To get the bad out of the way: Alan's segments drop from scary to frustrating pretty quick. It's so not worth fighting the shade enemies, to the extent I started to question why Alan even had any guns on him. Doesn't help that pressing any button in this game has maybe a 70% chance of actually doing anything (especially the touchpad on PS5), making the high-intensity combat segments feel more like a game of luck.
As for everything else... what a game! This is such a gripping survival horror experience with an amazing story and atmosphere made whole by the genius that is Sam Lake and the team at Remedy.
Saga Anderson is a great new protagonist and her segments balance so well with Alan's. Alan himself feels more fleshed out. You can see how being in the Dark Place for 13 years has totally changed him. I also love how the Old Gods of Asgard have become major characters in this story. As usual, Poets of the Fall brings their A-game with nothing but bangers that go straight into my Spotify playlist the second I hear them. "We Sing" is probably one of my favorite video game levels ever.
Generally this game paid off fantastically well for someone who decided to play AW1, American Nightmare, and Control beforehand. Getting to see Ahti, the FBC, and a new take on Mr. Scratch was more than worth saving this for last. I can't wait to see where Remedy takes this universe in the future; Control 2 and successive Alan Wake titles have so much potential if this is anything to go by.
As for everything else... what a game! This is such a gripping survival horror experience with an amazing story and atmosphere made whole by the genius that is Sam Lake and the team at Remedy.
Saga Anderson is a great new protagonist and her segments balance so well with Alan's. Alan himself feels more fleshed out. You can see how being in the Dark Place for 13 years has totally changed him. I also love how the Old Gods of Asgard have become major characters in this story. As usual, Poets of the Fall brings their A-game with nothing but bangers that go straight into my Spotify playlist the second I hear them. "We Sing" is probably one of my favorite video game levels ever.
Generally this game paid off fantastically well for someone who decided to play AW1, American Nightmare, and Control beforehand. Getting to see Ahti, the FBC, and a new take on Mr. Scratch was more than worth saving this for last. I can't wait to see where Remedy takes this universe in the future; Control 2 and successive Alan Wake titles have so much potential if this is anything to go by.