Alan Wake 2 - An Immersive Horror Vibe

Alan Wake 2 started so promisingly for me - super high hopes indeed - until there were bugs right out of the gate. While exploring for collectibles (gotta love those collectibles!), Sheriff Not-So-Helpful became stuck in an ongoing strike position; I then had to restart everything because Mr. Immovable McGruff glitched out. Seriously Remedy, where were your game testers when making this one? However, my complaints became moot just a few weeks after when the developer fixed the issues. Still, I had a mixed opinion at the start that finally leaned towards a good game and I ended up feeling this is a real masterpiece. It was a long story here but in the end, it was all fine.

Alan Wake 2 has truly amazed me from the second I've seen its first trailer.

The Gameplay Could Have Been Better and the Dialogue More Lively

Now, onto the actual gameplay. I won't deny its beauty: its graphics are amazing - yet no game can survive solely on its appearances alone this is why so many other things will support the visuals and merge with the gameplay in a unitary experience. The dialogue was sometimes boring but I guess it is part of the cliche story. Maybe it was just me, but at times, Alan Wake 2 felt like listening to paint dry while the action seemed rather static. It is as it should be, very cinematic, however, that atmosphere thing could get tiresome over time. Bear in mind, though, that this game focuses mainly on storytelling. If you expect classic survival horror thrills such as Resident Evil or The Last of Us, however, then this may disappoint; instead, there will be much more information gathering and cutscenes than action scenes.

From its graphics, storyline, and characters alone I never expected such an immersive experience.

Technically Challenging on PC but Stunning on PlayStation 5

Technically, things could be somewhat chaotic if you are not playing it on the PlayStation 5. On PC, despite my impressive 4080 setups required me to turn all my settings up just so that the frame rate remained consistent. On console, things are much better and it feels that Alan Wake 2 was thought of as a PlayStation 5 game first. Here, the graphics really shine, not to mention the spectacular performance of Ray Tracing, so if you buy PS5 games, Alan Wake 2 will feel at home on your system. You should be a little more cautious if you're playing it on PC as you will really need a very powerful machine, and even then you will still find some time that it struggles.

Although there may be occasional bugs present at the start, they were all fixed and now you can have a smooth experience.

Conclusion: A Narrative-Driven Game, Not an Action-Driven One

But here's some good news as I cannot leave out the best parts (and Alan Wake 2 has a lot of the best parts)! If you buy PS5 horror games but secretly enjoy stories with supernatural elements, Alan Wake 2 could just be what you need. Its captivating narrative keeps players guessing until the very last second and it is a well-thought sequel to the first Alan Wake, despite the distance of 13 years between the two stories. Alan Wake 2 is something of a mixed bag: on one hand, it is amazing with its compelling plot and immersive atmosphere, but the story sometimes struggles, and the gameplay may be considered subpar to others like Resident Evil or The Last of Us. For narrative-seekers it will not disappoint - while those craving constant thrills and action might prefer something else entirely. Until our next time together...!

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