Alan Wake II

While full of minor (and a few major) flaws in design and gameplay, I've never had more fun playing a narrative videogame since Half-Life 2. If you're into Remedy games and the lore of Alan Wake, this game will be a mesmerizing survival horror classic.

Its AAA graphics, sound and atmosphere invite you to expect the same standards in game mechanics and design. But Remedy isn't an AAA studio, and although they have released titles that played comparatively smoother (e.g. Control), Alan Wake 2 has just too many stale and frustrating gameplay aspects keeping it from being a truly great...well, game. Its weird, lynch'esque narrative is worth the experience, though it should've been tied up with the same amount of love it was set up with.

I wish I could say that I unequivocally love this game because I do love so much of what it's doing. I love the vast majority of its narrative decisions, its atmosphere and visuals, and all of its stylistic choices, but I find its gameplay and certain design choices far too frustrating to give it full marks. But it's a special piece of work and we need more like it regardless of my hangups with it

A phenomenal game, that wears its inspirations proudly but in the very capable hands of Same Lake and team elevates the whole thing to art in its own right, switching effortlessly between the legitimate frighting and ridiculously funny.

I recommend this game, but with some caveats. Alan Wake II could have easily been a 6/6, but a few key things hold it back. It really wears its inspirations on its sleeves, and it shows too much. The most obvious one is Twin Peaks, specifically season 3. It almost succeeds in establishings its very own identity, and it doesn't even have to, but the mediocre writing and hit and miss acting drags it down. Lastly, Alan Wake really isn't such an interesting character, and neither is Saga, honestly.

I'm a wimp when it comes to horror games, but this is one of the few where I forced myself to keep playing. Atmosphere and story are top-notch. Gameplay is fluid, shooting feels good, light mechanics work. The case board is lame and I don't know why you have to place the images yourself; it would work just as well if it did so automatically and you could just refresh whenever you want. Took me out and actively annoyed me, I don't understand its inclusion.