Alan Wake II is a game whose existence is enwrapped in surprises. It was a surprise when its Finnish developers, Remedy Entertainment, announced the game at The Game Awards in 2021, more than a decade after the original’s release and when fans were losing hope of a sequel actually coming to fruition. It was a surprise when the game took this year’s Game Awards by storm, tying the top spot alongside Balder’s Gate 3–another title nominated for our very own Lusties—for the most number of nominations with a total of eight across a variety of categories including “Game of the Year.” However, this last point is no longer a surprise. Because Alan Wake II is a triumph of a video game, whose most surprising aspect is not its existence, but the innovative ways in which it tells its captivating story.
In a time where triple-A gaming has seen a dearth in innovation of late, with multi-hundred million dollar titles doing little to move the industry forward or using the medium of video games to tell compelling narratives, Alan Wake II feels like a breath of fresh air. Remedy, with director Sam Lake once again at the helm, have mastered their way of storytelling. Using narrative devices like melding live-action sequences, eerie voice-overs, and fourth-wall-breaking environmental writing, all of which are presented with Remedy’s idiosyncratic visual flair, Alan Wake II is the culmination of everything the studio have been workshopping throughout the decade. Its sense of self, understanding of pace, and remarkably engrossing atmosphere that continually looks as if you’re playing through a cutscene (seriously, this is possibly the most graphically impressive game I’ve ever played) makes it a title that’s difficult to put down.
It all comes together to tell a psychological thriller about the power of art and its effect on society, the egos of artists, and the blurred lines between fiction and reality. It’s with this last idea where Remedy brilliantly experiment with the gameplay, introducing mechanics that quite literally give players a tactile function with the narrative, furthering the understanding of a theme on a level only possible through video games. The polish in which these mechanics are executed are also impressive, taking full advantage of modern hardware to cultivate a seamless playing experience. Alan Wake II serves as reminder that amidst all the banal titles released by seemingly indifferent triple-A developers whose responsibilities lay less with their fans and more with their shareholders, exist studios like Remedy that are out there making thoughtfully crafted games that push the boundaries of this medium in unique ways.
Alan Wake 2 is just one of GameLuster’s seven Game of the Year nominees for 2023. Make sure to check out our other nominations for this award and many more in the Lusties 2023!
