ll even be listening to the phrase “Lake” so much, which isn’t a coincidence. Because the plot progressed and Alan went by the anxieties of being a author and crafting the proper ending, it grew to become more and more more durable to find out whether or not I used to be enjoying a sport about Alan or a sport about Lake.

The expertise isn’t just Lake-obsessed. It’s additionally very Treatment-obsessed. It’s straightforward to miss for those who aren’t acquainted with previous titles from the studio, however the references included go far past the Treatment Linked Universe and embody titles like Max Payne. Alex Casey actually seems and acts like Payne, and also you’re continually reminded of this.

These moments pulled me out of the sport and jogged my memory I used to be consuming a piece of fiction. Which will have been the purpose, but it surely’s a bit of too heavy-handed.

It’s not a loop, it’s a spiral

Alan Wake 2 is a survival horror sport with heavy thriller parts. That is highlighted by the detective gameplay parts that have you ever piecing collectively clues and gathering data on completely different characters.

The purpose of most detective tales is to lastly remedy the case and attain a satisfying conclusion. Treatment, not being one to comply with conventions, subverts expectations and supplies an ending that strips all of the occasions prior of their weight and leaves you with a cliffhanger.

On some degree, it’s comprehensible why the selection was made. Alan Wake is being molded right into a franchise, so there must be a bridge from this sport to the following. Nonetheless, it will have been satisfying if the sport caught to its weapons and given us a conclusive ending, sans the post-credits scene.

Finally, the ending didn’t stick the touchdown, but it surely wasn’t sufficient to destroy the expertise — simply dampened my general perspective. After so many courageous and iconoclastic selections, it was disappointing to see the finale take such a secure and standard route.

After spending per week with Alan Wake 2 and eventually seeing the credit, I can say that it’s one among my favourite titles in an especially aggressive 12 months. Not solely has it redefined what I consider online game narratives are able to, but it surely additionally left me invigorated to see how Treatment will innovate as soon as once more.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}